All language subtitles for The.Laramie.Project.2002.720p.WEBRip.x264.AAC-[YTS.MX]

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NOW, I FIRST THOUGHT
THE TWO KIDS WHO DID THIS

CAME FROM
SOMEPLACE ELSE.

WHEN I LEARNED THAT
THEY HAD GROWN UP IN LARAMIE,

I WAS JUST FLOORED !

In Laramie, Wyoming,
a young man is in a deep coma,

near death,
from a savage beating.

WHEN I FIRST FOUND OUT,
I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS HORRIBLE.

NOBODY DESERVES THAT.

I DON'T CARE
WHO YOU ARE.

A college freshman was beaten,
tied to a fence,

and left for dead
in Wyoming this week.

CERTAINLY YOU'D LIKE
TO THINK THIS WAS SOMEBODY

FROM OUT OF TOWN.

SOMEBODY WHO COMES THROUGH
AND BEATS SOMEBODY UP.

BUT IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT SOMEBODY

WHO'S BEEN BEATEN
REPEATEDLY

BY SOMEBODY
FROM OUR TOWN...

WELL, THAT CERTAINLY
OFFENDS US.

IF YOU ASKED ME BEFORE,
I WOULD'VE TOLD YOU

LARAMIE'S
A BEAUTIFUL TOWN.

IT'S SECLUDED.

YOU KNOW,
SECLUDED ENOUGH

SO YOU CAN
HAVE YOUR OWN IDENTITY.

YOU KNOW, NOW...

AFTER MATTHEW...

WE'RE A TOWN DEFINED
BY AN ACCIDENT

OR A CRIME, YOU KNOW ?

WE'VE BECOME WACO
OR JASPER.

WE'RE A NOUN
OR A DEFINITION
OR A SIGN.

DO YOU MIND
IF I TAPE THIS ?

NO, I DON'T MIND.

GREAT, THANK YOU.

AND THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TAKING
TIME OUT OF YOUR REHEARSAL

TO TALK TO ME.

I MUST TELL YOU
WHEN I FIRST HEARD

YOU WERE THINKING
OF COMING HERE,

WHEN YOU FIRST
CALLED ME,

I WANTED TO SAY...

YOU JUST KICKED ME
IN THE STOMACH,

WHY ARE YOU DOING
THIS TO ME ?

AND THEN I THOUGHT,
WELL, THAT'S STUPID

YOU'RE NOT DOING
THIS TO ME.

AND MORE IMPORTANTLY,

MY STUDENTS
NEED TO TALK.

WHEN THIS
FIRST HAPPENED,

THEY STARTED TO TALK ABOUT IT
AND THEN THE MEDIA DESCENDED

AND ALL DIALOGUE
STOPPED.

WE'RE NOT REPORTERS.

I KNOW,
I READ YOUR LAST PLAY.

YOU DID ?

MM-HMM.

GAVE ME AN IDEA
OF WHAT YOU DO.

MOISES CALLED SAYING
HE HAD AN IDEA

FOR HIS NEXT
THEATER PROJECT,

BUT THERE WAS
A SOMBERNESS TO HIS VOICE.

SO, I ASKED HIM
WHAT IT WAS L ABOUT.

AND HE SAID HE MAY
WANT TO DO A PIECE

ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN WYOMING.

LEE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME
THAT THE COMPANY WAS THINKING

OF GOING DOWN TO LARAMIE
AND CONDUCTING SOME INTERVIEWS

AND DID
I WANT TO COME ?

I DID, I SAID, YEAH.

BUT I...

I WAS HESITANT,
BECAUSE AS A GAY MAN,

I MEAN...

A KID HAD JUST BEEN KILLED
THERE BECAUSE HE WAS GAY.

WHAT EXACTLY
DO YOU WANT ?

WELL, I'D LIKE YOU
TO GIVE ME NAMES OF PEOPLE

WHO MIGHT WANT
TO TALK TO US.

I'D LIKE TO TALK
TO YOUR STUDENTS
AND YOUR FRIENDS.

I WANT TO HEAR
FROM THE PEOPLE OF THE TOWN.

I HAVE NEVER DONE
ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.

HOW DO YOU GET PEOPLE
TO TALK TO YOU ?

WHAT DO YOU ASK ?

IT'S STILL
VERY RAW FOR US HERE.

I UNDERSTAND,

BUT THIS IS NO LONGER
ABOUT LARAMIE OR WYOMING.

THIS IS ABOUT
THE WHOLE COUNTRY.

TO ME,

IT'S STILL
ABOUT LARAMIE.

THE COMPANY HAS AGREED
TO COME TO LARAMIE

AND INTERVIEW THE PEOPLE
OF THE TOWN.

AND I'M SCARED 'CAUSE
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA DO

ABOUT TRYING
TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY.

I MADE A PRELIMINARY
CONTACT WITH REBECCA HILLIKER

WHO'S THE HEAD OF
THE THEATER DEPARTMENT

AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF WYOMING.

AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL
LEAD TO MORE INTERVIEWS.

YOU'RE LATE.

I KNOW, WE TALKED FOR A LOT
LONGER THAN I PLANNED.

WHAT DID REBECCA SAY ?

SHE GAVE ME NAMES OF A BUNCH OF
PEOPLE WHO MIGHT TALK TO US.

TOWNSPEOPLE AND RANCHERS,
SOME STUDENTS.

SO, WE SHOULD TRY AND
CONTACT THESE PEOPLE FIRST.

LET'S SEE IF ANYBODY'S
GONNA TALK.

GREAT.

YOU OKAY ?

WHAT ?

PLEASE DON'T
DO THAT HERE.

WHERE'RE
YOU FOLKS FROM ?

( together )
NEW YORK.

AND WHAT BRINGS YOU
TO TOWN ?

WE'RE JUST
PASSING THROUGH.

( phone )

HI.

IS LINDA HOME ?

NO, SHE'S WORKING.

OKAY, WELL, CAN YOU TELL HER
THAT AMANDA STOPPED BY

AND I'LL BE AT
THE RANGER MOTEL ?

AND WHO ARE YOU ?

I'M WITH
THE THEATER COMPANY,

REBECCA HILLIKER
TOLD HER ABOUT ME.

I NEVER HEARD OF HER,
WHAT DO YOU WANT ?

WELL, I'M WITH
THE THEATER COMPANY

AND WE'RE WRITING A PLAY
ABOUT LARAMIE

AND THE MATTHEW SHEPARD
INCIDENT.

WHY ARE YOU
DOING THAT ?

WE THINK IT'S A STORY--

YOU'RE STICKING YOUR NOSE
INTO SOMETHING

WE DON'T NEED
TO TALK ABOUT ANYMORE.

THAT'S OVER AND DONE.

I UNDERSTAND
YOUR FEELING--

WE DON'T WANT
ANYMORE OF THIS.

YOU'RE NOT WANTED HERE.

WHERE ARE YOU GOING
WITH THIS STORY ?

WELL, WHEN THE PLAY
IS FINISHED,

WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT
AROUND TO LARAMIE.

AND YOU'RE GONNA
USE OUR WORDS ?

THAT'S THE IDEA.

WELL, I'VE BEEN
CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE CASE

TO KNOW MANY OF
THE PEOPLE.

I HAVE A DAUGHTER, WORKS IN
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AS FOR
THE GAY ISSUE,

I DON'T GIVE A DAMN
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

AS LONG AS
THEY DON'T BOTHER ME.

AND EVEN IF THEY DID,
I'D JUST SAY, "NO, THANK YOU".

AND THAT'S THE ATTITUDE OF
MOST OF THE LARAMIE POPULATION.

THEY MIGHT POKE ONE
IN A BAR SITUATION, YOU KNOW ?

THEY'VE BEEN DRINKING,

THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY
SMACK ONE IN THE MOUTH,

BUT THEN
THEY JUST WALK AWAY.

LARAMIE IS
LIVE AND LET LIVE.

MY DEAR BROTHERS
AND SISTERS,

I'M HERE TODAY TO BRING YOU
THE WORD OF THE LORD.

IN MY MINISTRY,
I FOUND A SIMPLE TRUTH

THAT I'D LIKE
TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY,

AND IT'S THIS.

THE WORD

IS EITHER SUFFICIENT

OR IT IS NOT.

NOW, SCIENTISTS TELL ME
THAT HUMAN HISTORY,

THAT THE WORLD
IS FIVE BILLION

OR SIX BILLION YEARS OLD.

AFTER ALL,
WHAT'S A BILLION YEARS
GIVE OR TAKE ?

BUT THE BIBLE
TELLS ME

THAT HUMAN HISTORY
IS 6,000 YEARS OLD.

THE WORD

IS EITHER SUFFICIENT
OR IT IS NOT.

IN LARAMIE,

POPULATION 26,687,

THE FIRST THING
TO GREET US WAS WALMART.

THIS COULD BE
ANY MAIN DRAG IN AMERICA.

FAST FOOD CHAINS,
GAS STATIONS.

BUT AS WE DROVE
INTO THE DOWNTOWN AREA

BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS,

THE BUILDINGS STILL
RETAIN THE SHAPE

OF A TURN OF A CENTURY
WESTERN TOWN.

OH, AND AS WE PASSED
THE UNIVERSITY INN,

ON THE SIGN WHERE AMENITIES
SUCH AS HEATED POOL OR CABLE TV

ARE USUALLY TOUTED,

IT SAID...

SO, HOW DID YOU
WIND UP HERE ?

WELL, WHEN IT CAME TIME
TO GO TO COLLEGE,

MY PARENTS COULDN'T REALLY
AFFORD TO SEND ME TO COLLEGE,

SO, I KNEW THAT I WANTED
TO STUDY THEATRE,

BUT I KNEW THAT IF
I WANTED TO GO TO COLLEGE,

I HAD TO GET
ON A SCHOLARSHIP.

SO, THERE'S THIS COMPETITION
THEY HAVE EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A WYOMING STATE HIGH SCHOOL
COMPETITION THING.

AND...

SO, I CAME TO THE UNIVERSITY
TO THE THEATRE DEPARTMENT

TO LOOK FOR SOME
GOOD SCENES, RIGHT ?

AND I ASKED THE PROFESSOR,
I SAID...

I NEED A KILLER SCENE
AND HE'S LIKE HERE.

HERE YOU GO,
THIS IS IT.

WHAT WAS IT ?

THAT WAS
"ANGELS IN AMERICA".

I READ THAT
AND I'M LIKE,
THIS IS OKAY.

I CAN WIN BEST SCENE IF I JUST
DO A GOOD ENOUGH JOB, YOU KNOW ?

SO, I TELL MY PARENTS,
SO THEY CAN SEE ME
IN THE COMPETITION.

AND THEY BROUGHT ME IN THE ROOM
AND THEY SAT ME DOWN.

AND THEY SAID THAT
THEY WOULDN'T COME TO SEE ME

IF I DID THAT SCENE.

THEY COULDN'T.
WHY IS THAT ?

BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE
IT'S WRONG,

HOMOSEXUALITY
IS WRONG.

AND ALL I REMEMBER
FROM THE COMPETITION

IS JUST
STANDING OVATION.

OH, REALLY ?

WE WON,
WE GOT FIRST PLACE.

ONE OF THE BEST MOMENTS
OF MY LIFE.

DID YOUR PARENTS COME ?

PARENTS WEREN'T THERE.

WHY'D YOU DO IT ?

ACTUALLY, HONESTLY,

I WANTED TO WIN.

I REALLY...

AND IT WAS
THE GREATEST SCENE.

YOU KNOW,
I JUST WANTED--

I JUST WANTED TO WIN.

TODAY, FOR
THE FIRST TIME,

I MET SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY
KNEW MATTHEW SHEPARD.

TRISH STEGER,
OWNER OF A SHOP IN TOWN,

REFERRED TO HIM
AS "MATT".

MATT USED TO COME INTO MY SHOP,
THAT'S HOW I KNEW HIM.

IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I EVER
HEARD HIM REFERRED TO AS "MATT"

INSTEAD OF "MATTHEW".

WELL,
WHAT WAS HE LIKE ?

I DON'T KNOW,
YOU KNOW ?

HOW DOES ANY ONE PERSON
EVER TELL ABOUT ANOTHER ?

MATT WAS
A BLUNT LITTLE SHIT.

YOU KNOW
WHAT I'M SAYING ?

HE WAS
A LITTLE GUY, 5'2".

SOAKING WET,
I BET YOU 97 POUNDS, TOPS.

THEY WERE SAYING HE WEIGHED
110 POUNDS, I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

I SAID, "ARE YOU
MATTHEW SHEPARD ?"

AND HE SAYS,
"YEAH, I'M MATTHEW SHEPARD,

"BUT I DON'T WANT YOU TO
CALL ME MATTHEW OR MR. SHEPARD.

"DON'T CALL ME
NONE OF THAT.

"MY NAME IS MATT AND I WANT YOU
TO KNOW THAT I AM GAY.

