by Patrick J. Buchanan – October 20, 1998

Matt Shepard is dead. His death was vicious and violent.

According to prosecutors, Shepard was in the Fireside Lounge in Laramie, Wyo., when he “confided to Mr. McKinney and Mr. Henderson (his alleged killers) that he was gay. The subjects deceived Mr. Shepard into leaving with them … to a remote area.”

While walking into a field, Henderson “struck Mr. Shepard in the head with a pistol.” The two then “tied Mr. Shepard up with rope, robbed him and tortured him, while beating him with the butt of a pistol. During the incident, the victim was begging for his life.”