Dennis Shepard's courtroom speech
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- On October 6, 2008 it will be ten years since Matthew Shepard was the victim of a violent anti-gay hate crime on the outskirts Laramie, Wyoming. On October 12, 2008 it will be ten years since Matthew Shepard succumbed to the atrocious injuries he incurred.
At the conclusion of one of his killer's trials on November 4, 1999, Matthew's father, Dennis, delivered a moving speech in open court.
The audio that is heard in this video was inspired by that speech -- it is a adaptation & dramatization of Mr. Shepard's courtroom statement. It is an audio excerpt from the 2002 HBO film "The Laramie Project" in which Terry Kinney played the part of Dennis Shepard.
Mr. Shepard's full speech/statement can be read here:
www.wiredstrate...
Another very moving delivery of this speech from a stage setting, performed by Cory Richards, can be found here:
• The Laramie Project - ...
To learn more please visit
www.matthewshep...
Many states have their own hate crimes legislation, but there are several that do not. It has been a long battle to try to a get a federal bill that includes LGBT citizens and we're not there yet -- please write your senators and congressperson to let them know it is important. Senator Kennedy has been spearheading a bill and has been doing a great job. The cause must continue.
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This is the most moving speech I have ever heard.
"Mr. McKinney, I give you life in the memory of someone who no longer lives. May you have a long life.
"And may you thank Matthew every day for it."
Hearing Dennis Shepard read this in the movie Matt Shepard is a friend of mine makes me cry every single time. Such a moving speech.
"I give you life in the memory of someone who no longer lives." Powerful words indeed.
I cannot hear his name without getting a knot in my throat. RIP Matthew
TEAR DROPPING, HEARING DAD'S SPEECH. RIP MATTHEW SHEPARD.
My heart can't bare it even after so long. No part of me can ever understand that kind of hate. To know that we're still dealing with things like this in the present day
Matthew was such a beautiful young man. Rest In Peace Matthew.
Joy Vradenburg this may be strange. But i feel like if i met him, we would be friends.
I commend his father on his courage to face the men who killed his son... He's a brave man..
2018...Im still crying.... beautiful speech . RIP Matthew, let your life never be forgotten
We're-all- Human yes still painful knowing what he went throuh he seemed like a happy jolly dude just wantimg to make friends smh
This story is so sad...it makes me cry. Its been 12 years, he will never be forgotten. He was so beautiful.........
thie speech also wrote in the book" the meaning of matthew" i cried when i was reading the book. it is so impressive and touching.
I am so proud to be a part of this play. We are putting it on at my school, and I am in love with the message of it. It has a great message, and we have so many great actors who will portray the characters and get that message across in the strongest way possible. Even just doing a read through, I cried.
"My son Matthew didn't look like a winner. He was rather uncoordinated, and wore braces from the time he was in sixth grade to the day he died"
heard it so many times but as soon as I hear that I'm on the verge of sobbing.
This resonates in me as painful a heartache as it did 15 years ago. This is one of the most astonishing speeches I have ever heard.
Matthew's father showed an unbelievable inner strength. It's so very sad.
Touching, just touching and very brave of Matt's Dad to say so.
12-29-2021... listening to this hurt and proud dad, crying my guts out... as a dad of 2 wonderful boys, never wish to be in this position this brave man was.
That was beyond moving. I have chills from listening to this.
I seen the Matthew Shepard story on like Lifetime and i was holding back tears through he whole movie. This part actually made me cryy
There are not enough tissues in my house to handle the tears that were flowing. What a wonderful tribute from a broken heart.
I hope you did well with your monolouge. I can't imagine having to memorize this speech without crying constantly
Matthew was a 21 year old kid and still even in death ignorant people will voice there opinion.... so what if he was a drug dealer , gay, straight, or from Mars, his death was not in vain. Matthew's death for whatever reason helped a cause, a good cause.
