Morbid - Episode 150: The Tragic Murder of Matthew Shepard Part 2

Episode Date: June 22, 2020

In our conclusion of this extremely difficult case, we discuss Matt's last days and the aftermath of his passing. His legacy far outreached the crime that took his life. We discuss the absurdity of the "gay panic" defense and also explain the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. We also cry. It's a doozy. Thanks to our sponsors! Hunt A Killer Right now, just for our listeners you can go to HuntAKiller.com/MORBID and use promo code MORBID at check out for 20% off your first box. Pretty Litter Get the world’s smartest litter without leaving home by visiting PrettyLitter.com and use promo code MORBID for 20% off your first order.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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this is a mini morbid but like we don't do this anymore so it's not. Mini, mini, mini, mini, mini morbid, mini more bed, mini more bed, mini more bed. So it's just like a morbid bed. It's a dull, dull moment. But you know what, it's not gonna be mini because one, my minis are never mini. No, no. It's not a mini morbid anymore.

We're just calling it that because nostalgia. No nostalgia. And we don't wanna get rid of the theme song because- Mini, mini, mini. Because some people, most people love it. Some people really fucking hate it. Some of the message of me and was like,

where can I get that ring tone again? And I was like, oh, we never put out a ring tone. Oh, I think somebody else made a ring tone. That's cool, it should. It's good for you guys for forgetting that out. I don't know, I do that shit. I'm into it. I'm into it.

Well, we are in part two of our deep dive into the tragic, tragic torture and murder of Matthew Shepherd. So part one was kind of, whoo, yeah, that was right in the field, tough. But I just wanted to say again, like I said in part one, this is the part of the But I just wanted to say again, like I said in part one, this is the part of the episodes where there is going to be some hate speech that I'm going to repeat. I'm only repeating it because it's on signs one and two because it's part of a confession. And I think censoring it will take away kind of the brutality of what happened in this case. But when I say these things, I'm going to tell you at a time so you're not just getting it slammed

into your ear holes all of a sudden, you're like, whoa! And I think everybody knows these are typically words that we would never say. Exactly, and it is important. Exactly, and I think everybody knows the word. It's one word that is going to be, I think you can tell probably the word

that's going to be used. Yeah, I just don't like it. I don't like the word. I don't say it. It's jarring to me when other people say it. Yeah, but I do agree with you that it would take away the Yeah, everything that happens. I don't want to make these people seem any less heinous than they are and I think Right, you know, so we should say what came out of their mouth so that you can be like wow What a bunch of horrible horrible horrible gross humans gross humans. Exactly. Which you will. So when we last left you guys, Matt was beaten for no reason

at all by Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson. After voluntarily handing over his wallet. So he wasn't robbed. No, and just for existing. Or he was robbed, but this wasn't just a robbery. No, it was certainly not a robbery He was driven out to a fence in Near Laramie and he was tied to that fence beaten again with the butt of a revolver repeatedly

18 blows to the head and neck and face four skull fractures and Beneath or behind his right ear was crushed in his skull and it was crushed into his brain stem, which damaged his brain stem. His right ear was also almost torn completely off of his head. I cannot imagine. Awful. What has to be wrong with you to do that to somebody? It's awful.

Like, what is wrong with you? No, it's beyond my comprehend. That's not human. No, it's not. Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson are not human beings. No, particularly Aaron McKinney is not a human being. I don't know what he is, but I don't think he's locked up somewhere because no, thank you. But one of the things that really struck me about the first one was that the first officer on scene said, the only skin she could see on Matt were two trails where his tears had cleaned his face.

That's always like, just stuck to me. Because his face was so badly deformed and beaten and bloody and dirty that there was only skin where tears had just rolled on his face, where he had cried alone. That's the thing, It's like haunting. It's, oh, it like, it makes you like, ache for him.

It's the thing that like really, because again, I said in like the first part that I was 13 when this case happened, I remember it very vividly. And we talked about it in school. I remember just like, I remember my mom and dad talking to me about it. I was very interested in it.

I wanted to know all the details and I remember just being horrified by all the details. Like, and I remember that detail coming out. And I remember just being like, oh my God, like how are people like that? Like, I never understood it. And so after they left Matt, they, Henderson and McKinney went back in the town

where they promptly picked a fight with two Mexican-American teenagers, 18-year-olds. Um, McKinney ended up getting a hairline skull fracture in the fight and ended up going to the hospital where he ended up going to the same hospital that Matt was brought to once the first responders picked him up. They were sat four rooms away from each other. And they had no idea. So doctors are working on this comatose beaten boy and they have no idea that four doors down. This is my career. This is eventual murderer. But a solter at the moment. So that's horrifying. So when Henderson arrived home, Henderson went back to where their girlfriends were, Chastity Paisley and Kristen Price. These two are both ignorant foxes as well and deserve whatever they got because he goes home, he's clearly upset and like his girlfriend says,

like he's upset, he's saying he did something terrible They ended up releasing McKinney. He goes home. The two of them are discussing getting their story straight Because they know now that they're probably gonna get caught right And so they're discussing it the two girlfriends Decided it was probably best that they help them in Ventan alibi. Yeah, totally Why about the things that happened that eventually kill someone? Well, in meanwhile, the girlfriends are told by these two fuckheads. Exactly.

They were basically like, oh, he's dead. Like, we left him, he's dead. Right. They told them that. And these two girls weren't like, yeah, get the fuck away from me. They were like, let me help you cover this up. Can you imagine if John came home? No. Like, you could never, no.