"AND WE'RE GONNA
BE GOING TO A GAY BAR.

DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
WITH THAT ?"

I SAID, "NO,
HOW YOU PAYING ?"

THE FACT OF
THE MATTER IS

LARAMIE DOESN'T
HAVE ANY GAY BARS.

WELL, FOR THAT MATTER,
NEITHER DOES WYOMING.

HE WAS HIRING ME TO TAKE HIM
DOWN TO FORT COLLINS, COLORADO.

WHICH IS ABOUT
AN HOUR AWAY.

HE WAS STRUGGLING
WHEN HE FIRST CAME HERE,

REACHING OUT,
TRYING TO FIT IN.

I'M SORRY I'M LATE.

HI, MY SISTER,
ROMAINE.

SHE WAS A CLOSE FRIEND
OF MATTHEW'S.

MATTHEW REALLY WANTED
TO GET INTO POLITICAL AFFAIRS,

THAT WAS ALL
HIS BIG INTEREST WAS.

WATCHING CNN
AND MSNBC.

THOSE WERE THE ONLY TV STATIONS
I EVER SAW HIS TV TUNED INTO.

SO, WHY DID HE MOVE
TO LARAMIE ?

HE TOLD ME HE WAS THINKING
ABOUT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.

SO, I TOLD HIM,

"GO TO THE UNIVERSITY
OF WYOMING, GO TO LARAMIE.

YOU CAN REALLY
FIND A HOME THERE."

I WAS MATTHEW'S
ACADEMIC ADVISOR,

SO, I KNEW HIM IN
A VERY SPECIFIC CONTEXT.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT
MATTHEW WAS VERY SHY

WHEN HE FIRST CAME IN

TO THE POINT OF BEING SOMEWHAT
MOUSY, I'D ALMOST SAY.

BUT SOON,
HIS SHYNESS

BEGAN TO GIVE WAY
TO THIS PERSON THAT

WAS EXCITED ABOUT THIS TRACK
THAT HE WAS GOING TO EMBARK ON.

WHENEVER I THINK OF MATTHEW,
I THINK OF HIS...

INCREDIBLE
BEAMING SMILE.

HE'D WALK INTO A ROOM
AND JUST BE LIKE...

AND HE'D SMILE
AT EVERYONE.

HE MADE YOU FEEL GREAT.

HE WAS JUST STARTING TO SAY,
"THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES HERE.

"THERE ARE THINGS
I CAN DO IN THIS WORLD.

I CAN BE IMPORTANT."

I HEARD FROM MATT ABOUT
48 HOURS BEFORE THE ATTACK.

AND HE TOLD ME
HE JUST JOINED

THE GAY AND LESBIAN GROUP
ON CAMPUS.

AND HE WAS
REALLY ENJOYING IT,

GETTING READY FOR
PRIDE WEEK AND WHATNOT.

HE WAS TOTALLY
STOKED ABOUT SCHOOL.

HE WAS REALLY
HAPPY BEING THERE.

I CAN ONLY SAY THIS
IN RETROSPECT, OF COURSE.

I THINK THAT'S
WHERE HE WAS HEADED,

TOWARDS HUMAN RIGHTS.

LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING HERE.

THERE'S MORE GAY PEOPLE
IN WYOMING THAN MEETS THE EYE.

YOU THINK ?

I KNOW,
I KNOW FOR A FACT.

NOT PARTICULARLY,
WHAT DO YOU CALL THE QUEENS,

THE GAY PEOPLE ?

QUEENS ?

YOU KNOW, THE RUNAROUND
FAGGOT-TYPE PEOPLE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE MORE
LIKE THE ONES WHO...

THROW A BAIL OF HAY, JUMP ON
A HORSE, BRAND HIM AND KICK ASS,

YOU KNOW WHAT
I'M SAYING ?

AS I ALWAYS SAY, YOU DON'T
FUCK WITH A WYOMING QUEER

'CAUSE THEY'LL FUCKING
KICK YOU IN YOUR ASS.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT
OF WHAT I'M SAYING.

WHAT IS THE POINT ?

THE PEOPLE OF WYOMING
DO NOT GIVE A DAMN

ONE WAY OR THE OTHER
IF YOU'RE GAY,

IF YOU'RE STRAIGHT,
IF YOU'RE BISEXUAL,

TRISEXUAL,
DOESN'T MATTER.

REALLY ?

THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID,
IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I WAS THE FIRST OUT
LESBIAN OR GAY FACILITY MEMBER.

AND THAT'S IN 1992,

SO, THAT'S NOT
THAT LONG AGO.

THEY ASKED ME AT THE INTERVIEW
WHAT MY HUSBAND DID.

SO, I CAME OUT THEN.

WHEN I FIRST
MOVED OUT HERE,

I KNEW IT WAS GONNA
BE HARD AS A GAY MAN.

AND THERE WOULD BE TIMES
I WOULD GO DOWN TO DENVER

AND I WOULD GO
TO THE GAY BARS THERE.

AND PEOPLE WOULD ASK ME
WHERE I WAS FROM

I WOULD SAY
LARAMIE, WYOMING.

AND I MET SO MANY MEN
DOWN THERE

FROM WYOMING.

SO MANY GAY MEN
WHO GREW UP HERE

AND THEY ARE LIKE, "THIS IS NOT
A PLACE WHERE I CAN LIVE,

HOW CAN YOU LIVE THERE,
I HAD TO GET OUT."

RAH, RAH, RAH...

BUT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
THERE'D BE A GUY,

"OH GOSH,
I MISS LARAMIE.

"I MEAN,
I REALLY LOVE IT THERE.

THAT'S WHERE
I WANT TO LIVE."

THEY GET THIS
STARRY-EYED LOOK

AND I THINK, IF THAT IS
WHERE YOU WANT TO LIVE,

DO IT.

SO, I GET INTO
MY OFFICE ONE DAY

AND I HAVE A MESSAGE
TO CALL THIS WOMAN BACK,

SO, I CALL HER BACK.

AND SHE GOES,
"I HEAR YOU ARE A LESBIAN.

I HEAR YOU ARE ONE."

AND I'M LIKE,
"UH-HUH."

SHE GOES,
"I'M ONE TOO."

SHE WANTED TO COME OVER
AND MEET ME IMMEDIATELY.

SHE ALSOARNED ME
ABOUT THE FACT

THAT THERE'S OTHER LESBIANS
IN THIS TOWN

WHO WOULD NOT
BE SEEN WITH ME,

THAT JUST TO BE SEEN WITH ME
WOULD TAKE THEM IRREPARABLY.

THAT JUST TO BE SEEN WITH ME
WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM.

I LOVE THIS LAND.

I MEAN,

I REALLY
LOVE THIS LAND.

OKAY, I'M GONNA
MAKE THIS BRIEF, QUICK.

JUST GET IT
OVER WITH.

BUT IT WILL BE EVERYTHING,
FACTUAL, JUST THE FACTS.

10:00, I PUNCH IN,
MY REGULAR TIME FOR TUESDAYS.

10:30, WE'RE HAVING
KARAOKE NIGHT THAT NIGHT,

SO, THERE'S MAYBE 20, 30 PEOPLE
MILLING AROUND IN HERE.

THAT'S WHEN MATTHEW SHEPARD
COMES IN ALONE.

HE COMES IN AND...

HE ACTUALLY SITS RIGHT WHERE
YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW.

ORDERS HIMSELF
A HEINEKEN.

SO, WHAT CAN I TELL YOU
ABOUT MATT ?

MANNERS, POLITENESS
INTELLIGENCE,

TAKING CARE OF ME,
AS IN TIPS.

EVERYTHING,
JUST OFFERS CONVERSATION.

HE COMES IN, HE'S ALWAYS
DRESSED REAL NICE, CLEAN CUT.

DIDN'T SEEM
TO HAVE ANY WORRIES.

IT WASN'T LIKE
HE WAS WAITING ON ANYBODY.

HE JUST WANTED
TO ENJOY HIS DRINK
AND THE COMPANY AROUND.

I GUESS IT WAS MAYBE 11:30,
11:45, THAT'S WHEN...

RUSSELL HENDERSON
AND AARON McKINNEY CAME IN.

THEY COME IN,
THEY APPROACH THE BAR,
THEY SIT RIGHT HERE.

THEY ORDER A PITCHER
AND AS YOU KNOW,

THEY PAY FOR THE THING
ENTIRELY IN DIMES AND QUARTERS,

WHICH, LET ME TELL YOU,
IS SOMETHING YOU JUST
DON'T FORGET.

YOU DON'T FORGET
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

$5.50 IN DIMES
AND QUARTERS

IS A FREAKIN' NIGHTMARE
FOR A BARTENDER.

MONEY MEANT
NOTHING TO MATTHEW,

'CAUSE HE GREW UP
WITH A LOT OF IT.

AND HE'D HAVE HANDED OVER
HIS WALLET IN A SECOND

BECAUSE MONEY
MEANT NOTHING TO HIM.

HIS SHOES MIGHT'VE
MEANT SOMETHING, BUT...

THEY CAN SAY IT WAS ROBBERY
ALL THEY WANT TO,

BUT I DON'T BUY IT, NOT EVEN
FOR AN IOTA OF A SECOND.

LOOK, WHEN THEY CAME IN,

HENDERSON AND McKINNEY TO ME,
THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO BE...

THEY WEREN'T
INTOXIFICATED AT ALL.

THEY CAME RIGHT IN,
THEY ORDERED A PITCHER OF BEER,

TAKE IT BACK THERE
INTO THE POOL AREA

AND THEY PRETTY MUCH
JUST KEPT TO THEMSELVES.

PROBABLY GOING ON
FOR ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR.

AND THEN, I NOTICED
THAT RUSSELL AND AARON

HAD BEEN TALKING
WITH MATTHEW SHEPARD.

SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING
HE MADE A PASS AT THEM.

WELL, HELL, YOU DON'T
PICK UP REGULAR PEOPLE.

AARON AND I HAVE BEEN
TOGETHER FOR TWO YEARS.

AND AARON SAID THAT A GUY WALKED
UP TO HIM AND SAID HE WAS GAY

AND WANTED TO GET
WITH HIM AND RUSS.

AND AARON'S REALLY
BAD ABOUT THAT.

HE DOESN'T LIKE TO BE
AROUND GAY PEOPLE AT ALL

AND NEITHER DOES RUSS.

THEY JUST
DON'T LIKE THEM.

AT ALL.

AND SO, HE GOT
AGGRAVATED WITH IT.

AND SAID THAT
HE WAS STRAIGHT

AND HE DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT

AND HE WALKED OFF.

AND HE SAID THAT'S WHEN HIM
AND RUSS WENT INTO THE BATHROOM

AND DECIDED TO PRETEND
THAT THEY WERE GAY

AND GET HIM IN THE TRUCK
AND ROB HIM.

THEY WANTED
TO TEACH HIM A LESSON

NOT TO COME ON
TO STRAIGHT PEOPLE.

I'M NOT EXCUSING
THEIR ACTIONS,

BUT IT SEEMS
TO BE PARTIALLY HIS FAULT

AND PARTIALLY
THE GUYS WHO DID IT.

SO, YOU KNOW...

MAYBE IT'S 50/50.

THEY STATED THAT MATT
CAME ON TO THEM.

THAT HE APPROACHED THEM.

I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY
DISBELIEVE

AND REFUTE
THAT STATEMENT 100%.

I'LL GIVE YOU
TWO REASONS WHY.

ONE...
CHARACTER REFERENCE.

WHY WOULD
HE APPROACH THEM ?

WHY THEM ?

I MEAN, HE WASN'T APPROACHING
ANYONE ELSE IN THE BAR, OKAY ?

SO, I MEAN, THEY SAY HE'S GAY,
THAT HE WAS A FLAMING GAY.

SO, HE WAS JUST
GONNA COME ON TO PEOPLE.

BULLSHIT, HE NEVER
CAME ON TO ME.

I MEAN,
HELLO, C'MON !

HE'S GONNA APPROACH
THESE TWO GUYS ? PLEASE.

AND, TWO...

TERRITORIALISM.

MATT WAS
SITTING THERE.

AARON AND RUSSELL
WERE BACK THERE.

UPON THEIR FIRST INTERACTION,
THEY WERE IN MATT'S AREA.

THE AREA THAT HE HAD BEEN SEEN
SITTING IN ALL NIGHT LONG.

SO, WHO APPROACHED WHO
BY THAT ?

HE'D NEVER NOT TALK
TO SOMEONE FOR ANY REASON.

IF SOMEONE STARTED
TALKING TO HIM,

HE'D JUST BE LIKE,
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

HE HAD NO PROBLEM

JUST STRIKING UP
A CONVERSATION WITH ANYBODY.

SO, THIS IS WHAT
I'M GONNA BE TESTIFYING TO

'CAUSE BASICALLY I'M LIKE,
THE KEY EYEWITNESS IN THE CASE.

BASICALLY, I'M GONNA
BE TESTIFYING

THAT I SAW
MATTHEW LEAVE.

