Matthew Shepard's Killers Deny Attack Was Hate Crime

[seriousstan]

Matthew Shepard's Killers Deny Attack Was Hate Crime in First Interviews Since Gay Student's 1998 Death
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - In their first public interview since attacking gay college student Matthew Shepard, his killers said they were motivated not by homophobia, but the prospect of robbery to fuel a methamphetamine binge.
"He was pretty well-dressed, had a wallet full of money," Aaron McKinney said of meeting Shepard at a Laramie bar in October 1998. "All I wanted to do was beat him up and rob him. ... Seemed like a good idea at the time."

The interviews air Friday on ABC's "20/20."

The robbery got out of hand, said McKinney and his buddy, Russell Henderson, and Shepard was beaten into a coma while tied to a fence outside the small college town. The 21-year-old died five days later.

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBD1SWEZ1E.html

[Bluzmann57]

1. Hate Crime or not

why give these sub-humans any attention? They brutally killed another human being. The hell with 'em. Won't be watching 20/20 tomorrow night.

[rooboy]

2. Tied to a fence and beaten into a coma. Some robbery... n/t

[THUNDER HANDS]

3. yeeeeah, right

Cause its so common to beat someone to a pulp and tie them to a fence post over whatever was in his wallet.

On top of that, who cares what they have to say? If they said they killed him because it was Wednesday it doesn't change the fact that it WAS a hate crime. They knew he was gay, and wasn't their defense at the trial that Matt was coming on to them?

[joeybee12]

4. You're right, it was part of their defense....now they're probably

figuring that getting that overturned will cut down their sentence.

[pinerow]

5. I was under the impression that one of the killers (the one who copped

a plea in exchange for his testimony) was not allowed to speak about the case or lose his plea bargaining agreement; from life without possibility of parole to the death sentence.

[QC]

24. Then they need to give those boys the needle.

After all, a deal's a deal.

[Chicago Democrat]

57. I'm against capital punishment, but boy that's sounds good to me

:grr:

[QC]

64. Oh, I'm against it, too, but

those assholes are alive thanks to Shepard's family. Now they hurt the Shepards all over again to repay them for their mercy.

Considering what those guys did, I think I could flip the switch on them myself.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

26. That's correct; so why does he get to speak now???

~snip~

To avoid facing the death penalty for his part in the pistol-whipping death of Shepard, McKinney signed on to a sentencing agreement that muzzles him, his lawyers, and the media for the rest of his life. It's difficult to work up a lot of sympathy for the homophobic defendant in this case, but the sentencing agreement does raise significant issues for a society that values both freedom and justice.

The sentencing agreement, drawn up in consultation with Shepard's parents, stated that:
-McKinney could not appeal his sentence.
-He could not talk to the news media about the case.
-His attorneys, the public defender, the mitigation specialist and other members of the defense team could not talk to the news media.

http://gaytoday.badpuppy.com/garchive/viewpoint/112999vi.htm

[MrSlayer]

6. Um, mugging people does not entail tie ups and torture.

Sadly, in my wild youth, I was involved in some stuff like this. Robberies and muggings are quick jobs, hit and run if you will. You do not want to spend any more time than is necessary to get the goods. These guys are lying plain and simple, this was cold blooded murder because the kid was gay.

[Divine Discontent]

7. that article is SICKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

they say nothing in defense of Matt, or his family. They allow the MURDERERS of Matt to state he was only after sex and that's why they got in his vehicle, and that Matt grabbed his leg... etc. etc..

perhaps they're now saying it was for drugs and not about the fact that they KNEW (oh they knew, who are you kiddin??????) Matt was gay, it's because they're taking it up the butt so much in prison with there cute bodies, that they're starting to enjoy the man to man love....

enjoy prison, monsters, it's where you belong for killing him. day after day after day after day after miserable day....

perhaps someday they'll really repent.

[Divine Discontent]

9. let ABC know how HAPPY you are that they're sensationalizing Matt's murder

from 6 years ago, for some ratings and allowing convicted murderers to further harm his family


http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=123566&page=1


God bless...

