Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. In this Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from left are Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, and Chasity Pasley, three suspects in the beating to death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in Laramie, Wyo. Shepard's parents started the Matthew Shepard Foundation to honor their son and to help parents understand and accept their children who may be questioning their sexuality. Chasity loved spending time with her son, family, and friends. of a gay Wyoming college student told jurors Thursday of how Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: I don't want the neighbor's kids at my house, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, Ask Amy: I'm your cabin housekeeper, and you apparently have no idea what I do. Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasley wait to be arraigned . I think about him and every single one of those days that Ive had that he hasnt had, his family hasnt had, his friends havent had. Your email address will not be published. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha said Monday that she was a valuable witness for the prosecution against McKinney. October 28, 1999 After that, he mouthed off, so I hit him a few more times and his fag ass died, McKinney wrote. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College.?. McKinney has pleaded innocent and is scheduled to stand trial in August. If you have recently experienced a loss we offer our most heartfelt condolences. I think he has atoned. Both men were the same age as Shepard and saw the slightly built Shepard who was just a couple inches over five feet tall and didn't weigh much more than 100 pounds as a target they could easily overpower. The acrimony over Shepards legacy runs high here, just as it did when anti-gay and gay-rights protesters squared off at his funeral in Casper. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. Today it has fewer women in its Legislature than any other state and remains hesitant to adopt policies to counter anti-gay bias and violence. aggravated robbery in the slaying of Shepard. He covers courts and law enforcement agencies in Natrona County and across the state. She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . The 1998 torture and murder of gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, was a turning point for gay rights in the United States, prompting outrage, sorrow and activism. Former UW student Chasity Pasley, who was dating one of Matthew Shepard's killers, pleaded innocent to the charge of accessory, after the fact, to first-degree murder. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. According to Biography, McKinney would later state that he thought Shepard was dead when they left him, but that wasn't the case; Shepard was still alive, albeit in a coma. were arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder, while their respective girlfriends, Kristen Price and Chasity Pasley, were also arrested and charged as accessories. For the last 20 years, the work of Wyoming Equality has really been this race, that we want to get to every LGBT person out there, Burlingame said. Dave OMalley, who worked on the Shepard investigation and is now the Albany County sheriff, told the Star-Tribune that Jimenezs book would more aptly be titled The Book of Lies., Nothing was in the investigation whatsoever that indicated that Matt was in any way involved in the use or distribution of methamphetamine or any other drugs, OMalley said. According to the BBC, McKinney himself said that he became angry when Shepard placed his hand on his leg, even saying that he told Shepard, "Guess what? To me, it was ridiculous.. The 1998 torture and murder of gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, was a turning point for gay rights in the United States, prompting outrage, sorrow and activism. Marsden pointed out that only Wyomings governor could commute Hendersons sentence, a prospect that he called super unlikely. Burlingame of the Wyoming Equality group said she believes in redemption but doubts Henderson has really atoned for the crime. Pasley wept throughout. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to an accessory charge. Three suspects in the beating death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in this, Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from Laramie, Wyo. the girlfriend of one of two men accused in the beating death Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. There were no federal or state laws at the time equipped to deal with violence dealt solely because of a persons sexuality or gender identity. . She is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Christopher and Lois Pasely; Maternal grandparents Rodney and Margaret Larsen; Brother -in-law James Sams and Uncle Darwin Larsen. Henderson believes thattheUnited Statesshould revamp its federal hate crime laws to protect everyone, even nearly a decade after the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. loved. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Crime and Public Safety | For the last 20 years, the work of Wyoming Equality has really been this race, that we want to get to every LGBT person out there, Burlingame said. LARAMIE, Wyoming When two roofing workers beat a young gay man to death in Wyoming in 1998, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the United States and turned the sandy-haired college student into a powerful symbol of the quest for acceptance and equal rights. I was one lucky sister-in-law to have gained such a beautiful friend, sister. Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and initially lied about their whereabouts. I think he has atoned. Two decades after Matthew Shepard was bludgeoned, tied to a rail fence and left to die on the cold high prairie, the emotions stirred up by his slaying linger in Wyoming, which still struggles with its tarnished identity and resists changes sought by the LGBTQ community. Patterson was a lesbian, known for being very outgoing, and hit it off with Shepard, who had known about his own sexuality for years and came out to his mother while still in high school. where a year earlier, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was tied and pistol whipped into a coma. Jim Osborn, the University of Wyoming Title IX coordinator and 1998 chair of the LGBTQ student group Shepard belonged to, is often the staff member who speaks to UW classes about Shepard. The prosecution says it will seek the death penalty for She will be missed dearly and heaven has gained an angel to watch over her loved ones. Also denying this allegation is one of Shepard's murderers, Russell Henderson. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days, Garland testifies before Senate panel amid ongoing special counsel probes, Colon cancer rates rising in younger age group, study finds, Firefighter dies battling blaze in downtown Buffalo, mayor says, Explosive found in checked luggage at Pennsylvania airport, feds say, 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival, Prosecution wraps its case at Alex Murdaugh murder trial, Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother, Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect, Pence won't commit to supporting Trump if he's the nominee. Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. Chasity Pasley, 21, is serving an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in the slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a fence post. Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. The night I did it, I did have hatred for homosexuals. Nobody wants to believe that we grow children that are capable of hate and violence. Instead, he said, they were out to rob him of money and possibly drugs when they drove him to the edge of town on the night of October 6, 1998. It is among just five states along with Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina that have not passed laws focused on crimes motivated by the victims identity, such as their sexual orientation. Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming. Wyoming Equality protested by holding a dance at a civic center down the street, using the slogan When They Go Low We Go Dance.. After leaving Shepard tied to a fence post in rural Wyoming, Henderson and McKinney returned to Laramie, where they got in a street fight with two other men, according to The Coloradoan. Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. StephenBelber, one of the playwrights of The Laramie Project, interviewed Henderson for the same production in 2009, andtold the Denver Post the experience was different than Pierotti's with the apparently remorseless McKinney. Theres nothing that was in the investigation that indicated that McKinney and Henderson were under the influence of anything other than a little bit of beer the night that they killed Matt. He had stayed behind the day the clothes Adamson student died of severe blunt force trauma, 17 face raps in Adamson students hazing death, Week-long transport strike on March 6 will continue, says Manibela, As strike looms, govt moves jeepney franchise deadline, Kickstart summer with vivos hot smartphone deals this 3.3, Bring on the sunshine: vivo makes summer vacays brighter for its fans, House energy committee chair Arroyo bats for cheap electricity, DA memo is cartel smoking gun Hontiveros, Kylie Padilla urges bashers to stop calling AJ Raval a mistress: Its not fair to her, Boybits Victoria, former PBA top rookie, passes away at 50. He also makes clear the homophobic element of the brutal murder although he claims not to have known Shepard was gaywhen he and Henderson first approached him. consecutive life sentences. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. shoes Henderson had been wearing that night in a shed in Flying bug found at Walmart turns out to be rare Jurassic-era insect Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. Pasley said she lied because "I was protecting someone I Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. Henderson and McKinney are serving life sentences for Matthew Shepard's murder. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. In a recorded 10-hour interview, which was adapted into a new act of the play, McKinney revealed that people should have little doubt Shepards murder was a hate crime and that he feels no remorse. Earlier that evening, Shepard had been at a meeting with friends to plan on-campus events for an LGBTQ awareness week, per BBC News. } As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Mr. Henderson never met his biological father and was adopted as an infant by a stepfather, said. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Nov. 4, 1999: Judy Shepard stands with Detective Sgt. Matthew Shepard was a junior in high school at the time and he wrapped up his high school years in Switzerland at The American School, where he studied several foreign languages as well as theater. (John 6:40) I hope the beautiful memories of Chasity and these promises from God comfort you in the days to come. Chasity Pasley, 23, could have been sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined up to $3,000 on her guilty plea to being an accessory in the October 1998 slaying of Matthew Shepard, 21. It is among just five states along with Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana and South Carolina that have not passed laws focused on crimes motivated by the victims identity, such as their sexual orientation. Attorneys for Wyoming in 2014 argued in defense of the states definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman, a case later rendered moot by higher court rulings. I'm so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.". The Wyoming Cowboys season will come to a close th. Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother He died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. Her personality and smile would light up a room. Twenty-oneyears after beating Shepard into a coma and leaving him hanging in near-freezing temperatures from a wooden fence for 18 hours, McKinney and Henderson both remain in prison. Jimenez has argued in his book and various interviews that Aaron McKinney, who is incarcerated in a private Mississippi prison for his role in Shepards death, was trying to rob Shepard for methamphetamine, not petty cash and the pair of shoes he made away with. These last couple of months Chasity made such changes in her life she would always pray with me when I seen her. On that nig, The Wyoming State Historical Society will honor a controversial book about Matthew Shepard that claims he was killed in a drug deal gone wrong, This past week, the Society of Professional Journalists began winding down its examination of media trust with a panel in Casper, closing down. Scott Adams faces 'consequence culture' as U.S. newspapers drop Dilbert, Tom Cruise's 'ditching' of Suri showcased by Judd Apatow's 'co-parenting' joke, ex-Scientology exec says. I think he has a contribution to make to society, said Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Philadelphia-based LGBT group Equality Forum and a former federal prosecutor. Known as the Equality State, Wyoming got its nickname for being the first to let women vote. Related Articles Earlier in the day, Chasity Pasley, a girlfriend of Henderson's, testified that she saw no indication of drug use by McKinney. Russell and Henderson. Matthew Shepards parents prepare to lay their son to rest at National Cathedral Pasley testified She is survived by her son Ashton, mother Linda (Candy), father Rodney (Donna), Sister Angela (Sylvester), brother Andrew and sister Vera Pasley, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. CORRECTS SPELLING OF PASLEY'S FIRST NAME TO CHASITY INSTEAD OF CHASTITY - FILE - In this Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from left are Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, and Chasity Pasley, three suspects in the beating death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in Laramie, Wyo. I try to address those quickly and kind of move on, Osborn said. LARAMIE, Wyo. is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and She was the last of four defendants arrested following the 1998 beating death of gay University of Wyoming freshman Matthew Shepard. I think he has a contribution to make to society, said Malcolm Lazin, executive director of the Philadelphia-based LGBT group Equality Forum and a former federal prosecutor. ", Judge may bar 'gay panic' defense in Wyoming beating trial, 1 year after Shepard killing, tougher hate crimes laws still sought, First defendant gets life in gay student killing, Woman changes plea, admits helping gay student's accused killers, Fighting Hate Across the Nation -- Leadership Conference Education Fund. Henderson and McKinney argued that the murder was the result of a robbery gone bad and that Shepard's sexual orientation wasn't a factor, though McKinney's own account of the night hurts that assertion. She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. Some of it, though, comes from not wanting to bear the blame for the crime, he said. McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. I dont agree with Jews, Muslims.. I think about him and every single one of those days that Ive had that he hasnt had, his family hasnt had, his friends havent had. He was her world. There, Shepard met Romaine Patterson through a teacher. Hate Crimes Are Designed To Strike Fear In The Broader Community, Heather Heyer's Mother Recalls The Neo-Nazi Rally That Took Her Life, Harrowing Audio From Portland Train Attack Reveals Depth of Christian's Hate, Extremists Sometimes Hide Behind The First Amendment. Henderson, who pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence, is serving his time at a medium-security prison in Torrington, a quiet farming-and-ranching town a few miles from the Nebraska line. Henderson, who pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence, is serving his time at a medium-security prison in Torrington, a quiet farming-and-ranching town a few miles from the Nebraska line. Hendersons remarks about the motivation for the beating dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was I know she is moving forward in her existence and making strides in her own eternal progress. McKinney and Henderson trying "to get their stories straight" But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. She was charged with being an accessory after Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Brandon Foster is the Star-Tribune's managing editor. The time finally came, and Wyoming faced off with . attacked the night of October 7, 1998, after leaving the October 18, 2017 at 11:00 AM IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. 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