Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Matthew Shepard Anniversary




Oct. 7, 1998
After driving west, McKinney and Henderson tie Shepard to a fence and beat him, taking his shoes, $20 and a credit card before heading back into town at about 12:30 a.m. Still tied to the fence, Shepard is discovered at about 6:00 p.m. by Aaron Kreifels, a passing cyclist who is said to have mistaken him for a scarecrow at first. After Kreifels calls the police, Shepard -- who had been outdoors for 18 hours in near-freezing weather -- is admitted to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colo., in critical condition



Oct. 12, 1998
Shepard is pronounced dead at about 12:30 a.m. He never regained consciousness after being admitted to the hospital.




Oct. 16, 1998
Matthew Shepard's funeral is held in Casper, Wyo. Fred Phelps, leader of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. protests outside the funeral with anti-gay picket signs.



April 5, 1999
After pleading pleads guilty to felony murder with robbery and kidnapping, Henderson (left) is sentenced to two consecutive life sentences without parole.



Nov. 4, 1999
Though acquitted of first-degree murder, McKinney is convicted of two counts of felony murder, second-degree murder, kidnapping, and aggravated robbery. He is sentenced to two life sentences, to be served consecutively.




February 2000
"The Laramie Project," a play based on Shephard's case (seen here in a 2002 production photo), premieres at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Productions of the controversial play have since been mounted both professionally and by high schools, colleges and community theaters both locally and abroad.




Oct. 22, 2009
After numerous legislative setbacks, the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act is finally signed into law by President Obama, effectively expanding the 1968 U.S. federal hate-crime law to include those crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.

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