The tth behd Ameri’s most famo gay-hate murr | LGBTQ+ rights | The Guardian

Contents:

• THE TTH BEHD AMERI’S MOST FAMO GAY-HATE MURR
• MATTHEW SHEPARD, VICTIM OF ANTI-GAY HATE CRIME, DI
• MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR
• GAY MAN DI FROM ATTACK, FANNG OUTRAGE AND DEBATE
• MATTHEW {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED OM SEVERE JURI HE STAED A GAY-RELATED HATE CRIME ATTACK. HIS ATH SET OFF A NATNWI BATE ABOUT HATE CRIM AND HOMOPHOBIA THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD, JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: OCT 7, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: GA VAN HOOF - ALL RIGHTS {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1976-1998){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS MATTHEW SHEPARD?IN 1998, TWO MEN, AARON MCKNEY AND RSELL HENRSON, ABDUCTED MATTHEW SHEPARD AND DROVE HIM TO A REMOTE AREA WHERE HE WAS TIED TO A SPL-RAIL FENCE, BEATEN SEVERELY AND LEFT TO DIE THE LD OF THE NIGHT. SHEPARD DIED JT A FEW DAYS LATER ON OCTOBER 12, 1998, AT THE AGE OF 21. HIS BTAL AND GOME ATH HAS BEE ONE OF THE MOST NOTOR ANTI-GAY HATE CRIM AMERIN HISTORY AND EVENTUALLY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).EARLY LIFEBORN ON DECEMBER 1, 1976, THE OIL BOOMTOWN CASPER, WYOMG, TO JUDY AND DENNIS SHEPARD, MATTHEW WAYNE SHEPARD, THE ELR OF TWO SONS, WAS A SENSIVE, SOFT-SPOKEN AND KD YOUNG BOY. HE WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL CASPER UNTIL HIS JUNR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WHEN SHEPARD MOVED WH HIS FAY TO DHAHRAN, SDI ARABIA, WHERE HIS FATHER WORKED OIL SAFETY ENGEERG. HE PLETED HIGH SCHOOL AT THE AMERIN SCHOOL SWZERLAND WHERE HE STUDIED GERMAN, ITALIAN AND THEATER AND ENJOYED MIC AND FASHN.DURG HIS SENR YEAR, SHEPARD TOOK A VATN WH THREE CLASSMAT TO MOROC. DURG THIS TRIP, SHEPARD WAS RAPED, BEATEN AND ROBBED BY A GANG OF LOLS. SOME ASSERT THAT SHEPARD'S PET STATURE (HE WAS ONLY 5’ 2” AND 100 POUNDS) MA HIM PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO VICTIMIZATN. ALTHOUGH THE POLICE ATTEMPTED TO ASCERTA WHO MTED THE ATTACK, THE PERPETRATORS WERE NEVER UGHT. AFTER THE ASSLT, SHEPARD SOUGHT THERAPTIC TREATMENT BUT HAD FLASHBACKS, PANIC ATTACKS AND NIGHTMAR. HE NTUED TO EXPERIENCE PERDS OF PARANOIA, PRSN, ANXIETY AND SUICIDAL IATN FOR THE REMAR OF HIS SHORT LIFE.COLLEGE CAREERAFTER GRADUATG HIGH SCHOOL, SHEPARD BRIEFLY ATTEND A SMALL LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL, CATAWBA COLLEGE, SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLA, PURSU OF A THEATRE REER. ALTHOUGH SHEPARD KNEW HE WAS GAY OM A YOUNG AGE, HE ME OUT TO HIS MOTHER ONLY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL; SHE REASSURED HIM SHE HAD KNOWN ABOUT HIS SEXUAL INTY FOR YEARS. HE THEN MOVED TO RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLA, BEFORE MOVG BACK HOME TO ATTEND MUNY LLEGE AT CASPER COLLEGE.AT CASPER, A TEACHER TRODUCED HIM TO ROMAE PATTERSON, AN OUTGOG LBIAN WHO BEME ONE OF SHEPARD’S CLOSE IENDS. THE TWO MOVED TO DENVER, COLORADO, AND SHEPARD WORKED A STRG OF PART-TIME JOBS BUT ALWAYS KNEW HIS PASSN WAS HELPG PEOPLE. IN 1998, HE MOVED TO LARAMIE AND ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSY OF WYOMG, HIS PARENTS’ ALMA MATER, BEE HE FELT THAT LIVG A SMALL TOWN WOULD HELP HIM FEEL SAFE. AS A 21-YEAR-OLD HMAN, SHEPARD STUDIED POLIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL RELATNS AND WANTED TO PURSUE A FOREIGN SERVICE REER. KNOWN TO BE POLE, THOUGHTFUL AND A GREAT NVERSATNALIST, SHEPARD QUICKLY BEME ACTIVE ON MP AND JOED THE UNIVERSY’S LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR (LGBT) STUNT ALLIANCE.ABDUCTN AND MURRJT A FEW MONTHS AFTER ARRIVG LARAMIE, ON OCTOBER 6, 1998, SHEPARD ENUNTERED AARON MCKNEY AND RSELL HENRSON AT A LOL PUB, THE FIRI LOUNGE. MCKNEY AND HENRSON SAW SHEPARD AS AN EASY TARGET AND MA PLANS TO ROB HIM. