QUEER QUOTE: DNC Joint Statement On Trump/Rubio Appearance In Orlando Near Pulse Nighclub

MadProfessah took this picture in Columbus, Ohio on August 2, 2016

The worst mass shooting in United States history happened just under two months ago (June 12, 2016) in Orlando Florida, at a gay nightclub called Pulse. Today Senator Marcos Rubio and GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump are 10 miles from the site of the shooting, both attending a virulently anti-LGBT event called "Rediscovering God in America." The DNC Chair Donna Brazile and DNC LGBT Caucus Chair Earl Fowlkes could not let this pass without commentary, which is today's Queer Quote:

"Instead of honoring the memory of those we lost at Pulse two months ago, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio have come to Orlando to headline a gathering of some of the nation’s most incendiary anti-gay bigots. We at the DNC join all people of good conscience in expressing our solidarity with the Orlando LGBT community as they continue to grieve the deadliest shooting in American history. We suggest Trump and Rubio disavow these anti-gay extremists who have likened gay people to Nazis and characterized HIV/AIDS as divine ‘penalties' for being gay. Failing to do so will be yet another example of the utter lack of judgment that makes Trump unfit to serve."

This blog post is not an endorsement or non-endorsement of any political candidate but is my (first-amendment protected) commentary on the appropriateness of major political figures attending an event organized by virulent homophobes so close (in time and space) to the site of the Pulse nightclub massacre where literally dozens and dozens of LGBT individuals were killed.

GODLESS WEDNESDAY: "Thoughts and Prayers" Are Not An Acceptable Response To #OrlandoShooting

Friendly Atheist had a link to the above cartoon created by Patt Kelley demonstrating the uselessness of "thoughts and prayers" as a response to the Orlando massacre of 49 people who were at the Pulse night club in the early morning of June 12th by Omar Mateen.

WATCH: Trailer for "Kidnapped For Christ"; Airs On Showtime July 10

Here's what the Showtime documentary Kidnapped for Christ is about, according to a press release:

Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, July 10^th at 7:30pm ET/PT, SHOWTIME will premiere KIDNAPPED FOR CHRIST, a powerful, award-winning documentary that chronicles the shocking truth behind Escuela Caribe, a controversial Christian behavior modification program in the Dominican Republic for “troubled” U.S. teenagers.  Initially hoping to document the positive effects a boarding school like this could have on struggling youth, evangelical filmmaker Kate Logan is granted unprecedented access and allowed to live on campus for the summer.  Once there, Logan’s eyes are opened to the truth beneath the sunny façade of this remote reform school—kids being taken by force in the middle of the night, rumors of physical abuse, and staff imposing arbitrary and degrading punishments on the young students—and encounters students who change her life.
 In the 85-minute documentary, Logan meets David, a 17-year-old honor student from Colorado, sent to the program shortly after coming out to his parents; Beth, a 15-year-old from Michigan suffering from debilitating panic attacks; and Tai, a 16-year-old Haitian-American girl from Boston experimenting with drugs to cope with childhood trauma.  With mounting evidence that this so-called “therapeutic boarding school” is no more than a crude brainwashing camp, Logan is determined to help at least one student escape.  The struggles she faces to secure the child's freedom reveal just how far Escuela Caribe will go to prevent their students from leaving, becoming a journey that tests Logan's faith in ways she could never imagine.

I'm hoping to get a sneak preview of the documentary from the producers and if so I intend to review the film for this blog. Regardless, tune in to Showtime on July 10th and watch this important documentary.

Secretary of State Kerry Issues Statement on Uganda Anti-Gay Law

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesperson

______________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                                                                                         February 24, 2014

STATEMENT BY SECRETARY KERRY

Enactment of Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill

This is a tragic day for Uganda and for all who care about the cause of human rights. Ultimately, the only answer is repeal of this law.

The United States is deeply disappointed in the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda. For the four years since the bill was introduced, we have been crystal clear that it blatantly violates human rights obligations that Uganda’s Human Rights Commission itself has recognized are enshrined in Uganda’s Constitution

Today’s signing threatens a dangerous slide backward in Uganda’s commitment to protecting the human rights of its people and a serious threat to the LGBT community in Uganda. 

