LARAMIE, Wyoming (CNN) -- In sometimes emotional testimony, According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. We're not gay, and we're going to jack you up." (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Nov. 4, 1999: Judy Shepard stands with Detective Sgt. McKinney was last serving his time in a Mississippi prison,as oflate last year, and refusing interview requests,the Associated Pressreported. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. (John 6:40) I hope the beautiful memories of Chasity and these promises from God comfort you in the days to come. LARAMIE, Wyo. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. She said she lied during questioning later at the Laramie . October 18, 2017 at 11:00 AM Shane Sanderson joined the Star-Tribune in 2017. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. McKinney and Henderson trying "to get their stories straight" 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. Laramie did not pass an ordinance barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity until 2015. They have both taken starkly different paths since they were sentenced, however. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Brandon Foster is the Star-Tribune's managing editor. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. The groups work today is the same thing that was there 20 years ago., 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. This 1995 photo provided by the Matthew Shepard Foundation shows Matthew Shepard. The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. "mad at myself" the next day as she, Henderson and McKinney's Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. Ed . 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) { concussion he suffered during a fight he and Henderson had So, it was amusing that he tried to tell me that he knew better than I did the facts of the case.. knee of Henderson's pants. 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. Mr. Henderson never met his biological father and was adopted as an infant by a stepfather, said. 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. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Crime and Public Safety | It never was about us hating Matthew because of who he was.. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. Pasley was the live-in girlfriend of Russell Henderson, who 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.. the girlfriend of one of two men accused in the beating death 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. Shepard, 21, a student at the University of Wyoming, was In a letter written from jail, McKinney admitted to being homophobic. In April, Russell Henderson pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. 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. / CBS. Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. The next day, a mountain biker found him. 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. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to an accessory charge. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. Henderson and McKinney are serving life sentences for Matthew Shepard's murder. She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was He died five days later. Pasley, Hendersons girlfriend, was sentenced to 18 months, of which she served 6 months. (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. 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. Still, he insisted, neither he nor Aaron McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. 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. The time finally came, and Wyoming faced off with . 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. 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). The prosecution says it will seek the death penalty for It has been a year since we lost our sweet Chasity. Chastity Vera Pasley, 20 the only one of the four enrolled at the university was arraigned today on a charge of being accessory to attempted first-degree murder and held in lieu of $30,000. Im sorry.. Henderson pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to consecutive life prison terms. were disposed of so he could be treated at a hospital for a Web posted at: 6:23 p.m. EDT (2223 GMT). Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and. Shepard died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. Associated Press writers Brady McCombs in Laramie and David Crary in New York contributed to this report. At the time of the killing, McKinney and Price were parents of an infant son. 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. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. She was someone Jim Osborn knew well and liked. He covers courts and law enforcement agencies in Natrona County and across the state. Required fields are marked *. In April,. 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. 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. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. Related Articles All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! 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. 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. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. 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. 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. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. That played a part. Matthew had just come from a meeting of his college LGBT association, where the group was planning awareness activities, according to theBBC. Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasley wait to be arraigned . 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 wept throughout. Your email address will not be published. LARAMIE, Wyo. Sometimes Chasity goes by various nicknames including Chasity V Pasley, Chasity V Pasley, Chasity Haines, Chasity Vera Haines and Chasity V Haines. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. 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. pleaded guilty to kidnapping and murder and is serving Hate Crimes Prevention Act which was signed into law in 2009. 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. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Pac-12 media rights: Our (final) predictions for the revenue, media partners, expansion decisions and more, Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges, In 4 years, Lori Lightfoot went from breakout political star to divisive mayor of a Chicago beset by pandemic and crime, Florida lawmakers to consider expansion of so-called dont say gay law, Drone crashes at Disneyland after hovering over visitors heads See video, Rapper Travis Scott wanted for assaulting Manhattan club sound engineer, destroying $12K in equipment, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. 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. 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. Title: UMKCLAWKM_554e-20190826150502 Created Date: 8/26/2019 3:05:02 PM as a prosecution witness in the trial of Aaron McKinney, who He had stayed behind the day the clothes with two other men after the Shepard beating. A memorial celebration of life service will be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2017, 11:00 AM at the Elm Creek Ward, 8539 South 2200 West, West Jordan, Utah. I dont agree with Jews, Muslims.. Pasley said she saw blood and a "fleshy" substance on one aggravated robbery in the slaying of Shepard. And so, for the conspiracy theorists out there, I suppose its good reading. Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. Your subscription could not be saved. 