Matthew Shepard (1976 – 1998)
Remembering Matthew Shepard
Stuart Bartlett
In October of 1998, a college student named Matthew Shepard was murdered in a homophobia-motivated attack. His case has had far-reaching consequences for law relating to hate crimes, and for wider understanding of the danger of homophobia in general.
On October 7th, 1998, Matthew Shepard, a freshman from the University Of Wyoming was found hanging from a fence not far from the town of Laramie, Wyoming. He had been robbed and beaten, had a fractured skull, and was in a coma. He never regained consciousness, and died in hospital five days later.
The apparently senseless murder shocked the town of Laramie. The police rapidly arrested two men, and found Shepard’s wallet and shoe in their car. As the case progressed, friends of the attackers revealed that Shepard was not a random choice; rather, the two men had deliberately planned to rob and beat a gay man. Matthew Shepard was murdered because of his sexuality.
We have just passed the tenth anniversary of Shepard’s murder. His case has become one of the most famous hate crimes in recent memory, and a rallying point for those opposed to homophobia. In 2000, the events leading up to his murder were chronicled in a play called The Laramie Project. The play has been performed countless times since, across the United States and all across the world.
Potentially the most far-reaching effect to come from the case is the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act. Originally introduced in 2001, the bill would significantly expand federal hate crimes law within the United States. As the law now stands, hate crimes which do not involve an activity under the protection of the federal government, such as attending public school or voting, are the responsibility of local law enforcement. Under the new bill, the Department of Justice will be able to support local police in their investigations, but they will also be able to launch Federal investigations when the local PD is unable (or unwilling) to carry out a complete investigation.
Progress for the bill has been slow. Though it eventually passed the House of Representatives, for several years it has been trapped in Congress. In the summer of 2009, however, the bill was finally included as an amendment to a yearly defense spending bill. All that remains is for the new spending bill to be approved by Congress, and for President Obama to sign it into law.
