New Details Emerge in Matthew Shepard Slaying (http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=277685)

Nov. 24, 2004 ? The October 1998 slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten and left tied to a fence on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyo., drew headlines not only for its brutality but because of the attention it focused on hate crimes against homosexuals.

http://a.abcnews.com/images/2020/abc_2020_shepard2_041123_t.jpg
In an exclusive interview with 20/20's Elizabeth Vargas, Aaron McKinney, right, and Russell Henderson talk about the 1998 slaying of Matthew Shepard. (ABC News)


Prosecutors said the 21-year-old Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming, was targeted by two local men because he was gay. His slaying sparked demonstrations and mobilized activists to call for a broadening of hate crime statutes to include attacks based on sexual orientation.

Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, both 21 at the time, were charged in the slaying. Henderson pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping. McKinney was convicted of felony murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. As the jury was about to decide his sentence, he reached a deal that allowed him to avoid the death penalty. Both men are serving double life sentences in prison.

The whole world seemed sure that what happened in Laramie was a clear-cut case of a hate-inspired attack. But now, in an exclusive interview with "20/20" co-anchor Elizabeth Vargas, the killers suggest other factors may have been in play that night.

McKinney tells Vargas he set out that October night looking for drugs and cash. Henderson says he thought if he could keep McKinney drinking, he'd forget the robbery plan.

Vargas reports surprising new information about the killers and Laramie's underground world of methamphetamine use.

The fact that the case may be more complex than it seemed at first does not make the pain less profound, nor the alarm it sounded less urgent. Shepard's death has led to enormous changes in understanding and tolerance far beyond the rural Wyoming community. His parents founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation in his memory. His story has also inspired the play "The Laramie Project," which was later made into a movie for HBO, and the TV movies "Anatomy of a Hate Crime" on MTV and "The Matthew Shepard Story," on NBC.
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How do you react on the story ?
What you think causing people to be such ...?

:help:

I think it was a very harsh crime. Although i do not agree with the homosexual lifestyle, i dont think they should be discriminated against so harshly. They are still humans.

I agree with you Dore fully.
I hate homosexuality with my soul, even i don't keep social tie with them too.
But the killing is inhuman.

I think people should mind their own business.

I remember the HBO movie and was very impressed, probably is the fear of difference which drives the monster within ourselves.

Better to be harsh instead of spreading this disease!

Which disease :os

I think homosexuality is a mental and physical disorder and must be curable by medication and therapy.

The parents and society has to be careful about their children?s from the very young age to prevent from that kind of perversion. The guardians should monitor their kid?s activity from young age. I guess family tie and teaching moral values and ethics can prevent the diseases.

You know there are few people who are heterosexual but have experience of homosexuality, which is bisexual. I saw some in our society too. Especially they do the homo thing in the young age and mostly before 20. They have urge for sex but no legal way to fulfill it.

Sorry for my poor vocabulary and sentence construction.

Did I say anything wrong ? I believe here is nothing to get a RED point. :help:

Yes is one of the theories but not scientific proved, just wondering how can it be spread, i mean is like flu :think:

uh hehe ice tea i dont think it would make a difference if they were gay and alive and walking the streets - it probably wouldnt affect anyone else's sexuality, like amo said, it cant spread like a flu...
it is way over the line - what a cruel thing to do! murdering them? come on where is the reason in that!?

Salamz,

I am 100% against homosexualtiy & crimes.
Only if people witness homosexuality is being pracitced. meaning man & a man being caught red-handed, then islam asked to kill both. Such behaviour is not bad for society.

"من رأيتموه يعمل عمل قوم لوط فاقتلوا الفاعل والمفعول به"
حديث شريف

Translation: Who you see is practicing what the prophet Loot's people were doing, kill the doer & the person it was done to.

I hope my explanation is understood.

Peace out!

Ok but what about who is not living in a Muslim country, i'd be jailed in the blinking of an eye

Salam,

Every country have its own rules. Even most muslim countries do not follow the islamic law, other than KSA & may be Iran.

Cheers..

No i mean i can kill them no problem, i think i can do, just the consequences for me walaaa Anyway am in a small village...didn't see any yet, just lots of toxic i meet cause of my job and a trans oh well so they say.
Is a man who changed sex, then married and adopted a child in Colombia.
Every time they come to my store and see this happy little girl, well dunno what's my duty as Muslim, i just enjoy this sweet girl smile and wish her all the best in life.

No i mean i can kill them no problem, i think i can do, just the consequences for me walaaa Anyway am in a small village...didn't see any yet, just lots of toxic i meet cause of my job and a trans oh well so they say.
Is a man who changed sex, then married and adopted a child in Colombia.
Every time they come to my store and see this happy little girl, well dunno what's my duty as Muslim, i just enjoy this sweet girl smile and wish her all the best in life.


You are not to kill. You just inform the authority.

Ah ok, next time i come to Oman then, there's a lot but hidden, here in Europe is legal unfortunately.

Ah ok, next time i come to Oman then, there's a lot but hidden, here in Europe is legal unfortunately.

Salam,

Yeah. You should wish not to see such thing since you are a muslim. I lived in
Oman I hear stories but never seen with my own eyes.


Cheers..

Harsh thing to do...?!!

I accept them if i was in the west and to join what they do socially..they are still humans, and i can learn new things from any one i meet.. i dont think we should be harmful against them if they dont annoy us..i would respect them just like they do with me.. it's everyone's own business and we all have minds to think... when we can advise, we should do so..but polietely, wisely and calmly... we should try to prove that what they do is wrong..but not to kill them!!!...

Better to be harsh instead of spreading this disease!

That's why the two sick idiots who killed that poor man are locked up in prison for life.

I think homosexuality is a mental and physical disorder and must be curable by medication and therapy.


Ah, but think of the loss to the fashion industry !!

How do you "cure" someone of their favorite/preferred color, favorite/preferred flavor, favorite movie, favorite/preferred eye color, favorite/preferred aroma, favorite/preferred person to which they are attracted ?

I read an interesting article on a genetic basis for some male homosexuality. Simply put, seems some women have a genetic switch that makes them very, very sexually interested in men (sounds good from an evolution standpoint). This genetic switch should normally be shut off when inherited by the woman's male children, however, it doesn't always happen or get shut off completely. In these cases, the male children have inherited their mother's genetic interest in men !

I will try to find a link.

Don't that problen has a cure?