We are also deeply concerned about the law’s potential to set back public health efforts in Uganda, including those to address HIV/AIDS, which must be conducted in a non-discriminatory manner in order to be effective.

As President Obama stated, this legislation is not just morally wrong, it complicates a valued relationship.  Now that this law has been enacted, we are beginning an internal review of our relationship with the Government of Uganda to ensure that all dimensions of our engagement, including assistance programs, uphold our anti-discrimination policies and principles and reflect our values.

From Nigeria to Russia and Uganda, we are working globally to promote and protect the human rights of all persons.  The United States will continue to stand against any efforts to marginalize, criminalize, and penalize vulnerable persons in any society.

# # #

HBO To Air Doc On Lawrence King Anti-LGBT Hate Crime Today

HBO is airing the Valentine Road, a documentary giving background on the lives of Lawrence King and Brandon McInerney later today. McInerney gunned King down in February 2008 at point blank range at a middle school in Southern California which both attended. McInerney was tried as an adult and eventually accepted  a plea deal leading to a sentence of 21 years in prison in December 2011.

Zack Ford at LGBT Think Progress summarizes the documentary on King and McInerney this way:

As both advocates and opponents of protections for LGBT students agree, bullying is not a simple issue that can be reduced to just one factor in any particular case.Valentine Road shows just how complex the circumstances were for both Larry and Brandon in terms of race, sexuality, gender, socioeconomic status, school support, and family support. It is also a reminder that the public understanding of LGBT issues does not evolve in one coherent block and as such, there is still much work to be done to ensure that schools are truly safe for all students, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other aspect of their identity. 

Watch the Valentine Road trailer:

I think watching the documentary is going to be pretty tough.

Hat/tip to LGBT Think Progress

FILM REVIEW: Fruitvale Station

The other half and I saw Fruitvale Station at the Arclight Cinemas Pasadena when I was back in Los Angeles last week. Fruitvale Station is a movie based on the life of Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old African American man who was fatally shot (in the back, while face down on the pavement!) by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle in the early hours of January 1, 2009 in front of a group of his friends while taking the train from partying in San Francisco. The shooting was caught live on multiple cell-phone videos that went viral on the Internet in the days and weeks following the killing. Mehserle was eventually charged with murder, the trial was moved from Alameda County to Los Angeles County but he was only found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to two years. He served 11 months in prison and was released. He was the first peace officer to be tried for murder for a line-of-duty fatal shooting in over 15 years. The Oscar Grant case was a cause celebre for several years and every New Years Day there are events to remember Oscar in Oakland and Northern California.

Fruitvale Station is the movie about the famous Oscar Grant case. It is filmmaker Ryan Coogler's very first film (although it was executive produced by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker) and stars Malcolm B. Jordan (Chronicle) and Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer (The Help).

Stylistically, Fruitvale Station is somewhere between a documentary and a drama. It is most definitely not a hagiography of Oscar Grant. We seem him make foolish choices as well as bad ones. But the film makes it clear he loved his daughter Tatiana and her mother very, very much. When he is on the floor of the BART Fruitvale Station after being shot he says to the officer who shot him "Why did you do that? I have a daughter." It is an absolutely devastating moment in the film, which is replete with them. Spencer plays Oscar's mom and the two have a very close relationship. She knows that he has a tendency to wander astray and you can see it in her eyes as she watches her son carefully. The other emotionally devastating scene in the film is the one in which we see Oscar's mom get the news about her son's death and then again when she views the body of her son.

A word must be said about the performance of Michael B. Jordan in the lead role. He is absolutely mesmerizing, despite being on screen for almost every scene one never gets bored or uninterested in what he is doing, even when one is annoyed with the choices his character is making. Hopefully this performance will not be forgotten when the end of the year comes around and film accolades for the year are announced.

That being said, even though it is an emotionally draining experience Fruitvale Station is most definitely worth your time and attention to see. It is exactly the kind of film the medium is made for, to impact the audience in a meaningful and lasting way another art form may not have been able to.

Title: Fruitvale Station.
Director: Ryan Coogler.
Running Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes.
MPAA Rating: Rated R for some violence, language throughout and some drug use.
Release Date: July 26, 2013.
Viewing Date: July 30, 2013.

