Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. 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. Shepard died less than a week later, on Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Kristen Price, the former girlfriend of Aaron McKinney, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a police officer. Some of it, though, comes from not wanting to bear the blame for the crime, he said. Both men were the same age as Shepard and saw the slightly built Shepard who was just a couple inches over five feet tall and didn't weigh much more than 100 pounds as a target they could easily overpower. On that nig, The Wyoming State Historical Society will honor a controversial book about Matthew Shepard that claims he was killed in a drug deal gone wrong, This past week, the Society of Professional Journalists began winding down its examination of media trust with a panel in Casper, closing down. The next day, a mountain biker found him. ___. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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.. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. Kristen LeAnn Price, 19, was McKinneys girlfriend. She married Randy Haines and her greatest accomplishment was the birth of her son Ashton Lemar Nephi Haines on August 13, 2008. She is also watching out for her Ashton and mother and other loved ones left here in mortality. (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. He helped investigate the Matthew Shepard case and is now the Albany County sheriff. During that video, which was spliced together from eight shorter clips, Henderson said he did not help kill Shepard because of prejudice. . By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. I try to address those quickly and kind of move on, Osborn said. By providing an email address. They have both taken starkly different paths since they were sentenced, however. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. Henderson and the other convicted murderer, Aaron McKinney, are currently serving life sentences for their crimes. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). McKinney repeatedly used homosexual slurs in his confession, Marsden said. "I think about Matthew every single day of my life. She said she had misgivings about getting involved and was 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. If you have recently experienced a loss we offer our most heartfelt condolences. Price was sentenced to 180 days, of which she served 60 days. 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. Russell and Henderson. Because of overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells.. Hate Crimes Prevention Act which was signed into law in 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Oct. 9, 1999 : A cross made of stones rests below the fence in Laramie, Wyo. Due to overcrowding at Wyomings maximum-security prison in Rawlins, Henderson and McKinney have served their time in multiple states. At the time of the killing, McKinney and Price were parents of an infant son. A contradictory statement from McKinney indicates that Shepard didn't touch him, but looked like he was going to. At a medium-security facility in Torrington, Wyoming, Henderson was working with hospice patients who were also serving jail time, and volunteering training shelter dogs, according to the report. 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 University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. knee of Henderson's pants. Matthew Shepard's death was a catalyst for a push toward adopting laws that protect members of the LGBTQ community. McKinney is now in a Mississippi prison and not agreeing to interview requests, according to the Wyoming Department of Corrections. 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. Henderson pleaded guilty last month to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to consecutive life prison terms. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. In April,. Pasley is serving 15 to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to an accessory charge. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. McKinney was last serving his time in a Mississippi prison,as oflate last year, and refusing interview requests,the Associated Pressreported. 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. Trending News 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. But were also trying to get to the next Aarons and the next Russells. /kga. 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. 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. Under cross-examination, she acknowledged she was not in. I dont agree with Jews, Muslims.. LARAMIE, Wyo. right; he's OK," referring to Shepard, who died after he was 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. But Henderson did not participate in Tuesdays discussion, aside from a nine-minute prerecorded video. 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. 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. He died in a hospital five days later. Henderson reiterated that he was deeply sorry for Shepards murder. Thank you for letting me be a small part of your life. He faces the death penalty if convicted of murder. }, First published on November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM. Shepard was discovered by a mountain biker who at first glance thought that Shepard's mutilated body tied to the fence post was a scarecrow on the evening of October 7. What Happened To The People Who Murdered Matthew Shepard. 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. And so, for the conspiracy theorists out there, I suppose its good reading. (Zeina Barkawi/The Matthew Shepard Foundation via AP). 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. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File). His parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, declined to comment for this story. The killers girlfriends Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18 were charged with being accessories after the fact. Associated Press Writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report. I think he has atoned. 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. 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.. A pipe bomb was detonated near McClure Street in Laramie. Its a lot easier to say, Oh, well, there must have been another explanation, he said. Linda(Candi),Angela & Andrew I want you all to know Chasity meet the world to me. Ashton was her knight and shining armour. 