Just be like, oh, okay, I'll help you. Let me help you get an alibi together. No. And I'm sure there's gonna be people that are gonna tell me like, you don't know. Like, they were, I'd have been scared. They didn't seem scared when I talked to them. I don't care if you were scared.

And I'll tell you in a second why. I don't feel bad for them. I can understand, you know, these guys might have been abusive. They might have been, they are clearly violent. They probably were. Particularly Aaron is clearly a violent individual. That is without a doubt. I doubt that stopped at Matt. I'm sure there was other instances where he was probably scary partner to have.

Right. They had a young son and like an infant son. Mm-hmm. I'm sure she was maybe, I can maybe in some like, thing thinking of her being like, I just need to like, figure this out before I, because I'm scared that he's going to do something to me or my son. Right. I can almost get behind, like, not get behind. I can almost like, understand in a weird universe. Right. but that's not the case here right that's not the case here and I'm gonna tell you why in a second because when she talks to 2020 later she's a garbage asshole too right this was not I'm scared and I feared for my life and my sons and I did what I had to do as a mother that's not what this was this was her being like oh well I agree with what he did.

So I'm going to hide it. This is exactly what that was. So they get their story straight. They agree. They both helped them get rid of the bloody clothes. They helped them say they got the story straight and said that they were going to lie and say that their boy friends were home watching movies with them all night

to give them alibi's. Wow. Price later said one of the girlfriends said that they were so upset, the boys seemed so upset about what had happened. And she told 2020 later that their boyfriends beat Matthew up to quote, to teach him a lesson not to come on to straight people. She's legitimate, fucking garbage. Yeah. And I don't feel bad for her at all. No. And Matt didn't come on to them. He... No. She... And also, fuck you. Right. Like, they had to teach him a lesson. Right. Who are you? To teach less than like... Who is your

lesson? A little big boyfriend to be teaching another grown-ass man a lesson. Right. Like fuck off. Exactly. She's the kind of garbage that's been sitting out on a summer day during a garbage strike. That's the kind of garbage she is. So Matt's parents were currently back in Saudi Arabia at this time. Oh, I've totally forgot about that.

Right? I saw it die when I was reading this. I was like, oh my god. Oh, sorry. So they couldn't just jump on a plane and get home. Right. They had to go through the stages of getting processed. That was 5 a.m. there in their phone rings.

Oh, no. Now his dad was like Matt called all the time, and he called early. Right. So he was like, I assumed it was just Matt calling and waking me up. Right. So it was actually hospital staff at the hospital in Laramie

telling them that their son had been gravely injured and they weren't sure he was gonna make it through the night. Oh, no. At this point, they didn't know what had happened to him. Right. So they just said he was found gravely injured. So his parents were like, oh, it must be like a car accident or something.

That's the first thing you think of. You don't think somebody beat him to death with a pistol. Right. So they were like, we don't know if he's gonna to make it through the night, you have to get home. So they were like, all right, so they went through the whole process to get home. It took them 50 hours to get home. Oh, and they know and they just don't, and they don't even know what exactly is. They're just like, he might not make it. I have to get home.

So when they got to the US, his aunt, so I think it was Dennis's sister, I'm not sure, Judy or Dennis' sister, told them, you know, this is what happened, and it's all over the national news. Right, and they were like, what? Like, they were like, I thought it was a car accident. Like, what are you talking about? Someone beat him. And not only that, but they're like, oh yeah, it's national. It's on every news station, and they're like, what the fuck? What happened? I had no idea. Right. So arriving at the hospital, they're told the extensive injuries that he received as a result of a beating.

I can't imagine as a parent sitting there and listening to that. And that's your child. That is just a blow. And just knowing that you weren't there when they weren't suffering. And now immensely. Exactly.

And everything is going through your head through and they see that on and on repeat Oh, it's odd so they said his only bait. It was basically only basic functions that were keeping him alive They were like his brain stem is barely functioning like he won't be living a whole life if we save him Well, they said when they walked into the whole hospital room you couldn't even tell it was him And the only way his mother said she could recognize him was by his braces, which he still wore. Stop! So his face was stitched up in multiple places. There were tubes everywhere. His head was bandaged.

There is a photo. In Matt Shepard is a friend of mine. They show a small pan up of his face a little bit of him laying there and it's horrifying. Got wrenching in there. It's horrifying. And again, she said, I couldn't tell. She said the only way I could tell, it was him by, it was like, he has certain like scars

or like little things that I just know are my son. And she said and then the braces, the thing that maybe be like that's Matt. Right. So he was, he was combatose at this point. And hospital staff said he would really only survive in a vegetative state. So they said that was even a long shot. But they said, if he does survive, it's really just going to be his body that survives. And that could be his own finger. So his parents are like, now we have to sit here. And they also were, even though legally, if they took him off of life support,

that doesn't affect a murder, charge, or anything like that. Right. They were worried about that because you don't know. Right. You don't see, don't. You don't want to be... That could play into it. Yeah, and you don't want to be the thing that stops these people from going.

Wrong injustice, you know what I mean? So they had to deal with that, and then they're dealing with the obvious of taking your own child off of life support. So they're trying to figure out, so they're just holding visual at this point, just seeing what is happening. Not only are you just like replaying the horrible thing in your mind over and over again, you know this happened. Exactly. And you have that on top of you. Oh, yeah. And it's like at this point, they're just getting bits and pieces of what happened. And his brother Logan, his younger brother Logan, at first I guess couldn't even go in the hospital room. He literally couldn't see him. He was like a wreck. That's his big brother. Yeah, he

said they said it like really affected him. Right. Luckily he did end up going in the hospital room and he was there. And he was actually holding his hand in the end. Oh, yeah. I know. Like, I can feel it. Yeah, it's like it's starting to come up. I feel like this is going to be the one where we all cry. So Aaron and Russell were picked up by police the next day because they're fucking idiots.

