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Matthew Shepard

Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was a gay American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten, tortured, and left to die near Laramie on the night of October 6, 1998.[1] He was taken by rescuers to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he died six days later from severe head injuries received during the attack.

Matthew Shepard
Born
Matthew Wayne Shepard

(1976-12-01)December 1, 1976
DiedOctober 12, 1998(1998-10-12) (aged 21)
Cause of deathMurder (blunt force trauma)
Resting placeWashington National Cathedral
Alma materUniversity of Wyoming
Parents

Suspects Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were arrested shortly after the attack and charged with first-degree murder following Shepard's death. Significant media coverage was given to the murder and what role Shepard's sexual orientation played as a motive for the crime.

The prosecutor argued that the murder of Shepard was premeditated and driven by greed. McKinney's defense counsel countered by arguing that he had intended only to rob Shepard but killed him in a rage when Shepard made a sexual advance toward him. McKinney's girlfriend told police that he had been motivated by anti-gay sentiment but later recanted her statement, saying that she had lied because she thought it would help him. Henderson pleaded guilty to murder, and McKinney was tried and found guilty of murder; each of them received two consecutive life sentences.

Shepard's murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal level.[2] In October 2009, the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (commonly the "Matthew Shepard Act" or "Shepard/Byrd Act" for short), and on October 28, 2009, President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law.[3] Following her son's murder, Judy Shepard became a gay rights activist and established the Matthew Shepard Foundation. Shepard's murder inspired a number of films, novels, plays, songs, and other works, including The Laramie Project (a 2000 play and 2002 film) and Judy Shepard's 2009 memoir The Meaning of Matthew.

Background edit

Matthew Shepard was born in 1976 in Casper, Wyoming; he was the first of two sons born to Judy (née Peck) and Dennis Shepard. His younger brother, Logan, was born in 1981. The two brothers had a close relationship.[4] Shepard attended Crest Hill Elementary School, Dean Morgan Junior High School, and Natrona County High School for his freshman through junior years. As a child, he was "friendly with all his classmates", but was targeted and teased due to his small stature and lack of athleticism.[4] He developed an interest in politics at an early age.[4]

Saudi Aramco hired his father in the summer of 1994, and Shepard's parents subsequently resided at the Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran. During that time, Shepard attended the American School in Switzerland (TASIS),[5] from which he graduated in May 1995. There, he participated in theater, and took German and Italian courses. He then attended Catawba College in North Carolina and Casper College in Wyoming, before settling in Denver, Colorado. Shepard became a first-year political science major at the University of Wyoming in Laramie with a minor in languages,[4] and was chosen as the student representative for the Wyoming Environmental Council.[2]

Shepard was an Episcopalian and once served as an altar boy in the church.[6] He was described by his father as "an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone. He was the type of person who was very approachable and always looked to new challenges. Shepard had a great passion for equality and always stood up for the acceptance of people's differences."[7] Michele Josue, who had been Shepard's friend and later created a documentary about him, Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine, described him as "a tenderhearted and kind person."[8]

In 1995, Shepard was beaten and raped during a high school trip to Morocco.[9][10] This caused him to experience depression and panic attacks, according to his mother.[9] One of Shepard's friends feared that his depression had driven him to become involved with drugs during his time at college.[9] Multiple times, Shepard was hospitalized due to his clinical depression and suicidal ideation.[4]

Murder edit

On the night of October 6, 1998, Shepard was approached by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge in Laramie; all three men were in their early 20s.[11][9] McKinney and Henderson offered to give Shepard a ride home.[12][13] They subsequently drove to a remote rural area and proceeded to rob, pistol-whip, and torture Shepard, tying him to a split rail fence and leaving him to die.[14] It was erroneously reported by the news that he had been tied to a barbed wire fence.[14] Many media reports contained the graphic account of the pistol-whipping and his fractured skull. Reports described how Shepard was beaten so brutally that his face was completely covered in blood, except where it had been partially cleansed by his tears.[10][15][16]

The assailants' girlfriends testified that neither McKinney nor Henderson was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of the attack.[17][18] McKinney and Henderson testified that they learned of Shepard's address and intended to steal from his home as well. After attacking Shepard and leaving him tied to the fence in near-freezing temperatures, McKinney and Henderson returned to town. McKinney proceeded to pick a fight with two men, 19-year-old Emiliano Morales and 18-year-old Jeremy Herrara. The fight resulted in head wounds for both Morales and McKinney.[19] Police officer Flint Waters arrived at the scene of the fight. He arrested Henderson, searched McKinney's truck, and found a blood-smeared gun along with Shepard's shoes and credit card.[9] Henderson and McKinney later tried to persuade their girlfriends to provide alibis for them and help them dispose of evidence.[20]