I SAW TWO INDIVIDUALS
LEAVE WITH MATTHEW SHEPARD.

AND I DIDN'T
SEE THEIR FACES,

BUT I DID SEE
THE BACK OF THEIR HEADS.

AND AT THE SAME TIME,

McKINNEY AND HENDERSON
ARE NO LONGER AROUND.

SO, YOU DO THE MATH.

I'M NOT SUPER FAMILIAR
WITH THAT AREA

WHICH NOW MAKES ME THINK
THAT GOD WANTED ME

TO FIND HIM.

I WAS GOING FOR A RIDE
ON MY BIKE

AND I NOTICED SOMETHING...

JUST LAYING THERE,

BY THE FENCE.

NOW, I THINK
IT'S A SCARECROW.

I'M LIKE,
HALLOWEEN'S COMING UP.

I THINK IT'S A...

HALLOWEEN GAG.

I NOTICED HIS CHEST
MOVING UP AND DOWN,

STILL THOUGHT
IT WAS A DUMMY.

I THOUGHT IT WAS
SOME KIND OF MECHANISM.

BUT WHEN I...

WHEN I SAW HAIR...

HIS HAIR...

... I KNEW IT WAS
A HUMAN BEING.

SO, WHAT'D YOU DO ?

I RAN TO THE NEAREST HOUSE,
I RAN AS FAST AS I COULD,

AND CALLED THE POLICE.

... County sheriff's department
held a news conference

late this afternoon.

They say they're investigating
the attempted murder

of 22-year-old
Matthew Shepard.

The sheriff said deputies
found the man badly beaten

and unconscious,
tied to a fence last night...

( female on radio )
... brutal attack left
Matthew Shepard in a coma.

( male on radio )
... said he first thought
Mr. Shepard was a scarecrow.

... in jail now
charged with the crime,

21-year-old Russell Henderson
and Aaron McKinney, kidnapping.

And the victim, Matthew Shepard,
is in very critical condition

at this hour at
Poudre Valley hospital.

THE ARRAIGNMENT TOOK PLACE
ON FRIDAY AROUND LUNCHTIME.

AND MORE DETAILS ABOUT
THE CASE HAD COME OUT

LIKE THE FACT THAT
THE PERPETRATORS THEMSELVES

WERE KIDS.

KIDS, LOCAL KIDS,

THAT EVERYONE
WHO'S FROM AROUND HERE

HAS SOME
RELATIONSHIP TO.

SO, THEN A JUDGE COMES IN
AND DOES A READING OF THE FACTS.

THE DEFENDANTS,

AARON JAMES McKINNEY,

RUSSELL ARTHUR HENDERSON,

MET MATTHEW SHEPARD
AT THE FIRESIDE BAR.

AND AFTER MR. SHEPARD
CONFIDED HE WAS GAY,

THE SUBJECTS DECEIVED
MR. SHEPARD

INTO LEAVING WITH THEM IN
THEIR VEHICLE TO A REMOTE AREA.

ENROUTE TO SAID LOCATION,

MR. SHEPARD WAS STRUCK
IN THE HEAD WITH A PISTOL.

AND UPON ARRIVAL
AT SAID AREA,

BOTH SUBJECTS TIED THEIR VICTIM
TO A BUCK FENCE,

ROBBED HIM,
TORTURED HIM,

AND CONTINUED TO BEAT
AND TERRORIZE HIM.

WHEN I GOT
TO THE FENCE,

I SEEN WHAT APPEARED
TO BE A YOUNG MAN.

13, 14, YEARS OF AGE

BECAUSE HE WAS
SO TINY LAYING THERE

AND HE WAS BOUND
TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POLE.

WHAT DID YOU DO ?

I DID THE BEST
I COULD.

HE WAS COVERED IN DRY BLOOD
ALL OVER HIS HEAD

AND THE ONLY PLACE THAT
THERE WASN'T ANY BLOOD

WAS WHAT APPEARED TO BE
WHERE HE HAD BEEN CRYING
DOWN HIS FACE.

YOU KNOW,
HE...

HE DID NOT LOOK NORMAL.

I COULD TELL THAT HE HAD
A VERY HARSH HEAD WOUND.

YOU EXPECT THESE
KINDS OF INJURIES

FROM SOMEBODY
CRASHING DOWN A HILL

IN A CAR AT
80 MILES AN HOUR.

YOU EXPECT TO SEE GROSS INJURIES
FROM SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THIS IS A HORRENDOUS,
TERRIBLE THING.

BUT YOU DON'T EXPECT
TO SEE SOMEONE DOING THIS

TO ANOTHER PERSON.

BOTH DEFENDANTS WERE LATER
CONTACTED BY OFFICERS

FROM THE LARAMIE
POLICE DEPARTMENT

WHO OBSERVED INSIDE
THE CAB OF THEIR PICK-UP

A CREDIT CARD

AND A PAIR OF
BLACK PATENT-LEATHER SHOES

BELONGING TO THE VICTIM,
MATTHEW SHEPARD.

THE THING THAT
SHOCKED ME IS...

IT WAS A PRISTINE
CRIME SCENE.

HOW DO YOU MEAN ?

THE TIRE TRACKS,

THE IMPRESSIONS THAT
THE TIRE MADE.

THEY WERE JUST PERFECT
BECAUSE OF THE SANDY SOIL THERE.

AND WE FOUND
A CARPET FRAGMENT

FROM INSIDE THE TRUCK

AND THAT WILL ALWAYS SHOCK ME
UNTIL THIS DAY.

SOUTHEAST FROM WYOMING,
THE WIND HERE IS SO STRONG

THAT YOU USUALLY NEVER
FIND SOMETHING LIKE THAT

IN AN EXTERIOR
CRIME SCENE.

HIS HANDS WERE...

THUMBS OUT, WHAT WE CALL
THE CUFFING POSITION.

IT'S HOW
WE HANDCUFF PEOPLE.

HE WAS TIED WITH
A REAL THIN, WHITE ROPE.

AND IT WAS WOUND AROUND
THE BOTTOM OF THE POLE

ABOUT FOUR INCHES
UP OFF THE GROUND.

HIS SHOES
WERE MISSING.

HE WAS TIED
EXTREMELY TIGHT,

SO, I USED MY BOOT KNIFE
AND I TRIED TO SLIP IT IN THERE

BETWEEN THE ROPE
AND HIS WRIST.

I HAD TO BE
EXTREMELY CAREFUL

SO AS NOT TO HARM
MATTHEW ANY FURTHER.

I WAS YELLG AT HIM
AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS,

"HEY, WAKE UP !"

SOMETHING.

JUST TRYING TO GET
ANYTHING OUT OF HIM.

HE DIDN'T MOVE,
HE DIDN'T FLINCH,

HE DIDN'T ANYTHING.

WE ROLLED HIM OVER
ONTO HIS LEFT SIDE

AND WHEN WE DID THAT,
HE STOPPED BREATHING.

SO, I IMMEDIATELY
GOT HIM BACK ON HIS BACK.

AND THAT WAS JUST
ENOUGH OF AN ADJUSTMENT.

IT GAVE ME JUST ENOUGH ROOM
FOR ME TO SLIP MY KNIFE IN THERE

AND TO CUT HIM FREE.

AND THEN ROB
DROVE THE AMBULANCE

TO IVINSON HOSPITAL'S
EMERGENCY ROOM.

ONCE WE SAW MATTHEW,

IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS
THAT HIS CARE

WAS BEYOND
OUR CAPABILITIES.

PHONED THE NEUROSURGEON
OVER AT POUDRE VALLEY...

AND MATTHEW
WAS ON HIS WAY

IN AN HOUR
AND 15 MINUTES I THINK.

A COUPLE DAYS LATER,
THEY SHOWED ME
A PICTURE OF MATTHEW.

I WOULD'VE NEVER
RECOGNIZED HIM.

SAID DEFENDANTS
LEFT THE VICTIM

TIED TO THE FENCE

BEGGING FOR HIS LIFE.

CERTAINLY YOU'D LIKE TO THINK
THAT THIS IS SOMEBODY

FROM OUT OF TOWN WHO'S COME
THROUGH AND BEATEN UP SOMEBODY.

BUT WHEN YOU'RE SEEING SOMEONE
WHO'S BEEN BEATEN...

REPEATEDLY BY SOMEONE
IN OUR OWN TOWN...

NOW, THAT CERTAINLY
OFFENDS US.

AND THAT'S A GOOD WORD

IT OFFENDS US.

THE DEFENDANTS WILL
REMAIN IN THE CUSTODY

OF THE ALBANY COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

UNTIL DATES CAN BE SET
FOR THEIR TRIALS.

IT WAS HUGE.

YEAH, IT WAS HERDS.

AND WE ARE TALKING
HUNDREDS OF REPORTERS

WHICH MAKES A HUGE DENT
IN THIS TOWN'S POPULATION.

Laramie, Wyoming,

often called
"The Gem City of the Plains",

is now at the
eye of the storm.

People would like
to think that

what happened to Matthew Shepard
is the exception...

THERE WERE
REPORTERS EVERYWHERE,

NEWS TRUCKS
EVERYWHERE IN TOWN,

EVERYWHERE ON CAMPUS.

AND WE ARE NOT USED TO
THAT TYPE OF ATTENTION.

Aaron McKinney and his friend,
Russell Henderson,

came from the poor
side of town.

This small city that builds
itself as Wyoming's hometown

is wrestling with
its attitudes towards gay men.

It's a tough business
Matt Shepard knew,

and as all his friends know,
to be gay in cowboy country.

AND TO GET THAT KIND OF EXPOSURE
UNDER SUCH TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES,

UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT WE HADN'T EVEN

WRAPPED OUR OWN HEADS
AND HEARTS AROUND.

THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE
HERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

YOU GET BAD APPLES
ONCE IN A WHILE.

OUR CITIZENS ARE NOT
LIKE THAT AT ALL.

YOU PEOPLE ARE
MAKING MY SON GUILTY

BEFORE HE'S EVEN
HAD A TRIAL.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN ?

I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE
CAN EVEN DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU HAVE YOUR OWN LIFESTYLE,
YOU SHOULD HAVE YOUR LIFESTYLE.

IT'S PRETTY MUCH
LIVE AND LET LIVE.

IT'S LIVE AND LET LIVE.

I AM OUTRAGED
AND SICKENED

BY THE HEINOUS CRIME
COMMITTED ON MATTHEW SHEPARD.

The young gay man
is in a deep coma.

It's a crime that
goes beyond despicable.

JUST LET IT BE KNOWN
THROUGHOUT THE NATION,

THIS IS NOT
THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING.

THIS IS NOT
WHAT WE'RE ABOUT.

HAD THIS BEEN
A HETEROSEXUAL,

THIS NEVER WOULD'VE
MADE THE NATIONAL NEWS.

I DON'T THINK
THERE'S ANY PROBLEM

THAT GAY PEOPLE
DEAL WITH HERE.

WE HAD THESE GUYS IN JAIL
IN LESS THAN A DAY.

I THINK THAT'S
PRETTY DAMN GOOD.

( female )
Hundreds of people
are urging Congress

to pass a federal law...

I would like to urge
the people of Wyoming

against overreacting
in a way that

gives one group
special rights over others.

We will wait and see if
the vicious beating and torture

of Matthew Shepard
was motivated by hate.

OH, MY GOD.

ANYBODY ELSE
WANT TO DO THIS ?

MATTHEW SHEPARD WAS ADMITTED
IN CRITICAL CONDITION

AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15
ON OCTOBER 7.

When he arrived
he was unresponsive

and breathing support
was being provided.

Matthew's major injuries
upon arrival consisted of

hypothermia and of a fracture
from behind his head,

to just in front
of the right ear.

THIS HAS CAUSED
BLEEDING IN THE BRAIN

AS WELL AS PRESSURE
ON THE BRAIN.

FRIDAY NIGHT,
THE PARENTS ARRIVED

AND I WENT UP
AND INTRODUCED MYSELF
TO DENNIS AND JUDY

AND IT WAS AWFUL,
THOSE POOR PEOPLE.

MATTHEW'S TEMPERATURE
HAS FLUCTUATED

OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS

BETWEEN 98
AND 106 DEGREES.

WE ARRANGED A POLICE ESCORT
TO BRING THEM UP.

SET THEM UP IN ONE OF
OUR CONFERENCE ROOMS,

GAVE THEM FOOD AROUND THE CLOCK,
GAVE THEM A PLACE TO STAY.

THE FOLLOWING IS
A STATEMENT FROM THEM.

"First of all, we want to thank
the American public

"for their kind thoughts
about Matthew

"and their fond wishes
for his speedy recovery.

"We appreciate your prayers
and goodwill

"and we know that

they are something that
Matthew would appreciate too."

I WENT UP AND SAID...

YOU ALL TELL ME
WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO

OR WHAT YOU WANT ME TO SAY
OR ANYTHING YOU NEED

AND WE'LL PROVIDE IT
FOR YOU.