And of course they got caught. Right. So when Aaron, when they interviewed Aaron, he showed what a bigoted asshole he is. He was very nonchalant about what he was like, yeah, like that's what we did. And he at first didn't confess, but I think they let him sleep for a couple of hours, then he was like, all right, I'll tell you everything. Wow. He just wasn't.

So when asked if Matthew said anything or asked him to stop while he was beating him, he replied, quote, well, yeah, he was getting the shit kicked out of him. Oh my God. Like just whatever. And he also said, quote, most of yeah, he was getting the shit kicked out of them. Oh my god Like just whatever and he also said quote most of all he was screaming And you just kept going while somebody's screaming for their life. Yep. What kind of monster are you in the police officer? Ask the interviewer asks him several times like why did you keep going? Like why were you still doing it? Like why were you not don it? Aaron keeps saying I just lost it. I blacked out. He's do he you can see exactly what his lawyer has told him to say. Say you blacked out. You went crazy. Oh gay people just make in nuts. You know

how it goes. And so he did the whole like I just went nuts. I saw red. I don't even remember what I was doing. I just I couldn't stop. Don't buy it. Don't buy it for a second. No, of course not. You knew exactly what you're doing. And so he also said, like I said earlier, that Russell was giggling throughout the assault. That's according to Aaron. That's disgusting. I mean, I believe it because you're there.

You're obviously not. You're getting some kind of enjoyment or else you wouldn't be able to watch that. He stated many times that Russell did not hit Matt that he remembers. He said at one point, he says he very well could have, but I didn't see him hit him. It's like, well, weren't you blackout? Yeah, you're blackout.

So you don't know. Yeah. So he says Russ was giggling. He was smiling. He was laughing throughout the whole thing. They were like, it's so weird that you remember those details, but you don't remember anything else. And Aaron says at one point, he could notice that the way that his truck

was positioned when they were tying Matt to the fence was that Matt could see the license plate. So he said suddenly I got scared that he would be able to identify me. And so he said to Matt, read my license plate. And so Matt read it, out loud. And he said that's when I just hit him again to make sure that I knocked him out to make sure I know that he he knew my license plate So he tricked him he told him read my license plate and he did and then and then he made at one point He made Matt say his address out loud so that they could find his address and go rob his place. Are you kidding me? What the fuck is wrong with you? They're fucking evil. Like what is wrong? I know it's two evil pieces of shit. Seriously. Like so his friends and family immediately at this point

now that they've brought in Aaron and and and what the rest of the rest of us. Now that they're in his friends and family know this is a hate crime. It's very clear to them that this is a hate crime. He's spelling it out for them. But they knew that police were going to cover it up like it was a robbery. They were like, this is, they're going to try to make it go away so that, you know, we're not going to let them. Good. And so they were like, his friends and family. Fucking did the damn thing. Because he loved them so much. And obviously he was like such an incredible person Well, they knew I mean they knew it's like this is a small town They knew that this was gonna be one of those things where Aaron and Russ were gonna say it was a robbery gum

Bad Aaron's already using that whole I Blacked out. I don't know. I just wanted money. Meanwhile by the way what they got out of his wallet 20 bucks Right 20 bucks. So this is over 20 bucks you're telling me? Well, then she just got a KFC in the stead. Like, I don't believe you. I just don't believe you. No. So his friends and family are like, we're not letting this go.

We're going to make sure the world knows this is a hate crime. And that's what this is. This will not be reported as a robbery. No, not letting it happen. That's not. That would have been awful if it had gone down. Yeah. A complete opposite way.

So his former guidance counselor who turned out to be one of his best friends Matt was named. Yeah, was named Walt Bolden and he was the one. I mean he he basically he came out to Walt first. Yeah out of anybody. He was the one that he told him. I don't know if my parents are gonna just own me if I tell them. Walt helped him because he said he himself was gay and he had a lot of trouble coming out because he had kids and stuff and he was like, I was worried my kids were gonna

just zone me like I get it. So he was very close to him, like very close. And so he was the one who called all the surrounding towns to make sure it's said in the newspapers that this was a hate crime and not a robbery gone wrong. And he said called all the surrounding towns to make sure it's said in the newspapers that this was a hate crime. And not a robbery gone wrong. And he said, called all the different newspapers. And he was like, this is what happened. Do not report it as a robbery. That's not what it was. And it went everywhere after that. He said, he woke up the next morning and like the Washington Post was calling him. Like he had, that's incredible. So at this point, Matt is in a coma and is not expected to pull through.

Aaron McKinney had told his, so Aaron McKinney, when he had gone back to his house, this is what's really gonna, like kinda put a wrench in their hole, like it was a robbery, gone wrong thing, because he starts saying to like investigators during the interview, he's saying that when he went home to his apartment that night, he told his girlfriend, who his girlfriend confirmed to this, that he said he was pretty

sure and by the way I'm going to say the word. He was quote, pretty sure he killed a fag. Oh no. He said that to his girlfriend and his girlfriend admitted this. Right. So him saying this is a robbery gone wrong. You're using that word. That's not a robbery. You're already showing that you have a bias. And a hate person. And you're just being like, I'm pretty sure I killed.