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. display: none; "We need to do this for Matthew and for everybody else and to keep this from happening again.". (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). 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. His frailty, McKinney told Pierotti. Chastity Vera Pasley, the girlfriend of murder suspect Russell Henderson, is pictured in court in Laramie, Wyo., on Friday, Oct. 9, 1998. LARAMIE, Wyo. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! One of the convicted killers, Russell Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. 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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. Where Matthew Shepard was left, near the intersection of Pilot Peak and Snowy View roads, Laramie, Wyo. is charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and fence post outside Laramie and left to die. Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two . 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. His accomplice, Russell Henderson, is also serving two consecutive life terms. 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. 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. Still, he insisted, neither he nor McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. Kristen LeAnn Price, 19, was McKinneys girlfriend. I dont like to spend a lot of time on them. 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. Merry . } Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Her passion of helping others succeed touched many lives. police station, sticking to a story she and Price had agreed loved. The following morning, Pasley testified, eight detectives 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). And so people were kind of desperate to latch onto any theory that was something other than hate.. The case gained national attention and led to calls for the inclusion of sexual orientation in federal hate crimes law. 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 Oct. 6, 1998. The next day, a mountain biker found him. 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. Pasley was one of two women accused of helping McKinney and Henderson dispose of Henderson bloody clothes. A contradictory statement from McKinney indicates that Shepard didn't touch him, but looked like he was going to. 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. 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. 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.. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. Prosecutors accused both Price and Chasity Pasley, who was Henderson's girlfiend, of helping dispose of Henderson's bloody clothes. Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. The reasons why may be about more than money. "As tragic as it is, and as unfortunate as it is, and as hard as it is for Matthew's 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 told the Associated Press in 2018, 20 years after Shepard's murder. 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. 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. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. But I think that nobody wants to believe that hate and violence exist in their community. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. . I'm so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.". That is one of the last things she told me. His murderers were both given consecutive life sentences, although they weren't charged with a hate crime. November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM 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. Shepard and Patterson moved to Denver, Colorado together but returned to Wyoming, at which point he started taking classes in political science and international relations at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. Shepard returned to the United States for college and eventually returned to Casper, where he attended the local community college. 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. It breaks our hearts when death separates us from the ones we love so much, especially when they are as young as Chasity. 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. Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. 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. May 21, 1999. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. Cheyenne owned by her mother. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. These last couple of months Chasity made such changes in her life she would always pray with me when I seen her. Chasity had a big loving heart she would always put others before herself. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. arrived outside the apartment she shared with Henderson. 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. His friend, Aaron McKinney, is scheduled to go on trial this summer and if convicted could face the death penalty. I explain in five minutes or so, Here are the many reasons that I dont believe that. 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 also was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, but her trial has been delayed. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. Russell and Henderson. 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. The groups work today is the same thing that was there 20 years ago., 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. 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. 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. I try to address those quickly and kind of move on, Osborn said. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. 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. Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasleywait to be arraigned Oct. 9, 1998. Her personality and smile would light up a room. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. The night I did it, I did have hatred for homosexuals. According to Biography, Shepard was remembered as being kind, sensitive, and quiet when he was a kid. He helped investigate the Matthew Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff. 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. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. } 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. McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later obtained a degree from Stevens Henager College. where a year earlier, University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was tied and pistol whipped into a coma. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. 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. He was her world. 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. 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. Henderson described himself as a follower of others, including the more charismatic McKinney, and said he was afraid to lose face by doing more to prevent the crime or just going home. (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. Hate Crimes Prevention Act,according to a 2018 Associated Press interview. 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. pickup truck that allegedly belonged to McKinney. 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. By this point, it was the early morning hours of October 7, and McKinney and Henderson drove Shepard to a rural area where they robbed him and beat him with the butt of a pistol, before tying him to a fence and leaving him behind. Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Oct. 9, 2018: Russell Henderson at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution, in Torrington, Wyo. 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.
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