10 years after Shepard, no federal hate crime law

[Natasha]

10 years after Shepard, no federal hate crime law

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/10/10/national/a113627D19.DTL
By MATT JOYCE, Associated Press Writer
10/10/2008


(10-10) 12:25 PDT Cheyenne, Wyo. (AP) -- Matthew Shepard's mother
still mourns lost opportunities to battle hate crimes and promote a
greater tolerance of gays in the 10 years since her 21-year-old son
was beaten, tied to a wooden fence and left for dead in a frigid
Wyoming pasture.

Though Congress has not passed a federal hate crime law, Judy Shepard
is buoyed by enhanced punishments for crimes based on sexual
orientation in 31 states and the District of Columbia.

"Ten years have gone by and not that much has changed, and I think
that's just really disappointing," said Shepard, who with her husband
formed the Matthew Shepard Foundation to promote equality for the gay
community.