Like it's just nothing. Like I'm pretty sure I killed them. That's like saying, like I'm pretty sure I ran over a skunk. Yeah. It's just whatever casual. So holes are now being poked because they've brought the girls in. The girls are now giving a little bit of what's going on. And they're just admitting it themselves. I mean, Aaron McKinney sang

like a fuck cause he's like, I don't give a fuck. Cause he didn't care. And so one night while they were in the hospital, Matt's father was like just going crazy because they're just sitting there waiting for something to happen. And his father was like, so I drove four hours back to our home in Casper. And he said he drove to a storage unit that they have. And he's like, I just decided to pull out anything I could think of to make Matt pull through. And in his words, quote, be Matt again. Oh, man. Oh, right.

So he wanted particularly to find his favorite stuffed bunnies, top named Oscar, who he said he was never without as a child. particularly to find his favorite stuffed bunny. Stop. Named Oscar. Who he said he was never without as a child. And he said he couldn't find Oscar. I'm like literally. I'm crying. Right? Yeah.

And honestly, this part really got to me because one of my daughters has a bunny. Named Fuzzy Bunny. Named Fuzzy Bunny and she never goes anywhere without. And that thing is Is her thing and it's like when he said I just think of it. I just wanted to find Oscar So he could have him and he said he couldn't find him in the storage unit He ended up finding him later. Yeah, and he said he's glad he has it now and that he can like hold it for like to think of Matt and good times Yeah, but I just keep thinking of like

That would be what I would find. It makes it relatable. It does. I'm trying to start crying. Like Oscar, the bunny, but he said he did find some other things he brought and he just tried to like, I so wish that he had pulled through. I know.

So, I mean, nothing was moving. He was obviously not going to progress any further. And his family were ready for him to say goodbye, but they were, they didn't want to pull the plug. Right. But they wanted him to know that it was okay for him to go. Yeah. Because they were worried he was hanging on for them for them.

For them, yeah. And so his mother actually pulled Walt the guidance counselor who was like, he's really good friend. Yeah, aside and said Would you go into the ICU and would you tell Matt that it's okay to let go? Oh my god I know this is like so awful. This is like yeah, this is hard Hey there fellow podcast listener. It's Elena and Ash and we're taking you back to the days before streaming services. Whoa! You know when you would come home from high school and it was only a few hours until that TV show everyone was watching was about to come on.

Well, in 1999, that show was Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In our podcast with Wondery, the re-watcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we take it back to 1999. So get out your knee-high boots and paste that poster of Angel on the wall our podcast with Wondery, the rewatcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we take it back to 1999. So get out your knee high boots and paste that poster of Angel on the wall. It's time to enter the Buffyverse. Some of you avid morbid listeners already know what we've gotten store. Hey, your nose. Join us as we sway our way through Buffy's drama, action, and romance. Episode by episode. Slacy. Follow the rewatcher Buffy the Vampire action, and romance. Episode by Episode Slacy.

Follow the rewatcher, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen early and add free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. Darn, ee-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e- murderer? Are they born to kill? Or are they made to kill? I'm Candice DeLong and on my podcast Killer Psychie Daily, which you can find exclusively on Amazon Music. I share a quick 10-minute rundown every weekday on the motivations and behaviors of the criminal masterminds you read about in the news. I have decades of experience as a psychiatric nurse, FBI agent, and a criminal profiler.

On Killer Psychie Daily, I'll give you my expert perspective on cases like the mysterious New York City drugings, breaking down Lori Valow, aka Mommy Doomstays Motives, and what drove Caitlin Armstrong to murder. I'll also bring on expert guests who add even more insight into these criminal minds. I promise you won't regret adding these 10 minutes to your morning routine. Hey, Prime members, listen to the Amazon Music exclusive podcast Killer Siky Daily in the Amazon Music app. Download the app today. And Matt said, because they said we can't do it. Like, I can't tell my son to let go.

Yeah, I know, but I want him to. But I want him to. So she was like, I can't do this, but like, I need you to do this for me because I need him to know. Right. And so Matt was, or so Walt said, you know, as hard as this was, he said, for her to trust me with that.

And for her to like put that with me, it was like, I meant a lot. So Walt said he went, he like sat with Matt and he said I just explained him that you know you need to let go. And he said and he said I even told him you can't put it on your mom and dad to pull you off of here like you need to do it. Like don't put that on them. Like please, in there okay. Like they want you to go. Yeah. And they want you to stop fighting and they know you're tired. And know what you're to suffer. And so they, and he said,

and you know, he was still alive when I left. But that night at 12.53 AM. On October 12th, he passed away. He heard him. And his family was there with him, his mother and his brother were holding his hands. And his dad was also there. Yeah.

So he heard, like no one can tell me, he had been surviving for days. Right. He would have held on it until somebody told him it was okay. There's no one that can tell me that while not sitting down and telling him it's okay to let go and your parents want you to let go, it was not the thing that made him go, okay, I can let go.

Right. So October 12th, that 12.53 AM, he passed away. Good morning everybody. A terrible turn and a terrible storm. It's really tragic and so disturbing. And Matthew Shepherd was beaten last weekend, tied to a wooden fence by two men who met Shepherd in a bar in Laramie, Wyoming.

18 hours later, a passing bicyclist summoned help after almost mistaking Shepherd's bloody body for a scarecrow early this morning Matthew Shepard passed away. The story has captured national attention and sparked a debate over the necessity for hate crime legislation. October 18th 1998 was his funeral at St. Mark's Episcopal Church. Hundreds of people came. They had to open another church across the streets for people to sit and watch it because it was that big. That's good.