Writing: A-.
Acting: A.
Visuals: B+.
Impact: A+.

Overall Grade: A/A- (3.85/4.0).

Zimmerman Found NOT GUILTY of Murder or Manslaughter

George Zimmerman has been found not guilty by a 6-person, all-female Florida jury of 2nd degree murder and not guilty of manslaughter, despite the uncontested fact that he shot and killed unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin with his concealed firearm in February 2012.

A recap of the whole sad affair:

Zimmerman was not charged for 44 tumultuous days in which the case generated large protests in several cities, turned a hooded sweatshirt like the one Martin wore into a symbol of solidarity, and drew the attention of President Obama, who said, “If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon.”

As debate over race, guns and Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law swirled, a special prosecutor appointed by the governor announced April 11, 2012, that Zimmerman was being charged with second-degree murder – a move that his supporters said was meant to quell the public outcry.

Zimmerman pleaded not guilty throughout the case to the charges against him.

When the trial unfolded a year later, prosecutors argued the volunteer neighborhood watchman was a wannabe cop who “profiled” Martin as the teen walked back from buying Skittles at a 7-Eleven, and then followed him against the advice of the police dispatcher he called to report a suspicious person.

[...]

The defense told jurors that Zimmerman was just doing his civic duty when he was ambushed by Martin, punched in the face and slammed repeatedly into concrete before he fired a single shot that pierced the teen’s heart.

“That’s cement. That is a sidewalk. And that is not an unarmed teenager with nothing but Skittles trying to get home,” O’Mara said.

Here's a poignant reaction to the verdict from MSNBC contributors Melissa Harris-Perry and Joy Reid:

They do an excellent job of providing an answer to the question "why do people think this case is about race?" by discussing the reaction of parents of black children compared to parents of non-Black children to the verdict.

Puerto Rico Approves Strong LGBT Rights Bill!

Great news from Puerto Rico. The legislature gave final approval to two bills which will improve the public policy position of LGBT residents on the island. One bill with strengthen anti-discrimination protection in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity and the other will include same-sex couples into Puerto Rico's domestic violence statutes.

The Washington Blade reports:

The Puerto Rico House of Representatives on Friday approved two bills that would ban anti-LGBT discrimination in the U.S. territory and add sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to the island’s domestic violence laws.

The voice votes on the two measures that each passed by a 29-22 vote margin took place at the end of a nearly three hour debate. Lawmakers had been scheduled to consider the bills on Thursday, but they adjourned after a marathon session that ended well after midnight.

The Puerto Rico Senate on May 16 approved the non-discrimination measure by a 15-11 vote margin.

“I can serve God without having to discriminate against anyone,” Rep. Lydia Méndez Silva of Sabana Grande said before she announced her support of the anti-discrimination bill.

Good news indeed! Congratulations to everyone involved, especially PJ Serrano!

Hat/tip to Blabbeando.

FBI Announces Involvement In McMillian Case

The latest news in the murder of Marco McMillian is that the Federal Bureau of Investigation  has announced that it is going to conduct an investigation of the horrifying death of the Black, gay man whose body was found beaten and burned last week. A suspect, Lawrence Reed, has been named in the case.

The action by the FBI is in response to a letter from the National Black Justice Coalition calling for such an investigation, since Mississippi does not have a hate crime law which includes sexual orientation.

NBJC Executive Director Sharon Lettman-Hicks issued a statement:

After speaking extensively with the family, community and anti-violence coalition members like the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), NBJC feels the perpetuation and validation of the “gay panic” defense is irresponsible. The conflicting reports as well as the current racial and anti-LGBT climate in Mississippi is justification enough for a federal investigation. 

NBJC is standing firmly with Marco McMillian’s family so that their concerns do not fall on deaf ears. The details of this case just aren’t adding up. Whether on the basis of race or sexual orientation, hate is hate. If there is the possibility that McMillian was murdered because of who he is, that warrants the Department of Justice’s involvement.

There are conflicting reports about the relationship between the suspect and the victim and concerns have been raised that a "gay panic" defense may be used by the defendant.