[Divine Discontent]

11. my response

my letter:


how DARE you sensationalize Matt's murder from YEARS ago just to get ratings and allow these CONVICTED MURDERERS more ways to harm his family!!!!!!!!!!!

I won't watch 20/20 EVER EVER EVER AGAIN!!!!!

bastards!!!!!!!!!

john stossel sucks ass.





ok, it's a bit harsh, but this is grotesque media whoring at it's worst.

[Ducks In A Row]

52. stossel has been one of the worse rw wingnut whores for years

haven't watched 20/20 in years because of him.

[VolcanoJen]

55. Stossel is wingnut jackhat.

The promos for the 20/20 segment were nauseating... Stossel's voiceover:

"The Murder of Matthew Shephard... maybe it wasn't a hate crime!"

He seemed positively giddy. I couldn't bring myself to watch the actual segment.

[intheflow]

28. 20/20 feedback came up "ERROR"

I wrote a letter on their feedback that was very respectful, but when I sent it, this is the page that came up:

ERROR

You’ve requested an abcnews.com page that does not exist.

If you’ve reached this page by selecting a bookmark that worked previously, it’s likely the file moved to a new location because of our recent redesign. Please update your bookmarks.

If you still can't find the page your looking for, check out our homepage or use the search form below...

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Nothing like discouraging dissent.

[private_ryan]

10. if they were on meth

is different though. Meth users are not known for their rationality.
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/meth/methsigns.html
Psychological Effects

Excited speech and incessant talking
Progressively aggressive or violent behavior
Agitation, irritability, anxiety and extreme moodiness
Disinterest in former activities
Increased physical or sexual activity
False sense of confidence and power
Intense paranoia
Severe depression
Visual and auditory hallucinations
Purposeless, repetitious behavior
Tooth grinding
Compulsive cleaning, grooming, sorting, disassembling
http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/meth/methsigns.html

[MrSlayer]

15. Yeah but I doubt this was a case of Meth induced insanity.

Most drug related crime is done while the person is coming down or jonesing for the next hit, line, shot or whatever. If they were junkies looking for dope money they would not have hung around and spent that kind of time beating this guy to death, they would have simply jumped and robbed him and ran to the dealer. I'm not buying this drug psychosis bullshit on this one however credible it may be in other cases. I believe these guys knew exactly what they were doing and why they were doing it.

[hlthe2b]

8. These kids were angry, resentful, bitter, and hated everyone: did they

mention that that whacked a Hispanic man with the butt of a gun that same day? I'll bet not.

While I agree it was a complex hate, the fact is they were the extreme of "have nots" in a college town of mostly "haves," and I don't doubt they harbored both racial, ethnic, and homophobic hatred along with their resentment (and lack of personal responsibiity for their current status). (As we have seen with the current day extremes of the Republican party, hate and anger can be directed at nearly anyone or anything, other than themselves).

[d_b]

12. Out comes the Bush pardon.

[msongs]

13. they are appealing to christians to get off the hook....

now that it is open season on gays and lesbians according to the fundy christians, they are gonna try and get off the hook. might even get them a good honest gay bashing right winger attorney to try and get them a retrial.

Msongs
Riverside CA

[fishnfla]

14. Thats what I was thinking. Why this now?

Setting the stage for more.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

27. My thought too...and this is important to remember:

No matter why they did it, they felt no remorse. No matter why they did it, they should rot in their cells.

~snip~

Twenty minutes after being convicted of murdering gay college student Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney was back in jail, smiling, laughing, and watching himself on television, a sheriff’s detective said. ...“I really don’t know what to say other than that I’m truly sorry to the entire Shepard family,” an emotional McKinney said in court Friday before his sentencing. “Never will a day go by I won’t be ashamed for what I have done.” McKinney’s actions in jail contradict that show of remorse, however, (Albany Wyoming Detective) DeBree said. McKinney had laughed about the case and repeatedly used derogatory terms about gay men to refer to Shepard, including such references in letters, he said.

http://www.advocate.com/html/news/111199/111199news01.asp

~snip~

When the Shepards were through, Judge Donnell turned to sentencing. Henderson's attorneys had hoped for concurrent life sentences instead of consecutive, but Donnell was adamant. "The court does not believe you feel real remorse," he told Henderson. "This vile, senseless crime victimised Matthew, his family, your family, your community. You are not a victim, you are a perpetrator."

http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/2878/henderson.html

[yorkiemommie1]

16. 'seemed like a good idea at the time'...

moron.

