20/20 deliberately omitted important facts about Matthew Shepard's murder

Planet Jackson Hole ^ | 12/1/04 | Mary Grossman

[marygros]

"What [Henderson and McKinney] did to Matt was way beyond meth rage," said O'Malley. "I just don't believe it."

Last Friday, ABC aired a much-anticipated edition of "20/20" titled "A Murder in Laramie: The Mystery and the Myth" that claimed to re-examine the case and put forth new evidence surrounding the murder. The producers of "20/20" and its host, Elizabeth Vargas, suggested that Shepard was not murdered because he was gay, but because of drugs - specifically methamphetamine - and money. Those closest to the case said they were stunned and sickened by ABC's report, and claimed "20/20" deliberately massaged and omitted facts in their retelling of the story.

[marygros]

What was to be a review of the 20/20 episode "A Murder in Laramie: A Mystery and the Myth" which aired on Nov. 26, 2004, evolved into an expose on how 20/20 deliberatly omitted truths surrounding the Shepard murder. Investigators who do not appear on the show as well as those who do are interviewed and claim they were misrepesented.

20/20 provides NO evidence that this was NOT a hate crime.

[Jeff Head]

Except that the perps themselves said it was not.

That's not proof...but its tough to proof that it was...you'd have to know the heart of the individual...and none of us can do that.

Hate crimes are the same as thought crimes. I say hang 'em high for murder, plain and simple.

[Rodney King]

20/20 provides NO evidence that this was NOT a hate crime.

Huh? I'm not saying it wasn't a hate crime - probably was. But how can you say that they provide NO evidence? The kids testimony? The admission by the cop in this article that in fact the initial motive was robbery? Isn't that at least a teensy weensy bit of evidence?

[bvw]

You believe in hate crimes?

[marty60]

Leave it to the Ratmedia to try to make excuses for a vicious murder. Frankly, I don't see how anyone could commit a murder and not call it hate. Period. But what is ABC's point. these two should NOT be in prison for murdering a young man because they were stoned?

[Annie03]

All violent crimes are hate crimes, aren't they?

[ModelBreaker]

I don't know the truth. But once drugs--especially meth--get involved, the fact that this murder was brutal is not proof of anything in particular. Remember the Rick James incident. He and his girlfriend tied up a girl and burned her repeatedly with cigarettes because they thought she stole some cocaine. Hate crime because of its brutality? Nope, just some dopers being dopers.

None of this is to say that the two perps shouldn't have gone down hard for what they did. They should. But lots of weird, violent, nasty stuff goes down on the street for no reason other than that the perps and the victims are drug users.

[Annie03]

Anyone who commits such a horrific crime should be punished...and this is a life in prison crime (IMO).

[Rodney King]

But what is ABC's point. these two should NOT be in prison for murdering a young man because they were stoned?

No. Why do they have to have a point other than shedding new light on the story?

[traderrob6]

Murder is murder. Whether it was done for drugs, money or hate has no relevance to anything.If the death penalty is off the table put em in jail for the rest of their life and forget about it

[infidel29]

A liberal news magazine purposefully omitting facts from a story to cover up a hate crime against a homosexual? A crime that would infuriate other libs and call into question the thoughts and beliefs of the accused?

marygros as of today? sniff, sniff...don't mind me, I just thought........

[BloodScarletMinnesota]

DU kneels at Matt Sheperd's fence as they weep and wail and tear each other apart for LOSING. Leftists care not a whit for the poor, blacks, gays, whatever, insofar as it can fool those people to vote for them. Didn't work. Again. It's bad anytime someone is murdered, but the Left tried to politicize it and make Shepard their Jesus, to shame normal people for the "crime" of being normal! Didn't work! Look to your Leftists as to why they killed Matt...