Universy of Wyomg stunt Matthew Shepard, who was openly gay, was btally beaten October 1998 by Aaron McKney and Rsell Henrson. Shepard died several days later. The cint received ternatnal media verage and ntu to spark ntroversy about hate crim. Shepard’s parents, Judy and Dennis, tablished a foundatn Matthew’s name, which ntu s pro-LGBT tnal work today.
Contents:
- MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR
- THE TTH BEHD AMERI’S MOST FAMO GAY-HATE MURR
- MATTHEW SHEPARD, GAY STUNT KILLED HATE CRIME, TO BE INTERRED AT NATNAL CATHEDRAL
MATTHEW SHEPARD: THE LEGACY OF A GAY LLEGE STUNT 20 YEARS AFTER HIS BTAL MURR
* gay college student killed in wyoming *
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. In his police nfsn, McKney repeatedly scribed Shepard as “a queer, ” “the gay, ” and “fag.
By McKney’s own nfsn, rroborated most tails by Henrson, McKney told Shepard that the two men were not gay and that he was gog to be robbed. 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. 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.
THE TTH BEHD AMERI’S MOST FAMO GAY-HATE MURR
Matthew Shepard was abducted, beaten and killed 20 years ago bee he was gay. * gay college student killed in wyoming *
“Gay Stunt Attacked Wyomg, ” Oct. “Friends and Strangers Mourn Gay Stunt Wyomg, ” The New York Tim, Oct. Losg Matt Shepard: Life and Polics the Aftermath of Anti-Gay Murr.
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.
MATTHEW SHEPARD, GAY STUNT KILLED HATE CRIME, TO BE INTERRED AT NATNAL CATHEDRAL
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.