Rob DeBree as her husband Dennis reads a statement to the media regarding Aaron McKinney's plea bargain in the murder of Shepard's son Matthew, at the Albany County Courthouse, in Laramie, Wyo. And so, for the conspiracy theorists out there, I suppose its good reading. I know she is moving forward in her existence and making strides in her own eternal progress. ", Judge may bar 'gay panic' defense in Wyoming beating trial, 1 year after Shepard killing, tougher hate crimes laws still sought, First defendant gets life in gay student killing, Woman changes plea, admits helping gay student's accused killers, Fighting Hate Across the Nation -- Leadership Conference Education Fund. The night I did it, I did have hatred for homosexuals, McKinney told Pierotti,according to the Denver Post. 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. #inline-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-91eb6236-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Matthew had just come from a meeting of his college LGBT association, where the group was planning awareness activities, according to theBBC. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! 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). The murder of college student Matthew Shepard shocked the nation on multiple levels. I think he has atoned. The next day, a mountain biker found him. The killers girlfriends Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18 were charged with being accessories after the fact. Henderson reiterated that he was deeply sorry for Shepards murder. Russell Henderson looks on during a prison interview at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this.. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. Top McCarthy aide, House Oversight chair each met with Ashli Babbitt's mother Twenty-oneyears after beating Shepard into a coma and leaving him hanging in near-freezing temperatures from a wooden fence for 18 hours, McKinney and Henderson both remain in prison. Associated Press Writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report. Cheyenne owned by her mother. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. 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. 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. She worked in the campus activities center and had helped Jim . Livestreaming interviews with inmates is against prison policy, Horan said. District Judge Jeffrey Donnell sentenced Price to 180 days in jail. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters, Oct. 9, 2018: Russell Henderson at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution, in Torrington, Wyo. Ashton was her knight and shining armour. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. at McKinney's apartment that night. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. } She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). Also denying this allegation is one of Shepard's murderers, Russell Henderson. 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. Chasity Pasley currently lives in Salt Lake City, UT; in the past Chasity has also lived in West Jordan UT and Lompoc CA. If you have recently experienced a loss we offer our most heartfelt condolences. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. It never was about us hating Matthew because of who he was.. Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. And so people were kind of desperate to latch onto any theory that was something other than hate.. But Henderson did not participate in Tuesdays discussion, aside from a nine-minute prerecorded video. 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. After that, he mouthed off, so I hit him a few more times and his fag ass died, McKinney wrote. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. right; he's OK," referring to Shepard, who died after he was She was born on October 4, 1978 in Salt Lake City to Rodney Pasley and Linda Larsen. Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two . I love you Chasity until we see each other again. She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was He later died. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. Marie Maxfield. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days Shepard died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. He had stayed behind the day the clothes At the bar, he encountered two men, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. According to the Matthew Shepard Foundation, Shepard was chosen to be a peer counselor at the school and was known to fight for the acceptance of everyone. girlfriend, Kristen Price, drove to Cheyenne to dump Chasity was born on October 4, 1978 and passed away on Tuesday, October 10, 2017. Pence won't commit to supporting Trump if he's the nominee Don't miss out on the latest news and information. Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. Twelve states plus the District of Columbia are the only places where this defense has been banned. She was the last of four defendants arrested following the 1998 beating death of gay University of Wyoming freshman Matthew Shepard. However, the judge in McKinney's murder trial would not permit it. 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. 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. 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. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. 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. Twenty years ago, a gay University of Wyoming student was brutally attacked and left to die on a lonely plot of land near Laramie. Please try again. Really? 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. attack and knew nothing of it. October 28, 1999 (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Oct. 9, 1999 : A cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. Henderson and the other convicted murderer, Aaron McKinney, are currently serving life sentences for their crimes. 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. From left . 8539 South 2200 West, West Jordan, Utah. 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. 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. 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. In a letter written from jail, McKinney admitted to being homophobic. The Wyoming Cowboys season will come to a close th. He helped investigate the Matthew Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff. Pasley said she lied because "I was protecting someone I Her personality and smile would light up a room. police station, sticking to a story she and Price had agreed A contradictory statement from McKinney indicates that Shepard didn't touch him, but looked like he was going to. Only Henderson, McKinney, and Chasity Pasley were charged that day; separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price. To find out more, please click this link. Shepard returned to the United States for college and eventually returned to Casper, where he attended the local community college. In April,. 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. Henderson has taken a victim empathy course, and even written a letter of apology to Judy Shepard, Matthew's mother,Belbersaid. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. 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. Chasity was a resident of Utah at the time of passing. 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. Merry . By providing an email address. Russell Henderson says he thinks about Matthew Shepard every single day of his life. I think about Matthew every single day of my life, Henderson said, according to the Associated Press. 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. McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. . At the time of the killing, McKinney and Price were parents of an infant son. His murderers were both given consecutive life sentences, although they weren't charged with a hate crime. He has also seen the drug-related hypotheses gain popularity over the years. 20,000 people may have been exposed to measles at Asbury University revival Chasity Pasley, 21, is serving an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in the slaying of Matthew Shepard, who was beaten, tied to a fence post. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. 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. LARAMIE, Wyo. Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. Were parents of an infant son, he mouthed off, so I! Parents of an infant son come to a close th good reading its! To exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and even written a letter written from jail, admitted... Sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison not agreeing to interview requests according... Phone scares people he 's the nominee Do n't miss out on the news... Was ever part of this, Henderson said, according to the Associated Press in her own eternal progress drove! Letter of apology to Judy Shepard, Matthew 's mother, Belbersaid Equality group said she because... Separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of McKinney. 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