Trial in school slaying stalls

The trial of a 15-year-old facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of a classmate stalled before testimony began in a Ventura, Calif., courtroom.

Attorneys for defendant Brandon McInerney filed a motion July 19 seeking a new judge in the case. The motion follows an order from Ventura County Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell rejecting the defense’s request for a trial delay to better prepare.

McInerney is being prosecuted as an adult in the February 2008 shooting of Lawrence King at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, Calif.

Authorities say he shot King in front of about 25 classmates in a science lab. McInerney was 14 at the time of the shooting. King was 15, and died of a gunshot wound to the head.

News reports indicated there was friction between the boys. King was gay, and there are claims that McInerney is gay and feared being outed.

McInerney, if convicted, could face 53 years to life in prison. The prosecution is seeking enhanced hate crime and gun use penalties.

Classmate murder trial stalled

Kagan headed for confirmation vote

Elena Kagan’s detractors and endorsers on the Senate Judiciary Committee reached an agreement following a four-day hearing on Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court: She’s bound for confirmation.

“Solicitor General Kagan will be confirmed,” U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., told reporters during a pause in testimony.

“I assume she will be,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a separate statement.

Kagan’s nomination will go to the Senate later this summer with a round of endorsements, including one from the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT political group.

“Kagan has demonstrated her understanding of the Constitution and the protections it provides all Americans” said HRC president Joe Solmonese. “She has articulated a commitment to the substantive protections of liberty guaranteed by the Constitution – an issue of the utmost importance to the LGBT community. We are confident that Elena Kagan is well qualified to become our nation’s next Supreme Court justice.”

Elena Kagan Supreme Court nomination, confirmation vote

Hawaii launches ‘buycott’

Three Hawaii groups that support same-sex civil unions are launching a campaign to encourage consumers to buy from companies that also back civil unions.

The campaign is dubbed a “buycott.” It is in response to calls to boycott Hawaii tourism in the wake of Gov. Linda Lingle’s July 6 veto of legislation that would have permitted same- and opposite-gender couples to form civil unions.

The effort lists Hawaii businesses that score well on a questionnaire and an evaluation by an advisory board composed of members of Pride Alliance Hawaii.

The alliance, Gay and Lesbian Connection for Me and the Lesbian and Gay Businesses of Hawaii are coordinating the campaign.

Hawaii governor vetoes civil unions bill

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle said no to civil unions July 6, vetoing legislation that would have provided civil unions to same-sex couples in Hawaii because she said voters should directly decide the issue.

“Today is a sad day for the thousands of Hawaii families who remain second-class citizens,” said Alan Spector, legislative affairs co-chair for Equality Hawaii. “We’re disappointed and outraged that same-sex families will not be treated equally under Hawaii law, but vow to come back and fight this fight another day.”

Now Lingle and the state face the threat of a civil suit.

Lingle went down to the wire on her decision – July 6 was the last day for her to veto the civil unions bill, sign it into law or allow it to become law without her signature. The legislation would have allowed couples – same-gender and opposite-gender – the benefits of a civil marriage.

She eventually decided to veto the measure, along with 32 other bills a press release from her office characterized as “detrimental to public policy and would hinder efforts to expand the economy and create jobs.”

Linda Lingle vetoes Hawaii civil unions bill