Brandon McInerney Pleads Not Guilty

Teenage killer Brandon McInerney, who last year walked into his 8th grade classroom and shot openly gay classmate Lawrence King in the head, has pleaded not guilty in a Ventura County, California classroom.

Teen murder defendant Brandon McInerney pleaded not guilty Thursday to first-degree murder and other charges in connection with the fatal shooting of classmate Larry King, 15, at an Oxnard school. McInerney, 15, who is being prosecuted as an adult, was accompanied by his attorneys in Ventura County Superior Court as he formally received the criminal charges against him. His arraignment had been postponed repeatedly since the February 2008 shooting. Ventura County Superior Court Superior Court Judge Bruce Young set a pretrial hearing for Oct. 23 and a trial date for Dec. 1. After the arraignment, Senior Deputy District Attorney Maeve Fox said she doesn’t know whether McInerney will be tried in December. “Your guess is as good as mine,” she said.

It's unclear of the basis of the not guilty plea, as dozens of horrified students witnessed the shooting. Defense attorneys want the case moved to juvenile court so McInerney can be "treated and rehabilitated in the juvenile system.” Prosecutors have noted that white supremacist materials were found in McInerney's bedroom.