[jdj]

17. fundie moral values du jour: drugs: okay,

homosexuality: evil and must be destroyed

[lies and propaganda]

18. yeah? then i would like to also some time alone

with these guys.... I swear it wont be a a hate crime, i just have a drug problem.

[intheflow]

19. Any crime that heinous is a hate crime. n/t

[Dinger]

20. Shame On ABC For Giving These Fucks The Time Of Day!

:grr:

[struggle4progress]

21. Traditional American lynching bee fun: nothing personal. Bastards. eom

[spotbird]

22. Imagine that, murders are also liars!

Who would think men would would commit cold blooded murder would then lie about their motives?!

It reminds me of the OJ trial when he testified, people were incredulous!

[GarySeven]

23. Bush WILL pardon them

After all, were they not doing God's will?

[FM Arouet666]

25. Bull Shit

Let me guess, without the hate crime aspect of the sentence, they could potentially alter their sentence. Looks like a cheap legal tactic to cast doubt on the trial, and cause a hell of a lot of pain for the Shepard family and all those who have suffered the indignity of homophobia.

[Barkley]

29. I bet Matt's killers have some unresolved sexual identity issues -nt

[ProudDad]

30. Coming off of a Meth Binge, eh?

Millions of people "come off of Meth Binges" and don't kill people. That's a bullshit excuse... There was obviously something else going on in these two -- probably homophobic and certainly sociopathic.

I'm glad they're locked up after reading the article.

However, I don't believe that hate crime statutes do any good.

It's just another form of the "mandatory minimums" nonsense. In this and many other ways congress and state legislatures have screwed up the already unfair and unjust legal system by taking the judgement from the hands of the people who are closest to the facts of each case; demanding over-long sentences in order to gain votes from the ignorant (scared) masses.


:nuke: bush

[Nevernose]

31. Well, that makes it all so much better, doesn't it? Also, avoid meth, ok?

To anyone reading this out there in TV land: don't smoke/snort/shoot/swallow meth. Please. That shit turns good people into bad people.

And while you're at it, say a prayer for Matthew Sheppard, who's dead regardless of the motive. If you're feeling particularly Christian today, I guess you could say a prayer for his killers, too: some dumb-ass kids who were either so twisted with drugs or so twisted with rage that they had to take it out on an innocent, and will now spend their lives in prison.

[stlsaxman]

44. OFF TOPIC- sorry but who is that in the pic with Clinton...

Kinky Freedmann maybe... and... Will Smith?

Back on topic: This is disgusting, I never watch 20/20. Now I never will.

[AmyDeLune]

32. Old Statements Directly Conflict...

From a Vanity Fair article:

http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/2878/vf1.html
snip
On Tuesday, Matthew called Doc from the Library, a local bar; he wanted the limousine that night to go someplace with some friends. Doc was supposed to attend an Eagles Club trustees meeting, but said he'd try. They spoke again early in the evening, and Doc told Matthew to call back later that night, but he didn't hear from him. Wednesday morning, Doc called him, but Matthew's cell phone rang and rang.
snip

So Shepard had already arranged for transportation and didn't need to ask for a ride and obviously knew better.

snip
After police questioning, Aaron McKinney confessed that he and his friend Russell Henderson had met Matthew at the Fireside Bar & Lounge on Tuesday night and posed as gay to lure him into their truck. Then they drove him to an out-of-the-way location, bound him to a fence, pistol-whipped him, and taunted him while he begged for his life. Then they abandoned the gentle five-foot-two, 105-pound freshman to hang alone for 18 hours, losing blood as the temperature dropped.
snip

from seriousstan's link--
snip
McKinney said Shepard was sitting at the bar when he and Henderson arrived, and at one point McKinney asked Shepard for a cigarette.