Still tied to the fence, Shepard was in a coma eighteen hours after the attack when he was discovered by Aaron Kreifels, a cyclist who initially mistook Shepard for a scarecrow.[21] Reggie Fluty, the first police officer to arrive at the scene, found Shepard alive but covered in blood. Shepard was transported first to Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie before being moved to the more advanced trauma ward at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado.[22] He had suffered fractures to the back of his head and in front of his right ear. He experienced severe brainstem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate his heart rate, body temperature, and other vital functions. There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head, face, and neck. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support. While he lay in intensive care and in the days following the attack, candlelight vigils were held in countries around the world.[23][24][25]

Shepard was pronounced dead six days after the attack at 12:53 a.m. on October 12, 1998.[26][27][28][29] He was 21 years old.[11]

Arrests and trial edit

McKinney and Henderson were arrested and initially charged with attempted murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. After Shepard's death, the charges were upgraded from attempted murder to first-degree murder, which meant that the two defendants were eligible for the death penalty. Their girlfriends, Kristen Price and Chasity Pasley, were charged with being accessories after the fact.[28][30] At McKinney's November 1998 pretrial hearing, Sergeant Rob Debree testified that McKinney had stated in an interview on October 9 that he and Henderson had identified Shepard as a robbery target and pretended to be gay to lure him out to their truck, and that McKinney had attacked Shepard after Shepard put his hand on McKinney's knee.[30] Detective Ben Fritzen testified that Price stated McKinney told her the violence against Shepard was triggered by how McKinney "[felt] about gays".[30]

In December 1998, Pasley pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.[31] On April 5, 1999, Henderson avoided going to trial when he pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping charges. In order to avoid the death penalty, he agreed to testify against McKinney and was sentenced by District Judge Jeffrey A. Donnell to two consecutive life terms. At Henderson's sentencing, his lawyer argued that Shepard had not been targeted because he was gay.[31]

McKinney's trial took place in October and November 1999. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha alleged that McKinney and Henderson pretended to be gay to gain Shepard's trust. Price, McKinney's girlfriend, testified that Henderson and McKinney had "pretended they were gay to get [Shepard] in the truck and rob him."[12][32] McKinney's lawyer attempted to put forward a gay panic defense, arguing that McKinney was driven to temporary insanity by alleged sexual advances by Shepard. This defense was rejected by the judge. McKinney's lawyer stated that the two men wanted to rob Shepard but never intended to kill him.[9] Rerucha argued that the killing had been premeditated, driven by "greed and violence", rather than by Shepard's sexual orientation.[33] The jury found McKinney not guilty of premeditated murder but guilty of felony murder and began to deliberate on the death penalty. Shepard's parents brokered a deal that resulted in McKinney receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole.[34] Henderson and McKinney were incarcerated in the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins and were later transferred to other prisons because of overcrowding.[35] Following her testimony at McKinney's trial, Price pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor interference with a police officer.[36]

Subsequent reporting edit

20/20 edit

Shepard's murder continued to attract public attention and media coverage long after the trial was over. In 2004, the ABC News news program 20/20 aired a report that quoted statements by McKinney, Henderson, Price, Rerucha, and a lead investigator. The statements alleged that the murder had not been motivated by Shepard's sexuality but was primarily a drug-related robbery that had turned violent.[9] Price said she had lied to police about McKinney having been provoked by an unwanted sexual advance from Shepard, telling TV journalist Elizabeth Vargas, "I don't think it was a hate crime at all."[9][37] Rerucha said, "It was a murder that was once again driven by drugs."[9]

The Book of Matt edit

Stephen Jimenez, the producer of the 2004 20/20 segment, went on to write a book, The Book of Matt: Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard, which was published in September 2013. The book said that Shepard and McKinney—the killer who inflicted the injuries—had been occasional sex partners and that Shepard was a methamphetamine dealer.[38][39][40] Jimenez wrote that Fritzen told an interviewer "Matthew Shepard's sexual preference or sexual orientation certainly wasn't the motive in the homicide...".[41]

Many commentators have criticized Jimenez's views on the attack by classifying them as being sensational and misleading; those views were shared by gay advocacy organizations and cultural critics.[38][42][43][44][45] Some commentators, however, have spoken up to defend it.[46] Some police that were involved in the investigation have criticized Jimenez's conclusions,[47][48] while other police said that there was evidence that drugs were an important factor that led to the murder.[10]

Anti-gay protests edit

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church, led by Fred Phelps, received national attention for picketing Shepard's funeral with signs bearing homophobic slogans, such as "Matt in Hell" and "God Hates Fags".[49]

Church members also mounted anti-gay protests during the trials of Henderson and McKinney.[50] In response, Romaine Patterson, one of Shepard's friends, organized a group that assembled in a circle around the Westboro Baptist Church protesters. The group wore white robes and gigantic wings (resembling angels) that blocked the protesters. Despite this, Shepard's parents were able to hear the protesters shouting anti-gay remarks and comments directed toward them. The police intervened and created a human barrier between the two groups.[51] Angel Action was founded by Patterson in April 1999.[51][52]

Legacy edit

In the years following her son's death, Judy Shepard has worked as an advocate for LGBT rights, particularly issues relating to gay youth.[8] She was a main force behind the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which she and her husband, Dennis, founded in December 1998.[53]