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF OCTOBER 7, THE PAIR LURED HIM AWAY OM THE BAR AND DROVE HIM TO A RAL AREA WHERE THEY TIED HIM TO A SPL-RAIL FENCE, BEAT HIM SEVERELY WH THE BUTT OF A .357 SMH & WSON PISTOL AND LEFT HIM TO DIE THE NEAR-EEZG TEMPERATUR OF THE EARLY MORNG HOURS.MCKNEY LATER STATED HE ASSUMED SHEPARD WAS AD WHEN THEY LEFT. SHEPARD WAS DISVERED 18 HOURS LATER BY A BICYCLIST, AARON KREIFELS, WHO AT FIRST THOUGHT HE WAS A SRECROW. STILL ALIVE BUT A A, SHEPARD WAS SHED TO POUDRE VALLEY HOSPAL FORT COLLS, COLORADO. FOR FOUR DAYS, SHEPARD LAY ATOSE A HOSPAL BED JT DOWN THE HALL OM MCKNEY (WHO WAS THERE AS THE RULT OF A HAIRLE ACTURE OF THE SKULL THAT HE RECEIVED A BRAWL HE HAD STIGATED JT A FEW HOURS AFTER ATTACKG SHEPARD). IN ADDN TO NUMERO BIS, WELTS AND LACERATNS, SHEPARD’S BRA STEM WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND HE ALSO WAS SUFFERG OM HYPOTHERMIA. HE WAS PRONOUNCED AD AT 12:53 A.M. ON OCTOBER 12, 1998. SHORTLY AFTER, POLICE FOUND THE BLOODY GUN AS WELL AS SHEPARD'S SHO AND WALLET MCKNEY’S TCK. MCKNEY AND HENRSON WERE ARRTED AND WERE NVICTED OF FELONY MURR AND KIDNAPPG. BOTH RECEIVED TWO NSECUTIVE LIFE TERMS.FUNERAL AND PUBLIC RPONSSHEPARD’S MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD AT ST. MARK'S EPISPAL CHURCH CASPER, WYOMG ON OCTOBER 16, 1998, AND WAS ATTEND BY OVER 700 PEOPLE (MANY HAD TO STAND OUTSI THE SNOW), CLUDG IENDS AND FAY OM AROUND THE WORLD. ALSO PRENT WERE NOTOR PROTTORS OM THE WTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH, CLUDG FRED PHELPS HIMSELF, WHO PICKETED THE FUNERAL WH HOMOPHOBIC SIGNS. TO BAT THEIR BIGOTRY, SHEPARD’S IEND PATTERSON ANIZED A GROUP, NOW LLED ANGEL ACTN, TO BLOCK THE PROTTORS BY WEARG WHE ROB AND LARGE ANGELIC WGS. BEE HIS BTAL ATTACK ATTRACTED SO MUCH MEDIA VERAGE, SHEPARD'S ATH WAS ONT AND CENTER OF THE OUTCRY AGAST ANTI-GAY HATE AND VLENCE. MATTHEW SHEPARD-BYRD ACTDPE THE ANTI-GAY RHETORIC SPOUTED BY MCKNEY AND HENRSON THROUGHOUT THE TRIALS THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THEIR LIFE SENTENC FOR SHEPARD’S MURR, THEY WERE NOT CHARGED WH A HATE CRIME. AS A RULT, SHEPARD’S HIGH-PROFILE MURR SE SPARKED PROTTS, VIGILS AND LLS FOR FERAL LEGISLATN TO PROTECT LGBT VICTIMS OF VLENCE.ON OCTOBER 28, 2009, OVER ELEVEN YEARS AFTER SHEPARD’S MURR, PRINT {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BARACK OBAMA, WH JUDY SHEPARD BY HIS SI, SIGNED TO LAW THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT. THE NEW LEGISLATN EXPAND THE FN OF THE FERAL HATE CRIME LAW BY CLUDG CRIM STIGATED BY AN DIVIDUAL'S PERCEIVED GENR OR GENR INTY (WHICH WERE PREVLY NOT CLUD FBI HATE CRIME DATA) AND REVISG THE LLECTN STANDARDS FOR BIAS MOTIVATED BY SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE, AND ETHNICY. THE SHEPARD/BYRD ACT GIV THE DEPARTMENT OF JTICE THE POWER TO VTIGATE AND PROSECUTE BIAS-MOTIVATED VLENT CRIM AGAST LGBT VICTIMS. MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN SHEPARD’S LIFE AND UNTIMELY ATH HAVE SERVED AS AN SPIRATN FOR ACTIVISM AGAST HATE. FOLLOWG HIS ATH AND SPIRED BY SHEPARD’S PASSN TO FOSTER A MORE RG AND JT WORLD, SHEPARD’S PARENTS CREATED THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN WHOSE MISSN IS FOR "DIVIDUALS TO EMBRACE HUMAN DIGNY AND DIVERSY" AND "TO REPLACE HATE WH UNRSTANDG, PASSN AND ACCEPTANCE." SHEPARD HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER, LOGAN, WH WHOM HE HAD A CLOSE RELATNSHIP. LOGAN IS CURRENTLY A STAFF MEMBER OF THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN AND OVERSE S DAILY OPERATNS.'THE LARAMIE PROJECT AND' 'CONSIRG MATTHEW SHEPARD'SHEPARD’S ATH AND LIFE HAVE ALSO BEEN CHRONICLED THE PLAY THE LARAMIE PROJECT AND THE 2016 MIL CONSIRG MATTHEW SHEPARD, AS WELL AS FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS, DOCUMENTARI AND SONGS. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}BIRTH YEAR: 1976BIRTH DATE: DECEMBER 1, 1976BIRTH STATE: WYOMGBIRTH CY: CASPERBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED OM SEVERE JURI HE STAED A GAY-RELATED HATE CRIME ATTACK. HIS ATH SET OFF A NATNWI BATE ABOUT HATE CRIM AND HOMOPHOBIA THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD, JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).ASTROLOGIL SIGN: SAGTARISCHOOLSCASPER COLLEGEUNIVERSY OF WYOMGCATAWBA COLLEGENACNALIAMERINDEATH YEAR: 1998DEATH DATE: OCTOBER 12, 1998DEATH STATE: COLORADODEATH CY: FORT COLLSDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK
• HOW AMERI GOT PAST THE ANTI-GAY POLICS OF THE '90S
• ANTI-LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR VLENCE 1998
• MATTHEW SHEPARD, WHOSE 1998 MURR BEME A SYMBOL FOR THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, WILL BE TERRED AT WASHGTON NATNAL CATHEDRAL
• DE END BLAZE OF HATE : CRIM: THE NUMBER OF THREATS AND ASSLTS AGAST BLACKS, JEWS AND GAYS LAST YEAR WERE TOPS THE ‘80S, THE UNTY’S HUMAN RELATNS MISSN SAYS.