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). She said Henderson tried to reassure her, saying, "It's all Her personality and smile would light up a room. LARAMIE, Wyo. Were nowhere near done, said Sara Burlingame, executive director of the Cheyenne-based LGBTQ advocacy group Wyoming Equality. Chasity Pasley, 21, is serving an 18-month prison sentence 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. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. Celebration of Life She is preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Christopher and Lois Pasely; Maternal grandparents Rodney and Margaret Larsen; Brother -in-law James Sams and Uncle Darwin Larsen. 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. I dont necessarily think that the counternarrative necessarily comes from a place of hate or negativity in and of itself, Osborn said. At the bar, he encountered two men, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. Wyoming remains deeply defensive about the idea that Shepard was targeted because he was gay, Burlingame said. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. Police said the women helped dump bloody clothing and. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. 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. 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.. Russell Henderson looks on during a prison interview at Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution. Osborn said that the intolerant reputation that the national media placed on Wyoming was, to an extent, unfair. Perhaps the first thing to know about Laramie, Wyoming, is that it is beautiful. Stephen Jimenez, the events host, is the author of The Book of Matt that alleges drugs and not hate led to Shepards death. 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. She said her organization will continue its unapologetic advocacy, reaching out to churches, businesses, legislators and regular citizens about their policies and attitudes. I love you Chasity until we see each other again. But I think that nobody wants to believe that hate and violence exist in their community. District Judge Jeffrey Donnell sentenced Price to 180 days in jail. I am so sorry for your loss. In a 2009 interview quoted byThe Denver Post,McKinney stated bluntly, "Matt Shepard needed killing," adding, "As far as Matt is concerned, I don't have any remorse. Russell Henderson says he thinks about Matthew Shepard every single day of his life. Staggering snowfall in California mountains leaves residents trapped for days Henderson, now 41, said the U.S. should have laws that protect everyone, no matter who they are. McKinneys lawyers also wanted to argue that Shepard caused McKinney to explode in a rage by putting his hand on McKinneys leg. Earlier in the day, Chasity Pasley, a girlfriend of Henderson's, testified that she saw no indication of drug use by McKinney. Chasity loved spending time with her son, family, and friends. (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. Then they left Shepard in the frigid darkness. 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. She said they hid expensive new Don't miss out on the latest news and information. 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. 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. Casper is known for its oil industry, which Shepard's father Dennis was part of. The convicted killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, are each serving two consecutive life sentences. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. Im sorry.. In the letter, McKinney tells Henderson that, at trial, he wants his friend to blame everything on him even alleging that Henderson asked him to stop beating Shepard, and that he was drunk and pointing a cannon at his friend,according to the Coloradoan. 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. 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. The next day, a mountain biker found him, at first mistaking him for a scarecrow. October 28, 1999 Mr. Henderson never met his biological father and was adopted as an infant by a stepfather, said. 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. Wyoming Equality protested by holding a dance at a civic center down the street, using the slogan When They Go Low We Go Dance.. She was the last of four defendants arrested following the 1998 beating death of gay University of Wyoming freshman Matthew Shepard. Still, he insisted, neither he nor McKinney was motivated by anti-gay hatred when they offered Shepard a ride home from a bar. Attitudes against homosexuality persist in Wyoming, but LGTBQ acceptance has advanced, said Jason Marsden, executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation. Chastity Vera Pasley, the girlfriend of murder suspect Russell Henderson, is pictured in court in Laramie, Wyo., on Friday, Oct. 9, 1998. Only Henderson, McKinney, and Chasity Pasley were charged that day; separate proceedings had been arranged for Kristen Price. Brandon Foster is the Star-Tribune's managing editor. She was someone Jim Osborn knew well and liked. He also admitted that when he and Henderson zeroed in on that night at the Fireside Lounge, they did so because he was obviously gay.. 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. 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. My thoughts and prayers are with the family. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. According to Oxygen, Aaron McKinney has never displayed even an ounce of remorse for his crimes, even doubling down. Much love. As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. 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. the girlfriend of one of two men accused in the beating death His accomplice, Russell Henderson, is also serving two consecutive life terms. 