"He said he was too drunk to go home and then he asked me if I'd give him a ride," McKinney said.

In the truck, McKinney claimed, the two learned Shepard wanted sex in return for giving them drugs, but McKinney decided to rob Shepard instead.

According to McKinney, Shepard grabbed his leg and he struck Shepard with his gun and demanded money. Although Shepard handed over his wallet, the beating continued.
snip

What a load of crap!

[Traction]

33. Every murder is a hate crime

If they killed him for his money, would that make it a love crime?

[Behind the Aegis]

34. No its not!

This was a murder motivated by hate, not under contract, not a murder of self-defense, nor a crime of passion. They killed him BECAUSE he was gay!

[Traction]

36. OK, I agree that killing in selfe-defense isn't a hate crime,

But killing someone because they need money, because they disagree with them, because they are cops trying to arrest them, etc., are ALL acts of hate.

[Behind the Aegis]

38. some disagreement

People kill for money and don't hate the person, as sometimes they don't even know the person. If they kill someone because they disagree with them, their may be hate for them, but it usually on a personal level, not because of the victim's sexual orientation, race, etc. If they kill because the cops are trying to arrest them, that is usually not hate, but fear. So those examples are not good ones of hate. A murder that might be motivated by hate would be a child who kills a parent because of years of abuse. The child may have committed the murder based on hate or fear.

Hate crime is a misnomer. It is actually a bias crime. The motive is based on a bias, usually because of the person's faith, sexuality, or ethnicity.

[readmoreoften]

68. bullshit

The seriousness of a crime is not just the end result. If that were the case their would not be different degrees of murder. Someone who kills you for money does not kill you because they hate you. They are killing you for money. A quick shot to the head and the villian runs off.

Compare this to a hate crime, which is often long drawn out torture, sometimes including sexual mutilation and rape/sodomization and mental cruelty/sadism.

Which would you rather have happen to your daughter?

[St. Jarvitude]

37. Hate, love

Black, white.

There are no shades of grey.

:eyes:

[Cheswick2.0]

40. wrong

not every murder is a hate crime. A hate crime is specifically to intimidate a particular group of people. Lynching a Black man is a hate crime because it is done to intimidate a whole community into submission.

[flying_blind]

42. 'Hate crimes' a flawed concept

This construct is a departure from equal protection and due process.

Who can say what these guys' motivations were? Who cares?

The facts of the case are in and of themselves sufficient.

To me, justifying the defining of some acts as 'hate crimes' requires the same rationale (perhaps in mirror image, but the same nonetheless) as is required to justify segregation.

Crime is bad. Crime is punishable. One killing as heinous as the next.

Only in a culture where the sterile bombings of civilians from on high are somehow better tolerated that a shot to the head could one find a single defender of such a dumb idea.

[talk hard]

35. Killer betraying promise to Mathew's parents

Matthew's parents begged for the life of Aaron McKinney on the condition that he never speak in public about the murder.

And here he is giving an interview.

Scum.

[Cheswick2.0]

39. gee a murderer and a liar.............who woulda thunk it?

They used "Gay Panic" as a defense.

[renaissanceguy]

41. It's pure propaganda

The right-wingers want to sensationalize this story to make gay hate crimes OK. But I don't think it will work...we've already made progress in this country regarding hate crimes, so maybe this will work to our advantage, with religious/right-wingers decrimininalizing these hate crimes.

These murderers deserve nothing but physical torture, humiliation, and mutilation, for what they did.

[FlyByNight]

43. So, even IF these two knuckle-draggers...

aren't homophobes, they are drug abusers. (What muggers go through the trouble of tying up their victim(s) to rob them?) Anyway, the War on (certain) Drugs must go on, except if you're a right-wing, wealthy, radio talk-show host, or the son of a wealthy and connected politician.

[Walt Starr]

45. Even if everything they are saying now is true, it changes nothing

They were charged with kidnapping and murder, nothing else.

