Matthew Shepard

A disturbing question has surfaced lately in Wyoming due to some unfortunate events in Wyoming that have received national attention, but that question is, "Does Wyoming have a hate crime law?"

A bill creating a hate crime law was first introduced in the Wyoming Legislature in 1999, but so far no such proposal has become law in the state.

The autopsy said the cause of death multiple injuries from blunt trauma to the head and face.

If Dennis Leroy Menefee, Jr., is convicted of raping a person under 13, he could be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Hate crimes traditionally have been defined as acts that send fear to an entire community whose members are similar to those of the victim.

Edmund Burke said, "Those who don't know history, are destined to repeat it." Wyoming is rich in history and we want to look at what events took place on this date in history.

Do you remember the murder of Matthew Shepard in Laramie? He was a gay University of Wyoming student who was robbed, beaten and tied to a fence in 1998, a crime that drew national attention. The Shepard Symposium on Social Justice starts today and runs through Saturday, March 31 at the University of Wyoming.