Pubdate: Fri, 26 Nov 2004
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (KY)
Copyright: 2004 Lexington Herald-Leader
Contact:  http://www.kentucky.com/mld/heraldleader/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/240
Author: Robert W. Black, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

KILLERS SAY THEY DIDN'T CARE SHEPARD WAS GAY

2 Agree Robbery to Get Money for Meth Went Bad

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - In their first public interview since attacking gay 
college student Matthew Shepard, his killers said they were motivated not 
by homophobia, but the prospect of robbery to fuel a methamphetamine binge.

"He was pretty well-dressed, had a wallet full of money," Aaron McKinney 
said of meeting Shepard at a Laramie bar in October 1998. "All I wanted to 
do was beat him up and rob him. ... Seemed like a good idea at the time."

The interviews air today on ABC's 20/20.

The robbery got out of hand, said McKinney and his buddy, Russell 
Henderson, and Shepard was beaten into a coma while tied to a fence outside 
the small college town. The 21-year-old died five days later.

The crime drew condemnation from President Clinton, Congress and the 
international community, and spurred debate on the effectiveness of hate 
crime laws. McKinney and Henderson, both 27, are serving life sentences for 
murder.

McKinney said it was because he was strung out on drugs that he killed 
Shepard, not because Shepard was gay. Henderson agreed, saying "it's not 
because me and Aaron had anything against gays or any of that."

Henderson said that McKinney, who had been bingeing on meth for days, set 
out that night to rob a dealer of $10,000 worth of the drug. Henderson 
thought if he could keep McKinney drinking, his friend would forget the plan.

McKinney said Shepard was sitting at the bar when he and Henderson arrived, 
and at one point McKinney asked Shepard for a cigarette.

"He said he was too drunk to go home and then he asked me if I'd give him a 
ride," Mc-Kinney said.

In the truck, McKinney claimed, the two learned Shepard wanted sex in 
return for giving them drugs, but McKinney decided to rob Shepard instead.

According to McKinney, Shepard grabbed his leg and he struck Shepard with 
his gun and demanded money. Although Shepard handed over his wallet, the 
beating continued.

"Sometimes when you have that rage going through you, there's no stopping 
it," McKinney said. "I've attacked my best friends coming off of meth binges."

They decided to dump Shepard in a secluded spot, and when they came upon a 
rustic fence blocking the road, McKinney decided to tie him to it.

"Then when I'm leaving, he says he's going to tell on me," McKinney said. 
"I went back and hit him one more time. I hit him real hard that time."
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