Gay rights activist John Stoltenberg has said that to portray Shepard as a gay-bashing victim is to present an incomplete account of his victimization: "Keeping Matthew as the poster boy of gay-hate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gay-movement leaders. Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew's life prior to his murder will do nothing to help other young men in our community who are sold for sex, ravaged by drugs, and generally exploited."[10]

In June 2019, Shepard was one of the inaugural 50 American "pioneers, trailblazers, and heroes" inducted on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor within the Stonewall National Monument (SNM) in New York City's Stonewall Inn.[54][55] The SNM is the first U.S. national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history,[56] and the wall's unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots.[57]

Hate crime legislation edit

 
President Barack Obama greets Louvon Harris, left, Betty Byrd Boatner, right, both sisters of James Byrd, Jr., and Judy Shepard at a 2009 reception commemorating the enactment of the legislation

Requests for new legislation to address hate crimes gained momentum during coverage of the incident.[58][59] Under existing United States federal law[60] and Wyoming state law,[61] crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation could not be prosecuted as hate crimes.

A few hours after Shepard was discovered, his friends Walt Boulden and Alex Trout began to contact media organizations, claiming that Shepard had been assaulted because he was gay. According to prosecutor Cal Rerucha, "They were calling the County Attorney's office, they were calling the media and indicating Matthew Shepard is gay and we don't want the fact that he is gay to go unnoticed."[9] Tina Labrie, a close friend of Shepard's, said "[Boulden and Trout] wanted to make [Matt] a poster child or something for their cause".[62] Boulden linked the attack to the absence of a Wyoming criminal statute providing for a hate crimes charge.[10]

In the following session of the Wyoming Legislature, a bill was introduced that defined certain attacks motivated by a victim's sexual orientation as hate crimes. The measure failed on a 30–30 tie in the Wyoming House of Representatives.[63][53]

President Bill Clinton renewed attempts to extend federal hate crime legislation to include gay people, women, and people with disabilities.[64] A Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives in November 1997, and reintroduced in March 1999, but was passed by only the Senate in July 1999.[65] In September 2000, both houses of Congress passed such legislation; however, it was stripped out in conference committee.[66]

On March 20, 2007, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592) was introduced as federal bipartisan legislation in the U.S. Congress, sponsored by Democrat John Conyers with 171 co-sponsors. It would amend the existing federal hate crimes definition and expand it to cover gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, and require reporting by the FBI of those crimes included in the expansion. Shepard's parents attended the introduction ceremony. The bill passed the House of Representatives on May 3, 2007. Similar legislation passed in the Senate on September 27, 2007[67] (S. 1105), however then-President George W. Bush indicated he would veto the legislation if it reached his desk.[68] The Democratic leadership dropped the legislation in response to opposition from conservative groups and Bush, and because the measure was attached to a defense bill there was a lack of support from antiwar Democrats.[69] On December 10, 2007, congressional powers attached bipartisan hate crimes legislation to a Department of Defense Authorization bill, although it failed to pass. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, said she was "still committed to getting the Matthew Shepard Act passed". Pelosi planned to get the bill passed in early 2008[70] although she did not succeed. Following his election as president, Barack Obama stated that he was committed to passing the act.[71]

The U.S. House of Representatives debated expansion of hate crimes legislation on April 29, 2009. During the debate, Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the "hate crime" labeling of Shepard's murder a "hoax".[72] Foxx later called her comments "a poor choice of words".[73] The House passed the act, designated H.R. 1913, by a vote of 249 to 175.[74] Ted Kennedy, Patrick Leahy, and a bipartisan coalition introduced the bill in the Senate on April 28;[75] it had 43 cosponsors as of June 17, 2009. The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted as an amendment to S.1390 by a vote of 63–28 on July 15, 2009.[76] On October 22, 2009, the Senate passed the act by a vote of 68–29.[77] President Obama signed the measure into law on October 28, 2009.[78][79]

Interment in Washington National Cathedral edit

On October 26, 2018, just over 20 years after his death, Shepard's ashes were interred at the crypt of Washington National Cathedral.[80][81] The ceremony was presided over by the first openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson, and the Bishop of Washington Reverend Marianne Edgar Budde. Music was performed by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC, GenOUT, and Conspirare, which performed Craig Hella Johnson's Considering Matthew Shepard.[82] His was the first interment of the ashes of a national figure at the cathedral since Helen Keller's 50 years earlier.[83]

In popular culture edit

Matthew Shepard's life, death, trial, and its aftermath have inspired numerous works, including documentary and narrative films and television shows, stage plays (such as The Laramie Project), and musical and written works. Additionally, NBA player Jason Collins wore the jersey number "98" in honor of Shepard during his 2012–13 season with the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards, and he would come out as gay following the season.[84] After Collins joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2014, NBA marketing reported high interest in his "98" jersey[85] and high sales once the item became available for purchase.[86][87]

