LA PALMA : Boy Freed of Charge in Playmate’s Death

At the request of the victim’s mother, Orange County prosecutors on Monday dismissed criminal charges against a 12-year-old La Palma boy accused of the fatal shooting of his best friend.

The boy, who faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, was scheduled to go on trial Monday before Superior Court Judge William F. Rylaarsdam.

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Brent F. Romney said that he discussed the case with the victim’s mother, Paula LaFortune, and learned she did not want the prosecution to continue.

The critical issue, Romney said, was whether the youth had the knowledge that what he was doing could be dangerous.

“The victim’s mother told us that the two boys were so close, he would never have pointed the gun at her son if he’d known he could have hurt him,” Romney said. “She said this boy had suffered enough for what he’d done and she hoped we would not go forward.”