Media Coverage of the Matthew Shepard Murder

Colleen Feeney

3-9-10

Media Coverage of the Matthew Shepard Murder

In a chilling moment in the film, “The Laramie Project”, an entire nation waited to hear the devastating news of Matthew Shepard’s death. In this particular case, the media took a strong interest and connected with the small town and the brutal murder. It is imperative to question what made the murder so different and why there was so much attention paid to it. By tracking different articles from “The New York Times”, it is possible to determine the attitudes toward the incident and how they changed over time.

The Matthew Shepard case was not the first time someone of the Homosexual community had been attacked for their sexual orientation. There are many different factors that made his case different. One of these factors is that when looking at Matthew, he looks non-threatening and he is easy to feel sympathy for. This made it much easier to paint him as a perfect, innocent martyr. The brutality of the crime also set it apart from other incidents because it was not a simple or humane murder. He was beaten and left to die and this furthered his image of being helpless and alone. It was an opportunity to draw attention to an issue that had become more and more pressing. However, even Matthew’s parents acknowledge that the media tended to make him seem more perfect than he was.

For example, in the first report by the New York Times, "Gay Man Beaten and Left for Dead; 2 Are Charged", there was an already an extremely sympathetic tone. This is demonstrated in the quotes included. For example, when describing how the incident began, the quote included is coming from a man who is in tears about the incident who states “He was sitting at the bar, having a beer, when two men came up and talked to him… now he is in a coma”. Not only does this appeal on an emotional level, it also demonstrates that Matthew was just sitting, minding his own business when he was approached. This makes the reader feel sorry for Matthew. In this piece, background is given on Matthew, which also appeals to the media and contributes to the interest in the story because as a reader, there is a connection to him. The reader feels that they know him personally because they are familiar with the things he is involved with and the things he is passionate about. When describing the attack, the article spares no details, including the type of rifle and his begging for his life. The article also wastes no time in condemning the small town for their relationship with the gay community quoting Carla Brown saying, “If I were a homosexual in Laramie, I would hang low, very low”. Also, the writer includes that it was a hate crime and the article is centered on the idea that it was a hate crime even though at this point, the police only recognized it as a robbery. The rhetorical decisions the writer chose to make definitely enhanced the article and the connection the reader has with the incident.

In the second article the New York Times released after the attack, "After Beating of Gay Man Town Looks at its Attitudes" by James Brooke, Laramie’s values are once again called into question. Brooke similarly provides background to engage the reader and connect us to Matthew. Because this is not just a piece on the incident, Brooke includes stories from different people who have felt marginalized by the community for their sexual orientation. For example, he includes a story about a man who saw that a sign for a museum had been changed from ''Shoot a Day or Two,'' so that it read ''Shoot a Gay or Two.'' Even after politely informing the museum of this multiple times, his request that it be fixed was ignored. This illustrates the community in a way that makes it seem very intolerant and closed-minded. Brookes also uses examples that are more personal and individual. In one case, the editor of a newspaper was called a “faggot lover” because she was handing out the special edition dedicated to Matthew. One man in Laramie stated 'This incident was atypical in its brutality, but not in its underlying motive” and said that gay people “are frequently assaulted with derision, intolerance, insult and hostility -- if not guns and ropes.'' Though the article is suggestive that the town is very intolerant, Brooke establishes his ethos and builds his credibility by providing quotes from the people who thought Laramie was an “anti hate” community. He includes quotes such as “'We live in the Equality State,' 'Hate Is Not a Small Town Value -- No to Violence and Evil, and ''No Hate Crimes in Wyoming.'' which give Laramie a chance to redeem itself from all of the negative attention. The article also takes quotes from both families but it is obvious who the article is supporting. The quote provided from the Shepard family once again portrays them as the innocent victims and the quote provided from Aaron McKinney’s father made him seem ignorant. He did not seem to understand that the fact they attacked Matthew because of his sexual orientation was very important. He said ''Had this been a heterosexual these two boys decided to take out and rob, this never would have made the national news.” Though this may be true, Mr. McKinney does not recognize that a hate driven crime is more heinous than a simple robbery. It is also obvious that the media attention of the incident has increased because President Clinton is quoted in the article.

In the third article I examined, "Gay Murder Trial Ends With Guilty Plea", James Brooke paints Russell Henderson painted as a monster for the crime he committed. He briefly includes the kind words of Russell’s grandmother and she attempts to say that he was a kind and gentle boy, but the evidence included strongly suggests otherwise. When it is mentioned that he was not the mastermind of the situation and that he didn’t really want anything to do with it, it is coupled with the idea he just said that to get out of the death penalty and throw his partner under the bus. The judge is quoted saying “This court does not believe you feel any true remorse in this matter.” The attorney, Cal Rerucha, is also quoted and he states ''It is my hope that Mr. Henderson will die in the Wyoming State Penitentiary, the only time he leaves the Wyoming State Penitentiary is when they bury him.'' By including these quotes from officials, who have seen the worst crimes, it makes what these men did seem especially horrible. The closing quote of a grieving father makes the reader feel like they are in the court room but more importantly, you feel the pain that Mr. Shepard is going through and you grieve with him. He states powerfully, ''My son was born blind, not physically blind, but blind to people's differences -- short or tall, black, brown or white, religion or ethnic backgrounds. His friends included gays and so-called straights.'' Throughout the article you get a sense of what Matthew was like through these accounts and they make the reader wish they could connect with Matthew. He is portrayed as such a kind, loving, accepting individual that almost serves as a foil to Russell Henderson’s cruelty.

In the final article I analyzed, "Parents of Gay Obtain Mercy for His Killer" written by Michael Janofsky the roles established by earlier articles are acted out. There is no background provided on Aaron McKinney and he doesn’t say anything but a simple apology, which makes him seem inauthentic. The Shepard family on the other hand, is represented very well. The strength and mercy they showed were unimaginable and the quotes provided from Mr. Shepard demonstrate this. He addresses Aaron McKinney personally and says “I would like nothing better than to see you die, Mr. McKinney however, this is the time to begin the healing process, to show mercy to someone who refused to show any mercy.” He also says, “Mr. McKinney, I am going to grant you life, as hard as it is for me to do so, because of Matthew. Every time you celebrate Christmas, a birthday or the Fourth of July, remember that Matthew isn't. Every time you wake up in that prison cell, remember that you had the opportunity and the ability to stop your actions that night.'' He concluded, with obvious emotion: “You robbed me of something very precious, and I will never forgive you for that. May you live a long life and may you thank Matthew every day for it.” The idea that the attackers were all bad and the victim was completely innocent is definitely apparent in this article.

After analyzing different articles about the events surround Matthew Shepard’s murder, it is apparent to me why this case was different. Many different factors led the media to be able to paint the story in a way that the American public could relate to. The victim was literally small, alone, and minding his own business and the attackers were drunk, hateful, and cruel. It was easy for the public to understand the story because it was easy to feel sadness and connect with the Shepard family. This was a horrible crime and hopefully, its widespread media coverage made it so that many people could learn that hatred wont end in anything positive.