Under this new story, same charges hold and they have admitted to both.

This changes nothing under the law.

[Harry S Truman]

46. Rebel, React

Do you know when filth like this stopped attacking black people? When they became deathly afraid of black people. We need to make people like this deathly afraid of US. How? Use your imagination. The war is here.

[renaissanceguy]

47. Send the leather daddies and lesbians after them.

Not all gay people are effeminate, you know.

Make them shit their pants.

[TahitiNut]

48. Riiight. And Charles Manson was merely being a film critic.

:eyes:

[BlueManDude]

49. yes - it was an act of self-defense

they were fending off "a high on meth homo who was coming on them." ABC - just shun them.

[Oreegone]

50. I have to say something about this....Laramie Sucks

There is so much Homophobia, descrimination and ignorance in the local population they might as well be in Georgia. These are 2 totally white trailer trash prejudice punks. This is an attempt to belittle the hate crime supporters and anti-discrimination folks out there. They are denigrating Matthew even more by attempting to trivialize his death. They may also be trying to get free of the persecution from those big gay guys in the prison, who probably don't like them too much. This takes the meaning of hate crime to a whole new level.

If you didn't see the HBO special on this event, rent it. It will give you an idea of the scope of ignorance there, believe me I know it first hand.

As for John Stasshole, he has put forth one subject after another that is tainted by his far far right leaning beliefs. One of the famous ones was where he got some crazy scientist buddy to do experiments in his garage showing that there was no difference in the level of pesticides in organic and non organically grown food. But these are the same folks that want us to believe the world in only 10,000 years old and that we don't need birth control....we just need control.



:mad: :puke: :freak: :grr: :nuke:

[transeo]

51. Write to ABC - here's my response

You can write to them at [e-mail] Here is my response. Not as articulate as I'd like, but I am just too upset.

Hello,

When I saw the commercials for your recent story regarding the Matthew Shepard murder, I couldn't believe the surreal advertisement. After the report, I must say that I am truly sickened.

Has TV news really hit this new low? Why on earth would you choose to cover this "story"? Why would you give a voice to two people who are guilty of such a brutal murder? Do you really think that these two can be trusted? Can we really take their word for it? Why would you even listen to them? Muggers don't beat people nearly to death and tie them to a fence, left to die.

Sadly, this has really made me question the motive of ABC news and 20/20. Why would you want to give a voice to these people and convince the world that it wasn't a hate crime? Why now? What they did was horrific, and they deserve far more than the merciful punishment they received. Shepard's family asked that they not be executed. These men showed no such mercy for Shepard. Now, here you are trying to show the world that they really aren't that bad, they were just high. How utterly twisted could you be?

I am truly disappointed in ABC News. Something is really wrong with the media when they decide a murderer's claims are trustworthy enough to promote such a distasteful program. It is the last time your news programs will be viewed in my home.

[Oreegone]

53. My response to ABC

My message to ABC:

You have stooped to an all time low

I stopped watching your show after the infamous John and his scientist buddy hang out in the garage and decide there is no difference between organic and non organic food.

However, when I saw your ads for your article on Matthew Shepard I wanted to know what new right wing propoganda Stossel could possibly exude from his hateful pores. This one takes the cake. You have gone from bad reporting to the checkout stand rag of television, you obviously have no integrity. You call this a news program? That indeed would be laughable, if your subject matter were not so devisive and ignorant. A mugging does not include torture, that's why it called a mugging; not kidnapping, torture and murder. This is obviously an attempt on Stossels part to trivialize this murder and thus make the homosexual community look hysterical. Oh gee, thanks for letting us know that it wasn't a hate crime after all, just a couple of young boys on drugs looking for a few extra bucks of spending money.

[Dinger]

60. Well Said Transeo

ABC is history here too, really.

[MattWinMO]

54. why not actually watch the program....

Before criticizing it. You shouldn't criticize the show just because it challenges a common held opinion.

The story may still be bs but people should watch it before jumping to conclusions.