And it was including people who didn't know him personally, but just wanted to show support. Yeah, it was just like people who felt compelled to be there for him. It was fall in obviously in October, but there was a gnarly snowstorm that day. Oh really? And people were still standing outside. Like, didn't bother you guys. Well, not just like shows like obviously like what kind of person he was and what people knew still standing outside. Like, didn't bother you guys. Well, not just like shows, like obviously, like what kind of person he was and what people knew him to be. Exactly.

Now, again, I'm gonna, there's gonna be a little bit of hate speech right now because, but don't worry, because I'm gonna, I was gonna say, I know what's about to happen, and this is gonna make me like so angry. I'm gonna go completely opposite direction for where we were. This is one of the first appearances,

big appearances, not the first appearances, but one of the ones that really put them in the public eye of the Westboro Baptist Church. A group of, I don't even know how you call that a church. Don't worry. So they came with about a dozen of their fucking putrid horde of hemorrhys with legs that they call fucking congregation.

It's not a church. They were corralled by the city into like a little area because they wanted to keep them away, but they were allowed to protest because obviously it's your amendment right. It's your fucking right. They held signs that said, quote, their famous signs, God hates fags. They had one that said, Matt and hell with signs, God hates fags. They had one that said, Matt and Hell, with a picture of Matt on it. A child can be seen in a photo, holding a sign that says,

hate saying the word, I know, I don't believe you. F-A-G equals anal sex, equals sculling crossbones. A child. And that's just the dumbest fucking sign ever. Like what the point? That doesn't even make sense. Like what the what's the point? That doesn't even make sense. Like, it's like anal sex equals death.

Like anal sex does not equal death. No, like not at all. No to hate somebody so much because a lot of times too, what you hate and other people is what you see in yourself. You don't like about yourself. That you hate about yourself. That's incredibly tragic. Yeah. That is the case.

I feel that for you, like, loath themselves that much. Yeah. There were also signs with stick figures having anal sex. That's just so- That's just stupid. That's just stupid. Add a funeral. Add a funeral. Of a 21-year-old who was brutally murdered. That's just like, like, immature is not the word for it, but it's immature and it's just like, what are you getting out of that? I have no way, and then they're also screaming terrible things. They make sure to be heard as well.

They were screaming that Matt got what he deserved. No, again, his parents are grieving the loss of their child. Nobody deserves that. These people are a little, the living, breathing example of the worst kind of blight on our species. They are fucking cancer. They're a plague of decaying dog shit. These people have zero redeeming qualities.

They pick at soldiers funerals with signs that say God loves dead soldiers. I'm not religious at all. But it pisses me off that these half-wit scrotums are allowed to bastardize the idea of God as some hateful beast. Like fuck, Fred Phelps. Fuck the bath at West Bat- West, whatever the fuck you are, fuck your church. That Westboro Baptist church, you bullshit. I'm so glad Fred Phelps is dead. We are better off without him. Fuck them. Just queen. Like fuck them. Alina just re-created, like that was like slam poetry, but it's a new kind. It's a new branch of slam poetry.

These people have zero redeeming qualities. You need to get you something other than a bongo. It needs to be more efficient. I, yeah, fuck that. Reading this and like researching this, I was so fucking hyped up. Like I think though, I think they want to hype you up so I know they do so it's like you know I just feel bad for you. Yeah, like I want to pick at them and be like you know what let's talk

What was the one the picture you had dress? Yes, yeah, and she oh my god, okay So Kim Petrus is I hope I'm saying her last name right? She's a transgender female and she's like a performer and she was having a concert and the Westboro Baptist Church was Picking it. Picking it because they don't like transgender people because they just have nothing fucking better. They hate every genie. Like, what do you have something better to do? No, they don't. Like, you're paying an awful lot of attention to us if you don't like us. I honestly think they wanted to be at the concert because she fucking kills it. Oh no, they have literally zero better. But anyway, she literally went outside

and like posed like did a fucking photo shoot in front of them. Like full bogey. And like a beautiful like one piece jumpsuit and is like, yeah, like what's up? Like I don't give a fuck. It is the greatest series of photos because you just, she is just, she's like, yeah,

I don't care. Slaying these photos in the back because you just she is just she's like yeah I don't care. Slaying these photos and in the back you just see these idiots and it's like and I just love that like she is fucking drop dead like killing it in these photos and they're like surfaced and she's like yeah like look at my photo shoot and then these people because you know it's probably their worst fucking nightmare to be in a photo with her. Well that's the best way to combat these people is with like love and like peace because it's so confusing to their tiny little mouse brains. Which is like, which is what she did.

She came out and was like, I'm not going to scream at you. I'm not going to do anything. I'm just going to beat me. She's like, this is what I'm will actually make for a great photo shoot. So thanks for coming. Well, and what kills me is so the hospital that, you know, worked with Matt and tried to save him and all the doctors, they gave like a press conference, obviously, because they were involved in all this.

And one of the, I think it was like the CEO of the hospital broke down in tears when he, when he said that Matt passed away on camera and it's and he really cared. Yeah. He cared that hospital cared. And the hospital and the doctors that worked on him received death threats and hate mail, mail telling that they would burn in hellfire for crying over an F.A.G. Yeah, it sounds like you are currently burning in your own hellfire of hating yourself. And you know what?

