Teen Allegedly Threatened King; McInerney Atty. in Contempt

A 17-year-old former classmate of Lawrence King and Brandon McInerney testified on Wednesday that McInerney threatened to "shank" King the day before he shot him twice, February 12, 2008.

Identified only as Cristian G., the witness was described as a casual acquaintance of the murdered gay 15-year-old. Cristian said an emotionless McInerney told a group of boys that "he was going to get some guys together and rush [King] and shank him," the Los Angeles Times reported.

McInerney's defense has been describing King as a sexual aggressor who flirted with and taunted McInerney, but Cristian G., when asked by defense attorney Scott Wippert, denied that King chased after boys.

This isn't Wippert's first troublesome move: In pretrial proceedings, Judge Charles Campbell told both sides that McInerney's statements to police after the shooting were off-limits. But on Tuesday, Wippert questioned a police officer who dealt with McInerney after the shooting and asked if the teen seemed remorseful. Campbell, angered, found Wippert in contempt of court and fined him $500.

"You should know better than that," Campbell told Wippert. "I'm expecting that you are a more experienced counsel for a case like this."

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