"We also have a special request
for members of the media.

"We ask that you respect our
privacy as well as Matthew's,

"so, we can concentrate
all of our efforts,

"thoughts, and love
on our son.

Thank you very much."

( male reporter )
Russell Henderson
and Aaron McKinney

have plead not guilty
to the charges

of kidnapping,
aggravated robbery,

and attempted murder
in the first degree.

RUSSELL WAS
JUST SO SWEET.

HE'S THE ONE THAT WAS
THE EAGLE SCOUT.

HIS WHOLE PRESENCE
WAS JUST

QUIET AND SWEET.

HE WAS RAISED A MORMAN.

HE WAS REAL ACTIVE IN THAT
WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.

HE WAS AN ELDER
IN THE CHURCH.

SO, OF COURSE, IT DOESN'T
MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME.

I KNOW PEOPLE SNAP
AND WHATEVER.

LIKE I SAID, IT WASN'T
A REAL INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP.

I WAS JUST
HIS LANDLORD.

I REMEMBER LIKE,
AT THE CHRISTMAS PARTY

HE WAS JUST TOTALLY DRUNK
OUT OF HIS MIND,

YOU KNOW,
LIKE, WE ALL WERE.

BUT HE WASN'T BELLIGERENT.

HE DIDN'T CHANGE,
HIS PERSONALITY DIDN'T CHANGE.

HE WAS STILL THE SAME
LITTLE MEEK...

RUSSELL.

AARON WAS A GOOD KID.

THAT'S WHY I WAS SHOCKED
WHEN I HEARD THIS.

SEE, HE HAD BEEN
LIVING WITH THIS GIRL.

THEY JUST STARTED
DATING LAST SUMMER.

SHE MUST'VE GOTTEN PREGNANT
AS SOON AS THEY STARTED DATING

'CAUSE YOU KNOW
THEY HAD A KID ?

21 YEARS OLD, BUT
HE'S RUNNING AROUND WITH A KID.

WHEN I FIRST
HEARD ABOUT,

I THOUGHT IT WAS
REALLY, REALLY AWFUL.

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
AARON WAS FUCKED UP

OR WAS COMING DOWN
OR WHAT.

BUT MATTHEW HAD MONEY.

SHIT, HE HAD BETTER
CLOTHES THAN I DID.

MATTHEW WAS A LITTLE
RICH BITCH.

SHOULDN'T CALL HIM A RICH BITCH,
THOUGH, THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

I'M NOT SAYING
HE WAS A BAD GUY EITHER,

I'M JUST SAYING
HE WAS AT THE WRONG PLACE

AT THE WRONG TIME,
SAID THE WRONG THINGS.

AARON WAS ALWAYS
DRESSING UP BIG.

BIG CLOTHES.

TOMMY HILFIGER.

POLO, GUCCI,
I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, IT PROBABLY
PISSED HIM OFF
THAT MATTHEW WAS GAY

'CAUSE
HE DIDN'T LIKE--

I MEAN, THE GAY PEOPLE THAT
I'VE SEEN HIM INTERACT WITH

OR THAT I'VE HEARD
HIM TALK ABOUT,

HE WAS FINE WITH

AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW,
THEY DIDN'T HIT ON HIM.

OR AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW,
IT DIDN'T COME UP.

WHEN I KNEW HIM,
WHEN I KNEW AARON,

HE WAS JUST
A YOUNG KID.

HE'S TRYING TO FIT IN
ACTING TOUGH, ACTING COOL.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT ?

YOU CAN GET IN HIS FACE
ABOUT IT...

HE'D BACK DOWN LIKE
HE'S SOME KIND OF SCARED KID.

IF I SAW AARON
RIGHT NOW,

I'D BE LIKE,
WHY'D YOU FUCK UP LIKE THAT ?

I WANT TO SHAKE HIM,
YOU KNOW ?

WHAT WERE
YOU THINKING ?!

WHAT IN THE HELL
WERE YOU THINKING ?

( phone )

HELLO ?

THIS IS HER.

OH, HI, DOCTOR.

HOW IS HE ?

YES.

I SEE.

CAN YOU HANG ON
FOR A MOMENT ?

MOM, CAN YOU HANG THIS UP,
I'M GONNA TAKE IT IN THERE.

I'M HERE.

THE PART I WASN'T
TELLING YOU ABOUT BEFORE.

IS THAT REGGIE FLUTY
IS MY DAUGHTER.

WHEN SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED
TO BE A POLICE OFFICER,

I THOUGHT THERE WAS
NOT A BETTER CHOICE FOR HER.

SHE COULD HANDLE
WHATEVER CAME HER WAY.

AND THEN THIS HAPPENS.

THAT WAS THE HOSPITAL.

MATTHEW SHEPARD
IS HIV POSITIVE

AND THEY SAID
I'VE BEEN EXPOSED.

WHAT ?

THEY SAID I'VE BEEN
EXPOSED TO THE AIDS VIRUS.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN BUILDING

THE LEAN-TOs
FOR THE LLAMAS

AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF
OPEN CUTS ON MY HANDS AND I...

I GOT HIS BLOOD
ON MY HANDS.

HOW DID YOU GET IT
ON YOUR HANDS ?

WE HAVE SHIT GLOVES,
YOU KNOW ?

AND I KEPT PUTTING THEM ON
AND YOU KEEP PUTTING THEM ON

AND THEY KEEP
BREAKING, SO...

SO, FINALLY I RAN OUT.

SO, YOU TOUCHED HIM
WITHOUT GLOVES ?

YOU CANNOT LET A HUMAN BEING
JUST SIT THERE.

REGGIE !

DON'T HESITATE.

THAT'S WHAT GOES
THROUGH YOUR MIND.

DON'T HESITATE,
ALL THE TIME.

SO, YOU JUST KEEP ON MOVING
AND YOU TAKE CARE OF MATTHEW

AND YOU TRY
TO FIND AN OPEN AIRWAY.

AND THAT'S
WHAT YOU DO.

YOU KNOW,
THAT'S WHAT YOU DO !

QUITE FRANKLY, I WANTED
TO LASH OUT AT SOMEBODY.

NOT MATTHEW,
PLEASE UNDERSTAND

THAT NOT ONE OF US
WAS MAD AT MATTHEW.

WE MAYBE WANTED TO SQUEEZE
McKINNEY'S HEAD OFF.

AND I THINK
ABOUT HENDERSON.

YOU KNOW,
TWO ABSOLUTELY...

HUMAN BEINGS CAUSED SO MUCH
GRIEF FOR SO MANY PEOPLE.

THEY WANT TO START ME ON
THESE ATZ DRUGS IMMEDIATELY

AND IF YOU...

IF YOU START THEM
WITHIN 36 HOURS,

MAYBE THAT CAN STOP YOU
FROM GETTING THE DISEASE.

THIS HAS BEEN JUST TERRIBLE
FOR MY WHOLE FAMILY,

BUT MOSTLY FOR HER
AND HER KIDS.

THOSE DRUGS,

THE AZT DRUGS.

SHE THROWS UP
EVERY DAY.

SHE CRIES SO MUCH,
SHE'S AFRAID TO TOUCH HER KIDS.

I JUST HOPE SHE DOESN'T
GO BEFORE ME.

NO MATTER HOW YOU DICE IT,
I DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

IF I HAD HAD AMAZING
20/20 HINDSIGHT,

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO STOP

WHAT OCCURRED THAT NIGHT.

I COULD'VE STOPPED IT.

I SHOULD'VE KNOWN.

THESE GUYS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO THAT GUY.

I SHOULD'VE NOT HAD MY HEAD DOWN
WHILE I WAS WASHING DISHES

FOR THOSE 20 SECONDS.

ALL THOSE LITTLE THINGS
I COULD'VE DONE

AND I COULD'VE
STOPPED THIS.

SO, WHAT THE HELL
WAS I THINKING ?

I KEEP SEEING THAT
PICTURE IN MY HEAD

OF WHEN I FOUND HIM.

AND IT IS NOT
PLEASANT WHATSOEVER.

I WANT TO LIKE,
GET IT OUT.

I DON'T WANT IT
IN THERE.

AND THAT'S A BIG
PART OF IT FOR ME,

IS HAVING
TO SEE THAT PICTURE...

IN MY HEAD.

I JUST, I DON'T
WANT IT IN THERE.

MATTHEW SHEPARD'S THE FIRST
GAY PERSON I EVER SAW.

IT'S KIND OF
UNBELIEVABLE TO ME

THAT I HAPPENED TO BE
THE PERSON THAT FOUND HIM.

BECAUSE LIKE, THE BIG QUESTION
WITH MY RELIGION IS...

... WHY DID GOD
WANT ME TO FIND HIM ?

♪ IN THE DARKNESS ♪

♪ BEFORE THE DAWN ♪

♪ NO MORE SORROW ♪

♪ IN THE NIGHTTIME ♪

♪ LET IT SHINE ♪

♪ OH, LORD,
LET IT SHINE ♪

( montage of reporters )
CANDLELIGHT VIGILS WERE HELD
AROUND THE COUNTRY LAST NIGHT...

THERE ARE EXPRESSIONS
OF SYMPATHY...

... DENVER, DETROIT,
CHICAGO, WASHINGTON...

ATLANTA, NASHVILLE, MINNEAPOLIS,
AND AROUND THE WORLD.

... ALL EXPRESSING HOPES
FOR MATTHEW'S RECOVERY.

I CAN'T
STOP CRYING.

THIS IS WHAT
I WAS TRYING TO STOP.

WE MUST DO MORE

TO DEAL

WITH VIOLENT BIGOTRY,

HATE CRIMES...

I hope that in
the grief of this moment

and in the shared outrage
across America,

Americans will once again
search their hearts

and do what they can to reduce
their own fear and anxiety

and anger at people
who are different.

And I hope that
Congress will pass

the Hate-Crimes
legislation.

♪ LET IT SHINE... ♪

( church bells ringing )

I THINK THE GAY COMMUNITY
IS TAKING THIS AS AN ADVANTAGE,

SAID, "THIS IS A GOOD TIME
FOR US TO EXPLOIT THIS".

THEY MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS
10 MURDERS INSTEAD OF ONE.

THEY'RE ACCUSING
THE RANCHERS

OF BEING UNREASONABLE
AND UNSYMPATHETIC.

BECAUSE OF HOW HE WAS...

( female )
AND WHAT HIS
PERSUASIONS WERE.

WELL, HE WOULD CERTAINLY
BE WELCOME IN OUR HOME.

WE'D VISIT, SIT DOWN,
HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE.

WHAT DID YOU THINK
WHEN YOU HEARD THAT

TWO BOYS FROM YOUR TOWN
DID THIS ?

WELL, I CERTAINLY DON'T
APPROVE OF HOMOSEXUALS,

BUT I DON'T THINK
ANYBODY HAS A RIGHT

TO DO WHAT
THOSE TWO BOYS DID.

WELL, WHERE DO YOU THINK
THAT COMES FROM ?

THEIR HATRED
TOWARDS HOMOSEXUALS ?

I THINK...

WHAT MOST PEOPLE FEAR
IN THE GAY COMMUNITY

IS THAT SEXUALITY IS
THEIR NUMBER ONE CONCERN.

NOT MANY PEOPLE
CONDONE IT--

WHEN YOU WEAR IT
ON YOUR SLEEVE LIKE A BANNER.

WELL, THERE'S
THIS WHOLE IDEA,

"YOU LEAVE ME ALONE,
I LEAVE YOU ALONE."

IT'S EVEN IN SOME OF
THE WESTERN LITERATURE.

"LIVE AND LET LIVE."

THAT IS SUCH CRAP.

BASICALLY WHAT
IT BOILS DOWN TO,

IF I DON'T TELL YOU
I'M A FAG,

YOU WON'T
BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF ME.

WHAT'S SO GREAT
ABOUT THAT ?

THAT'S A GREAT
PHILOSOPHY ?

I'LL SIT IN CHURCH,

AND THE REVEREND
WILL TELL YOU FLAT OUT

HE DOES NOT AGREE
WITH HOMOSEXUALITY, RIGHT ?

AND I JUST DON'T
FEEL LIKE I KNOW ENOUGH
ABOUT CERTAIN THINGS

JUST TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT
HOMOSEXUALITY IS RIGHT.

WHEN I'VE BEEN
RAISED MY WHOLE LIFE

THAT HOMOSEXUALITY
IS NOT RIGHT, IT'S WRONG.

MY PARENTS BROUGHT
ME UP CATHOLIC.

I WAS BROUGHT UP TO
LOVE THE SINNER, HATE THE SIN.

LOVE THE PERSON
FOR WHO THEY ARE,

BUT CONDEMN THEM

FOR WHAT THEY DO,
CONDEMN THE LIFESTYLE.

SO, I WOULD
HAVE TO SAY RIGHT NOW
THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH IT,

I DON'T AGREE.

AND MAYBE THAT'S JUST
'CAUSE I COULDN'T DO IT.