Well, let me tell you this. When everyone has the “same opinion”, it’s very much the same as being in a large cult. Also, it didn’t help a “good cause” if the media lies about him being the “perfect martyr” and his parents and close friends left out important personality traits. For a guy that was raped by another guy in high school, he walks in a truck with two strangers who also pose as gay men to lure him? How can two men know Matthew was gay just for the way he grooms himself? How can they be this stupid to accuse Matthew of making a move on them in spite of admitting to tricking him into thinking they’re gay? Wouldn’t they have known that chances are Matthew would have made a move on them if he thought they were gay? I guess they were hoping that he would make a move on one of them just so they would be angry enough and have an excuse to murder him. No, that doesn’t add up...
I came upon this video after watching "Prayers for Bobby" for the first time tonight. Like many others I knew of Matt's story, but only in the vaguest of terms. After watching a few of these videos, I've been moved to tears. How tragic and senseless to condemn complete strangers whose lives do not affect your own? In honor of Matt, and the countless others who have had their beautiful lives cut tragically short, I pledge to do everything I can to ensure that those around me never forget.
Mathew Shepard is my hero He did not die in vain and because of him i am not afraid to be out and proud and I hope that no one anywhere is ever afraid to be truly who they are
thank you Matt
That speech in the movie made me cry like a baby!
These words truly made me cry buckets. Matthew looked like a very sweet person and didn't deserve to be beaten to death like that.
Such a noble dad, my heart aches 22 years later . Luv u Matthew 💔
Hey Matt, just want to let you know we have not forgotten you. You are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers. Almost 12 years have passed since you were taken from us. Continue to smile down on us!
I remember the day I woke up as a child hearing of Matthew Shepard , I was young maybe 11 just coming to terms with who I was but still not old enough to quite understand ...I remember my mom and dad not knowing yet who I was as a person ..I remember breaking down knowing What happened to Matthew ..I cried that whole night not knowing why..it wasn't until years later I came back and realized that I'm just like Matthew ..it instilled a fear into me that people could go to unfathomable levels of hate just because your gay..but it also gave me strength to come out , It hit home even more as a young adult and to this day I think of Matthew Shepard ..he's forever engrained into my heart... Every time I hear his father and mother speak tears come to my eyes ....I wish I knew Matthew Shepard ..I could swear he's heaven sent an angel living on earth ..I almost hope this next pride I can speak on the subject of Matthew Shepard and bring to light the cause we fight for today .. Matthew didn't die in vain..his soul lives on through the LGBT community and we will never never let his story go unheard ..if I could only say to his parents how blessed they were to have there son,they know already in sure ..but to explain to them how each and every day are community think of him even 15 years later ..he's one soul none of us will ever forget.
andrew lang same here! Even as a kid i was hurt and so was my mom
It is the time to begin healing process, to show merci to someone who refuse to show any merci. This speech is so touching.
Love
never forgotten.
R.I.P My Unknown friend, You have made a foundation for all of us, and I know whatever force is out there is holding you close right now! Much Love and Light to you!! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!
This is heartbreaking!!
Dennis... you may never read this. But if you were too, I'd say well done. You took the nobler path, the path of healing and you are the stronger man. Your courage, your ability to rise about the anger and hatred you so strongly expressed would have made your dear son very, very proud.
I pray that all who listen to your words gain an understanding of what you spoke so clearly. That no matter the troubles we face, the hatred we are confronted with... we are never alone!
As the father of two beautiful children, my heart breaks at this. I remember when it happened. My children were not born yet but as they grow I hope to teach them tolerance and love even if they disagree on subjects or issues that may come up. Respect and love go a long ways towards healing. Matthew lives on as a reminder to those that take lives based on color, sex, or religeon among other things. He is a shinging star for us all. As I listened to this fathers breaking heart I found there
I love this comment. I hope you're still teaching love to your children 9 years later. It's a darker world for LGBTQ+ people than it was when you sought out this video
extremely profound and moving words. Well done Mr Shepard and RIP Matt xx
i just recently found out about matthew shepard. i was 9 when it happend and vaguely rememeber hearing it on the news. but only recently did i read the whole story. it really is a tragedy that the supposed "greatest country in the world" is full of such anger and hate for those who are different because of something they cannot control. If this country is to be as great as people say it is, then we all need to learn to accept people for who they are no matter what. this video made me cry. R.I.P
There are some speeches given where the content is almost instantly forgotten.Mr.Shepard's moving words about his son is most certainly NOT one of those speeches.That he could face McKinney & speak at all is astonishing.And that he could 'grant' his son's murderer life by not requesting the death penalty is as courageous an act as I've ever witnessed.Whatever condition McKinney is incarcerated in has got to be far better than that in which he & Henderson left Matthew.Be grateful for that both of
This has got to be 1 of the most eloquent & highly charged speeches I have ever heard.Mr Shepard had such courage to confront his son's murderers & speak with such dignity about what Matthew meant to him.That his horrific murder has opened the world's eyes to these atrocities can only be of small comfort to the family,but it MUST tell the world,"We will NOT tolerate your hatred any longer" Mr Shepard,I applaud you & sincerely hope you have some peace! R.I.P Matthew.