The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed, is a 2009 biographical book by Judy Shepard about her son. Judy Shepard speaks about her loss, her family memories of Matthew, and the tragic event that changed the Shepards' lives and America. The Meaning of Matthew follows the Shepard family in the days immediately after the crime to see their incapacitated son, kept alive by life support machines; how the Shepards learned of the huge public response, the candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child; and their struggles to navigate the legal system.[14]

American musician Tori Amos frequently dedicated her 1998 song "Merman" to Shepherd, at the request of fans following her tours at the time.[88]

In 1999, American singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge released the song "Scarecrow" in Shepard's memory, from her sixth studio album Breakdown.[89]

See also edit

References edit

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  83. ^ Bains, Davd (October 13, 2018). "Matthew Shepard and the History of the Interment the Dead in Washington National Cathedral". Chasing Churches. from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  84. ^ Grindley, Lucas (May 1, 2013). "Matthew Shepard's Mom Moved to Tears by Jason Collins's Gesture". The Advocate. from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
  85. ^ Berkman, Seth (February 25, 2014). "A Sudden Demand for No. 98 Jerseys". The New York Times. from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  86. ^ Mazzeo, Mike (February 27, 2014). "Jason Collins' No. 98 for sale". ESPN. from the original on April 18, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014. four of the top five best-selling items ... are Collins items
  87. ^ Moore, Matt (February 26, 2014). "Jason Collins' jersey skyrockets to No. 1 on sales list". CBS Sports. from the original on May 27, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  88. ^ Amos, Tori (November 1999). "Tori's Glory". Attitude. So yeah, Merman is that. When I was touring last year and Matthew Shepard got murdered I was dedicating it to him.
  89. ^ Lewis, Randy (December 9, 1999). "Battling Society's Monsters". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 19, 2023. Amid the signature songs of tortured love on Melissa Etheridge's new album, "Breakdown," is "Scarecrow," her scathing response to last year's beating death in Wyoming of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college student.

Further reading edit

  • Campbell, Shannon; Laura Castaneda (2005). News and Sexuality: Media Portraits of Diversity. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications, Inc. ISBN 1-4129-0998-8.
  • Fondakowski, Leigh; Kaufman, Moisés (2001). The Laramie Project. New York: Vintage Books. ISBN 0-375-72719-1.
  • Garceau, Dee; Basso, Matthew; McCall, Laura (2001). Across the Great Divide: Cultures of manhood in the American West. New York: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92471-5.
  • Hinds, Patrick; Romaine Patterson (2005). The Whole World Was Watching: Living in the Light of Matthew Shepard. New Hampshire: Advocate Books. ISBN 1-55583-901-0.
  • Jimenez, Stephen (2013). The Book of Matt: hidden truths about the murder of Matthew Shepard. Steerforth Press. ISBN 978-1-58642-226-4.
  • Loffreda, Beth (2000). Losing Matt Shepard: life and politics in the aftermath of anti-gay murder. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11859-7.
  • McConnell, David (2013). American Honor Killings: Desire and Rage Among Men. Akashic Books. ISBN 978-1617751325.
  • Swigonski, Mary E.; Mama, Robin S.; Ward, Kelly (2001). From Hate Crimes to Human Rights: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard. New York: Routledge. ISBN 1-56023-256-0.
  • Krutzsch, Brett (2019). Dying to Be Normal: Gay Martyrs and the Transformation of American Sexual Politics. New York: Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19068-521-8.

External links edit

  • Matthew Shepard Web Archive at the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center
  • Matthew Shepard collection at the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center
  • Matthew Shepard Foundation
  • Matthew Shepard Resource Site at the University of Wyoming August 5, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  • The Celebration of Life and Interment for Matthew Wayne Shepard

