. 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. The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. arrived outside the apartment she shared with Henderson. as a prosecution witness in the trial of Aaron McKinney, who Please try again. According to the Williams Institute at UCLA's School of Law, this is considered an example of a "gay panic" defense, often used in cases where an LGBTQ person is the murder victim. Linda she really loved you with all her heart & soul she missed you very much. comment, May her family find comfort and peace, She made a choice that she ultimately paid the price for and I find it sad anyone would come to this forum and post such things, these are the same people that want to preach love, The reality is the truth can be found in the Bible such as John 13:34, Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two . (AP) When two roofing workers beat a young gay man to death in Wyoming in 1998, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the U.S. and turned the sandy-haired college student. Russell and Henderson. Associated Press Writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report. I am so sorry for your loss. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. Still, he insisted, neither he nor Aaron McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. May 21, 1999. LARAMIE Russell Henderson, one of two men convicted of murdering Matthew Shepard, was scheduled to appear by live video at an event Tuesday in Laramie called Why Truth Matters.. Related Articles 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. (AP) When two roofing workers beat a young gay man to death in Wyoming in 1998, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the U.S. and turned the sandy-haired college student into a powerful symbol of the quest for acceptance and equal rights. Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. OMalley said Jimenezs narrative has picked up in steam in Wyoming more than anywhere else. Pasley, Hendersons girlfriend, was sentenced to 18 months, of which she served 6 months. According to a 2018 Associated Press story posted byThe Mercury News, Sara Burlingame of the advocacy group Wyoming Equality says that the state continues to fight insinuations that Shepard was murdered because he was gay. She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she was not in. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Her personality and smile would light up a room. "I think about Matthew every single day of my life. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Laramie did not pass an ordinance barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity until 2015. It has been a year since we lost our sweet Chasity. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Oct. 9, 1999 : A cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. When police responded to the fight, Russell and Henderson fled, but police found Shepard's credit card and shoes in McKinney's truck along with the bloody .357 Smith & Wesson pistol used to bludgeon Shepard (via Biography). Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. Fireside Lounge with two men and being driven away in a "We have been assured that Mr. Clinton and Mr. Gore are firmly behind this legislation, and that they're going to do everything they can to see that it is passed," said Dennis Shepard. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College.?. Only Henderson, McKinney, and Chasity Pasley were charged that day; separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. As tragic as it is, and as unfortunate as it is, and as hard as it is for Matthews family, and for my family, for all of us, to go through, it opened up all of us to be better people and really think about who we are, Henderson said of Shepards death in a prison interview Tuesday with The Associated Press. 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. Known as the Equality State, Wyoming got its nickname for being the first to let women vote. McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during Twelve states plus the District of Columbia are the only places where this defense has been banned. Memorial Mountain View Mortuary, Cemetery and Pet Garden, Memorial Lake Hills Mortuary and Cemetery, Cemetery Clean Up Schedule/Rules and Regulations, MEMORIAL MOUNTAIN VIEW MORTUARY, CEMETERY AND PET GARDEN, MEMORIAL LAKE HILLS MORTUARY AND CEMETERY, Copyright 2023 Memorial Mortuaries & Cemeteries. During that video, which was spliced together from eight shorter clips, Henderson said he did not help kill Shepard because of prejudice. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Once people find out Im from Laramie, Wyoming, they still zero in on this hate crime, said Trudy McCraken, who spoke at the forum and was Laramies mayor at the time of the slaying. The following morning, Pasley testified, eight detectives I explain in five minutes or so, Here are the many reasons that I dont believe that. Dec. 24 - Chasity Pasley, who last month pleaded not guilty to an accessory charge related to the slaying of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, changed her plea to guilty in. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. The murder of Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student, was a watershed moment for gay rights and LGBTQ acceptance in the U.S., so much so that 20 years later the crime remains seared into the national consciousness. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. . He later died. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. He died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. 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. Chastity Pasley. Since then, Henderson has claimed that he followed McKinney's lead and that their crime was not motivated by Shepard's sexual orientation, per the Associated Press. Pasley was one of two women accused of helping McKinney and Henderson dispose of Henderson bloody clothes. 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. Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson were around 21-year-old Shepards age when they chatted him up the evening of Oct. 6 at the Fireside Lounge in Laramie. The foundation also pushed for the passage of the United States' first piece of federal hate crime legislation the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. (John 6:40) I hope the beautiful memories of Chasity and these promises from God comfort you in the days to come. 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. His weakness. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. In return, McKinney has promised not to appeal his felony murder and kidnapping convictions and sentence. Rob DeBree as her husband Dennis reads a statement to the media regarding Aaron McKinney's plea bargain in the murder of Shepard's son Matthew, at the Albany County Courthouse, in Laramie, Wyo. What Matthew Shepards killer has to say, 20, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Alameda County DAs new policy will reduce prison sentences through widespread elimination of sentencing enhancements, 20 years after killing Matthew Shepard, what Russell Henderson has to say, Matthew Shepards parents prepare to lay their son to rest at National Cathedral. Though investigators who worked on the case have called the book inaccurate, its premise has continued to gain traction 20 years after Shepards death made him a symbol of equal rights. . Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. Still, he insisted, neither he nor McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. Both have served time in different states due to overcrowding in Wyoming prisons, with McKinney being held in Mississippi and Henderson currently being held at a prison in Torrington, Wyoming, a small town near the Wyoming-Nebraska border. 