THE TTH BEHD AMERI’S MOST FAMO GAY-HATE MURR

They pistol whipped him wh a gun then tied him to a fence eezg ndns and set fire to him before leavg him to attack beme a e célèbre: precipated a natnal backlash agast hyper-macho culture and tac tolerance of homophobia.

MATTHEW SHEPARD, VICTIM OF ANTI-GAY HATE CRIME, DI

So why has he put such time and effort to attemptg to prove that Matthew’s murr was not a hate crime, pecially as has seen him acced of beg an ally to the rightwg Christian fundamentalists who ny the realy of homophobia? ”Wypijewski thks the reason some sectns of the gay muny are so angry about the Jimenez book is obv: “Jimenez has taken away their angel, and there is the reflexive sense that as a muny s sufferg was beg at last regnised.

Photograph: Evan Agosti/Getty Imag Photograph: Evan Agosti/Getty ImagOn 16 September the Casper Star Tribune, the lol paper Matthew’s home town, published an edorial claimg that an award Jimenez had recently received for his book “serv rejectn”, sayg: “From the begng there have been those who want to ignore the sadistic homophobic motiv of Shepard’s attackers and stead sist the matter was a dg al gone bad. Image source, RtersImage ptn, Reverend Gene Robson rri the ash of Matthew Shepard, whose 1998 kidnap and murr st wispread attentn on hate crim agast gay peopleMatthew Shepard has been laid to rt at the Washgton Natnal Cathedral, 20 years after he was btally beaten and killed bee of his first openly gay Epispal bishop, Gene Robson, men rponsible for his 1998 murr admted targetg Shepard bee he was gay.