matthew, shepard, matt, shepard, redirects, here, sportscaster, matt, shepard, sportscaster, matthew, wayne, shepard, december, 1976, october, 1998, american, student, university, wyoming, beaten, tortured, left, near, laramie, night, october, 1998, taken, res. Matt Shepard redirects here For the sportscaster see Matt Shepard sportscaster Matthew Wayne Shepard December 1 1976 October 12 1998 was a gay American student at the University of Wyoming who was beaten tortured and left to die near Laramie on the night of October 6 1998 1 He was taken by rescuers to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins Colorado where he died six days later from severe head injuries received during the attack Matthew ShepardBornMatthew Wayne Shepard 1976 12 01 December 1 1976Casper Wyoming U S DiedOctober 12 1998 1998 10 12 aged 21 Fort Collins Colorado U S Cause of deathMurder blunt force trauma Resting placeWashington National CathedralAlma materUniversity of WyomingParentsDennis ShepardJudy ShepardSuspects Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were arrested shortly after the attack and charged with first degree murder following Shepard s death Significant media coverage was given to the murder and what role Shepard s sexual orientation played as a motive for the crime The prosecutor argued that the murder of Shepard was premeditated and driven by greed McKinney s defense counsel countered by arguing that he had intended only to rob Shepard but killed him in a rage when Shepard made a sexual advance toward him McKinney s girlfriend told police that he had been motivated by anti gay sentiment but later recanted her statement saying that she had lied because she thought it would help him Henderson pleaded guilty to murder and McKinney was tried and found guilty of murder each of them received two consecutive life sentences Shepard s murder brought national and international attention to hate crime legislation at both the state and federal level 2 In October 2009 the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act commonly the Matthew Shepard Act or Shepard Byrd Act for short and on October 28 2009 President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law 3 Following her son s murder Judy Shepard became a gay rights activist and established the Matthew Shepard Foundation Shepard s murder inspired a number of films novels plays songs and other works including The Laramie Project a 2000 play and 2002 film and Judy Shepard s 2009 memoir The Meaning of Matthew Contents 1 Background 2 Murder 2 1 Arrests and trial 3 Subsequent reporting 3 1 20 20 3 2 The Book of Matt 4 Anti gay protests 5 Legacy 5 1 Hate crime legislation 5 2 Interment in Washington National Cathedral 5 3 In popular culture 6 See also 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground editMatthew Shepard was born in 1976 in Casper Wyoming he was the first of two sons born to Judy nee Peck and Dennis Shepard His younger brother Logan was born in 1981 The two brothers had a close relationship 4 Shepard attended Crest Hill Elementary School Dean Morgan Junior High School and Natrona County High School for his freshman through junior years As a child he was friendly with all his classmates but was targeted and teased due to his small stature and lack of athleticism 4 He developed an interest in politics at an early age 4 Saudi Aramco hired his father in the summer of 1994 and Shepard s parents subsequently resided at the Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran During that time Shepard attended the American School in Switzerland TASIS 5 from which he graduated in May 1995 There he participated in theater and took German and Italian courses He then attended Catawba College in North Carolina and Casper College in Wyoming before settling in Denver Colorado Shepard became a first year political science major at the University of Wyoming in Laramie with a minor in languages 4 and was chosen as the student representative for the Wyoming Environmental Council 2 Shepard was an Episcopalian and once served as an altar boy in the church 6 He was described by his father as an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone He was the type of person who was very approachable and always looked to new challenges Shepard had a great passion for equality and always stood up for the acceptance of people s differences 7 Michele Josue who had been Shepard s friend and later created a documentary about him Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine described him as a tenderhearted and kind person 8 In 1995 Shepard was beaten and raped during a high school trip to Morocco 9 10 This caused him to experience depression and panic attacks according to his mother 9 One of Shepard s friends feared that his depression had driven him to become involved with drugs during his time at college 9 Multiple times Shepard was hospitalized due to his clinical depression and suicidal ideation 4 Murder editOn the night of October 6 1998 Shepard was approached by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside Lounge in Laramie all three men were in their early 20s 11 9 McKinney and Henderson offered to give Shepard a ride home 12 13 They subsequently drove to a remote rural area and proceeded to rob pistol whip and torture Shepard tying him to a split rail fence and leaving him to die 14 It was erroneously reported by the news that he had been tied to a barbed wire fence 14 Many media reports contained the graphic account of the pistol whipping and his fractured skull Reports described how Shepard was beaten so brutally that his face was completely covered in blood except where it had been partially cleansed by his tears 10 15 16 The assailants girlfriends testified that neither McKinney nor Henderson was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of the attack 17 18 McKinney and Henderson testified that they learned of Shepard s address and intended to steal from his home as well After attacking Shepard and leaving him tied to the fence in near freezing temperatures McKinney and Henderson returned to town McKinney proceeded to pick a fight with two men 19 year old Emiliano Morales and 18 year old Jeremy Herrara The fight resulted in head wounds for both Morales and McKinney 19 Police officer Flint Waters arrived at the scene of the fight He arrested Henderson searched McKinney s truck and found a blood