[dddem]

65. I watched it.

About halfway through the segment I said to my husband "they'll probably try to get the charges dismissed by the end of this thing.". I was very upset by the way they portrayed the poor victim (HIV positive, drug user, party guy), and the "poor" murderers (abused as children, drug addicted, bisexual behaviors).
After using gay panic as a defense (and I use that term very loosely - there is no defending what they did), they come out now (in a conveniently anti-gay political climate) and try to tell us that the fact that the victim was gay had absolutely nothing to do with this brutal, brutal crime.
I thought the whole thing was shameful, and pointless. It makes me wonder what the powers that be have up their slimy right wing sleeves.
I feel that gay rights are going to backslide under this administration, and I think the American people are being set up to believe there is no such thing as gay discrimination, or hate crimes against people who are different.
And to say that all crimes are hate crimes minimizes the extreme cruelty of a crime against someone solely based on factors such as race, religion or sexual orientation.
It's going to take a lot more of us who are not gay to start demanding equal rights for GLBT folks before things start to happen in a positive way right now. I'm frightened by these right wing nuts for all of us; not just gay people.

[ignu]

56. memories of murderers, their friends and gossips five years later.

[Oreegone]

58. Thank you so much for your reply

This BS about how we should hear everything and everybody out, when it is SSoooooooo obvious what the homophobic agenda is on an alleged news show is just crap. Everyone has a right to say whatever they want, I just don't have to listen to it, and I don't want them enticing me to listen to it when it is not news and not worth listening to unless you are wanting to stir up hate and discrimination.
GIMME A BREAK JOHN STASSHOLE IS NOT A NEWS REPORTER...He is a arrogant,sludge slinging, hate mongering neo-fascist, and ABC should be embarrassed to compete with Faux News in this manner.

[0007]

59. Who shittin' who? Sounds like the repukes are getting to

the criminals these days, eh? And like putting words in their mouths for propaganda reasons. We know that right winger motherfuckers hate the "Hate Crime" law.

[NYC Liberal]

61. Even if it wasn't (it was),

they're still cold-blooded murderers. So what are we supposed to do? Go "Oh, they brutally beat and murdered a human being -- but hey, it wasn't a *hate crime*, so it's all good!"

Why do I care what they say anyway?

[bunny planet]

62. The NYTimes had a review in this Sunday's (Weekend Arts, p.E34)

If there wasn't a reason before to cancel my subscription to the NY Times, this is it. The 'journalist', Virginia Heffernan, reviewing this 20/20 episode calls the reporter on the show, Elizabeth Vargas, co,'no less than iconoclastic" and "intellectually brave" in her coverage. In general, gives unconscionable credence to this revisionist and unfortunate retelling of the tale. Even if any of the 'explosive' information referred to in this review, and supposedly contained in the show, were true, this would still be a hate-crime of nightmarish proportions. To suggest anything otherwise is despicable, as far as I can see, without watching it of course, which I refuse to do. Ms. Heffernan, in her closing paragraph, makes a passing reference to the revisionist aspects of the investigation, but then goes on to say that it is "worthwhile," and "thickens the description and adds to the mystery of what happened in Laramie." No mystery here, evil and hatred plain and simple. ABC should be ashamed of it's excursion into homophobic prurience masquerading as journalism. The NYTimes can just add this to the growing list of irresponsible and downright bizarre reporting.

[bunny planet]

63. Sorry , I was away, it is actually in Friday's paper.

[American Tragedy]

66. Well, either way Matthew Shepard is still dead.

Anyway, speaking as someone with years of use behind her, a meth binge really isn't much of an explanation for violent criminal behavior, much less a brutal murder.

[Behind the Aegis]

67. The right wing

The right-wing is already having a field day with this! New articles are coming out saying it wasn't a hate crime, just a robbery and that gays made Matthew a poster boy. They almost seem apologetic for the murderers because they got such stiff sentences! I am appalled by all of this! I am not surprised. The attack on gays and lesbians is just getting started. We, gays and lesbians, are in grave danger now. How long before the trains start rolling out?

[readmoreoften]

69. i worry about it every day n/t