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Defence attorney Matthew Hardy said because of the abuse his client learned it was acceptable to kill people who were a threat. The boy thought if he shot his dad, the violence would end, Mr. Hardy said.

Also at issue were the father’s racist beliefs.

Mr. Hall, who said he believed in a white breakaway nation, ran for a seat on the local water board in 2010 in a move that disturbed many residents in the recession-battered suburbs southeast of Los Angeles. The day before his death, he held a meeting of the neo-Nazi group at his home.

Mr. Hall had previously taken the boy on a U.S.-Mexico border patrol trip and showed him how to use a gun, according to court documents.

Prosecutors maintained Mr. Hall’s white supremacist beliefs had nothing to do with the crime. They noted the boy had a history of violence that dated back to kindergarten when he stabbed a teacher with a pencil.

But Judge Leonard said in her decision that the white supremacist beliefs did have an effect on the boy and “gave him thoughts normal kids don’t have.” Mr. Hardy maintains the boy isn’t racist.

The challenge now for the legal system is to find the best place where the boy can be rehabilitated. Prosecutors said it’s likely the boy, who is not being identified by The Associated Press because of his age, will most likely be placed in state custody, making him the youngest person currently in the custody of California’s corrections department.

The blonde-haired boy, who wears glasses, showed no emotion after the verdict was read.

“He knew it was coming,” Mr. Hardy said. “He’s focused on trying to get it over with. Go someplace where he can get some help. He wants to be a normal kid and wants to have a normal life.”

Hardy said he hoped the boy would not be sent to a juvenile lockup but rather be placed in a private facility that offers therapy, medical treatment and schooling.

The Associated Press