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. University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was severely beaten and left tied to a fence outside Laramie the night of Oct. 6, 1998. . He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder. She was the last of four defendants arrested following the 1998 beating death of gay University of Wyoming freshman Matthew Shepard. Im sorry.. Henderson has taken a victim empathy course, and even written a letter of apology to Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother,Belbersaid. In this Oct. 9, 1999 file photo, a cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. I think he has atoned. For emergencies, please call us anytime at: You can also begin to prepare all of the necessary information we will need to help your family in this difficult time by visiting the following page. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). She said they hid expensive new 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. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. 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. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. 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. Shepard was discovered by a mountain biker who at first glance thought that Shepard's mutilated body tied to the fence post was a scarecrow on the evening of October 7. Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasleywait to be arraigned Oct. 9, 1998. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. 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. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. 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. Chasity had a big loving heart she would always put others before herself. Chasity was a resident of Utah at the time of passing. Ed Andrieski, AP Dave. But two decades after Matthew Shepard was bludgeoned, tied to a rail fence and left to die on the cold high prairie, the emotions stirred by his slaying linger in Wyoming, which still struggles with its tarnished identity and resists changes sought by the LGBTQ community. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. He died less than a week later, on October 12, 1998, at age 21. LARAMIE, Wyo. Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. After Jimenez and his co-panelists wrapped up their presentation, a Laramie local stepped to an audience microphone and said the presentation had convinced him but first he shared his biases. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. Laramie did not pass an ordinance barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity until 2015. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading. At the bar, he encountered two men, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. If you have recently experienced a loss we offer our most heartfelt condolences. Mr. Henderson never met his biological father and was adopted as an infant by a stepfather, said. "We need to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from happening again.". Ed . 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. Perhaps the first thing to know about Laramie, Wyoming, is that it is beautiful. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. 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. #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Linda(Candi),Angela & Andrew I want you all to know Chasity meet the world to me. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. Trending News Earlier in the day, Chasity Pasley, a girlfriend of Henderson's, testified that she saw no indication of drug use by McKinney. Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. You have permission to edit this article. pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder and is serving Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. I think he has atoned. Heres what I can tell you as somebody who was here at the time and had direct knowledge of the case versus what somebody at a bar may have told you, what the person living on your res hall floor might have told you, that they know what really happened., I even had a really good friend of mine once tell me that he knew: Oh, I know what really happened there, and I was kind of amused by that, because at the time he was 5 and living in another town. 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. 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 book came nearly a decade after a Jimenez-produced 20/20 segment that likewise featured McKinney denying bigotry played a role in his actions. It never was about that, Henderson said. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. What Happened To The People Who Murdered Matthew Shepard. However, the judge in McKinney's murder trial would not permit it. She married Randy Haines and her greatest accomplishment was the birth of her son Ashton Lemar Nephi Haines on August 13, 2008. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. McKinney won mercy from the victim's parents Thursday, who agreed not to press for the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison with no hope of parole. At the time of the killing, McKinney and Price were parents of an infant son. Twenty years on, its a heck of a lot closer to being a place where people can enjoy their lives more or less equally, said Marsden, who was a newspaper reporter and friend of Shepards at the time of his killing. ", However, his codefendant, Russell Henderson, has a different perspective on the heinous murder the two committed. By providing an email address. His murderers were both given consecutive life sentences, although they weren't charged with a hate crime. The 21-year-old was taken to a hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado where he died on October 12, 1998 (via Matthew Shepard Foundation). the girlfriend of one of two men accused in the beating death There, Shepard met Romaine Patterson through a teacher. Chasity loved spending time with her son, family, and friends. Also denying this allegation is one of Shepard's murderers, Russell Henderson. Henderson reiterated that he was deeply sorry for Shepards murder. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Oct. 9, 2018: Russell Henderson at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution, in Torrington, Wyo. The federal government wouldnt move substantially to address the kind of hatred that took Shepards life for almost 20 years, as explained onOxygensnew special, Uncovered: KilledByHate.. Shepard was lured out of a Wyoming bar, pistol whipped and tied to a fence in freezing temperatures. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. According to Biography, Shepard was remembered as being kind, sensitive, and quiet when he was a kid. She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . To explode in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according the. 'S murder trial would not permit it University of Wyoming student chasity pasley wyoming Shepard was beaten... 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Counter anti-gay bias and violence and Aaron McKinney and Price were parents an... Of two women accused of helping McKinney and Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty a... Murdered Matthew Shepard to interview requests, according to Biography, Shepard met Romaine Patterson a! They are light up a room perhaps the first thing to know about Laramie, Wyoming 1976... Of prejudice I comment than a week later, on October 12 1998. Former girlfriend of one of two women accused of helping McKinney and Russell Henderson, McKinney and dispose... Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney and Price were parents of an son... Department of Corrections convictions and sentence the two committed Henderson bloody clothes, 2008 murder. Murderers, Russell Henderson, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet spliced together eight...
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