His ath is remembered as one of the worst US anti-gay hate 2009, Congrs passed the Matthew Shepard Act, expandg hate crime laws to clu sexual the public service, attend by hundreds, Shepard's ash were formally terred a smaller, private is one of about 220 Amerins terred the pal's thedral, cludg former US Print Woodrow Wilson and Helen Keller. Image source, RtersImage ptn, Judy and Dennis Shepard walk behd Reverend Gene Robson, who rri the ash of their late son Matthew ShepardThe Bishop of Washgton, Reverend Mariann Edgar Bud, also prid over the ceremony alongsi the now-retired Rev Robson of New service clud mic by the Gay Men's Chos of Washgton DC, LGBT youth chos group GenOUT and Conspirare, a Grammy-award wng group that created mic spired by Robson, who was nsecrated five years after Shepard's ath, beme a iend of the Shepard fay, and was through him that the Natnal Cathedral terment procs began. It was jt a few short steps, but was the end of a long and torturo journey to fally lay their son to source, Matthew Shepard FoundatnImage ptn, Matthew Shepard was an openly gay 21-year-old stunt at the Universy of WyomgOn Tuday 6 October, 1998, Laramie, Wyomg, two men attacked Shepard, a 21-year-old openly gay universy stunt.

MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR

6, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old Universy of Wyomg stunt who was openly gay, went alone to the Firi Lounge Laramie after a meetg of the mp LGBT (Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgenr) stunt group and a quick stop at the Village Inn.

Shortly after midnight, Shepard left the bar wh McKney and Henrson; police and prosecutors would assert that the two men lured Shepard, perhaps unr the pretense of themselv beg gay, but fact wh the tent of robbg him.

GAY MAN DI FROM ATTACK, FANNG OUTRAGE AND DEBATE

Ed Andriki, The Associated their 36 hours of preparatn and travel, the story of the attack spread om lol to regnal to natnal media, unrsred by the reports om several of Shepard’s iends that he was gay and their fears that he had fallen victim to an anti-gay hate crime.