BUT I DON'T
HATE HOMOSEXUALS

AND I'M NOT GONNA
PERSECUTE THEM.

I'M NOT GONNA LET THIS
GET IN BETWEEN

ME AND THE OTHER PERSON
AT ALL.

YOU KNOW, OR
IN BETWEEN YOU AND I.

YOU KNOW,
NOT AT ALL.

WELL, IT'S PREACHED IN SCHOOLS
THAT BEING GAY IS OKAY.

IF MY KIDS ASKED ME,
I'D SET THEM DOWN

AND I'D TELL THEM,

THIS IS WHAT
GAY PEOPLE DO.

THIS IS WHAT
ANIMALS DO, OKAY ?

AND I'D TELL THEM,
THIS IS THE LIFE.

THIS IS THE LIFESTYLE,
THIS IS WHAT THEY DO.

AND I SAY THIS IS WHY
I BELIEVE IT'S WRONG.

( chanting )
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME... !

IN NEW YORK, THE PROTEST
FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD

TURNED INTO
A NEAR RIOT.

POLICE ON HORSES WERE
PUSHING INTO THE CROWDS.

( chanting )
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING,
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING !

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING,
THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING... !

As of nine a.m. today,

Matthew Shepard remains
in critical condition

with severe
head injuries

in the surgical
neuro-intensive care unit.

Respiratory support...

AS I TOLD YOU BEFORE,

IT'S NOT A LIFESTYLE
WITH WHICH I AGREE.

YOU STILL
FEEL THAT WAY ?

YES.

The family continues
to emphasize

that the media
respect their privacy.

The family also wants
to thank the American public

for their concern

and kind thoughts
for Matthew.

WE WENT
TO THE CANDLE VIGIL.

AND IT WAS SO GOOD TO BE WITH
PEOPLE WHO FELT LIKE SHIT.

I KEPT FEELING LIKE, I DON'T
DESERVE TO FEEL THIS BAD.

AND SOMEBODY
GOT UP THERE AND SAID,

"C'MON, GUYS,
LET'S SHOW THE WORLD

THAT LARAMIE IS NOT
THIS KIND OF A TOWN."

BUT IT IS
THIS KIND OF TOWN.

IF IT WASN'T THIS KIND OF TOWN,
THEN WHY DID THIS HAPPEN HERE ?

THAT'S A LIE
BECAUSE IT HAPPENED HERE.

SO, HOW COULD IT
NOT BE A TOWN

WHERE THIS KIND
OF THING HAPPENS ?

I MEAN, HOW CAN
YOU EVEN SAY THAT ?

WE HAVE TO MOURN THIS

AND WE HAVE TO BE SAD
THAT WE LIVE IN A TOWN,

A STATE, A COUNTRY,
WHERE SHIT LIKE THIS HAPPENS.

I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES

FROM THIS CRIME

AND WE NEED TO OWN
THIS CRIME, I FEEL.

EVERYONE NEEDS
TO OWN IT.

WE ARE LIKE THIS.

WE ARE LIKE THIS.

WE ARE LIKE THIS.

NOT HAVING
TO DEAL THAT MUCH

WITH THE GAY COMMUNITY
HERE IN LARAMIE,

ONCE WE STARTED
WORKING INTO THE CASE

ACTUALLY TALKING TO PEOPLE
THAT WERE GAY

AND REALIZING WHAT THEIR
UNDERLYING FEARS WERE,

THAT'S WHEN IT
SORT OF HIT HOME.

THIS IS AMERICA.

YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT
TO FEEL THAT FEAR.

DO YOU THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN LARAMIE FEEL THE SAME WAY ?

YOU'RE ALWAYS GONNA HAVE PEOPLE
THAT HOLD WITH THE OLD IDEALS.

I WAS PROBABLY ONE OF THEM
14 MONTHS AGO.

BUT I'M NOT GONNA PUT UP
WITH IT ANYMORE,

I'M NOT GONNA
LISTEN TO IT.

IF THEY DON'T LIKE
MY VIEWS ON IT, FINE,

DOOR GOES BOTH WAYS.

I'VE ALREADY LOST A COUPLE
BUDDIES, BUT I DON'T CARE.

I'M...

I FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE.

I CAN SLEEP
AT NIGHT NOW.

( female )
WELL, I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US HERE TONIGHT.

IT'S OUR PLEASURE.

THESE GATHERINGS, THIS IS
A RECENT THING FOR US.

THIS REALLY ONLY HAPPENED
SINCE MATTHEW.

AND THERE'S A RELIEF IN THAT
WE FINALLY CONNECTED.

IT'S NICE TO SEE THERE ARE
A LOT OF US IN LARAMIE.

IS EVERYBODY
IN THE COMPANY GAY ?

NO, JUST THE THREE OF US.

ARE YOU OUT ?

YES.
YUP.

I WASN'T OUT
BEFORE, ACTUALLY.

THEN I THOUGHT PROBABLY
THEY ALL KNOW,

BUT I'M NOT GONNA
LIKE TELL ANYONE.

AND IN THE LONG RUN,
YOUR SELF-ESTEEM
JUST BECOMES SHIT.

AND I JUST, I COULDN'T
LIVE LIKE THAT ANYMORE.

I THINK A LOT OF
PEOPLE DECIDED

THAT THEY DIDN'T
WANT TO HIDE ANYMORE.

I STILL DON'T FEEL
THAT FREE TO BE OUT HERE.

NO ONE'S ASKING,
I'M NOT TELLING.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN OUT

AND I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE
OF MYSELF, BUT...

SINCE THE EPISODE, I'VE BEEN
IRRATIONALLY TERRIFIED

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS
WE DON'T LET OUR SON

WALK AROUND
AT NIGHT ALONE.

EVERY TIME I SEE
A PICKUP TRUCK DO A U-TURN,

I THINK IT'S
COMING AFTER ME.

AND I'M SHAKING SO BADLY, I HAVE
TO STOP DOING WHAT I'M DOING.

I THINK IT'S BECAUSE
SOMEWHERE INSIDE

WE ALL KNOW IT COULD
HAPPEN TO US ANY TIME.

SINCE OUR LAST
MEDICAL UPDATE,

MATTHEW SHEPARD HAS REMAINED
IN CRITICAL CONDITION

WITH SEVERE
HEAD INJURIES.

AS OF TODAY,

THE HOSPITAL WILL NO LONGER
OFFER MEDICAL UPDATES

ON A SCHEDULED BASIS.

IF MATTHEW'S
MEDICAL CONDITION CHANGES,

WE WILL ISSUE
A NEW MEDICAL UPDATE

AND WE WILL IMMEDIATELY CONTACT
AS MANY MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA

AS IS PRACTICALLY
POSSIBLE, THANK YOU.

All eyes are on
Laramie, Wyoming today

WHERE MANY ARE
TURNING THEIR FOCUS

TO THEIR HOMECOMING PARADE.

AND THE FORTUNE OF

THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
FOOTBALL TEAM.

( band playing )

THIS APARTMENT HAS WINDOWS
ON TWO OPPOSITE STREETS.

ONE GOES NORTH
AND THE OTHER GOES SOUTH.

AND THAT IS EXACTLY
THE HOMECOMING PARADE ROUTE.

NOW, ON THE DAY
OF THE PARADE,

I HAD A CAST ON MY LEG
BECAUSE OF A FALL.

AND I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED
BECAUSE I HAD HEARD THAT

SOME STUDENTS WERE GONNA
BE WALKING FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD.

AND I WANTED TO JOIN THEM,
BUT I COULDN'T,

SO, I WATCHED
FROM THAT WINDOW.

IT WAS JUST...

I'M 52 YEARS OLD
AND I'M...

I'M GAY.

I'VE LIVED HERE
FOR MANY YEARS

AND I'VE SEEN A LOT.

AND I WAS VERY MOVED
WHEN I SAW THE...

TAG AT THE END OF
THE HOMECOMING PARADE.

IT WAS JUST
A GROUP OF PEOPLE

WALKING BEHIND A BANNER
FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD.

BUT THE PARADE WENT DOWN
TO THE END OF THE BLOCK

MADE A U-TURN
AROUND THE BLOCK

AND I CAME TO THE OTHER SIDE OF
MY APARTMENT TO WATCH FOR IT

TO COME SOUTH
DOWN THIS STREET.

MAYBE...

10 MINUTES WENT BY.

AND THEN I SAW THE MOST...

INCREDIBLE THING.

AS THE PARADE
CAME DOWN THE STREET,

THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
MARCHING FOR MATTHEW SHEPARD

HAD GROWN
LIKE, FIVE TIMES.

CAN YOU IMAGINE ?

THE TAG AT THE END

WAS BIGGER THAN
THE ENTIRE PARADE.

I THOUGHT TO MYSELF,

THANK GOD I GOT
TO SEE THIS IN MY LIFETIME.

AND MY SECOND THOUGHT WAS...

THANK YOU, MATTHEW.

I REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN
ALL THAT INVOLVED, PER SE.

MY HUSBAND'S
A HIGHWAY PATROLMAN,

SO, THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY WAY
I'VE KNOWN ABOUT IT.

BUT WHEN I FIRST
FOUND OUT,

I JUST THOUGHT
IT WAS HORRIBLE.

I JUST...

I CAN'T.

NOBODY DESERVES THAT.

I DON'T CARE
WHO YOU ARE.

BUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU,

YOU KNOW THE MEDIA'S
PORTRAYING HIM AS A SAINT.

THEY'RE MAKING HIM OUT
AS A MARTYR

AND I DON'T
THINK HE WAS.

DID YOU KNOW HIM ?

NO.

I DIDN'T KNOW HIM.

BUT...

THEY'RE JUST SO MANY THINGS
I FOUND OUT ABOUT HIM,

THAT I JUST--
IT'S SCARY.

YOU KNOW,
ABOUT HIS CHARACTER

AND SPREADING AIDS

AND A FEW
OTHER THINGS.

BEING...

ABOUT THE KIND
OF PERSON HE WAS.

MEANING ?

WELL,

HE WAS...

HE WAS JUST...

A BARFLY.

SO, I THINK HE PUSHED
HIMSELF ON AROUND,

OR I DON'T KNOW.

BUT I THINK
HE FLAUNTED IT.

ANOTHER THING THAT
WASN'T BROUGHT OUT...

THE SAME TIME THAT HAPPENED
THAT PATROLMAN WAS KILLED

AND THERE WAS NOTHING.

NOTHING, THEY DIDN'T
SAY ANYTHING ABOUT

THAT OLD MAN
THAT KILLED HIM.

HE WAS DRIVING
DOWN THE ROAD,

HE SHOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN DRIVING

AND HE KILLED HIM.

AND THERE WAS JUST
A LITTLE PIECE.

AND WE LOST
ONE OF OUR GUYS.

YOU KNOW, MY HUSBAND
WORKED WITH HIM.

THIS MAN WAS BRAND NEW
ON THE FORCE.

BUT I MEAN,
HERE'S ONE OF OURS.

AND IT WAS JUST
A LITTLE PIECE
IN THE PAPER.

BUT THIS WAS SUCH
A DELIBERATE CRIME.

EVERYBODY'S GOT PROBLEMS.

WHY THEY'RE EXEMPLIFYING
MATTHEW SHEPARD, I DON'T KNOW.

A HATE CRIME'S
A HATE CRIME.

YOU MURDER SOMEBODY,
YOU HATE 'EM.

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO
IF YOU'RE A GAY OR A PROSTITUTE.

I DON'T KNOW.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

NOVEMBER 29th, 1998,

WE'RE ABOUT TO INTERVIEW
FATHER ROGER SCHMIT.

HERE WE GO.

TWO QUEERS
AND A CATHOLIC PRIEST.

MATTHEW SHEPARD

HAS SERVED US WELL.

YOU REALIZE THAT,
HE HAS SERVED US WELL.

I CANNOT MENTION ANYONE WHO HAS
DONE MORE FOR THIS COMMUNITY

THAN MATTHEW SHEPARD.

AND I'M NOT GONNA
SIT HERE AND SAY

I WAS JUST
THIS BOLD GUY, NO FEAR.

I WAS SCARED.

I WAS VERY VOCAL
IN THIS COMMUNITY

WHEN THIS HAPPENED,
SO, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,

SHOULD WE CALL THE BISHOP
AND ASK HIM PERMISSION

TO DO THE VIGIL ?

AND I WAS LIKE...

HELL, NO !

I'M NOT GOING
TO DO THAT.

HIS PERMISSION
DOESN'T MAKE IT CORRECT.

AND I'M NOT
KNOCKING BISHOPS,

BUT WHAT IS CORRECT
IS CORRECT.

YOU THINK VIOLENCE IS
WHAT THEY DID TO MATTHEW ?

THEY DID DO VIOLENCE
TO MATTHEW.

BUT, YOU KNOW,

CAN I MAKE
THIS PERSONAL ?

YEAH, SURE.