Hat/tip to Rod 2.0

Suspect Named In Murder Of MS Black Gay Man

Lawrence Reed, 22, has been charged with the murder of 33-year-old Marco McMillian, the openly gay black man whose body was found in a local river last week. Multiple media outlets have been reporting on the relationship between Reed and McMillian with the Clarion Ledger getting very specific:

Little is known about Reed, 22, except that he graduated from Broad Street High School in the nearby community of Shelby and had since moved into an apartment in Clarksdale. 

Friends of Reed told Memphis television station WPTY that the two recently had met at a Clarksdale bar and became close. Then, sometime either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning, McMillian made sexual advances on Reed, the friends said, adding that Reed is straight. 

The Clarion-Ledger couldn’t reach Reed’s friends, but it’s also the version of events investigators were told. After being hit on, Reed allegedly snapped, strangled McMillian, then drove McMillian’s SUV to the levee west of Clarksdale and tossed his body near the river. 

Friends of McMillian, however, say the two men were romantically involved and quarreled immediately before the slaying.

Hmmmmm, this really is not a good sign. It looks like the people defending Reed are thinking about pursuing a "gay panic" defense, which although it has been banned in California, probably plays reasonably well in front of a Mississippi jury.

Hat/tip to Rod 2.0

Godless Wednesday: 7 Countries That Kill Atheists

Did you know there are seven countries in the world where they kill atheists? These countries have laws on the books that can lead to the death of someone who declares that they do not believe in God: Afghanistan, Iran, Maldives, Mauritania, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan.

The Washington Post discusses the details of an agnostic who may be killed for his (non)belief in Saudi Arabia:

Earlier this year, a 23-year-old Saudi man named Hamza Kashgari tweeted in commemoration of the Prophet Mohammed’s birthday that, while he found the Islamic holy man inspirational, he did not believe in his divinity. When Kashgari was accused of blasphemy, he attempted to flee the country for his life, it turns out rightly. He was arrested while changing flights in Malaysia, deported back to Saudi Arabia, and is now awaiting charges that could include his execution for blasphemy and atheism.

Oh well, I guess I won't be going to see the Duba Duty Free Open anytime soon, after all. And the Maldives are supposed to be beautiful, but their policies on religious freedom are not!

Hat/tip to Friendly Atheist.

Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance #tdor

Today, November 20th, is the International Transgender Day of Remembrance, also known as TDOR. TDOR is the day to honor the transgender community and remember those who are known to be killed worldwide; there are an estimated 256 trans-identified people murdered this year.

GLAAD has posted a great infographic illustrating a timeline of transgender visibility.

Hat/tip to LGBT Think Progress.

Godless Wednesday: Atheists Cave To Violent Threats

The billboard pictured above has been withdrawn by the sponsors, American Atheists, due to violent threats. The point of the billboard was to raise attention at the sites of the Democratic (Charlotte, NC) and Republican (Tamp, FL) presidential conventions that both of the major party candidates are adherents of religion (Mitt Romney, Mormonism and Barack Obama, Islam Christianity).

The sponsoring organization made a statement last week explaining its decision to remove the billboards from Charlotte and Tampa.

“It is with regret that we tell our members and all of those who treasure free speech and the separation of religion and government that American Atheists and Adams Outdoor Advertising have mutually agreed to remove the billboards immediately,” said Amanda Knief, American Atheists’ Managing Director. 

“No subject, no idea should be above scrutiny—and this includes religion in all forms,” Ms. Knief said. “We are saddened that by choosing to express our rights as atheists through questioning the religious beliefs of the men who want to be our president that our fellow citizens have responded with vitriol, threats, and hate speech against our staff, volunteers, and Adams Outdoor Advertising.”

Teresa MacBain, American Atheists’ Public Relations Director said, "It saddens me to think that our country is not a safe place for all people to publicly question religious belief. How can we grow as a nation when such censorship exists from our own citizens?"

Despite the incorrect use of  the word "censorship," (no Government action was involved in the stifling of the organization's free speech so describing what happened as censorship is not accurate), I understand where the American Atheists are coming from. Religious people generally respond quite negatively when their privileged status in American society is demonstrated and challenged, usually to the detriment of the challenger, not the challenged.

What do you think, Gentle Readers, should the billboards have been removed?