MATTHEW {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED OM SEVERE JURI HE STAED A GAY-RELATED HATE CRIME ATTACK. HIS ATH SET OFF A NATNWI BATE ABOUT HATE CRIM AND HOMOPHOBIA THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD, JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).{MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: OCT 7, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: GA VAN HOOF - ALL RIGHTS {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1976-1998){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS MATTHEW SHEPARD?IN 1998, TWO MEN, AARON MCKNEY AND RSELL HENRSON, ABDUCTED MATTHEW SHEPARD AND DROVE HIM TO A REMOTE AREA WHERE HE WAS TIED TO A SPL-RAIL FENCE, BEATEN SEVERELY AND LEFT TO DIE THE LD OF THE NIGHT. SHEPARD DIED JT A FEW DAYS LATER ON OCTOBER 12, 1998, AT THE AGE OF 21. HIS BTAL AND GOME ATH HAS BEE ONE OF THE MOST NOTOR ANTI-GAY HATE CRIM AMERIN HISTORY AND EVENTUALLY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).EARLY LIFEBORN ON DECEMBER 1, 1976, THE OIL BOOMTOWN CASPER, WYOMG, TO JUDY AND DENNIS SHEPARD, MATTHEW WAYNE SHEPARD, THE ELR OF TWO SONS, WAS A SENSIVE, SOFT-SPOKEN AND KD YOUNG BOY. HE WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL CASPER UNTIL HIS JUNR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL WHEN SHEPARD MOVED WH HIS FAY TO DHAHRAN, SDI ARABIA, WHERE HIS FATHER WORKED OIL SAFETY ENGEERG. HE PLETED HIGH SCHOOL AT THE AMERIN SCHOOL SWZERLAND WHERE HE STUDIED GERMAN, ITALIAN AND THEATER AND ENJOYED MIC AND FASHN.DURG HIS SENR YEAR, SHEPARD TOOK A VATN WH THREE CLASSMAT TO MOROC. DURG THIS TRIP, SHEPARD WAS RAPED, BEATEN AND ROBBED BY A GANG OF LOLS. SOME ASSERT THAT SHEPARD'S PET STATURE (HE WAS ONLY 5’ 2” AND 100 POUNDS) MA HIM PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO VICTIMIZATN. ALTHOUGH THE POLICE ATTEMPTED TO ASCERTA WHO MTED THE ATTACK, THE PERPETRATORS WERE NEVER UGHT. AFTER THE ASSLT, SHEPARD SOUGHT THERAPTIC TREATMENT BUT HAD FLASHBACKS, PANIC ATTACKS AND NIGHTMAR. HE NTUED TO EXPERIENCE PERDS OF PARANOIA, PRSN, ANXIETY AND SUICIDAL IATN FOR THE REMAR OF HIS SHORT LIFE.COLLEGE CAREERAFTER GRADUATG HIGH SCHOOL, SHEPARD BRIEFLY ATTEND A SMALL LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL, CATAWBA COLLEGE, SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLA, PURSU OF A THEATRE REER. ALTHOUGH SHEPARD KNEW HE WAS GAY OM A YOUNG AGE, HE ME OUT TO HIS MOTHER ONLY AFTER HIGH SCHOOL; SHE REASSURED HIM SHE HAD KNOWN ABOUT HIS SEXUAL INTY FOR YEARS. HE THEN MOVED TO RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLA, BEFORE MOVG BACK HOME TO ATTEND MUNY LLEGE AT CASPER COLLEGE.AT CASPER, A TEACHER TRODUCED HIM TO ROMAE PATTERSON, AN OUTGOG LBIAN WHO BEME ONE OF SHEPARD’S CLOSE IENDS. THE TWO MOVED TO DENVER, COLORADO, AND SHEPARD WORKED A STRG OF PART-TIME JOBS BUT ALWAYS KNEW HIS PASSN WAS HELPG PEOPLE. IN 1998, HE MOVED TO LARAMIE AND ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSY OF WYOMG, HIS PARENTS’ ALMA MATER, BEE HE FELT THAT LIVG A SMALL TOWN WOULD HELP HIM FEEL SAFE. AS A 21-YEAR-OLD HMAN, SHEPARD STUDIED POLIL SCIENCE AND TERNATNAL RELATNS AND WANTED TO PURSUE A FOREIGN SERVICE REER. KNOWN TO BE POLE, THOUGHTFUL AND A GREAT NVERSATNALIST, SHEPARD QUICKLY BEME ACTIVE ON MP AND JOED THE UNIVERSY’S LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR (LGBT) STUNT ALLIANCE.ABDUCTN AND MURRJT A FEW MONTHS AFTER ARRIVG LARAMIE, ON OCTOBER 6, 1998, SHEPARD ENUNTERED AARON MCKNEY AND RSELL HENRSON AT A LOL PUB, THE FIRI LOUNGE. MCKNEY AND HENRSON SAW SHEPARD AS AN EASY TARGET AND MA PLANS TO ROB HIM. IN THE EARLY HOURS OF OCTOBER 7, THE PAIR LURED HIM AWAY OM THE BAR AND DROVE HIM TO A RAL AREA WHERE THEY TIED HIM TO A SPL-RAIL FENCE, BEAT HIM SEVERELY WH THE BUTT OF A .357 SMH & WSON PISTOL AND LEFT HIM TO DIE THE NEAR-EEZG TEMPERATUR OF THE EARLY MORNG HOURS.MCKNEY LATER STATED HE ASSUMED SHEPARD WAS AD WHEN THEY LEFT. SHEPARD WAS DISVERED 18 HOURS LATER BY A BICYCLIST, AARON