I hope that you find love soon. I think they're just hateful fucks. Yeah. To be quite honest. Right. I think they're just hateful garbage people. I just, I don't understand how you can hate somebody so much for no fucking reason. I think I honestly, it's they are just hateful.

Some people are just hateful evil. Yeah, no, it's true. I mean, I'll look at all the fucking serial killers and stuff we talk about. Honestly, so I think these people are just hateful and they can't be helps. Anyways, so Matt's friends as family and the mourners at the funeral decided that they would hold hands to block these people. Hell yeah. And a line and they sang amazing grace.

Hell yeah. Yes. Which isn't it funny that the people that claim to be a church and claim to be spreading the word of God and all that, are the ones saying the most hateful evil shit known to man and each and every human or a children. And then the people that they're calling sinners and saying that they're gonna burn in hellfire

and that God hates them, are the ones holding hands and singing amazing grace? Yeah, interest in how that works. Yeah. The Westboro Baptist Church, I'm sure most people, I hope all people listening agree, is not a fucking church. No, it's not a church. It's not even like a topic that needs to be debated. They're hatred. They're not a church. They're not a religion. They're a hate group. That's what they are because that's not a religionist. That's not a religion should be. No. So's what they are because that's not real Indigenous. That's not where religion should be. So I'm with you on that everybody listening like that.

Shouldn't God like not hate anyone? That's supposed to be right. But I don't know. So meanwhile Aaron McKinney is going into court and he's smirking. He's walking into court. He winked at someone at one point while he was walking in. That dude's face is the most punchable face you'll ever see. Obviously. His trial lasted from October 25th to November 4th, 1999. He faced charges of kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and first degree murder.

Good. They were discussing the death penalty, which is frankly too good for that weiner. So glad they didn't. Aaron's attorneys tried to use, like I said, the gay panic defense. I had never heard of that before, but we were talking about it before we started recording. That is the dumbest shit I've ever heard in my entire fucking life. This is a truly, truly outrageous defense that exists. Still. Right now. According to LGBTbar.org, the LGBTQ plus panic defense is a defense strategy that asks the jury

to find that a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity slash expression is to blame for a defendant's violent reaction, including murder. It also says that a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity not only explains, but excuses a loss of control in the subsequent assault. Disagree. Yes. So that's ridiculous.

That's so who came up with that? Like what? And it can be used as a way to note, it can note self-defense or provocation. No. It can be used for the insanity defense or diminished capacity. And this defense is used, it's still used. And it was used as recently as April 2018

to mitigate a murder card. Can you have anything that doesn't make sense is like, the whole thing doesn't fucking make sense, but it's like, how do you know that they were flirting with you? No, you don't. People take flirting very differently. Of course it was, and that's the dumbest shit ever. They're not flirting with you.

I think everybody, every straight person needs to come to terms with the fact that not all gay people think you are attractive or want you. Please everyone just take a big bite of that humble pie. Right. And just know that that gay man does not always find you attractive. Do you find every woman attractive? Exactly.

No. It's like I don't understand that. Whenever somebody's like, oh he's gay, he's going to try to hit on me. He might not think you're cute. Right. I don't think he might think you're gross. Right. gonna try to hit on me, he might not think you're cute. I don't, he might think you're gross. Right, like, in other things, I think when you come out as a girl

and as a lesbian or bi or whatever, and girls that won't be friends with you anymore, because they're like, I don't want you to make it. Like, do you think I'm pretty good? I don't want you to like, lear at me or anything. No, no, no. Don't flatter yourself. Thank you, though.

It's like, no, thank you, though. It's just such an odd way that we, like, what a narcissist to a narcissist I was literally just gonna How highly do you fucking think of yourself that everyone just wants that everyone just will as if they are Into your gender, mm-hmm, then they must be you're their type you're their type. It's like no Are you everybody's type? I know dudes that I do not find a track of it all. Yeah, come on free tweet So the LGBTQ plus panic defense has been banned in California, Illinois, Rhode Island, Nevada, Connecticut, Maine, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, and Washington.

Not Massachusetts? Well, there is. You're like happy, you are. Well, now. There is legislation against the panic defense that has been introduced but not yet passed in the district of Columbia Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Iowa. Question. It was introduced in 2019 in Massachusetts. What are we like? What's everybody waiting for? Not sure what we're waiting for, but you know Hopefully it happens soon. It'd be a great month to get rid of it completely in all of America. It truly would. It truly would. We've got a lot of things on the list.

I realize, but like, I hope that's somewhere on it. Let's just toss that on top of the pie, please. So, so yeah, so they tried to do the gay panic defense. The judge was not having it. He was like, no, thank you. Aaron McKinney said, quote, being a very drunk homophobic, I flipped out and began to pistol whip the F.A.G. with my gun.

And yet some spelling it, because I'm good. No, I know. I'm starting to be your nickname. It's starting to me feel gross now saying it. Yeah, no, I don't blame you. So he was found guilty of first degree murder. Thank God. He was sentenced to two life terms

without the possibility of parole. And may he slowly rot. Uh, I want him to live like as long as fucking possible. Yeah. And Russell also pled guilty and he also received two life sentences. I'm so glad that he didn't get anything less than because I don't care. No. If you hit him or not, you're fully fucking involved. Oh, fuck yeah.

You didn't stop it. Good. Well, in Matt's parents, so when it came down to sentencing, the death penalty was on the table. Right. Matt's parents and his friends and family decided amongst themselves that they were going to fight to get life without the possibility of parole. And they said they wanted death to be taken off the table.