such a sad loss of a loving and caring soul he will never be forgotten. I hope that a peace comes to Matthews parents in knowing that so many people care he wouldn't want you to be sad . Love and peace to you.
I could hear the love this father had for him..I'll never understand how anyone can do such an evil act and ruin their lives in the process ...
Dear Dennis Shepard i hope you feel the world as we hold you close as your son Matthew would hold you, because of your son i can never hold back my tears but because of gods comfort i feel the warmth & i feel sorrow that hate has brought but as you being a father of a very special boy im sorry that it took his life for all of us too see how special your son was & still is. but i thank you for such an amazing son that you have raised for you are an amazing father & a hero by side of your son Mat
Poor sweet Matthew Shepard!! This horrific hate crime stung my heart so much, I was a teenager in Casper Wyoming and his murder rocked our nation to its core especially for me and my family. I remember this was the same time in my life, that my life was being threatened by my owen peers, telling me to kill my self and to go back to Mexico,,..I was being bullied everyday for being brown, and they would tell me every day how they were going to kill me, and that they were going to bring a shot gun to school and wait until I crossed the street to shoot me, for no reason.. My mother in father made me drop out of high school for fear that I would be next, not for my sexuality but bc I'm Mexican American born and raised in Casper Wyoming...I prayed so hard for Matthew and his family bc I could see it happening to me, so I prayed so hard everyday for protection and for the Killings to stop! By the grace of God I never was hurt..I had tasted a bit of fear for my life and to this day I wondered if that was how Mathew felt at the first initial moment when he knew he was in trouble, and that feeling is so scary..If I thought to hard about what sweet Matthew went through I would get sick to my stomache... Rip Beautiful Matthew!!! I liked to think it was Matthew who protected me from my haters only bc they just went away one day...Thank you for your son!!
That’s is so sweet
I heard this quote years ago, but I think it is the best definition of 'evil' I have ever heard:
“In my work with the defendants I was searching for the nature of evil and I now think I have come close to defining it. A lack of empathy. It’s the one characteristic that connects all the (Nazi) defendants, a genuine incapacity to feel with their fellow men.
Evil, I think, is the absence of empathy.”
- Captain G. M. Gilbert, the Army psychologist assigned to the defendants at the Nuremberg trails
Thank you for posting this. My heart aches for you.
I can even imagine the pain of this family
Matthew days, months and years pass by but you will never be forgotten. Keep your parents in your thoughts and watch over them. They miss ya and we all Miss ya big guy.
The most touching thing from the story of Matthew Shepard is the progress that has been made in his name. Its a horrible thing that someone, anyone, had to die for the world to move forward but I can only say I'm glad that it is.
such an amazing heartfelt speech, I could not stop crying as I listened to it, I am not an advocate of the death penalty purely because I believe it is an easy way out for the perpetrators of such a horrible crime, let them rot in prison and think of what they have done every day
I have so much admiration and respect for Judy and Dennis Shepard. They have done more work with LGBTQ youth than most organizations I have ever heard of . They have helped save lives, educate others, and fought/fight continuously to help shape legislation to help achieve equality for all in the LGBTQ Community. I will never forget when I heard what happened to Matthew. My heart dropped with an aching pain. How can someone hate the idea of someone so different than they, that they are willing to severely torture and violently take their life away? I raised my daughter to believe that everyone deserves to be treated with compassion and respect. And to stand up, when we see that others need help. To be silent, is to stand on the side of the oppressors. Mathew Shepard rest in eternal peace, my friend......❤️
Such an amazing speech. I just can't believe someone would be so hartless to do such things , and even though i known about Matthew for about 20 minutes, i can't help but cry about it. It's just awfull. May you rest in peace Matt
22 years ago today, Matthew was killed before he turned 22.