EVERY TIME
YOU ARE CALLED A FAG

OR YOU ARE CALLED
A LES OR

OR A DYKE.

DYKE, YEAH, DYKE.

DO YOU REALIZE
THAT IS VIOLENCE ?

THAT IS, THAT IS
THE SEED OF VIOLENCE.

AND I WOULD RESENT IT IMNSELY
IF YOU USE ANYTHING I SAID

TO SOMEHOW CULTIVATE
THAT KIND OF VIOLENCE.

WELL, THANK YOU, FATHER,
FOR SAYING THAT.

JUST DEAL

WITH WHAT IS TRUE.

YOU KNOW
WHAT IS TRUE.

( Father Roger on tape )
You need to do your best
to say it correct.

THESE PEOPLE
TRUST US.

YOU KNOW, THEY WANT...

THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW
THAT THEY ARE NOT THIS CRIME.

IT'S MORE THAN
CLEARING LARAMIE'S NAME,

IT'S CLEARING
THEIR OWN.

AND I DON'T KNOW
THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

REVEREND.

REVEREND, HI.

MY NAME'S AMANDA,
I'M WITH THE THEATRE COMPANY

THAT'S BEEN SPEAKING
WITH PEOPLE HERE IN LARAMIE.

WELL, LET ME TELL YOU...

I DON'T KNOW THAT I REALLY
WANT TO TALK WITH ANYBODY AT ALL

ABOUT THIS INCIDENT.

I'M SOMEWHAT INVOLVED

AND I REALLY DON'T FEEL
LIKE IT'S APPROPRIATE.

I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND,

I JUST WANTED TO TELL YOU
I WENT TO YOUR SERVICE.

YOU WENT
TO THE SERVICE ?

ON SUNDAY ?
YES, I DID.

YES.

DID I MEET YOU ?

BRIEFLY.

YOU WELCOMED US
IN THE BEGINNING.

WELL, I WILL TELL YOU
THAT I AM INVOLVED.

HALF THE PEOPLE
IN THE CASE,

WELL, THE GIRLFRIEND
OF THE ACCUSED

IS A MEMBER OF
OUR CONGREGATION.

AND ONE OF THE ACCUSED
HAS VISITED.

I THINK THEY DESERVE
THE DEATH PENALTY,

BUT I WILL TRY TO DEAL
WITH THEM SPIRITUALLY.

NOW, AS FAR
AS THE VICTIM...

I KNOW THAT THAT
LIFESTYLE IS LEGAL.

BUT I WILL
TELL YOU ONE THING,

I HOPE MATTHEW SHEPARD,

AS HE WAS TIED
TO THAT FENCE,

THAT HE HAD TIME
TO REFLECT ON A MOMENT WHEN...

SOMEBODY HAD SPOKEN
THE WORD OF THE LORD TO HIM.

AND THAT BEFORE
HE SLIPPED INTO A COMA,

HE HAD A CHANCE TO REFLECT
ON HIS LIFESTYLE.

THANK YOU, REVEREND.

I APPRECIATE
YOUR SPEAKING WITH ME.

ALRIGHT.

WE BETTER GO.

I LET HIM
SAY THAT TO ME.

I LET HIM
SAY THAT TO ME.

AND I DIDN'T SAY
ANYTHING BACK.

At 12 midnight

on Monday, October 12th,

Matthew Shepard's
blood pressure began to drop.

We immediately
notified the family

who were already
at the hospital.

AT 12:53 A.M.

MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED.

HIS FAMILY WAS
AT HIS BEDSIDE.

THE FAMILY DID RELEASE
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT.

THEY AGAIN ASKED ME TO EXPRESS
THEIR SINCEREST GRATITUDE TO...

TO THE ENTIRE WORLD

FOR THE OVERWHELMING

RESPONSE TO THEIR SON.

THE FAMILY WAS GRATEFUL
THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO

MAKE A DECISION
REGARDING WHETHER OR NOT

TO CONTINUE LIFE SUPPORT
FOR THEIR SON.

"LIKE A GOOD SON,

"HE WAS CARING
TO THE END.

"AND REMOVED GUILT
OR STRESS FROM THE FAMILY.

"HE CAME INTO
THE WORLD PREMATURE

AND LEFT THE WORLD
PREMATURE."

MATTHEW'S MOTHER SAID...

WE'D BEEN UP FOR LIKE,
72 HOURS STRAIGHT

AND GONE HOME AND GONE TO SLEEP
FOR HALF AN HOUR

AND GET UP AND COME,
MAYBE I WAS JUST WAY--

I DON'T KNOW.

WHEN I WAS READING
THAT STATEMENT,

I THOUGHT ABOUT
MY OWN FOUR DAUGHTERS

AND SHE DOESN'T
HAVE HER KID ANYMORE.

"GO HOME."

"GIVE YOUR KIDS A HUG."

"DON'T LET A DAY GO BY

WITHOUT TELLING THEM
THAT YOU LOVE THEM."

AND THEN, WE STARTED
GETTING PEOPLE SENDING US

ALL THESE
E-MAILS AND LETTERS.

"DO YOU CRY LIKE A BABY ON TV
FOR ALL YOUR PATIENTS

OR JUST THE FAGGOTS ?"

JESUS.

AFTER BEING
THROWN INTO THIS,

I GUESS I DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE

WITH WHICH
SOME PEOPLE HATE.

AND OF ALL
THE LETTERS WE GOT,

THERE WERE TWO OR THREE
THAT WERE LIKE THAT.

MOST WERE THANKS

FOR YOUR CARING
AND COMPASSION.

AND MATTHEW...

MATTHEW GOT CARING
AND COMPASSION

FROM THE MOMENT
HE GOT HERE.

( male reporter )
The charges against

Russell Henderson
and Aaron McKinney

were upgraded
to first degree murder

after Matthew Shepard
died early Monday morning.

If convicted,

the two men could
face the death penalty.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,

IF THEY PUT THOSE
TWO BOYS TO DEATH,

THAT WOULD
DEFEAT EVERYTHING

THAT MATT WOULD BE
THINKING ABOUT THEM.

BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT
WANT THOSE TWO TO DIE.

HE'D WANT TO
LEAVE THEM WITH HOPE.

H-O-P-E.

JUST LIKE
THE WHOLE WORLD...

HOPED THAT MATT
WOULD SURVIVE.

THIS WHOLE THING,
YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING ?

THIS WHOLE THING
ROPES AROUND HOPE.

H-O-P-E.

( Matt Galloway )
ON THE DAY OF THE FUNERAL,

IT WAS SNOWING
AND RAINING SO BAD.

BY THE TIME
I GOT THERE,

THERE WERE ALREADY
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THERE

DRESSED IN BLACK,
UMBRELLAS EVERYWHERE.

AND THEY HAD
TWO CHURCHES SET UP

AND STILL, THERE WERE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE

WHO COULDN'T FIT INTO
EITHER ONE OF THE CHURCHES

AND THEY HAD
THIS PARK SET UP.

AND THE PARK WAS FULL.

( male )
THOSE SHALL NOT
LIE DOWN WITH MANKIND

AS IN WOMANKIND !

IT IS ABOMINATION.

MATTHEW SHEPARD LIVED HIS LIFE
BREAKING THAT COMMANDMENT.

NOW, IF HE REPENTED
IN HIS DYING HOURS,
WHICH WE HOPE HE DID,

IF NOT, HE IS IN HELL
ALONG WITH THOSE KILLERS.

DO YOU BELIEVE
IN THE BIBLE ?

DO YOU BELIEVE
YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO

SEPARATE THE PRECIOUS
FROM THE VILE ?

NO, YOU DON'T BELIEVE
THAT PART OF THE BIBLE.

YOU JUST
STAND OVER THERE

IGNORANT OF THE FACT
THAT FOR EVERY TWO TIMES...

AFTER SEEING PHELPS
PROTESTING AT MATTHEW'S FUNERAL,

AND THEN HEARING THAT
HE'S COMING BACK TO LARAMIE

FOR THE TRIAL
OF RUSSELL HENDERSON,

I DECIDED THAT SOMEONE NEEDS
TO STAND TOE-TO-TOE WITH HIM

AND SHOW THE DIFFERENCE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE
GONNA BE SENT TO HELL

AND I THINK
YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE !

WE WOULDN'T BE HERE IF THIS
WAS JUST ANOTHER MURDER

THAT THE STATE
WAS GONNA HANDLE.

THE STATE HANDLES
HUNDREDS OF MURDERS !

THIS MURDER

IS DIFFERENT.

BECAUSE THE GAY...

HE'S NOT
EVEN FROM LARAMIE.

HE JUST TRAVELS
AROUND THE COUNTRY

DOING HIS DEMONSTRATIONS.

SO, WE'RE PLANNING
AN EVENT.

WE'RE CALLING IT
"ANGEL ACTION".

THIS 21-YEAR-OLD
LITTLE LESBIAN

IS GONNA WALK THE LINE
WITH THEM.

SPARE NOT !

YOU LIFT UP YOUR VOICE
LIKE A TRUMPET !

AND YOU SHOW MY PEOPLE
THEIR TRANSGRESSIONS.

WE ARE SENDING
THE MESSAGE OF GOD.

GOD'S ANGER IS PURE.

GOD IS GONNA
SEND SOMEONE TO HELL !

THAT'S GOD'S ANGER !

NOW, WE WOULDN'T
BE HERE--

( male )
... TO BE TAUGHT BY FAGGOTS
IN YOUR SCHOOLS ?

WE'RE NOT GONNA
LET THAT HAPPEN.

AS SOON AS THEY STARTED
JURY SELECTION,

EVERYONE WAS COMING
INTO MY SHOP WITH

"I DON'T WANT TO BE
ON THIS TRIAL.

"I HOPE
THEY DON'T CALL ME.

OR "OH, MY GOD, I GOT CALLED,
HOW DO I GET OFF ?"

JUST WANTING TO GET
AS FAR AWAY FROM IT
AS THEY COULD.

VERY FEARFUL

THAT THEY WERE GONNA
HAVE TO BE PART OF THAT JURY.

AND THEN I HEARD HENDERSON
HAD TO SIT IN THE COURTROOM

WHILE THEY QUESTIONED
PERSPECTIVE JURORS.

AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS
THEY ASKED WAS...

"WOULD YOU BE WILLING

TO PUT THIS PERSON
TO DEATH ?"

AND I UNDERSTAND A LOT
OF THE COMMENTS WERE...

"YES, I WOULD.

"ABSOLUTELY.

YEP, NO PROBLEM."

CAN YOU IMAGINE
HEARING THAT ?

JUROR AFTER JUROR

AFTER JUROR ?

THESE ARE PEOPLE
THAT HE KNOWS.

NO WONDER
HE CHANGED HIS PLEA.

YOU ENTERED A NOT-GUILTY PLEA
EARLIER, MR. HENDERSON.

BUT I UNDERSTAND YOU WISH
TO CHANGE YOUR PLEA TODAY ?

YES, SIR.

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT
THE RECOMMENDED SENTENCE HERE

IS TWO LIFE SENTENCES ?

YES, SIR.

AND DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT
THOSE MAY RUN CONCURRENTLY

OR THEY MAY RUN
CONSECUTIVELY ?

YES, SIR.

BEFORE THE COURT
MAKES THAT DECISION,

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE
STATEMENTS TO BE MADE BY

AT LEAST ONE INDIVIDUAL.

LET'S PROCEED
WITH THAT.

AS THE GRANDMOTHER

AND THE PERSON WHO RAISED
RUSSELL ALONG WITH MY FAMILY,

WE HAVE WRITTEN
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT.

"OUR HEARTS ACHE
FOR THE PAIN AND SUFFERING

"THAT THE SHEPARD'S
HAVE WENT THROUGH.

"WE HAVE PRAYED FOR YOUR FAMILY
SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING.

"MANY TIMES
THROUGHOUT THE DAY,

"I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT MATT

"AND YOU WILL CONTINUE TO BE
IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

"AS WE KNOW THAT YOUR PAIN
WILL NEVER GO AWAY.

"YOU HAVE SHOWED SUCH MERCY
AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL

"THAT YOU ARE GIVING US
ALL THE OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE.

"YOUR HONOR,

"WE AS A FAMILY,

"HOPE THAT AS YOU
SENTENCE RUSSELL,

"THAT YOU WILL
DO IT CONCURRENTLY

"FOR TWO LIFE TERMS.

"FOR THE RUSSELL
WE KNOW AND LOVE,

"WE HUMBLY PLEAD,
YOUR HONOR,

"TO NOT TAKE RUSSELL
COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR LIVES...

FOREVER."

MR. AND MRS. SHEPARD,

THERE IS NOT A MOMENT
THAT GOES BY THAT I DON'T

SEE WHAT HAPPENED
THAT NIGHT.

I KNOW WHAT I DID
WAS VERY WRONG.

AND I REGRET
GREATLY WHAT I DID.

