On October 8, 1998, a 21-year-old college student was picked up from a gay bar, tortured, and murdered because of his sexuality in a state that had no hate crime laws to protect him. More than twenty years later, we continue to remember his life and legacy.
In this episode, we discuss the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, the United States’ reaction, and the impact this tragic event had in bringing about stricter hate crime legislation.
Additional Resources:
- Matthew Shepard
- Matthew Shepard, Victim of Anti-Gay Hate Crime, Dies
- Matthew Shepard: The Murder that Changed America
- Witnesses Trace Brutal Killing of Gay Student
- Beaten Gay Student Dies; Murder Charges Planned
- McKinney Gets Two Life Sentences
- Gay Murder Trial Ends With Guilty Plea
- Two Decades After Matthew Shepard's Death, LGBTQ Community Still Battles Hate Violence
- President Clinton During Departure Statement (1998) (Matthew Shepard)
- Celebrity Vigil For Matthew Shepard
- The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard Act
- MatthewsPlace.com