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. Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasleywait to be arraigned Oct. 9, 1998. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Crews contend with tons of snow as they work to reopen I-80, Long shifts, odd calls, brutal weather: inside the Wyoming Highway Patrol staffing shortage, Powell sisters die in crash with semi-truck, Rescue operations underway as Wyoming blizzard continues to wreak havoc, Ex-Casper doctor imprisoned for sexually assaulting patients released years early, Wyoming's Jeff Linder coaching his heart out for his dad, seniors Hunter Maldonado and Hunter Thompson, Massive snowdrifts hamper reopening of Interstate 80, Unsolved Laramie murder stuck with NY Times reporter for decades. Pence won't commit to supporting Trump if he's the nominee 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. And so, for the conspiracy theorists out there, I suppose its good reading. She was charged with being an accessory after Henderson admitted tying Shepard to a fence and said he did nothing to stop the beating. The sheer brutality of the murder which consisted of two roofing workers beating and then tying Shepard to a fence, where he was left to die was appalling, but it also symbolized something even bigger. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. I love you Chasity. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and Im sorry.. Twenty years after the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, one of the lead investigators in the case shared with the Coloradoan a letter sent between the suspects who were. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. were disposed of so he could be treated at a hospital for a (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and. 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. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. He died in a hospital five days later. Going into the murder trial, McKinney's lawyers used a defense strategy that involved pointing to McKinney's claim that Shepard touched him (via BBC News). Chastity Vera Pasley, the girlfriend of murder suspect Russell Henderson, is pictured in court in Laramie, Wyo., on Friday, Oct. 9, 1998. That played a part. President Barack Obama signed a federal hate crime prevention act named after Shepard in 2009, a law that Shepards mother, Judy Shepard, said has been helpful. (AP) _ The girlfriend of a man who pleaded guilty to killing gay college student Matthew Shepard was sentenced Friday to up to two years in prison for helping to cover up evidence in the killing. 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.. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. Required fields are marked *. 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. Price originally was accused of accessory after-the-fact to first-degree murder, but the charge was later reduced. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she was not in. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,according to a 2018 Associated Press interview. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. loved. The killers' girlfriends Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18 were charged with being accessories after the fact. 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McKinney and Henderson trying "to get their stories straight" Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. Chasity Pasley, Mr. Henderson's girlfriend, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact. Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. 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. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. Shepard was gay, and his 1998 murder cast a light on the challenges faced by members of the LGBTQ community and the fact that the United States still had a lot of ground to make up when it came to acceptance and equality (via the Los Angeles Times). The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. 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. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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. 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. Pasley said she saw blood and a "fleshy" substance on one McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. Pasley's testimony. 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. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { But Henderson did not participate in Tuesdays discussion, aside from a nine-minute prerecorded video. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha said Monday that she was a valuable witness for the prosecution against McKinney. The next day, a mountain biker found him. These last couple of months Chasity made such changes in her life she would always pray with me when I seen her. right; he's OK," referring to Shepard, who died after he was 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. 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. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. as a prosecution witness in the trial of Aaron McKinney, who Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. 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. 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. And, in 2018, Albany County Sheriff David OMalley, who investigated Shepards murder 20 yearsbefore, shared a letter written to Henderson by McKinney while the two were both awaiting trial. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Nov. 4, 1999: Judy Shepard stands with Detective Sgt. (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. Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother The Bible reminds us that God sees our pain and sadness and has promised that soon, death will be swallowed up forever. (Isaiah 25:8) He will heal our broken hearts by resurrecting our precious loved ones to life again. He died less than a week later, on October 12, 1998, at age 21. 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. Please subscribe to keep reading. As recently as Tuesday, days before the anniversary of Shepards death, about 200 people attended a forum in Laramie questioning the prevailing view that he was murdered because of his sexual orientation. One gay rights activist argues that Henderson has paid his dues for what he described as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.. 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. But there are also people who think Shepard deserved to die because of his sexual orientation and use Jimenezs theory as an excuse for their views, Osborn said. You have permission to edit this article. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two years in prison for being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. police station, sticking to a story she and Price had agreed after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in While Shepard became a symbol of the movement toward equality and laws, the state of Wyoming, where the murder took place, remains one of a handful to have not passed laws pertaining to crimes in which a victim's identity, including their sexual identity, served as a motivating factor. Wyoming Equality protested by holding a dance at a civic center down the street, using the slogan When They Go Low We Go Dance.. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.. Her personality and smile would light up a room. 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. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. "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. To find out more, please click this link. 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. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. By providing an email address. Both Henderson and McKinney were found guilty of murdering Shepard and were both sentenced to life in prison. . "We need to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from happening again.". Shepard returned to the United States for college and eventually returned to Casper, where he attended the local community college. taken to a hospital. Earlier that evening, Shepard had been at a meeting with friends to plan on-campus events for an LGBTQ awareness week, per BBC News. His friend, Aaron McKinney, is scheduled to go on trial this summer and if convicted could face the death penalty. When two roofing workers beat a young gay man and left him to die in Wyoming, the gruesome crime quickly reverberated around the U.S. and turned the college student into a powerful symbol of the quest for acceptance and equal rights. 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. The flier advertising the event went out before Jimenez asked the prison system for permission to livestream Hendersons appearance, according to Wyoming Department of Corrections spokesman Mark Horan. Perhaps the first thing to know about Laramie, Wyoming, is that it is beautiful. Fireside Lounge with two men and being driven away in a 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. . McKinney has pleaded innocent and is scheduled to stand trial in August. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. 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. 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. "mad at myself" the next day as she, Henderson and McKinney's She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. . I think about Matthew every single day of my life. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later 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. She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. One gay rights activist argues that Henderson has paid his dues for what he described as being in the wrong place at the wrong time.. Russell Henderson looks on during a prison interview at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. The murder of Shepard 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. McKinney was last serving his time in a Mississippi prison,as oflate last year, and refusing interview requests,the Associated Pressreported. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days I think about Matthew every single day of my life. (Zeina Barkawi/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP). Still, he insisted, neither he nor McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. 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. Authorities said Henderson and Aaron McKinney, both 21, posed as homosexuals and lured Shepard out of a bar before taking him to a remote area, pistol-whipping him and leaving him tied to a fence in the cold. LARAMIE, Wyoming (CNN) -- In sometimes emotional testimony, Chasity Pasley, 20 . He had stayed behind the day the clothes attacked the night of October 7, 1998, after leaving the Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. However, the judge in McKinney's murder trial would not permit it. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer), 1998: Matthew Shepard. Dear Abby: Why do they imply my husband is a freak? Also denying this allegation is one of Shepard's murderers, Russell Henderson. The time finally came, and Wyoming faced off with . You can cancel at any time. Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. 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. I think about him and every single one of those days that I've had that he hasn't had, his family hasn't had, his friends haven't had. She was someone Jim Osborn knew well and liked. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. she learned of the attack and then helped to cover it up. The murder of Shepard 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. I am so sorry for your loss. 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? Pasley was the live-in girlfriend of Russell Henderson, who It never was about that, Henderson said. But Jimenez did receive approval for a prerecorded interview with Henderson, which was shown in an edited version at the event, held at Laramies Hilton Garden Inn. The event was billed as an examination of what the media got wrong in its coverage of Shepards murder. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. Known as the Equality State, Wyoming got its nickname for being the first to let women vote. where a year earlier, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was tied and pistol whipped into a coma. 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