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. I think it is sad someone would make such a Im so, so ashamed I was ever part of this, Henderson said. Ed . display: none; 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. McKinney has pleaded innocent and is scheduled to stand trial in August. You can cancel at any time. The pair lured Shepard outside the bar and abducted him. The University of Wyoming created its diversity office only last year. after pleading guilty to being an accessory after the fact in (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Nov. 4, 1999: Judy Shepard stands with Detective Sgt. Her passion of helping others succeed touched many lives. Hendersons remarks dont change the facts of the case, which include McKinneys confession to police, Marsden said. Associated Press writers Brady McCombs in Laramie and David Crary in New York contributed to this report. Pasley said she was sorry for helping to dispose of bloody clothing her boyfriend, Russell Henderson, wore during the Oct. 7 attack on Shepard, 21. Shane studied journalism at the University of Missouri and worked at newspapers there before moving to Wyoming. The case gained national attention and led to calls for the inclusion of sexual orientation in federal hate crimes law. However, the judge in McKinney's murder trial would not permit it. Henderson tied Shepard to the fence after McKinney told him to do it, he said. Even now, people associate Laramie with the murder. 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. Osborn attributes some of that mentality to peoples desire to be in the know. He helps imprisoned hospice patients and trains shelter dogs so they can be adopted. Henderson and McKinney are serving life sentences for Matthew Shepard's murder. 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. I think about Matthew every single day of my life. 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. 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. 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I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. After that, he mouthed off, so I hit him a few more times and his fag ass died, McKinney wrote. LARAMIE, Wyo. 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. June 11, 2022 Posted by: illustrator graphic design tutorials . As Henderson drove, McKinney began pistol-whipping Shepard and took his wallet. Chasity Vera Pasley is a resident of UT. She will be missed dearly and heaven has gained an angel to watch over her loved ones. Aaron McKinney and Chastity Pasley wait to be arraigned . LARAMIE, WYOMING The girlfriend of a man who pleaded guilty in the kidnapping and murder of a homosexual college student was sentenced Friday to 15 to 24 months in prison for lying to police and destroying evidence. I know she is moving forward in her existence and making strides in her own eternal progress. While Shepard became a symbol of the movement toward equality and laws, the state of Wyoming, where the murder took place, remains one of a handful to have not passed laws pertaining to crimes in which a victim's identity, including their sexual identity, served as a motivating factor. 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. Known as the Equality State, Wyoming got its nickname for being the first to let women vote. upon -- that they watched movies together the night of the Pasley, Hendersons girlfriend, was sentenced to 18 months, of which she served 6 months. Miss Manners: I shouldn't call because the phone scares people? She received 120 days of credit for time already served following her initial arrest, and the remaining 60 days were suspended. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Woman Sentenced for Role in Attack. LARAMIE, Wyoming (CNN) -- In sometimes emotional testimony, Sometimes Chasity goes by various nicknames including Chasity V Pasley, Chasity V Pasley, Chasity Haines, Chasity Vera Haines and Chasity V Haines. Prosecutors accused both Price and Chasity Pasley, who was Henderson's girlfiend, of helping dispose of Henderson's bloody clothes. I will keep Chasity always in my heart, I wont find another like her . 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. Required fields are marked *. Chasity was a resident of Utah at the time of passing. In a letter written from jail, McKinney admitted to being homophobic. ", However, his codefendant, Russell Henderson, has a different perspective on the heinous murder the two committed. Marie Maxfield. (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. Fireside Lounge with two men and being driven away in a Twenty years after the brutal killing of Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming, one of the lead investigators in the case shared with the Coloradoan a letter sent between the suspects who were. She said she lied during questioning later at the Laramie Mckinney was sentenced to two consecutive life prison sentences last week for the October 1998 murder of 21-year-old Shepard. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. 525 Grand Ave #101, Laramie, WY 82070, lived here in 2002 : F. 3834 S 7120 W, West Valley City, UT 84128, lived here in 2001 $1,770: G. 3375 W 7800 S #134, West Jordan, UT 84088 Pasley wept throughout. Chastity Pasley. 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. chasity pasley wyoming obituary. Chasity Vera Pasley, 20, cried repeatedly as she was sentenced to 15 months to two . ___ } Dave O'Malley sits for a portrait outside the Albany County Courthouse on Sept. 28 in Laramie. attack and knew nothing of it. She also was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder, but her trial has been delayed. A memorial celebration of . That played a part. The judge prohibited the gay panic defense. Authorities said Henderson and Aaron McKinney, both 21, posed as homosexuals and lured Shepard out of a bar before taking him to a remote area, pistol-whipping him and leaving him tied to a fence in the cold. Chasity Vera Haines (Pasley) passed away on October 10, 2017. Nobody wants to believe that we grow children that are capable of hate and violence. Please try again. Henderson believes thattheUnited Statesshould revamp its federal hate crime laws to protect everyone, even nearly a decade after the passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. 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. According to the Associated Press, she was sentenced to 15 months to 2 years in prison. Though investigators who worked on the case have called the book inaccurate, its premise has continued to gain traction 20 years after Shepards death made him a symbol of equal rights. Meanwhile, Chasity Pasley was found guilty of helping the two discard bloody clothing belonging to Shepard. OMalley said Jimenezs narrative has picked up in steam in Wyoming more than anywhere else. November 4, 1999 / 9:24 AM The next day, a mountain biker found him.
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