YOU HAVE MY GREATEST SYMPATHIES
FOR WHAT HAPPENED.

I HOPE THAT...

ONE DAY YOU WILL BE ABLE
TO FIND IT IN YOUR HEARTS

TO FORGIVE ME.

MR. HENDERSON,

THIS COURT DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT
YOU REALLY FEEL ANY TRUE REMORSE

FOR YOUR PART
IN THIS MATTER.

AND I WONDER WHETHER
YOU FULLY REALIZE

THE GRAVITY OF
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.

YOU DROVE THE VEHICLE THAT TOOK
MATTHEW SHEPARD TO HIS DEATH.

YOU BOUND HIM
TO THAT FENCE,

IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT
BE MORE SAVAGELY BEATEN.

AND IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT
NOT ESCAPE TO TELL HIS TALE.

YOU LEFT HIM OUT THERE
FOR 18 HOURS,

PERHAPS HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY
TO SAVE HIS LIFE

AND YOU DID NOTHING.

AS TO COUNT THREE,

THAT BEING FELONY MURDER
WITH ROBBERY,

YOU ARE TO SERVE A PERIOD
OF IMPRISONMENT

FOR THE TERM OF
YOUR NATURAL LIFE.

FOR COUNT ONE,

KIDNAPPING,

THAT YOU ARE TO SERVE
A PERIOD OF IMPRISONMENT

FOR THE TERM OF
YOUR NATURAL LIFE.

SENTENCING FOR COUNT ONE
TO RUN CONSECUTIVE

TO SENTENCING
FOR COUNT THREE.

( sobbing )

AFTER THIS SENTENCING,

THE MORMAN CHURCH DECIDED
TO EXCOMMUNICATE RUSSELL.

NOW, HE'S GOT
A MORMON HOME TEACHER

THAT VISITS HIM
IN PRISON EVERY WEEK.

NOW NOBODY FROM THE CHURCH
IS GONNA GO VISIT HIM ?

NOT SUPPOSED TO.

THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED
TO PRAY FOR HIM,

HE'LL JUST
SORT OF DISAPPEAR.

( reporters yelling )

WHAT HAPPENED
THAT NIGHT ?

WE NEED TO KNOW.

THIS TOWN
NEEDS TO KNOW.

I NEED SOME MORE
LIGHT ON THEM.

I NEVER GET TIRED
OF THIS PLAY.

YEAH, WELL,
TRY DIRECTING IT 50 TIMES.

YOU CAN RELAX,
JUST KEEP THE UMBRELLAS UP.

SO, I HEAR YOU'RE DOING
"ANGELS IN AMERICA" NEXT YEAR.

WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION
TO REACH OUR STUDENTS.

AND THE QUESTION IS,
HOW DO YOU MOVE...

HOW DO YOU REACH
A WHOLE STATE

WHERE'S THERE'S SUCH DEEP-SEEDED
HOSTILITY TOWARD GAYS ?

HOW DO YOU REACH THEM ?

"ANGELS IN AMERICA"
IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

AND GUESS WHO'S
AUDITIONING FOR THE LEAD ?

MY PARENTS, RIGHT ?

THEY'RE LIKE,
HEY, SO,

WHAT PLAYS ARE THEY DOING
IN SCHOOL THIS YEAR ?

OH, LET'S SEE,

"ANGELS IN AMERICA".

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT.

"ANGELS IN AMERICA",
ISN'T THAT THAT PLAY ?

THAT SCENE ?

SO, YOU'RE GONNA...

AUDITION FOR THIS ?

AND, I SAID, UM...

YEAH, I AM.

HUGE ARGUMENT.

THERE WAS LIKE,
THIS HUGE ARGUMENT.

MY MOM WAS LIKE,

HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN,
HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN,
HOMOSEXUALITY IS A SIN.

BUT THE BEST THING,
THE BEST THING THEY KNEW...

THEY HAD JUST SEEN ME
RIGHT BEFORE THIS,

THEY'D JUST SEEN ME
ON STAGE IN "MACBETH", RIGHT ?

I MURDERED THIS LITTLE KID
AND LADY MCDUFF

AND THESE
TWO OTHER GUYS, RIGHT ?

MOM, MOM, MOM.

I JUST PLAYED
A MURDERER TONIGHT

AND YOU DIDN'T SEEM
TO HAVE ANY PROBLEM WITH THAT.

( chuckling )

SO, WHEN'S THE AUDITION ?

TUESDAY.

BUT I TELL YOU, MAN,
I HAVE NEVER PREPARED MYSELF

FOR AN AUDITION
LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE.

NEVER,

NOT EVEN CLOSE.

YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY
SECOND GUESSES
WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET
A LOT OF HEAVY CRITICISM.

YOU DID
EVERYTHING WRONG.

YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED
TO TOUCH ANYBODY

UNLESS YOU HAVE YOUR GLOVES ON
AND PROTECTIVE GEAR.

THEN THEY MAKE YOU OUT TO BE
SOME KIND OF BIG HERO.

YOU KNOW, SOME JOE BLOW
DOWN THE BLOCK

COULD'VE DONE A BETTER JOB
THAN I DID.

( giggling )

PEOPLE DO EXTRAORDINARY
THINGS EVERY DAY.

I THINK THIS HAS REALLY
BROUGHT HOME TO MY GIRLS...

WHAT THEIR MOM
DOES FOR A LIVING.

JUST A MINUTE,
JUST A MINUTE.

IT IS THE DECISION OF
THE COUNTY'S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

THAT THIS WILL
DEFINITELY BE TRIED
AS A DEATH PENALTY CASE.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

HOW CAN I PROTEST

IF THE SHEPARDS
WANT McKINNEY DEAD ?

I JUST CAN'T
INTERFERE IN THAT.

BUT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL,
I KNEW AARON IN GRADE SCHOOL.

HE WASN'T CALLED AARON,
WE CALLED HIM AJ.

HOW CAN WE PUT
AJ McKINNEY TO DEATH ?

I THINK RIGHT NOW
OUR MOST IMPORTANT TEACHERS

MUST BE RUSSELL HENDERSON
AND AARON McKINNEY.

THEY HAVE TO BE
OUR TEACHERS.

HOW DID YOU LEARN ?

WHAT DID WE DO AS A SOCIETY
TO TEACH YOU THAT ?

SEE, I DON'T KNOW IF MANY PEOPLE
WILL LET THEM BE THEIR TEACHER.

I THINK IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL
IF THE JUDGE SAID

IN ADDITION TO THE SENTENCE,
YOU MUST TELL YOUR STORY.

YOU MUST
TELL YOUR STORY.

THIS IS A TAPE RECORDING
OF THE CONFESSION

GIVEN BY
AARON JAMES McKINNEY TO ME

AS DETECTIVE IN CHARGE
OF THE INVESTIGATION.

THIS CONFESSION WAS RECORDED
TWO DAYS AFTER THE ATTACK.

So, you guys
go to the Fireside, right ?

Yeah.

Where do you go after
you leave the Fireside ?

Some kid
wanted a ride home.

Uh-huh.

WHAT'S HE LOOK LIKE ?

LIKE A QUEER.

HE LOOKS
LIKE A QUEER.

YEAH, LIKE A FAG,
YOU KNOW ?

UH-HUH.

OKAY, SO,
HOW'D YOU MEET HIM ?

UH-HUH.
FAG ?

QUEER GUY ?

WE MET HIM
AT THE BAR,

HE ASKED WHAT WE WERE DRINKING
AND WHAT WE WERE DOING.

OKAY, SO, WHAT HAPPENED
AFTER YOU MET HIM ?

He wanted
a ride home and...

I just thought,
well, the dude's drunk,

let's just
take him home.

When did you and Russ
talk about jacking him up ?

We kinda talked about it
at the bar.

Tell me what
happened next.

We drove him out
past Walmart.

WE GOT OVER THERE
AND HE STARTS...

GRABBING MY LEG
AND GRABBING MY GENITALS

I WAS LIKE, "LOOK,
I'M NOT A FUCKING FAGGOT.

IF YOU TOUCH ME AGAIN,
YOU'RE GONNA GET IT."

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL
HE WAS TRYING TO DO.

BUT I BEAT HIM UP
PRETTY BAD.

I THINK I KILLED HIM.

WHAT DID YOU
HIT HIM WITH ?

I BLACKED OUT...

MY FIST.

MY PISTOL.

THE BUTT OF THE GUN.

WONDERING WHAT
HAPPENED TO ME.

I HAD A FEW BEERS
AND I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S LIKE I COULD SEE
WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT...

I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS LIKE
SOMEBODY ELSE WAS DOING IT.

WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING
THAT HE SAID

OR THAT HE DID
INSIDE THE TRUCK

THAT MADE YOU
WANT TO HIT HIM ?

WELL, HE PUT HIS HAND
ON MY LEG

AND SLID HIS HAND LIKE
HE WAS GONNA GRAB MY BALLS.

WHEN THAT DEFENSE TEAM ARGUED
THAT McKINNEY DID WHAT HE DID

BECAUSE MATTHEW
MADE A PASS AT HIM.

I JUST
WANTED TO VOMIT.

BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE
SAYING IT'S OKAY.

IT WAS DISGUSTING.

AND WE WERE ALL
JUST DISGUSTED.

IT WAS LIKE,
JUST RUDE,

RUDE AND THAT WAS LESS THAN
INTEGROUS BEHAVIOR

AND WE WERE ALL JUST DISGUSTED
BY THAT QUALITY OF DEFENSE.

IT'S LIKE
THE TWINKIE DEFENSE

WHEN THE GUY KILLED
HARVEY MILK IN MOSCONE.

IT'S THE SAME THING.

AS MUCH AS A PART OF ME DIDN'T
WANT THE DEFENSE OF THEM SAYING

THAT IT WAS A GAY BASHING
OR GAY PANIC,

A PART OF ME WAS
REALLY GRATEFUL.

BECAUSE I WAS REALLY AFRAID
THAT IN THIS TRIAL

THEY WERE GONNA TRY
AND SAY THAT IT WAS A ROBBERY

OR IT WAS ABOUT DRUGS.

SO, WHEN THEY USED
GAY PANIC AS THE DEFENSE

I THOUGHT,
THIS IS GOOD.

BECAUSE IF NOTHING ELSE,

THE TRUTH IS
GONNA COME OUT.

THE TRUTH IS
GONNA BE TOLD !

So, about how many times
did you hit him in the truck

BEFORE YOU GUYS STOPPED
WHERE YOU LEFT HIM ?

I'D SAY I HIT HIM
TWO OR THREE TIMES.

PROBABLY THREE TIMES
WITH MY FIST

AND ABOUT SIX TIMES
WITH THE PISTOL.

DID HE ASK YOU
TO STOP ?

WELL, YEAH, HE WAS GETTING
THE SHIT KICKED OUT OF HIM.

WHAT'D HE SAY ?

AFTER HE ASKED ME
TO STOP,

MOST ALL HE WAS DOING
WAS SCREAMING.

WAS MATTHEW CONSCIOUS

WHILE RUSSELL WAS TYING HIM
TO THE FENCE ?

YEAH.

I TOLD HIM, "TURN AROUND
AND DON'T LOOK AT
MY LICENSE PLATE NUMBER,"

'CAUSE I WAS SCARED
HE WOULD TELL THE POLICE.

AND THEN, I ASKED HIM
WHAT MY LICENSE PLATE SAID

and he read it and that's
why I hit him a few more times.

Just to be sure.

MY SECRET HOPE WAS THAT
THEY WERE FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.

THAT THEN YOU CAN
CREATE THIS DISTANCE.

WE DON'T GROW CHILDREN
LIKE THAT HERE.

WELL, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WE DO
GROW CHILDREN LIKE THAT HERE.

SO, OBVIOUSLY,
YOU DON'T LIKE GAY PEOPLE.

NO, I DON'T.

WOULD YOU SAY
YOU HATE THEM ?

NO, I REALLY
DON'T HATE THEM, BUT,

YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY START COMI
ON TO ME AND STUFF LIKE THAT,

I GET PRETTY
AGGRAVATED.

SO, YOU'VE BEEN APPROACHED
BY GAY PEOPLE BEFORE ?

NO, NOT REALLY.

DID HE THREATEN YOU ?

THIS GAY DUDE ?
YEAH.

NO.

CAN YOU ANSWER ME
ONE THING ?

WHY DID YOU GUYS
TAKE HIS SHOES ?

I DON'T KNOW.

I'M NEVER GONNA GET
TO SEE MY SON AGAIN ?

I DON'T KNOW.

HE'S GONNA
DIE FOR SURE ?

THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT
MR. SHEPARD IS GOING TO DIE.

SO, WHAT ARE
THEY GONNA GIVE ME,

25 TO LIFE ?

OR THE DEATH PENALTY
AND JUST GET IT OVER WITH ?

THAT'S NOT OUR JOB.

That's the job of the judge
and the jury.

