MATTHEW SHEPARD; THE CASE THAT BROADENED THE UMBRELLA OF HATE CRIMES

MATTHEW SHEPARD; THE CASE THAT BROADENED  THE UMBRELLA 

OF HATE CRIMES

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INTRODUCTION

   Matthew Shepard, died on October 12, 1998, was an American

college student, who was severely beaten because of his

sexual orientation. He was found, tied to a fence; severely

beaten, left to die in the Wyoming night cold. He was discovered,

and hospitalized, but he quickly succumbed to his injuries.

His death was representative of evidence of the physical danger

that homosexuals face in the United States. Matthew's case

played a key role in the 2009 passage of legislation that expanded

hate crime laws to include violence based on an individual's

sexual orientation.

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BACKGROUND

   Matthew Shepard graduated from high school in Casper,

Wyoming. After high school, he attended college at the University

of Wyoming; majoring in foreign relations. On campus, Matthew

was openly gay. Matthew was also a member of LGTBQ support

groups that regularly met on campus.

    On the evening of October 7, 1998, Matthew was "befriended"

by Aaron McKenney and Russell Henderson. McKenney and

Henderson, allegedly, were posing as gay men themselves in

attempts to lure Matthew away from the the local bar in which

they all have met.

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THE FATE OF MATTHEW SHEPARD

  Once McKenney and Henderson had convinced Matthew to

leave the bar, Shepard agreed to get in the vehicle with the men

believing they were going to a different location to continue

drinking. Instead, McKenney and Henderson admit that they

planned to only "rob" Matthew Shepard. In addition to taking

Matthew's wallet, they took his ID card, all of his money and

credit cards. After such, they drove Shepard, to a rural area,

where they tied him to a fence, and beat him, before leaving

him to die in the cold. Eventually, 18 hours later, Matthew's

body was discovered by a bicyclist who alerted authorities.

Matthew was rushed, still alive, but in a coma, to Fort Collins,

Colorado.  Matthew died 4 days later without ever regaining

consciousness. At such time, both McKenney and Henderson

were arrested and charged with murder; and eventually found

found guilty of murder.

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RIPPLE EFFECTS OF MATTHEW'S DEATH

  Shepard's death attracted widespread attraction and attention

across the United States and worldwide. Although, at the time

of Matthew's death, federal law defined hate crimes as based

on race, color, religion,, natural origin, there was nothing in

the law that protected sexuality. Shepard's death was cited by

by many figures in the Gay Rights Movement, as they saw it,

as clear cut evidence for the need to have more extensive

hate crime legislation.

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THE LEGACY LEFT BY MATTHEW SHEPARD

      In 2007, The Matthew Shepard Act was first introduced.

in 2009, the final version of the bill was passed. President

Barrack Obama signed it into law. Shepard was memorialized 

by the Matthew Shepard Foundation; which was founded by his

parents. Their mission statement is: "replace hate with 

understanding, compassion, and acceptance." Due to concerns

that Matthew's grave would be vandalized, Matthew Shepard

wasn't buried until 2018, when his ashes were interred into

Washington National Cathedral.