smeared gun along with Shepard s shoes and credit card 9 Henderson and McKinney later tried to persuade their girlfriends to provide alibis for them and help them dispose of evidence 20 Still tied to the fence Shepard was in a coma eighteen hours after the attack when he was discovered by Aaron Kreifels a cyclist who initially mistook Shepard for a scarecrow 21 Reggie Fluty the first police officer to arrive at the scene found Shepard alive but covered in blood Shepard was transported first to Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie before being moved to the more advanced trauma ward at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins Colorado 22 He had suffered fractures to the back of his head and in front of his right ear He experienced severe brainstem damage which affected his body s ability to regulate his heart rate body temperature and other vital functions There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head face and neck His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support While he lay in intensive care and in the days following the attack candlelight vigils were held in countries around the world 23 24 25 Shepard was pronounced dead six days after the attack at 12 53 a m on October 12 1998 26 27 28 29 He was 21 years old 11 Arrests and trial edit McKinney and Henderson were arrested and initially charged with attempted murder kidnapping and aggravated robbery After Shepard s death the charges were upgraded from attempted murder to first degree murder which meant that the two defendants were eligible for the death penalty Their girlfriends Kristen Price and Chasity Pasley were charged with being accessories after the fact 28 30 At McKinney s November 1998 pretrial hearing Sergeant Rob Debree testified that McKinney had stated in an interview on October 9 that he and Henderson had identified Shepard as a robbery target and pretended to be gay to lure him out to their truck and that McKinney had attacked Shepard after Shepard put his hand on McKinney s knee 30 Detective Ben Fritzen testified that Price stated McKinney told her the violence against Shepard was triggered by how McKinney felt about gays 30 In December 1998 Pasley pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to first degree murder 31 On April 5 1999 Henderson avoided going to trial when he pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping charges In order to avoid the death penalty he agreed to testify against McKinney and was sentenced by District Judge Jeffrey A Donnell to two consecutive life terms At Henderson s sentencing his lawyer argued that Shepard had not been targeted because he was gay 31 McKinney s trial took place in October and November 1999 Prosecutor Cal Rerucha alleged that McKinney and Henderson pretended to be gay to gain Shepard s trust Price McKinney s girlfriend testified that Henderson and McKinney had pretended they were gay to get Shepard in the truck and rob him 12 32 McKinney s lawyer attempted to put forward a gay panic defense arguing that McKinney was driven to temporary insanity by alleged sexual advances by Shepard This defense was rejected by the judge McKinney s lawyer stated that the two men wanted to rob Shepard but never intended to kill him 9 Rerucha argued that the killing had been premeditated driven by greed and violence rather than by Shepard s sexual orientation 33 The jury found McKinney not guilty of premeditated murder but guilty of felony murder and began to deliberate on the death penalty Shepard s parents brokered a deal that resulted in McKinney receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole 34 Henderson and McKinney were incarcerated in the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins and were later transferred to other prisons because of overcrowding 35 Following her testimony at McKinney s trial Price pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor interference with a police officer 36 Subsequent reporting edit20 20 edit Shepard s murder continued to attract public attention and media coverage long after the trial was over In 2004 the ABC News news program 20 20 aired a report that quoted statements by McKinney Henderson Price Rerucha and a lead investigator The statements alleged that the murder had not been motivated by Shepard s sexuality but was primarily a drug related robbery that had turned violent 9 Price said she had lied to police about McKinney having been provoked by an unwanted sexual advance from Shepard telling TV journalist Elizabeth Vargas I don t think it was a hate crime at all 9 37 Rerucha said It was a murder that was once again driven by drugs 9 The Book of Matt edit Main article The Book of Matt Stephen Jimenez the producer of the 2004 20 20 segment went on to write a book The Book of Matt Hidden Truths About the Murder of Matthew Shepard which was published in September 2013 The book said that Shepard and McKinney the killer who inflicted the injuries had been occasional sex partners and that Shepard was a methamphetamine dealer 38 39 40 Jimenez wrote that Fritzen told an interviewer Matthew Shepard s sexual preference or sexual orientation certainly wasn t the motive in the homicide 41 Many commentators have criticized Jimenez s views on the attack by classifying them as being sensational and misleading those views were shared by gay advocacy organizations and cultural critics 38 42 43 44 45 Some commentators however have spoken up to defend it 46 Some police that were involved in the investigation have criticized Jimenez s conclusions 47 48 while other police said that there was evidence that drugs were an important factor that led to the murder 10 Anti gay protests editMembers of the Westboro Baptist Church led by Fred Phelps received national attention for picketing Shepard s funeral with signs bearing homophobic slogans such as Matt in Hell and God Hates Fags 49 Church members also mounted anti gay protests during the trials of Henderson and McKinney 50 In response Romaine Patterson one of Shepard s friends organized a group that assembled in a circle around the Westboro Baptist Church protesters The group wore white robes and gigantic wings resembling angels that blocked the protesters Despite this Shepard s parents were able to hear the protesters shouting anti gay remarks and comments directed toward them The police intervened and created a human barrier