NOW, THE STRANGE THING IS

20 MINUTES BEFORE
MATTHEW WAS BROUGHT IN,

AARON McKINNEY,
ONE OF THE PERPETRATORS,

WAS BROUGHT IN
BY HIS GIRLFRIEND.

WAIT, McKINNEY
WAS HERE ?

YEAH.

I GUESS HE WENT BACK INTO TOWN
LATER THAT SAME NIGHT

AND GOT IN A FIGHT.

AND SO, THERE'S AARON
ON ONE BED IN MY E.R.

AND JUST A FEW BEDS DOWN
IS MATTHEW.

AND TWO DAYS LATER,

I FOUND OUT
THE CONNECTION.

HAS THE JURY
REACHED A VERDICT ?

WE HAVE, YOUR HONOR.

I WAS VERY...

STRUCK.

THERE WERE TWO KIDS,

THEY WERE
BOTH MY PATIENTS.

THEY WERE TWO KIDS.

I TOOK CARE
OF BOTH OF THEM.

I TOOK CARE OF
BOTH THEIR BODIES.

AND I FELT A GREAT
DEAL OF COMPASSION

FOR BOTH OF THEM.

WE THE JURY,
IMPANELED AND SWORN

TO TRY THE ABOVE
ENTITLED CAUSE,

AFTER HAVING WELL AND TRULY
TRIED THE MATTER,

UNANIMOUSLY
FIND AS FOLLOWS...

AS TO THE CHARGE
OF KIDNAPPING,

WE FIND THE DEFENDANT,
AARON JAMES McKINNEY...

GUILTY.

AS TO THE CHARGE
OF FELONY MURDER,

WE FIND THE DEFENDANT,
AARON JAMES McKINNEY,

GUILTY.

The jury returns
to the courthouse today

to start considering
the punishment,

a phase of the trial that will
probably last until next week.

I AM WORKING WITH McKINNEY,
COUNSELING HIM.

I DON'T THINK HE CAN
CONCEPTUALIZE THE GRAVITY

OF SOMETHING LIKE
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT.

BUT YOU KNOW I'M GOING TO BE
PRAYING LIKE THE DICKENS TONIGHT

THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO
GO THROUGH THIS NEXT PHASE.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU BELIEVE
IN THE POWER OF PRAYER,

BUT WOULD YOU
DO THIS FOR ME ?

WOULD YOU JUST SAY
FROM TIME TO TIME,

"LORD, I LIFT
HIM UP TO YOU" ?

JUST DO THAT FOR ME.

OF COURSE, FATHER.

THE SENTENCING PHASE
OF McKINNEY'S TRIAL

WAS TO BEGIN MOMENTARILY.

HOWEVER...

now we are hearing that
Judy and Dennis Shepard

have been approached
by McKinney's defense team,

who plead for
their client's life.

We understand
Mr. Shepard may approach
the court this morning.

( clearing throat )

MY SON, MATTHEW,

DID NOT LOOK
LIKE A WINNER.

HE WAS RATHER
UNCOORDINATED

AND WORE BRACES FROM THE AGE
OF 13 UNTIL THE DAY HE DIED.

HOWEVER, IN HIS
ALL TOO BRIEF LIFE,

HE PROVED THAT
HE WAS A WINNER.

ON OCTOBER 6th, 1998,

MY SON TRIED TO SHOW THE WORLD
THAT HE COULD WIN AGAIN.

ON OCTOBER 12th, 1998,

MY FIRSTBORN SON

AND MY HERO, LOST.

ON OCTOBER 12th, 1998,

MY FIRSTBORN SON
AND MY HERO, DIED.

50 DAYS BEFORE
HIS 22nd BIRTHDAY.

I KEEP WONDERING THE SAME THING
THAT I DID WHEN I FIRST SAW HIM

IN THE HOSPITAL.

WHAT WOULD
HE HAVE BECOME ?

HOW COULD HE HAVE CHANGED
HIS PIECE OF THE WORLD

TO MAKE IT BETTER ?

MATT OFFICIALLY
DIED IN A HOSPITAL

IN FORT COLLINS,
COLORADO.

HE ACTUALLY DIED
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LARAMIE,

TIED TO A FENCE.

YOU, MR. McKINNEY,
WITH YOUR FRIEND,

MR. HENDERSON,

LEFT HIM THERE
BY HIMSELF.

BUT HE WAS NOT ALONE.

THERE WERE HIS
LIFELONG FRIENDS WITH HIM.

FRIENDS THAT
HE HAD GROWN UP WITH.

YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING
WHO THESE FRIENDS WERE.

FIRST, HE HAD
THE BEAUTIFUL NIGHT SKY

AND THE SAME
STARS AND MOON

WE USED TO SEE
THROUGH A TELESCOPE.

THEN, HE HAD THE DAYLIGHT
AND THE SUN TO SHINE ON HIM.

AND THROUGH IT ALL,

HE WAS BREATHING IN
THE SCENT OF THE PINE TREES

FROM THE SNOWY RANGE.

HE HEARD THE WIND.

THE EVER-PRESENT WYOMING WIND
FOR THE LAST TIME.

HE HAD ONE MORE FRIEND
WITH HIM.

HE HAD GOD.

AND I FEEL BETTER
KNOWING HE WASN'T ALONE.

MATT'S BEATING,
HOSPITALIZATION AND FUNERAL

FOCUSED WORLDWIDE
ATTENTION ON HATE.

GOOD IS COMING
OUT OF EVIL.

PEOPLE HAVE SAID,
"ENOUGH IS ENOUGH."

I MISS MY SON,

BUT I'M PROUD TO BE ABLE
TO SAY THAT HE WAS MY SON.

JUDY HAS BEEN QUOTED AS BEING
AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY.

IT HAS BEEN STATED THAT MATT
WAS AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY.

BOTH OF THESE STATEMENTS
ARE WRONG.

I TOO BELIEVE
IN THE DEATH PENALTY.

I WOULD LIKE
NOTHING BETTER

THAN TO SEE YOU DIE,
MR. McKINNEY.

HOWEVER,

THIS IS THE TIME TO BEGIN
THE HEALING PROCESS...

TO SHOW MERCY TO SOMEONE
WHO REFUSED TO SHOW ANY MERCY.

MR. McKINNEY,

I AM GOING
TO GRANT YOU LIFE

AS HARD AS IT IS TO DO SO,
BECAUSE OF MATTHEW.

EVERY TIME YOU
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS,

A BIRTHDAY,
THE 4th OF JULY,

REMEMBER THAT MATT ISN'T.

EVERY TIME YOU WAKE UP
IN YOUR PRISON CELL,

REMEMBER YOU
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY

AND THE ABILITY TO STOP
YOUR ACTIONS THAT NIGHT.

YOU ROBBED ME OF
SOMETHING VERY PRECIOUS

AND I WILL NEVER
FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT.

MR. McKINNEY,

I GIVE YOU LIFE

IN THE MEMORY OF SOMEONE

WHO NO LONGER LIVES.

MAY YOU HAVE A LONG LIFE

AND MAY YOU THANK
MATTHEW EVERY DAY FOR IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MR. McKINNEY, YOU WILL BE
REMANDED TO THE CUSTODY

OF THE ALBANY COUNTY
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

PENDING TRANSPORTATION
TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THAT CONCLUDES
THIS MATTER.

( pounding gavel )

( chattering )

I HOPE WHEN YOU THINK
OF THIS TOWN,

YOU CAN SEE SOMETHING ELSE
THAN JUST A CRIME.

AND UNDERSTAND
WHY WE LOVE IT SO MUCH.

I THINK I'M JUST REALLY GLAD
THAT IT'S OVER.

I REALLY AM.

TESTIFYING
IN THIS TRIAL

HAS BEEN ONE OF
THE HARDEST THINGS

I'VE EVER HAD TO DO
IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.

DON'T GET ME WRONG,
I LOVE THE STAGE,

I'M A NATURAL FOR IT,
I LOVE IT.

BUT THE ACTUAL TESTIFYING
IS REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT.

'CAUSE WHAT YOU HAVE IS
YOU HAVE THE LAWYERS

WHO ARE ASKING
YOU QUESTIONS.

SO, YOU HAVE QUESTIONS THAT ARE
COMING AT YOU IN THIS AVENUE

BUT THEN, YOU HAVE TO
FUNNEL THEM OVER
TOWARDS THE JURY.

SO, YOU FUNNEL THEM OVER THERE
AND WHAT YOU END UP WITH

IS BASICALLY, YOU HAVE
A FUNNELING SYSTEM.

RIGHT ?

AFTER TAKING THE ATZ
FOR SIX MONTHS,

I WAS ABLE
TO GET A DNA TEST.

AND IT WAS...

ABOUT A WEEK LATER.

THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT
THAT I WAS NEGATIVE FOR GOOD.

OH, WOW,
THANK GOD.

THAT'S GREAT.

I TELL YOU,
WE WERE ALL ON OUR KNEES
SAYING "HAIL MARY'S".

YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE JUST SO ELATED.

WE WERE REALLY HAPPY.

SO, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING
SHE DOES ?

I STUCK MY TONGUE RIGHT
IN MY HUSBAND'S MOUTH.

WHAT ABOUT
YOUR DAUGHTERS ?

OH, MAN, THE GIRLS,
THEY JUST BAWLED.

THEY WERE JUST
SO HAPPY.

AND THE FORCE.
OH, BOY.

WE WENT OUT
AND GOT

( together )
SHIT-FACED.

I JUST KISSED EVERYBODY
WHO CAME THROUGH THAT DOOR.

REGGIE, THEY DON'T
NEED TO KNOW THAT.

YOU KNOW WHAT, IF IT
WAS A MALE OR A FEMALE,

I DIDN'T CARE,
I KISSED THEM
RIGHT ON THE LIPS.

WHAT PART OF WHAT I JUST SAID
DID YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ?

MOM, I HAVE
ALREADY KISSED THEM.

( laughing )

IT'S NOT CLEAR TO ME
HAVING KNOWN MATTHEW,

WHAT STORY HE WOULD
WANT TOLD ABOUT THIS.

WE WON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT HAPPENED HERE

UNTIL TIME HAS HAD A CHANCE
TO FILTER THAT OUT FOR US.

WHAT HAPPENED HERE,

THE CULTURE,
THE COST OF THIS,

THE COMPLEX SET OF EVENTS
LEADING UP TO IT.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE US
TRYING TO STOP A TANK.

CHANGE IS NOT
AN EASY THING,

AND I DON'T THINK PEOPLE
WERE UP TO IT HERE.

THEY GOT
WHAT THEY WANTED.

THOSE TWO BOYS
GOT WHAT THEY DESERVE,

AND WE LOOK GOOD NOW.

YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR
SINCE MATTHEW SHEPARD DIED,

AND THEY HAVEN'T
PASSED SHIT IN WYOMING.

THEY HAVEN'T PASSED IT
AT A STATE LEVEL,

ANY TOWN,

ANYBODY ANYWHERE,
HAS PASSED ANY KIND OF LAWS.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAWS

OR HATE-CRIME
LEGISLATION,

NOBODY HAS PASSED

ANYTHING ANYWHERE.

WHAT'S COME OUT OF IT ?

WHAT'S COME OUT OF IT
THAT'S CONCRETE AND LASTING ?

THE DEAD WILL
BE COMMEMORATED

AND WILL STRUGGLE ON
WITH THE LIVING,

AND WE ARE
NOT GOING AWAY.

WE WON'T DIE
SECRET DEATHS ANYMORE.

THE WORLD ONLY
SPINS FORWARD.

WE WILL BE CITIZENS.

THE TIME HAS COME.

BYE, NOW.

HAVE YOU EVER
GONE OUT TO THE FENCE ?

UH-HUH.

I DROVE UP TO THE SITE
IN MY LIMOUSINE.

AND...

SEE, I REMEMBERED
SOMETHING MYSELF,

THE NIGHT HE AND I
DROVE AROUND TOGETHER,

HE SAID, "LARAMIE SPARKLES,
DOESN'T IT ?"

AND WHERE HE WAS
IN THAT SPOT UP THERE,

IF YOU SIT EXACTLY
IN THAT SPOT UP THERE,

LARAMIE SPARKLES
FROM THERE.

WITH THE LOW
LYINCLOUDS, IT'S...

IT'S THE BLUE LIGHTS
THAT'S BOUNCING OFF THE CLOUDS

FROM THE AIRPORT,

AND IT GOES
TST, TST, TST,

OVER THE WHOLE CITY.

I MEAN...

I MEAN,
IT BLOWS YOU AWAY.

AND MATT WAS RIGHT THERE
IN THAT SPOT.

AND I CAN JUST PICTURE
IN HIS EYES,

I CAN PICTURE
WHAT HE WAS SEEING.

AND THE LAST THING
THAT HE SAW ON THIS EARTH

WAS E SPARKLING LIGHTS
OF LARAMIE, WYOMING.

Captions Copyright 2002
HOME BOX OFFICE

A Division of TIME WARNER
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, L.P.

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