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RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 11:38 AM Oct 2013

Documentary Valentine Road about the murder of Larry King by a classmate

running on HBO. I caught it this morning...really good but made me so angry how teachers and jurors blamed the victim. An assistant principal who was openly gay and supportive of Larry was fired.

That warped perception is masked as concern for the rights of 14-year-old Brandon McInerney, who shot King twice at point-blank range in the back of the head in computer class at E.O. Green Junior High School in the California beach town of Oxnard. It’s the type of flagrant prejudice that is sadly indicative of many attitudes surrounding this hate crime. To the filmmaker’s credit, she allows the people sharing those views – jurors, defense attorneys, teaching staff – to dig themselves into their own pit of narrow-mindedness, without the need for external commentary.


Link: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/valentine-road-sundance-review-413941

Case: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Larry_King
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Documentary Valentine Road about the murder of Larry King by a classmate (Original Post) RiffRandell Oct 2013 OP
I saw some of it the other day MuseRider Oct 2013 #1
I know. RiffRandell Oct 2013 #2
I do remember it MuseRider Oct 2013 #3
Yeah, the one that had a big cross hanging in her foyer. RiffRandell Oct 2013 #4

MuseRider

(34,111 posts)
1. I saw some of it the other day
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 12:34 PM
Oct 2013

and was stunned at the attitudes of some of these people.

Since when does shooting someone in the back of the head in a school classroom with premeditation make people go, ohhh he was only 14 he did not realize the impact this would have? Shit I hate living in this country sometimes. My children knew better before they were 5 years old and if that had been one of my kids doing the shooting I would NEVER have let anyone get away with saying that he was too young to know better. I know the kid had a troubled life, who the fuck does not anymore? What about Larry?

I withhold judgement of the whole doc until I have seen it all. I know it will not change what I said above.

RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
2. I know.
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 01:49 PM
Oct 2013

They had more sympathy for the murderer than Larry. One of the jurors said "he was solving a problem" as they were drinking wine in their bubble of ignorance and homophobia. Disgusting.

My memory is pretty bad these days (at 43 no less) but I only vaguely remember this case, and I'm an informed person. It only happened 5 years ago.

MuseRider

(34,111 posts)
3. I do remember it
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 02:27 PM
Oct 2013

but I do not remember the details of the trial. Not sure why I don't though because I certainly would have paid attention to it.

Those women were disgusting as was that one teacher. How do people get so narrow and why when they see so much difference in the world do they respond by staying narrow and being angry at the differences? That I will never understand. There are a lot of little reasons but what it comes down to, IMO, is there are people who just don't want to be bothered so they just become angry and bigoted and never seek to learn more. Since when is it better to be angry than kind? It seems their hearts must feel both emotions the same otherwise they would not choose to be that way.

I know, these are age old questions and I am just going over it for the millionth time here so I will stop. I don't think I will ever get used to it. No, I KNOW I will never get used to it.

RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
4. Yeah, the one that had a big cross hanging in her foyer.
Sat Oct 19, 2013, 03:38 PM
Oct 2013

Did you see the hateful letter sent by an alternate juror to the prosecutor who copied GOD? Crazy.

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