between the two groups 51 Angel Action was founded by Patterson in April 1999 51 52 Legacy editIn the years following her son s death Judy Shepard has worked as an advocate for LGBT rights particularly issues relating to gay youth 8 She was a main force behind the Matthew Shepard Foundation which she and her husband Dennis founded in December 1998 53 Gay rights activist John Stoltenberg has said that to portray Shepard as a gay bashing victim is to present an incomplete account of his victimization Keeping Matthew as the poster boy of gay hate crime and ignoring the full tragedy of his story has been the agenda of many gay movement leaders Ignoring the tragedies of Matthew s life prior to his murder will do nothing to help other young men in our community who are sold for sex ravaged by drugs and generally exploited 10 In June 2019 Shepard was one of the inaugural 50 American pioneers trailblazers and heroes inducted on the National LGBTQ Wall of Honor within the Stonewall National Monument SNM in New York City s Stonewall Inn 54 55 The SNM is the first U S national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights and history 56 and the wall s unveiling was timed to take place during the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots 57 Hate crime legislation edit Main article Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act See also Hate crime laws in the United States nbsp President Barack Obama greets Louvon Harris left Betty Byrd Boatner right both sisters of James Byrd Jr and Judy Shepard at a 2009 reception commemorating the enactment of the legislationRequests for new legislation to address hate crimes gained momentum during coverage of the incident 58 59 Under existing United States federal law 60 and Wyoming state law 61 crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation could not be prosecuted as hate crimes A few hours after Shepard was discovered his friends Walt Boulden and Alex Trout began to contact media organizations claiming that Shepard had been assaulted because he was gay According to prosecutor Cal Rerucha They were calling the County Attorney s office they were calling the media and indicating Matthew Shepard is gay and we don t want the fact that he is gay to go unnoticed 9 Tina Labrie a close friend of Shepard s said Boulden and Trout wanted to make Matt a poster child or something for their cause 62 Boulden linked the attack to the absence of a Wyoming criminal statute providing for a hate crimes charge 10 In the following session of the Wyoming Legislature a bill was introduced that defined certain attacks motivated by a victim s sexual orientation as hate crimes The measure failed on a 30 30 tie in the Wyoming House of Representatives 63 53 President Bill Clinton renewed attempts to extend federal hate crime legislation to include gay people women and people with disabilities 64 A Hate Crimes Prevention Act was introduced in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives in November 1997 and reintroduced in March 1999 but was passed by only the Senate in July 1999 65 In September 2000 both houses of Congress passed such legislation however it was stripped out in conference committee 66 On March 20 2007 the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act H R 1592 was introduced as federal bipartisan legislation in the U S Congress sponsored by Democrat John Conyers with 171 co sponsors It would amend the existing federal hate crimes definition and expand it to cover gender sexual orientation gender identity or disability and require reporting by the FBI of those crimes included in the expansion Shepard s parents attended the introduction ceremony The bill passed the House of Representatives on May 3 2007 Similar legislation passed in the Senate on September 27 2007 67 S 1105 however then President George W Bush indicated he would veto the legislation if it reached his desk 68 The Democratic leadership dropped the legislation in response to opposition from conservative groups and Bush and because the measure was attached to a defense bill there was a lack of support from antiwar Democrats 69 On December 10 2007 congressional powers attached bipartisan hate crimes legislation to a Department of Defense Authorization bill although it failed to pass Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House said she was still committed to getting the Matthew Shepard Act passed Pelosi planned to get the bill passed in early 2008 70 although she did not succeed Following his election as president Barack Obama stated that he was committed to passing the act 71 The U S House of Representatives debated expansion of hate crimes legislation on April 29 2009 During the debate Representative Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the hate crime labeling of Shepard s murder a hoax 72 Foxx later called her comments a poor choice of words 73 The House passed the act designated H R 1913 by a vote of 249 to 175 74 Ted Kennedy Patrick Leahy and a bipartisan coalition introduced the bill in the Senate on April 28 75 it had 43 cosponsors as of June 17 2009 The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted as an amendment to S 1390 by a vote of 63 28 on July 15 2009 76 On October 22 2009 the Senate passed the act by a vote of 68 29 77 President Obama signed the measure into law on October 28 2009 78 79 Interment in Washington National Cathedral edit On October 26 2018 just over 20 years after his death Shepard s ashes were interred at the crypt of Washington National Cathedral 80 81 The ceremony was presided over by the first openly gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson and the Bishop of Washington Reverend Marianne Edgar Budde Music was performed by the Gay Men s Chorus of Washington DC GenOUT and Conspirare which performed Craig Hella Johnson s Considering Matthew Shepard 82 His was the first interment of the ashes of a national figure at the cathedral since Helen Keller s 50 years earlier 83 In popular culture edit Main article Cultural depictions of Matthew Shepard Matthew Shepard s life death trial and its aftermath have inspired numerous works including documentary and narrative films and television shows stage plays such as The Laramie Project and musical and written works Additionally NBA player Jason Collins wore the jersey number 98 in honor of Shepard during his 2012 13 season with