Faux News Barely Covers #TrayvonMartin Story

Color me unsurprised.

Hat/tip to Think Progress

WATCH: Obama Comments On #TrayvonMartin Case

Two Teenaged Killers Sentenced To Decades In Prison

The Los Angeles Times reports that Brandon McInerney was sentenced yesterday by a judge to 21 years in prison (without the possibility of early release due to the terms of the plea agreement with prosecutors) for the brutal killing of his middle-school classmate on February 12, 2008 so that he will be almost 39 years old when he leaves prison, having spent more than half his life behind bars.

Lawrence King's father Greg King read a statement in court before the sentencing in which he lambasted various groups and entities:

Though he holds McInerney responsible for shooting his son, King said the school's response since the shooting has been despicable.

District leaders have made no changes in policy or procedures, saying they are unnecessary because the school's staff followed the law in allowing Larry to augment his school uniform with women's accessories. To date, no formal changes have been made, although the school district paid $25,000 toward a $255,000 civil lawsuit settlement for King's family.

"It is obvious the school did something wrong," King spat out at the hearing. "Rather than learning from it and striving to make a safer environment for our children, they hid behind lawyers."

McInerney's neck grew flushed as King spoke. The teenager, whose feet were shackled and who wore a white T-shirt and baggy blue pants, declined to make a statement. But his attorney, Scott Wippert, said his client was remorseful.

"He has stated repeatedly that if he could go back and take back his act, he would do it in a heartbeat,'' Wippert said as his client sat silently. "He lives with this every day, every night."

The attorney said McInerney also apologized to the King family, to his own family and to classmates in the computer lab where he pulled a .22-caliber handgun out of a backpack and shot King at point-blank range. Some of his former classmates were in court Monday, wiping tears from their eyes.

Greg King also addressed his son's killer directly, saying: “You took upon yourself to be a bully and to hate a smaller kid, wanting to be a big man on campus,” Greg King told McInerney. “You have left a hole in my heart where Larry was and it can never be filled.”


Bizarrely, today, just one day after the McInerney sentencing, another teenage killer, Tom Lore Vinson was sentenced to 155(!) years for the accidental killing of 16-year-old high school honor student Melody Ross while shooting at two rival gang members October 31, 2009.

Is what Vinson did 7 time worse than what Brandon McInerney did? Why is his sentence 7 times longer then?

Things that make you go hmmmmmmmmmm!

Lawrence King's Killer Accepts 21-Year Plea Deal

Finally, there is some sense of justice restored to the world. Brandon McInerney, who shot to death his teenaged, openly-gay  classmate Lawrence King at point-blank range on February 12, 2008, has apparently agreed to accept a plea deal which will lead to him serving 21 years in prison. Previously, McInerney had been tried with first-degree murder (with a hate crime enhancement) but the judge was forced to declare a mistrial after multiple jurors declared that they empathized with McInerney's rough home life and disagreed with the decision to try him as an adult because he had committed the crime as a 14-year-old as well as the anti-gay hate crime aspect.

The prosecution had made the decision to re-try McInerney as an adult but had dropped the hate crime enhancement (exactly the wrong decision, I argued).

The Los Angeles Times reports:

The Oxnard teen who shot a gay classmate he believed was flirting with him has agreed to spend the next 21 years in prison, a plea deal that ends a case that drew national attention and ignited debate on how schools should deal with openly gay students.

Brandon McInerney, who was 14 when he pulled a gun out of his backpack and shot Larry King twice in the head in 2008, has already served nearly four years in jail and would be released by the time he is 38, under terms of the deal.

"Larry had a complicated life, but he did not deserve to be murdered," the youth's father,Greg King, said after a court hearing Monday afternoon.

McInerney’s first trial ended with jurors split between convicting him of voluntary manslaughter and first-degree murder. Several of the jurors have since spoken in favor of a plea bargain, in order to avoid a second trial.

Prosecutors, in initially deciding to try McInerney a second time, had already dropped a key allegation that the shooting was motivated by a hatred of homosexuals, an accusation that several jurors in the original trial said they did not believe.

During the first trial, prosecutors portrayed McInerney as a budding white supremacist who hated homosexuals and was enraged by King's sexuality and aggressive flirtations.