Oh Matthew. You were so loved. Some men are brutal, but not your father. I’m so sorry.
i hope mr.shepard find the peace he seeks no parent should ever have to loose a child
+kimanim_77 So true, I lost my Son six months back, and still wait for Vincent to call me. Sometimes I wish I would never wake up' God must had given these Parents the strength to endure such a great Loss for their Beautiful Son that Matthew was, and still is.
Joy Vradenburg Do not loose hope there is a reason you are here my mom lost my brother last year and i see her heart ache everyday i miss my bro we were only 2 yr and two weeks apart i wont pretend i know what you and my mom are going threw i hope i never have too you two are some strong ladies my thoughts are with you!
Thank you sweetie, and God Bless you.
Joy Vradenburg And may he bless you as well!
Dearest Matthew: The world is your friend and your student. Because of you, this world got better. Because of your example, many now have the hope you didn't have. You are a martyr in every sense of the word. You are loved, you are loved, you are loved. Thank you for teaching this world to love in ways we had not yet known during your life.
Matt will forever be our friend so sad that this happened to you you loved and cared about everyone
it kills me when he calls his son his hero.
I don't understand how some people can be so evil.
i can't fight tears.
Heartbreaking 💔…..my heart breaks for his family!😢🙏🏻❤️
Very powerful words coming from his father.
wow. Powerful. I have no other words. I am speechless and so sorrowful.
So powerful.......RIP Matthew
May Matthew's story and memory live on. I hope that you are at peace, Matthew. May your spirt and your strength continue to guide those who you touched both on your brief stay here with us and for those who've touched after you died. You will never be forgotten.
For my final paper for my Eng class i choose to write about hate crimes. I remembering being 15 years old and seeing the movie about Matthew. Hate crimes is still a big issue today and needs to be address more, no matter what the hate is, people need to just let people be free to be themselves
RIP Matthew Shepard ♥
i listened to this for the first time and i have one thing to say, i think mr. shepard's ability to restrain himself from those animals is to be commended. yes, a long, long life in prison is much more justice than any death penalty, touche mr. shepard
That was so beautiful ! I live in Baltimore Maryland. The people of Baltimore held a memorial to Matthew and I remembered the picture of where MATTHEW was tied to that fence where Matthew died and it reminded of how Jesus died on the cross ! After this I started to cry ! May God bless you Matthew @
Rest in peace beautiful Matthew. We'll never forget you...
It was the death of Matthew Shepard when I was a kid that made me want to come out to my friends & family...take a stand and step up for the rights of the GLBT community. In his death Matthew Shepard set some things in motion in my life that I do in his honor...These words make me cry everytime that I hear them...I am not sure I could take the high road that the Shepard family did...there are times I think I would've rather have seen them put to death...such a vile evil act...
I did a version of this speech for competition. I could never do Mr.Shepard credit, he is man who's character is to strong and beautiful to be replicated. Does anyone know if there is a full recording of his courtroom statement out there?
i dont know and i cant even imagine how people can be so cruel and disrespectful toward human life. Matthew Shepard is an angel no matter what anyone says. God loves everyone, even though many may not. RIP Matthew.
So much hate in the world! What is wrong with the human race?
Hate. That's what is wrong with the human race!
Rest in eternal peace Matt. May your message continue to change people.
Nice to have come across you and it will be nice to meet you one day.
Even though this happened sometime ago. The pain is still very real. I couldn't even imagine being in the shoes of his parents.