Now I'm going to read what his father, what Matt's father Dennis, am I going to cry again? Yes. Great. This hit me. Like this hit me. And it's probably going to be a good hit. It's going to fucking be. what his father, what Matt's father Dennis. Am I gonna cry again? Yes. Great. This hit me. Like this hit me.

And it's probably gonna hit you. It's gonna fucking knock me out. It's gonna hit all of you because things don't hit me. This case really hits me. And I think you're like, I don't know how this case couldn't hit you. No, of course not. And it's like, I think this case hits everybody

with a heart, but I think it's also like, it was one of the first cases that like really sucked me in and made me like really research it and like my mom and dad talked to me about it because I remember them like sitting me down and be like, this happens. It makes you want to be an ally. And like it made, and I remember that was like the first time that I really knew that that happened.

So like people who were like, you know, not straight cis white people like me. So I think it was like, well, like that was the first introduction of like the world It's on its side. Your first wake up call. So I think it like this really hits me. Yeah, so his father said Okay, ready. Uh-huh. On October 12th my firstborn son and my hero died 50 days before his 22nd birthday. With his mother and brother holding his hand, he actually died on the outskirts of Laramie when you beat him and left him out there by

himself. But he wasn't alone. There were his lifelong friends with him. First he had the beautiful night sky. Oh god. Okay, shit. The same stars in moon that we used to look at through the telescope. Then he had the daylight and the sun to shine on him one more time. One more cool, wonderful autumn day in Wyoming. He heard the wind, the ever-present Wyoming wind for the last time. He had one more friend with him, he had God. I feel better knowing he wasn't alone. Mr. McKinney, I'm going to grant you life. As hard as that is for me to do because of Matthew.

Every time you celebrate Christmas, a birthday or the 4th of July, remember that mat isn't. Mr. McKinney, I grant you life and the memory of someone who no longer lives. May you have a long life and may you thank Matthew every day for it. Oh yeah. Oh shit. That's just like, because you killed the person that ultimately would have forgiven you. And it's just like, oh, it's like that's his,

when he says my first born son in my hair, I'm like, oh, like I just can't. I just can't. And I just can't. And I just can't. And the moon that we used to look through the telescope would like picture him as like a little kid.

Cause it's like, I, this dad, we show the girls the moon all the time, like they're look through the telescope. And like picture him as like a little kid. Because it's like eyes, dad. We show the girls the moon, all the time. Like they're obsessed with the moon. I mean, like we're always talking about the night sky. And it's just like it puts you in their position. It's just put you in the position of like a whole lot. Your child has grown up and something horrible has happened to them. And then you have to look back at them as like a baby.

And it's like, yeah, that one just really, and just like the selflessness that his parents have. But they did it. They did it for their son. They did it because they knew Matthew would want that. Right. So during their trials, the Westboro Baptist Church showed up a lot to keep trying to destroy Matt's family souls with their disgusting hate speech, but Matt's good friend, Romaine Patterson, formed a group called Angel Action. Yes. This group has shown up in a lot of places now, and she was the one behind it. They dressed as angels with huge wings that had 10-foot wingspan and were 7 feet high,

and they blocked the church from their targets. That just gave me like, yeah, with chills. Now they come out for things still. They're still a group. They like people do it and they shield more mourners from in like ignorant fox. They did this at the Pulse Orlando Nightclub shooting. Memorials and feoners. They showed up and they hold hands and they just block from protesters and they look like sing amazing grace. They just will sit there with smiles on their faces. They just do it. They try to peacefully and remain said she was like, I just wanted to like combat their hate with love with love. Yes. Show that like you're not going to take us down to your level. We're

going to stand here as angels even though you're telling us we're sinners and we're going to hell right so Judy and Dennis Also decided it to make it their life work to fight for LGBTQ plus rights She said she could have she was like I could have hid I could have just gone into myself But she's like I couldn't and she said I had to make a change for Matt. Yeah now This is exactly what Matt would have done because as you know, like we talked about, I wanted to be a diplomat. He started an LGBTQ club at school. He's trying to help people.

That was what he would have done. So they created the Matthew Shepherd Foundation, which according to their website, the Matthew Shepherd Foundation's mission is to amplify the story of Matthew Shepherd to inspire individuals, organizations, and communities to embrace the dignity and inequality of all people. Our work is an extension of Matt's passion

to foster a more caring and just world. We share his story and embody his vigor for civil rights to change the hearts and minds of others to accept everyone as they are. So the Laramie Project, I think you mentioned, it was created from this case. The creator was Moises Kaufman, and it's a play that shows the events. And it shows the real residents of Laramie trying to deal with what happened as characters. Everyone involved in the case is a character in the show.

It was also shown on HBO in 2002. Yeah. And it basically deals with the homeophobia, the homeophobia aspect, and like the hate crime aspect. October 28, 2009, Barack Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepherd and James Bird Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The act makes it a federal crime to assault someone based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

In Obama's words, it is to quote, to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love or how they pray. He also said it was the work of Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy that made it possible. So shout out to our people. There you go.

