‘The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime’ Documentary Aims To Investigate The Impact Of One Of America’s Worst Anti-Gay Hate Crimes
31.08.2023 - 16:15
/ etcanada.com
It was one of the most tragic hate crimes to rock North America.
On Oct. 12, 1998, a 21-year-old gay college student named Matthew Shepard died in a Colorado hospital five days after being brutally abducted, beaten and tied to a fence in Laramie, Wyoming.
According to People, his convicted murderers, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, have been slammed with two consecutive life terms for his kidnap and murder.
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On Oct. 9, “The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime” on Investigation Discovery (ID) will celebrate his life on the 25th anniversary of one of the United States of America’s most brutal hate crimes.
The docuseries will include exclusive interviews with Shepard’s friends and allies, local journalists and celebs deeply impacted by the murder, including Rosie O’Donnell and Adam Lambert.
Jason Sarlanis, President of Turner Networks, ID and LHN, stated: “Matthew’s story remains just as heart-wrenching and relevant today as it was 25 years ago. This tragedy ignited an incredibly emotional and influential chapter in the fight against LGBTQ+ discrimination that brought great progress.”
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Shepard’s death led to his parents, Judy and Dennis, creating The Matthew Shepard Foundation, which fights for LGBTQ+ rights and protections.
In 2009, former U.S. president Obama signed a federal hate crimes prevention act with Shepard’s name attached to the legal document.
“The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime” debuts Oct. 9 on ID at 9 p.m. ET and will stream on HBO Max the following day.