What a wonderful speech. I truly admire Dennis and Judy Shepard for their perseverance and steadfastness throughout this unfathomable tragedy, and for the decision they made to not seek the death penalty, as hard as that would be. It is inspiring to me that there are people who are as progressive and compassionate as the Shepard's are. What an invaluable lesson they have taught us through this experience.
Matthew Shepard's soul IS resting in heavenly peace.
Dennis Sheppard is not only a father but a human being who forgave his traspassers who took his son away from him. Blessed him for showing the world that there is still Mercy towards those who hates us.
Matthew Shepard lives in our heart.
I was so moved by this story, so sad. How can anyone do things like this. I am so sad, sad sad..
RIP from Norway
Rest in peace Matthew Shepard.
I read the book the laramie project and cried when I had to read this speech this story is soo sad.
It's year 2017 now! And Yes, things have change. RIP MATTHEW STEPHERD...
SMILING IN THE HEAVENS, LOOKING DOWN ON US....♡♡
Heart breaking
How hard this must have been for him to say..... he and his family must miss Matt so terribly. May I just say that I wish his family the best in this long process of healing and that I will think of Matt and others when I face adversities. Rest in Peace Matt.... you will be missed by people who never had the chance to know you in life, but who know you very well now.
I want to believe that I could do what Mr. Shepard did.....I am the Mother of a gay son....22 yrs old...I cannot imagnine nor do I want to....what they have gone through. I too, wish them peace and healing!
RIP Matthew Shepard. We all mourn the loss of you.
the part that got me was when u think about the view u had at night from the fence at night ..... it is one of the most beauitful sights and view . i thank god for that and for matthew shepard's story rip
Still hits every emotion. STOP THE HATE 😪
Matthew Shepard - May you Rest.In.Peace. ♥ You will always be in our hearts&you will always be remembered and never forgotten. May your story open the eyes of the blind and ignorant people who cannot accept difference. We are not all the same and we are not perfect. Just because you don`t believe in the norms they do doesn`t give them the right to stop your heart from beating. I pray that the hate will Stop. In any way&form. Beautiful speech Dennis Shepard; it touched my heart&i cried..
That was a horrific murder
I cry every time I hear this
Powerful speech
I saw this movie for the first time last night. The song "Who You'd Be Today" by Kenny Chesney pops into my head and it does make me wonder what he'd be like today.
why why do we have to hate someone who is different (cries)
I can't believe how long it's been since his life was taken.
Incredible speech.
I'm confused is this the actual speech from his dad or is this from the movie?
Such a tragedy. Matthew was/is a really cute/handsome kid. Look at his picture at 1:51. An absolutely beautiful picture. I almost cried looking at it. Rest in a ever-comforting peace, Matthew.
OMG, this world is really wicked. My heart goes out to the family of Matthew. I have an idea. I also went through so much beaten at the age of 18 by my own family. I was paralysed for two weeks and i started recovering. I was beaten till the point i said i won't be me anymore...
If we were all to choose from our birth. I don't think anyone would want to be criticized and everyone would have been white and straight. Only one who wears a shoe really knows how it hurts....
Im doing a POI speech involving Matthew. I hope I do it justice.
@Cristil1111 ,
And,if you haven't already done so,then watch The Laramie Project.I wept from the beginning to the closing credits.
Just as I am now having listened to Mr Shepard's highlt charged & emotive court-room speech.R.I.P Matthew!
This sounds like a clip from the movie The Laramie Project. Is this really the actual Dad, because it sounds like the actor who played him.
Matthew did not "lose". He changed THE WORLD. He may well have done more in death than he ever would have in life. Everyone over a certain age still remembers his name and story. In many parts of this country and others the changes in attitudes we have witnessed because of and since his death have been nothing short of astonishing and were unimaginable thirty years ago. All the same, obviously, I would have happily done it the hard way to still have him with us today...
He died to show people what can happen because of hate. His death is a tragedy, but it is also a miracle for the people who changed their ways. Change can occur.
What extraordinary parents and people the Shepards are. Letting the "defendant" live is the better of the punishments. There is nothing worse than mental torture. Added to it, I would have pictures of Matthew flashing non-stop in his jail cell until he goes truly crazy.