The defense argued that McInerney was the product of a violent and dysfunctional home and had reached an emotional breaking point in response to King's advances.

McInerney was 14 when he carried a .22-caliber handgun to school in a backpack on Feb. 12, 2008, took a seat behind King, 15, and shot him twice in the back of the head.

Gay rights advocates were largely silent after the mistrial. A national gay rights group later said prosecutors should have done the "just and merciful thing" and reached a plea deal in the case.

It's probably the best decision overall to make the case go away. I am satisfied that the brazen killer of an openly gay (or transgender) teen will be serving significant time in jail, thus validating the idea that perpretators of such heinous acts will be prosecuted and punished by the state.

WATCH: Violent Anti-Gay High School Attack Caught On Video

This anti-gay attack happened in Union-Scioto High School in Chilicothe, Ohio, which has no anti-bullying legislation or hate crime law inclusive of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bully was apparently suspended for three days. As, Dan Savage says, "what does it take to get expelled?" For more information about who to contact to make sure this crime gets prosecuted by the authorities contact:

Chief Roger Moore 

28 North Paint Street  

Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 

Phone: (740) 773-1191

WonderMan has an update on his blog that charges are expected to be charged soon, but that the bully claims he has "mental problems" and "zoned out."

Prosecutor Decides To Retry Brandon McInerney (As An Adult)

Lawrence King (left) and the person who shot him to death, Brandon McInerney 

Well, this is interesting news. Last month a mistrial was declared in the first trial of Brandon McInerney for the murder of Lawrence King. MadProfessah was ashamed at the result and implored prosecutors to retry McInerney for the point blank shooting of his middle school classmate in February 2008.

Today comes word that prosecutors will again try McInerney as an adult for the crime, but will drop the hate crime charge, basically making the wrong choice TWICE. Many LGBT activists like myself insist that the murder was a hate crime, because it is clear that McInerney targeted King for death because of his gender identity. However, since both boys were under 18 years old (McInerney had barely turned 14 at the time of the crime) there are also many LGBT activists who disagree with the decision to try him as an adult.

The San Jose Mercury News reports:

Prosecutors on Wednesday announced their intention to pursue a murder charge in adult court against 17-year-old Brandon McInerney. However, a hate crime charge will be dropped, Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox said.

Last month, a judge declared a mistrial after a nine-woman, three-man panel couldn't reach a unanimous decision on the degree of McInerney's guilt for killing 15-year-old Larry King. After a series of votes, seven jurors were in favor of a voluntary manslaughter conviction, while five others supported either first-degree or second-degree murder.

Superior Court Judge Charles Campbell set a Nov. 21 trial date, according to Fox, but it's unclear if it will be held in Ventura County. The first trial was moved to Los Angeles County due to pretrial publicity.

McInerney was 14 in February 2008, when he is accused of killing King at E.O. Green Junior High School during a computer lab class.

Prosecutors contend McInerney embraced a white supremacist philosophy that sees homosexuality as an abomination. Police found Nazi-inspired drawings and artifacts at his house, and a white supremacist expert testified at trial the hate-filled ideology was the reason for the killing.

Authorities maintained the shooting was premeditated and deserving of a murder conviction. During the trial, Fox noted at least six people heard McInerney make threats against King in the days leading to the shooting.

Defense attorneys acknowledged that McInerney was the shooter but explained that he had reached an emotional breaking point after King made repeated, unwanted sexual advances. They also have argued that juvenile court would be the best venue to try their client.

The reactions from the LGBT community to this news will not be good.

WATCH: Local TV Coverage of Anti-Gay Mistrial

The suspected mistrial in the McInerney trial from last night is confirmed.  Apparently 7 jurors wanted voluntary manslaughter and 5 wanted murder and neither side was willing to budge to come to a unanimous verdict. Prosecutors have to decide whether to go through the cost and effort of a new trial or to offer a slightly less severe plea bargain. It does look like McInerney will spend at least several years in jail, at least. I personally would be happy with a sentence of 10-25 years.

I disagree with those who say that both young men were victims of bad circumstances. Bullsh*t! One of them is dead, killed at the hands of another, in a purely premeditated fashion. He needs to pay a severe price for such heinous actions.