This was thanks to Matthew, but also because in the same year, 1998 on July 7th, 49-year-old James Bird Jr., a black man, accepted a ride home from three white men who turned out to be white supremacists. These murders were Sean Allen Berry, 23 years old, Lawrence Russell Brewer, 31, and John William King, 23. He knew Sean Berry for a lot of his life, so he wasn't concerned about taking a ride for them. They beat James, they chained him to the back of their truck, and they dragged him three miles

to a brutal death. He was conscious for almost all of this because he kept his head up to try to survive. They also found out in his autopsy that he was moving side to side while being dragged to try to alleviate the pain. He survived. Most of it was conscious for most of it, which is horrific, until his head and arm were severed from his body by a culvert, which is like a drainage pipe. They then dumped the remaining pieces of his body in front of Abe Church. Now, King received the death penalty. Brewer also got death and was executed by lethal injection on September 21st, 2011. Barry got life in prison. So he, I just wanted to point out a very quick overview of his case because he was very much a part of that being signed into law. So Matt's parents were fearful that Matt's final resting place was going to be vandalized or desecrated in some way, so they held on to his ashes. But in October on October 26,

2018 more than like 20 years after his murder, Matthew Shepherd's ashes were interred at Washington National Cathedral. One of the reverends to lead the service was the right Reverend Gene Robinson, who was the first openly gay man elected as a bishop in the Episcopal Church. Yeah. In his speech, he said to the LGBTQ members, quote, many of you have been hurt by your own religious communities, and I want to welcome you back. Oh, and to Matt, he closed by saying, quote, gently rest in this place. You are safe now, Matthew. Welcome home.

Wow. And then later, this is the last thing I'll say, okay. Later, he said, quote, for Matthew to come back to church, it is a remarkable step forward. It's the cathedral saying some churches are different. Some churches have been on this journey with you, and we will not only welcome you, we will celebrate you.

Yeah, that's important. And that is fuck guys. Damn, I did out that last little weird voice I made. Yeah. Oh, so that's the story of Matthew Shepherd. Oh, that was a doozy. Yeah, this one. Oh, there's only been a couple that have really,

I mean, every case touches me in some way. Yeah. But this is what there's only been a couple that had that stable to bring me to like physical emotion and like, ooh, the Matthew Shepherd one always does. Yeah. I don't know what it's just, I don't know what it is. I don't a lot of things. It's just a horrifying brutality of it all. Yeah, and it's just that he was, I mean, I always think of people as someone's child. So someone is always someone's child. Because I think it's so important to think of people that way, because it makes you a better person. Yeah, and it's honestly, it's weird because I was talking about this with John. We were taking a walk with like Bailey the other night and I was discussing it with him and I was like, yeah, it's like really getting to me.

Like I had to take a break from researching the details because I was like, it's starting to like, especially when you become a parent too. And he said, because he said, you know, he was a criminal justice major at one point and he was like, he always loves this stuff. He loves true crime. Mm-hmm. And he said, he's had a lot of trouble since having the kids.

He said I've had a lot of trouble listening to any. He said especially kids. He's like, I just won't listen to kid crime. But I don't want to do it. But he goes, now all of a sudden brings me to, oh, this person has parents. And he's like, and I know that sounds crazy, but it really doesn't.

He makes it hard. He makes it hard. Until you have your own kids and then you're like, oh shit, that's someone's baby. Like someone fed them bottles and someone held them in their arms when they were all like, pride and joy forever. Like in someone that they needed to protect and it's like

all of a sudden it just takes that from someone. Yeah, to hurt somebody else's like, yeah, everything. And I think because his parents were so involved and because we have the whole story of him coming out to them and how it was such as like hard, but like really beautiful moment. And then we have like the story of them at his bedside.

It's like it brings it more like close, I think, to you. Right. You feel like you're there. And you feel like you're more like, you get them. Right. You feel like you're there. And they're more like you get them. Yeah. You feel like you are part of them. So, and then they've done such amazing things with this tragedy and his friends and everybody. Oh, yeah.

Everyone in his life has done so much after his death that it's just one of the, I felt like it was an important one to tell. And it needed two parts for sure. I need to go like snuggle Franklin. I know. For the rest of the day. I think it's like, in fact, I think when these, like one of the hospital CEOs, when he

was, when he, it was when he broke down in tears, when he said that Matt had passed away. Yeah. He said to the press that Judy had told him to tell everybody, go home and hug your babies. Yeah. And it's like, because so everybody go home and hug your babies. Yeah. And it's like, so everybody, go home and hug your babies. Was they be fur babies, real like human babies? All the babies. Your friends, your family, anybody you love, just give them a hug.

Give them a hug. Me and Alina might even hug. We all need huggers. We're not huggers, and we might even hug. But you know, just appreciate who you love. Yeah. And don't spread hatred. No Stop spreading any kind of hatred. Stop raising kids to hate people. Stop being racist,

Stop being homophobic, stopping, stop. You have the power to stop. Yeah, and it's a lot of fucking energy. Does anybody really bothering you that much? No, they're not. It's just your own hate. You're way more concerned with them than they are with you. It's true. It's like true. It's like a spider. Chill out. Like leave it alone. It's more, you're more concerned with it than it is with you. Just like a spider. Go your separate way.

That's a different story. You're like, that doesn't work. Oh, but yeah, so hopefully you guys appreciated this tale and we'll think on it a little bit. Yes. And as always, you can follow us on Instagram at morbid podcast send us a Twitter a morbid podcast. Hit us up on Gmail that is where all the center tail should go morbid podcast at gmail.com. No where else. Thank you for listening and we hope you keep it weird.

Do we like forget how that I think we did. We totally, we're emotionally smashed right now. We're emotionally smashed. All right, bye guys. Bye. I'll be child there. Yeah. Hey, Prime Members! You can listen to Morvid, Early, and Add Free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen Add Free with Wondery Plus and Apple Podcasts.

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