KREIFELS, WHO AT FIRST THOUGHT HE WAS A SRECROW. STILL ALIVE BUT A A, SHEPARD WAS SHED TO POUDRE VALLEY HOSPAL FORT COLLS, COLORADO. FOR FOUR DAYS, SHEPARD LAY ATOSE A HOSPAL BED JT DOWN THE HALL OM MCKNEY (WHO WAS THERE AS THE RULT OF A HAIRLE ACTURE OF THE SKULL THAT HE RECEIVED A BRAWL HE HAD STIGATED JT A FEW HOURS AFTER ATTACKG SHEPARD). IN ADDN TO NUMERO BIS, WELTS AND LACERATNS, SHEPARD’S BRA STEM WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED AND HE ALSO WAS SUFFERG OM HYPOTHERMIA. HE WAS PRONOUNCED AD AT 12:53 A.M. ON OCTOBER 12, 1998. SHORTLY AFTER, POLICE FOUND THE BLOODY GUN AS WELL AS SHEPARD'S SHO AND WALLET MCKNEY’S TCK. MCKNEY AND HENRSON WERE ARRTED AND WERE NVICTED OF FELONY MURR AND KIDNAPPG. BOTH RECEIVED TWO NSECUTIVE LIFE TERMS.FUNERAL AND PUBLIC RPONSSHEPARD’S MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS HELD AT ST. MARK'S EPISPAL CHURCH CASPER, WYOMG ON OCTOBER 16, 1998, AND WAS ATTEND BY OVER 700 PEOPLE (MANY HAD TO STAND OUTSI THE SNOW), CLUDG IENDS AND FAY OM AROUND THE WORLD. ALSO PRENT WERE NOTOR PROTTORS OM THE WTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH, CLUDG FRED PHELPS HIMSELF, WHO PICKETED THE FUNERAL WH HOMOPHOBIC SIGNS. TO BAT THEIR BIGOTRY, SHEPARD’S IEND PATTERSON ANIZED A GROUP, NOW LLED ANGEL ACTN, TO BLOCK THE PROTTORS BY WEARG WHE ROB AND LARGE ANGELIC WGS. BEE HIS BTAL ATTACK ATTRACTED SO MUCH MEDIA VERAGE, SHEPARD'S ATH WAS ONT AND CENTER OF THE OUTCRY AGAST ANTI-GAY HATE AND VLENCE. MATTHEW SHEPARD-BYRD ACTDPE THE ANTI-GAY RHETORIC SPOUTED BY MCKNEY AND HENRSON THROUGHOUT THE TRIALS THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THEIR LIFE SENTENC FOR SHEPARD’S MURR, THEY WERE NOT CHARGED WH A HATE CRIME. AS A RULT, SHEPARD’S HIGH-PROFILE MURR SE SPARKED PROTTS, VIGILS AND LLS FOR FERAL LEGISLATN TO PROTECT LGBT VICTIMS OF VLENCE.ON OCTOBER 28, 2009, OVER ELEVEN YEARS AFTER SHEPARD’S MURR, PRINT {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BARACK OBAMA, WH JUDY SHEPARD BY HIS SI, SIGNED TO LAW THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT. THE NEW LEGISLATN EXPAND THE FN OF THE FERAL HATE CRIME LAW BY CLUDG CRIM STIGATED BY AN DIVIDUAL'S PERCEIVED GENR OR GENR INTY (WHICH WERE PREVLY NOT CLUD FBI HATE CRIME DATA) AND REVISG THE LLECTN STANDARDS FOR BIAS MOTIVATED BY SEXUAL ORIENTATN, RACE, AND ETHNICY. THE SHEPARD/BYRD ACT GIV THE DEPARTMENT OF JTICE THE POWER TO VTIGATE AND PROSECUTE BIAS-MOTIVATED VLENT CRIM AGAST LGBT VICTIMS. MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN SHEPARD’S LIFE AND UNTIMELY ATH HAVE SERVED AS AN SPIRATN FOR ACTIVISM AGAST HATE. FOLLOWG HIS ATH AND SPIRED BY SHEPARD’S PASSN TO FOSTER A MORE RG AND JT WORLD, SHEPARD’S PARENTS CREATED THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN WHOSE MISSN IS FOR "DIVIDUALS TO EMBRACE HUMAN DIGNY AND DIVERSY" AND "TO REPLACE HATE WH UNRSTANDG, PASSN AND ACCEPTANCE." SHEPARD HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER, LOGAN, WH WHOM HE HAD A CLOSE RELATNSHIP. LOGAN IS CURRENTLY A STAFF MEMBER OF THE MATTHEW SHEPARD FOUNDATN AND OVERSE S DAILY OPERATNS.'THE LARAMIE PROJECT AND' 'CONSIRG MATTHEW SHEPARD'SHEPARD’S ATH AND LIFE HAVE ALSO BEEN CHRONICLED THE PLAY THE LARAMIE PROJECT AND THE 2016 MIL CONSIRG MATTHEW SHEPARD, AS WELL AS FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS, DOCUMENTARI AND SONGS. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}BIRTH YEAR: 1976BIRTH DATE: DECEMBER 1, 1976BIRTH STATE: WYOMGBIRTH CY: CASPERBIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED OM SEVERE JURI HE STAED A GAY-RELATED HATE CRIME ATTACK. HIS ATH SET OFF A NATNWI BATE ABOUT HATE CRIM AND HOMOPHOBIA THAT ULTIMATELY LED TO THE MATTHEW SHEPARD AND JAM BYRD, JR. HATE CRIM PREVENTN ACT (2009).ASTROLOGIL SIGN: SAGTARISCHOOLSCASPER COLLEGEUNIVERSY OF WYOMGCATAWBA COLLEGENACNALIAMERINDEATH YEAR: 1998DEATH DATE: OCTOBER 12, 1998DEATH STATE: COLORADODEATH CY: FORT COLLSDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECK

