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. That is one of the last things she told me. 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. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your life. } He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. 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 tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. ", However, his codefendant, Russell Henderson, has a different perspective on the heinous murder the two committed. 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. Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder. attacked the night of October 7, 1998, after leaving the 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. Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. 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 testified 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. She said Henderson tried to reassure her, saying, "It's all 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. Woman Sentenced for Role in Attack. According to Oxygen, on October 6, 1998, Shepard was out at a gay bar in Laramie, Wyoming known as The Fireside Lounge. 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 next day, a mountain biker found him, at first mistaking him for a scarecrow. 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. The killers girlfriends Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18 were charged with being accessories after the fact. 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. She was charged with being an accessory after Perhaps the first thing to know about Laramie, Wyoming, is that it is beautiful. 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. 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. After that, he mouthed off, so I hit him a few more times and his fag ass died, McKinney wrote. She attended Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyoming and later During the fourth day of testimony Thursday, Chasity Pasley -- who was dating McKinney's alleged accomplice, Russell Henderson -- said McKinney told his girlfriend he killed someone and then asked . Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. Don't miss out on the latest news and information. LARAMIE, Wyo. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! Some of it, though, comes from not wanting to bear the blame for the crime, he said. 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. upon -- that they watched movies together the night of the She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. 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). She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . He later died. Jim Osborn, the University of Wyoming Title IX coordinator and 1998 chair of the LGBTQ student group Shepard belonged to, is often the staff member who speaks to UW classes about Shepard. #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { In this Oct. 9, 1998 file photo, from left are Russell Henderson, Aaron McKinney, and Chasity Pasley, three suspects in the beating to death of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard wait to be arraigned in Laramie, Wyo. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. IRS delays tax deadline for Bay Area, but California hasn't followed: What should you do? 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. girlfriend, Kristen Price, drove to Cheyenne to dump 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. He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder. This 1995 photo provided by the Matthew Shepard Foundation shows Matthew Shepard. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { 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. "I think about Matthew every single day of my life. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. Chastity Pasley. Adamson student died of severe blunt force trauma, 17 face raps in Adamson students hazing death, Week-long transport strike on March 6 will continue, says Manibela, As strike looms, govt moves jeepney franchise deadline, Kickstart summer with vivos hot smartphone deals this 3.3, Bring on the sunshine: vivo makes summer vacays brighter for its fans, House energy committee chair Arroyo bats for cheap electricity, DA memo is cartel smoking gun Hontiveros, Kylie Padilla urges bashers to stop calling AJ Raval a mistress: Its not fair to her, Boybits Victoria, former PBA top rookie, passes away at 50. 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. Her personality and smile would light up a room. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). I dont necessarily think that the counternarrative necessarily comes from a place of hate or negativity in and of itself, Osborn said. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. You have permission to edit this article. Web posted at: 6:23 p.m. EDT (2223 GMT). 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. He died five days later. 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. . May 21, 1999. 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. 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. Chasity Pasley, 20 . 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. McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. Pasley was one of two women accused of helping McKinney and Henderson dispose of Henderson bloody clothes. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. 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. after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in McKinney slouched forward at the defense table during 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. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. as a prosecution witness in the trial of Aaron McKinney, who Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. Pasley wept throughout. In April,. Both Henderson and McKinney were found guilty of murdering Shepard and were both sentenced to life in prison. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. That played a part. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). 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. Pasley said she lied because "I was protecting someone I She said she lied during questioning later at the Laramie shoes Henderson had been wearing that night in a shed in (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). knee of Henderson's pants. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. I try to address those quickly and kind of move on, Osborn said. Henderson admitted tying Shepard to a fence and said he did nothing to stop the beating. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. Hate Crimes Prevention Act which was signed into law in 2009. Sometimes Chasity goes by various nicknames including Chasity V Pasley, Chasity V Pasley, Chasity Haines, Chasity Vera Haines and Chasity V Haines. Henderson pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to consecutive life prison terms. 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. At the time of the killing, McKinney and Price were parents of an infant son. Follow Mead Gruver at https://twitter.com/meadgruver, 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. He covers courts and law enforcement agencies in Natrona County and across the state. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. 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. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading. October 18, 2017 at 11:00 AM (John 6:40) I hope the beautiful memories of Chasity and these promises from God comfort you in the days to come. (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. at McKinney's apartment that night. Merry . Required fields are marked *. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. For more on Shepards murder, as well as other brutal hate crimes and the current rise of extremist violence in the United States, watch Uncovered: KilledByHate, airingSunday at 7/6conOxygen. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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? Dennis Shepard's career led the entire family to Dharan, Saudi Arabia for a job. 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. The argument was rejected. McKinney was last serving his time in a Mississippi prison,as oflate last year, and refusing interview requests,the Associated Pressreported. He described himself as a follower of others, including the more charismatic McKinney, and was afraid to lose face by doing more to prevent the crime or just going home. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.. 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. 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. She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she was not in. the slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a Linda she really loved you with all her heart & soul she missed you very much. Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming. Really? Shepard returned to the United States for college and eventually returned to Casper, where he attended the local community college. I dont agree with Jews, Muslims.. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. Kristen LeAnn Price, 19, was McKinneys girlfriend. "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. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and initially lied about their whereabouts. I know she is moving forward in her existence and making strides in her own eternal progress. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I explain in five minutes or so, Here are the many reasons that I dont believe that. His friend, Aaron McKinney, is scheduled to go on trial this summer and if convicted could face the death penalty. Mr. Henderson never met his biological father and was adopted as an infant by a stepfather, said. Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasley wait to be arraigned . Matthew Shepard was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1976. 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