the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards and he would come out as gay following the season 84 After Collins joined the Brooklyn Nets in 2014 NBA marketing reported high interest in his 98 jersey 85 and high sales once the item became available for purchase 86 87 The Meaning of Matthew My Son s Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed is a 2009 biographical book by Judy Shepard about her son Judy Shepard speaks about her loss her family memories of Matthew and the tragic event that changed the Shepards lives and America The Meaning of Matthew follows the Shepard family in the days immediately after the crime to see their incapacitated son kept alive by life support machines how the Shepards learned of the huge public response the candlelit vigils and memorial services for their child and their struggles to navigate the legal system 14 American musician Tori Amos frequently dedicated her 1998 song Merman to Shepherd at the request of fans following her tours at the time 88 In 1999 American singer songwriter Melissa Etheridge released the song Scarecrow in Shepard s memory from her sixth studio album Breakdown 89 See also editHistory of violence against LGBT people in the United States Murders of Gary Matson and Winfield Mowder a hate crime committed on July 1 1999 Murder of Blaze Bernstein a hate crime committed on January 10 2018 Violence against LGBT peopleReferences edit About Us Matthew Shepard Foundation Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved November 19 2017 a b Matthew Shepard Foundation webpage Matthew Shepard Foundation Archived from the original on July 29 2008 Retrieved October 4 2009 Obama signs hate crimes law rooted in crimes of 1998 USA Today October 28 2009 Archived from the original on September 18 2011 Retrieved September 23 2011 a b c d e The Crucifixion of Matthew Shepard Vanity Fair January 8 2014 Archived from the original on October 13 2015 Retrieved May 18 2016 Julie Cart September 14 1999 Matthew Shepard s Mother Aims to Speak With His Voice Los Angeles Times Archived from the original on July 9 2012 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2009 Roxana Tiron Senate OKs defense bill 68 29 The Hill found at The Hill website Archived October 25 2009 at the Wayback Machine retrieved October 22 2009 Pershing Ben October 23 2009 Senate passes measure that would protect gays The Washington Post Archived from the original on April 9 2017 Retrieved September 4 2017 Geen Jessica October 28 2009 Mother of Matthew Shepard welcomes U S hate crimes bill Pink News Archived from the original on November 2 2009 Retrieved October 28 2009 Fortin Jacey October 11 2018 Matthew Shepard Will Be Interred at the Washington National Cathedral 20 Years After His Death The New York Times Archived from the original on October 11 2018 Retrieved October 11 2018 Burton Tara Isabella October 26 2018 Bishop Robinson welcomes Matthew Shepard and gay Christians back to the church Vox Archived from the original on October 26 2018 Retrieved October 26 2018 Gay hate crime victim interred in capital BBC News October 26 2018 Archived from the original on October 26 2018 Retrieved October 26 2018 Bains Davd October 13 2018 Matthew Shepard and the History of the Interment the Dead in Washington National Cathedral Chasing Churches Archived from the original on October 20 2018 Retrieved October 20 2018 Grindley Lucas May 1 2013 Matthew Shepard s Mom Moved to Tears by Jason Collins s Gesture The Advocate Archived from the original on December 2 2013 Retrieved October 7 2013 Berkman Seth February 25 2014 A Sudden Demand for No 98 Jerseys The New York Times Archived from the original on December 1 2017 Retrieved February 11 2017 Mazzeo Mike February 27 2014 Jason Collins No 98 for sale ESPN Archived from the original on April 18 2014 Retrieved April 17 2014 four of the top five best selling items are Collins items Moore Matt February 26 2014 Jason Collins jersey skyrockets to No 1 on sales list CBS Sports Archived from the original on May 27 2014 Retrieved April 17 2014 Amos Tori November 1999 Tori s Glory Attitude So yeah Merman is that When I was touring last year and Matthew Shepard got murdered I was dedicating it to him Lewis Randy December 9 1999 Battling Society s Monsters Los Angeles Times Retrieved October 19 2023 Amid the signature songs of tortured love on Melissa Etheridge s new album Breakdown is Scarecrow her scathing response to last year s beating death in Wyoming of Matthew Shepard a 21 year old gay college student Further reading editCampbell Shannon Laura Castaneda 2005 News and Sexuality Media Portraits of Diversity Thousand Oaks Calif Sage Publications Inc ISBN 1 4129 0998 8 Fondakowski Leigh Kaufman Moises 2001 The Laramie Project New York Vintage Books ISBN 0 375 72719 1 Garceau Dee Basso Matthew McCall Laura 2001 Across the Great Divide Cultures of manhood in the American West New York Routledge ISBN 0 415 92471 5 Hinds Patrick Romaine Patterson 2005 The Whole World Was Watching Living in the Light of Matthew Shepard New Hampshire Advocate Books ISBN 1 55583 901 0 Jimenez Stephen 2013 The Book of Matt hidden truths about the murder of Matthew Shepard Steerforth Press ISBN 978 1 58642 226 4 Loffreda Beth 2000 Losing Matt Shepard life and politics in the aftermath of anti gay murder New York Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 11859 7 McConnell David 2013 American Honor Killings Desire and Rage Among Men Akashic Books ISBN 978 1617751325 Swigonski Mary E Mama Robin S Ward Kelly 2001 From Hate Crimes to Human Rights A Tribute to Matthew Shepard New York Routledge ISBN 1 56023 256 0 Krutzsch Brett 2019 Dying to Be Normal Gay Martyrs and the Transformation of American Sexual Politics New York Oxford ISBN 978 0 19068 521 8 External links editMatthew Shepard Web Archive at the University of Wyoming s American Heritage Center Matthew Shepard collection at the University of Wyoming s American Heritage Center Matthew Shepard Foundation Matthew Shepard Resource Site at the University of Wyoming Archived August 5 2012 at the Wayback Machine The Celebration of Life and Interment for Matthew Wayne ShepardPortals nbsp United States nbsp LGBT nbsp Law nbsp 1990s Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Matthew Shepard amp oldid 1189712935, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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