After his effort to mount a “gay panic fense” was led out by Judge Barton Voight, McKney’s unsel, prosecutor Cal Recha and the Shepards agreed to a siar plea barga for nsecutive life sentenc and McKney’s agreement not to speak to the media about the se, a provisn he would repeatedly vlate later years. Wyomg legislators 1999 nsired a state-level hate crime bill that extend to anti-gay and -lbian crimal motivatns, but the measure failed the state Hoe on a 30-30 tie on two nsecutive days and has not sce been serly bated. After meetg Shepard a Laramie, Wyomg, gay bar, The Firi Lounge, Rsell Henrson and Aaron McKney lured him to the parkg lot, where he was beaten and two attackers then took Shepard, 21 years old and weighg jt over 100 pounds, to a remote spot outsi of town and tied his naked body to a woon fence, tortured him, and left him the eezg ld.

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. (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. 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.

"Beyond the feral hate crime law, the years sce Matthew Shepard's ath, among the most substantive legislative ws for the LGBTQ muny were the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell 2010, so gay ary members n serve openly whout fear of beg dismissed, and the legalizatn of same-sex marriage across the untry 2015. "WARNING: This feature ntas language that some rears may fd nights earlier, on Tuday 6 October 1998, Matthew Shepard walked alone to a dive bar ptn, Judy and Dennis Shepard at the Matthew Shepard Foundatn Denver last weekThe openly gay Universy of Wyomg hman had jt met up wh iends to plan LGBT awarens week on the town's he uldn't persua them to jo him for a beer the Firi Lounge, the 21-year-old somehow end up chattg to two roofg workers, Rsell Henrson and Aaron McKney, both the same age as pair saw an easy mark the 5ft 2, slightly built County Sheriff Dave O'Malley, who was lead vtigator the se, says: "McKney's own statement said he and Rsell went to the bathroom at the Firi bar and they planned to act like they were gay to try to ga Matthew's nfince. It is a momento honour not even acrd to another proment gay martyr, Harvey Milk, the San Francis polician assassated the Denver cy centre offic of the LGBT rights foundatn named after her son, Judy Shepard, 66, is fightg back predicted Friday's ceremony would probably be more emotnal for her than the funeral bee she felt so "numb" immediately after her son's source, Getty ImagImage ptn, A vigil for Shepard New York Cy 1998The origal service, amid snow flurri the fay's hometown of Casper, Wyomg, on 16 October 1998, was picketed by an anti-gay preacher om Kansas.

HOW AMERI GOT PAST THE ANTI-GAY POLICS OF THE '90S

Reverend Fred Phelps of Wtboro Baptist Church and his flock, who clud children, held plards dbed wh homophobic slurs and shouted to mourners that the ad stunt was burng Shepard, 69, remembers law enforcement makg him wear a bullet-proof vt to step outsi the Epispal church, which had been sured by bomb-sniffg dogs. Shepard's murr stoked the perceptn of Cowboy Country and flyover stat general as a danger zone for gay at his office the cy of Cheyenne, McKney trial lawyer Dn Ctis matas was a robbery gone bad, even while he accepts sexual orientatn was a factor. "However, McKney's own gay-bashg rhetoric damns him the ey of source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Thoands gathered outsi the US Capol for a vigil after Shepard's athDurg a police nfsn, he said he began to attack Shepard bee the stunt had put his hand on his leg durg the r ri.

" Yet another statement to police, he said Shepard simply looked like he was about to grope the jailhoe after his arrt, McKney reportedly wrote to another mate's wife: "Beg a verry [sic] dnk homofobick [sic] I flipped out and began to pistol whip the fag wh my gun, ready at hand. "At trial, McKney's lawyers argued that Shepard had ma their client fly to a rage by touchg his the judge dismissed this "gay panic" a legal strategy - where crimal fendants s of vlent asslt argue they were provoked by an unwanted same-sex sexual advance - is still admissible all but three US stat, acrdg to the Williams Instute at UCLA School of Law. Sheriff O'Malley rejects any attempt to downplay the anti-gay element the source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Rev Fred Phelps and his flock prott Laramie 1999"We have never disunted ever that the ial motivatn was robbery, " he says.

