Matthew Shepard, 22, openly gay llege stunt, is found burned, battered and nearly lifels after beg tied to fence for 18 hours, Laramie, Wyo; Rsell A Henrson and Aaron J McKney are charged wh kidnappg, aggravated robbery and attempted murr; Kristen Leann Price and Chasty Vera Pasley are charged as accsori after fact to attempted murr; Shepard's iends say he did not know alleged tormentors; see hate crime; photos (M)
Contents:
- MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR
- MATTHEW SHEPARD NOT MURRED FOR BEG GAY, NEW BOOK CLAIMS
- GAY MAN BEATEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD; 2 ARE CHARGED
- MONTANA MAN SENTENCED FOR HATE CRIME SHOOTG SPREE TO RID TOWN OF GAYS AND LBIANS
MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR
Matthew Shepard was abducted, beaten and killed 20 years ago bee he was gay. * gay man killed in montana *
Twenty years ago, Matthew Shepard was a "smart, funny" 21-year-old, no different than any other young man that was an "ordary kid who wanted to make the world a better place, " his parents October 1998, that all changed, when the openly gay llege stunt was abducted, beaten and tied to a fence life end a few days later, and wh me a wispread awarens of the dangers that members of the LGBTQ muny face every day.
The homophobic btal killg also served as a talyst for progrs Ameri's laws and the two s that have passed, however, remas batable how far the untry has e sce the shock of that crime. They later nfsed they had "veloped a roe which they'd pretend to be gay to w Matt's nfince, " Marsn said. (MORE: 'Gay panic' fense still ed vlence s may be banned by new feral bill)McKney h Shepard about 20 tim the head and face wh the end of the pistol, Marsn said, before the two stole Shepard's sho, got their tck and drove back to town.
Agast the gay muny until after he grew up to bee very terted ternatnal human rights, particularly women's rights the Middle East and Asia, and he studied polil science, said Marsn.
MATTHEW SHEPARD NOT MURRED FOR BEG GAY, NEW BOOK CLAIMS
Fifteen years after Matthew Shepard was tied to a fence and fatally beaten after leavg a bar Wyomg, a new book claims the gay teenager was murred for “reasons far more plited” than beg homosexual. * gay man killed in montana *
"He said, 'Mom I'm gay. "Everybody he met, he said, 'Jt to let you know ahead of time, I'm gay, '" Dennis Shepard said.
Agast the gay muny until after he died, " he said. "The natn mournsThe shockg homophobic crime the sparsely-populated state garnered natnal sympathy.
GAY MAN BEATEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD; 2 ARE CHARGED
A Montana man has been sentenced to 18 years prison after his nvictn on feral hate crime and firearm charg related to a “self-scribed missn to rid the town of Bas of s lbian, queer and gay muny,” officials said. * gay man killed in montana *
A ndlelight vigil is held for Sla gay Wyomg stunt Matthew Shepard, Oct. Members of the Wtboro Baptist Church protted the funeral, picketg wh anti-gay Fred Phelps and his parishners traveled om Kansas to Laramie for the funeral and trial, prottg wh brightly lored signs and spewg hatred. McKney went to trial, and fense attorneys argued his vlent actns were "gay panic" -- a reactn to Shepard makg a sexual advance.
"When the fense gets out there and starts talkg out of, the victim's flt, you know, 'gay panic, '...
MONTANA MAN SENTENCED FOR HATE CRIME SHOOTG SPREE TO RID TOWN OF GAYS AND LBIANS
"The "gay panic" fense is still legal most stat but has been outlawed a few. McKney has cled to speak to ABC News while Henrson did not immediately rpond to a requt for WashgtonShepard's murr shed a light on the spe of feral hate crime laws, which at the time did not clu sexual orientatn or genr gay activists monstrate the streets of North Hollywood to prott agast the ath of Wyomg Universy stunt Mathew Shepard, Oct.