Jaguars associate strength ach Kev Maxen out as gay a first for US-based pro leagu | News Channel 3-12

Contents:

• JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU
• GAY MAN BEATEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD; 2 ARE CHARGED

JAGUARS ASSOCIATE STRENGTH ACH KEV MAXEN OUT AS GAY A FIRST FOR US-BASED PRO LEAGU

Twenty years ago, Matthew Shepard was a "smart, funny" 21-year-old, no different than any other young man that age.He was an "ordary kid who wanted to make the world a better place," his parents remembered.But October 1998, that all changed, when the openly gay llege stunt was abducted, beaten and tied to a fence Wyomg.His 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 culture.In the two s that have passed, however, remas batable how far the untry has e sce the shock of that crime.A gome attackShepard, a stunt at the Universy of Wyomg Laramie, spent Oct. They later nfsed they had "veloped a roe which they'd pretend to be gay to w Matt's nfince," Marsn said."They uld offer him a ri home and rob him," he add.Matthew Shepard is seen this undated photo.Matthew Shepard FoundatnMcKney and Henrson kidnapped Shepard and told him he was beg robbed, 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.Shepard was found the next day, 18 hours later, by a passg cyclist.

Agast the gay muny until after he died.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."His goal was to work for the State Department to try to brg the same privileg and rights he thought he had Ameri to other untri," Dennis Shepard said.A few years before his ath, Matthew Shepard me out to his mother on the phone."He said, 'Mom I'm gay.' And I said, 'What took you so long to tell me?'" she relled. "Rejectn was not ever an issue our fay."Their son was then livg an openly out life."Everybody he met, he said, 'Jt to let you know ahead of time, I'm gay,'" Dennis Shepard said."It was like, 'This is who I am, and that's the way 's gog to be,'" add Judy Shepard.Dennis Shepard wasn't worried about his son's safety."We didn't realize the amount of vlence and discrimatn ... Agast the gay muny until after he died," he said.

He has all the rights, rponsibili, duti and privileg of every other Amerin cizen."The natn mournsThe shockg homophobic crime the sparsely-populated state garnered natnal sympathy. Capol wh celebri and members of Congrs.A ndlelight vigil is held for Sla gay Wyomg stunt Matthew Shepard, Oct.

GAY MAN BEATEN AND LEFT FOR DEAD; 2 ARE CHARGED

"It was a spontaneo outrage about the severy of this crime and the overall phenomenon of hate crim agast LGBT people, which were startg to get more social attentn around this time than they had received prev years."But wasn't all sympathy.Members of the Wtboro Baptist Church protted the funeral, picketg wh anti-gay signs.Rev. Capol.Juana Arias/The Washgton Post/APTwo killers head to urtAfter McKney and Henrson were arrted, Henrson waived his pre-trial vtigatn and took a plea agreement, agreeg to two life sentenc.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,' ... That's jt absurd."The "gay panic" fense is still legal most stat but has been outlawed a few.