Ten Years Ago Today

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Topic started by 'tavdy'

Looking for friends (and more) to do life with. I've some good mates already, but you can never have too much of a good thing. Except life & pavlova. And like Einstein, I'm not sure about the former...

A topic from Gay Interest: Issues

tavdyTue 07/10/08 21:36

http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/10/07/3319

"Ten years ago today at around 6:30 PM, Aaron Kreifels was riding his bicycle on Snowy Mountain View Road, just outside of Laramie, Wyoming, when he wiped out near the end of a rough buck-and-rail fence. In the fall, he severely damaged his front tire. Aaron got up to try to figure out how to get back into town when he was startled by what he thought was a scarecrow. He took a closer look and discovered that it wasn't a scarecrow, but a 5-foot-2, 150 pound University of Wyoming student by the name of Matthew Shepard.

Aaron was further surprised to see that the bloody figure was still alive, though barely. Matthew was comatose, breathing 'as if his lungs are full of blood,' Aaron would later testify. It had been a very cold day that day with a 30-degree freezing wind the night before, and it was now evening again. Matthew had been there for more than 18 hours, laying on his back, head propped against the fence, his legs outstretched. His hands were tied behind him, and the rope was tied to a fence post just four inches off the ground. His shoes were missing.

Aaron, in a state of panic, ran to the nearby home of Charles Dolan. From there, they called 911, and then the both of them returned to Matthew to wait for the sheriff's deputy to arrive. Deputy Reggie Fluty later testified that the only spots not covered in blood on Matt's brutally disfigured face were tracks cleansed by his tears. She told the barely breathing victim, 'Baby, I'm so sorry this happened.'

Matthew was rushed to Poudre Valley Hospital's intensive care unit in critical condition. He suffered fractures from the back of his head to the front of his right ear from being pistol-whipped by a 357-Magnum more than twenty times. He had severe brain stem damage which affected his body's ability to control heart rate, breathing, temperature, and other involuntary functions. There were lacerations around his head, face and neck. He had welts on his back and arm, and bruised knees and groin. He had also suffered from hypothermia.

His injuries were too severe for doctors to operate. They did however insert a drain into Matthew's skull to relieve the pressure on his brain.

By the end of ten years ago today, Matthew Shepard was laying quietly in a soft, warm bed with clean sheets after having spent eighteen hours in the freezing high plains of Wyoming tied to a fence post. He was breathing with the aid of a ventilator."

caffeinehoundTue 07/10/08 21:38

It was a disgusting crime. It feels like a lifetime since I first heard about it

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