About
When he was just fourteen years old, this California junior high school student tragically shot and killed his openly gay schoolmate Larry King. Though he was initially tried for a hate crime, he was ultimately convicted of firearm use, voluntary manslaughter, and second-degree murder.
Trivia
He was sentenced to juvenile prison in late 2011, with the understanding that he would be transferred to an adult prison as soon as he turned eighteen.
Before Fame
In the days leading up to the shooting, he reportedly asked other students to help him physically harm King, who had been harassing him.
Family Life
He was born in Ventura, California, to a methamphetamine addict mother, Kendra, and a father, William, who had served jail time for domestic violence. Brandon's half-brother, James Bing, appealed outside of the courtroom to the jury in Brandon's first trial and was subsequently banned from all court proceedings.
Associated With
Tragically, Larry King and Matthew Shepard were both murdered in acts of sexual orientation-motivated violence.