The moment was re-enacted as a climactic scene 2002 HBO movie The Laramie the angel actn, was replited two years ago Orlando, Florida, when Wtboro Baptist Church tried to dispt the funerals of gay people killed a mass shootg at the Pulse nightclub. However, Sheriff O'Malley mak clear that theory is not supported by the source, Getty ImagImage ptn, Judy Shepard (L) at the Whe Hoe 2009 for the passage of the anti-hate crim bill named after her son and a black man killed by whe supremacistsThe Old Buckhorn Bar & Parlor Laramie has a mirror pocked by a bullet hole, and walls that bristle wh mounted antelope, buffalo and patron, Jt Bmmet - who proudly scrib himself as "third class whe trash" - says US progrs on gay rights sce Shepard's ath is to be mend.

ANTI-LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR VLENCE 1998

" Back at the end of the last lennium, many Wyomg apparently thought gay people were as rare on the high plas as jackalop, the state's mythil antlered ptn, (L-R) Universy of Wyomg LGBT stunts Js Fahlsg, Carlos Gonzal and Rihanna KelverShepard's murr - together wh the 2005 gay wboy love story Brokeback Mounta - helped dispel that Connolly, a Universy of Wyomg genr and women's studi lecturer, explas. She reunts facg a "horrific" backlash last year om angry voters when she troduced a gay rights source, Getty ImagImage ptn, A dirt road near where Shepard was left to dieA Democrat, she is one of a handful of female lawmakers Wyomg. Matthew Shepard, the gay llege stunt who was kidnapped, robbed and pistol-whipped, died here today, five days after he was rcued om a Wyomg ranch where he had been left tied to a fence for 18 hours near-eezg ath, announced at the Poudre Valley Hospal here, fanned the outrage that followed word of the attack, spawng vigils, producg lls for Feral hate-crim legislatn om Print Clton and fuelg bat over such laws a host of Wtern stat, cludg Wyomg, that have risted plac om Denver to the Universy of Maryland, people turned out to mourn the soft-spoken 21-year-old who beme an overnight symbol of adly vlence agast gay people after he was found danglg om the fence by a passerby.

MATTHEW SHEPARD, WHOSE 1998 MURR BEME A SYMBOL FOR THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, WILL BE TERRED AT WASHGTON NATNAL CATHEDRAL

''Matthew's ath, I hope, will brg about a better and eper unrstandg of hate-crime laws, '' said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, a lbian and gay rights group that has 250, 000 1996, 21 men and women were killed the Uned Stat bee of their sexual orientatn, acrdg to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama group that tracks vlence agast mori. Gay lears charge that the advertisements help create a hostile climate for homosexuals, a climate that n lead to laws on the books 40 stat have not impged on eedom of speech, said Brian Lev, a crimal jtice profsor who directs the Center on Hate and Extremism at Stockton College, Pomona, N.

''This Universy of Wyomg stunt was beaten and left to die, tied to a fence like an animal bee he was hont and open about beg gay, '' Beatrice Dohrn, legal director of the Lambda Legal Defense and Edutn Fund, said today.

DE END BLAZE OF HATE : CRIM: THE NUMBER OF THREATS AND ASSLTS AGAST BLACKS, JEWS AND GAYS LAST YEAR WERE TOPS THE ‘80S, THE UNTY’S HUMAN RELATNS MISSN SAYS.

In 1991, he endowed the Gay and Lbian Center at the San Francis Public Library, which would go on to bear his name when nomatn snagged on the Republin learship Congrs, then bily seekg Print Clton's impeachment over his affair wh Moni Lewsky. Senator Jse Helms, the Senate Foreign Relatns Commtee chairman well known for his public opposn to the "homosexual liftyle" and the people he lled, Newsweek 1994, "generat" and "weak, morally sick wretch, " vowed to block the appotment. But the "Stone Age, " as Jodi Foster has lled , which gay people were seen as perverts jtifiably targeted for vlence or vective, is a none too distant a memory, and too many quarters is still extremely difficult for people -- pecially very young people -- to be out and gay whout experiencg severe social, physil, or enomic repercsns (as the documentary Bully showed this past year, se any one had any doubt), acrdg to Washgton Post-ABC News pollg, 58 percent support gay marriage, up om 41 percent 2004, while opposn has dropped om 55 to 36 percent.