Mathew Shepard Case Brief :: essays research papers

Matthew Shepard Case Brief Facts: Twenty one year old, University of Wyoming college student, Matthew Shepard, died October 12, 1998 at 12:53 a.m. after spending five days in a comma due to massive injuries and head trauma in a robbery and hate crime assault (Matthew Shepard, 2000 [on-line]). Matthew Shepard met Aaron McKinney (22) and Russell Henderson (21) of Laramie in a local bar called Fireside Lounge. McKinney and Henderson had been drinking. The two led Shepard to believe they were gay and lured Shepard to their truck. McKinney pulled out a gun and said, Guess what- we’re not gay and you’re gonna get jacked. McKinney then told Shepard to give him his wallet. When Shepard refused, McKinney hit him with the gun. With Henderson behind the wheel, McKinney continued to strike Shepard. McKinney then told Henderson to get a rope out of the truck. McKinney allegedly tied Shepard’s beaten body to a wooden split-rail post fence, robbed him of his wallet and patent leather shoes, continued to beat him and left him to die for over 18 hours. Chasity Vera Pasley (20) and Krista Lean Price (18), the suspect’s girlfriends, hid the bloody shoes of Henderson and provided the suspects with alibis. Shepard’s shoes, coat and credit card were found in McKinney’s pick-up truck; his wallet was found in McKinney’s home. A .357 Magnum was also found in McKinney’s home (Matthew Shepard, 2000 [on-line]). On April 5, 1999, 22 year old, Aaron McKinney was found guilty of felony murder, second-degree murder, kidnapping and robbery. 21 year old, Russell Henderson pled guilty to kidnapping and felony murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life terms. Two women described as the suspects girlfriends, Chasity Vera Pasley (20) and Krista Lean Price (18) were charged as accessories after the fact of first-degree murder (The Data Lounge, Issues 2000, [on-line]). Issues: Aaron James McKinney seemed to believe that his allegation that Shepard had made a pass at him was sufficient grounds to justify joining with friend Russell Henderson in savagely beating Shepard, clubbing him with a handgun, lashing him to a wooden fence and leaving him to die. McKinney’s attorney wanted the jury to accept that because McKinney has a homosexual encounter when he was younger and that he was under the influence of both drugs and alcohol when he alleges Shepard made a pass at him, that he was therefore not responsible for his actions.

Drug abuse Essay

The policy in Switzerland seems to be a success because in the last 10 years there has been an astounding reduction in new users, 82% in fact. Addicts are offered heroin on prescription, access to â€Å"shooting galleries†, needle exchanges and oral methadone. This medicalised drug use has removes its glamour, making it trivial and less appealing. The British government however takes the view that allowing drug consumption rooms risks increasing levels of dealing and anti-social crime. This is the disadvantage currently obstructing the government following suit. The doctor thinks that some users have turned round their lives as a result of this treatment. They come off heroin because of the boredom of routine and drudgery. In addition to the professional opinion, a more personal outlook given by a former addict stated that it should be done in very controlled conditions and only used as a last resort. As I saw on the video, drug abuse has been a problem for centuries and I personally do not see a situation where the world will be free of drug abuse. This is because, when the word drug is defined we mean a medication and there are many legal drugs that are medically prescribed for the treatment of the ill. Drugs such as morphine and paracetamol can also be misused, and the abuse can lead to deaths. In this sense the problem of drug abuse can never be completely eliminated because people will just find another drug to abuse. However, one must be cautious when reading the newspapers as it is likely to be biased. Not everything must be taken into account as it is not likely to be authentic or reliable. To a certain extent not all drugs are as bad as each other; some drugs bring about more harm than others. In other ways, if particular drugs are abused constantly and in heavy quantities they can cause severe consequences, such as tobacco for example. Particular notice needs to be taken of Danger Ratings and the seriousness of heroin addiction. More should be done to prevent this, by tightening rules and regulations and giving harsher punishments to put off new users and give help to existing addicts. Both sources offer contrasting methods for dealing with the problem. The first method, calling upon the government to update the system may not be taken into consideration by some politicians as they do not want to lose votes. However, if it is considered and action is taken, it is a worthwhile action. The second method calling upon softer laws can be seen as helping in some ways, but mainly making it easier for drugs to be abused. In my opinion, the government should tighten rules and regulations for drug abuse and crackdown on Drug related crime, reducing the usage of drugs, and also supply help for the addicts to stabilise their lives. Politics and the law are barriers to both approaches because each method has to gain the Governments approval prior to the action taken, this may prove difficult. This is due to the fact that political parties view their own positions in government more precious than the welfare of the public. As a result of this, they are more concerned with losing votes rather than losing lives. As a whole, drug abuse and addiction is a problem that cannot ever be eradicated completely but it can be controlled and reduced, particularly with certain drugs. As mentioned previously, there are options available to control the issue, and measures can be put in place to reduce drug abuse. The best method would be to take a combination of both options as stated previously. Maybe, in the distant future, drug abuse may not be such a huge pandemic as it is today.

Hiv Aids Conclusions - 877 Words

Conclusion to HIV Aids Media has a powerful role to play in educating the world. It was years ago, that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, the disease now recognized all over the world as AIDS, was first detected and recorded in Asia. Over the past two decades, the infection rate has grown rapidly in Asia, which is now second number to Africa in the number of HIV positive people. In Pakistan, HIV and AIDS was first detected in 1986 and according to UNAIDS estimates, this country now has over 80,000 infected people†¦and counting. HIV/AIDS programming needs to become part of the DNA of media companies globally. In the beginning of the advertising campaign against AIDS in the initial years†¦ a time when media men were scared to even write†¦show more content†¦This ad explains that peer group discussions can be effective for creating awareness for safe sex. In Pakistan recent days a condom ad with the song â€Å"suno zara khushi ki aahat† is running on PTV (Pakistan television) with the collaboration of Green Star (family planning organization). This ad is a song based story in which a happy newly married family with a new born baby has shown. There is not mention in all the song that it’s about the use of condom but at the end of the song 5-6 second logo of the condom has shown. Although the mass media awareness campaigns have not been successful, some developing countries have successfully used the media to combat the epidemic. Media does have the potential to contribute significantly to disseminating this HIV/AIDS messages if utilized effectively and efficiently. Radio is used by the majority of the people in the rural areas therefore radio can be effectively used in the HIV/AIDS awareness. The hypothesis of this research was that â€Å"HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns through the media were not effective† was proved otherwise. Media was accessible to both the rural and urban areas and people were aware of the mode of HIV transmission, however there was still misconceptionShow MoreRelatedEssay about Hiv and Aids in Prisons1629 Words   |  7 PagesRunning head: HIV and AIDS in Prison HIV and AIDS in Prisons Heather Cooper CJ242 Mr. Thompson April 24, 2013 Kaplan College-Southeast Abstract The following pages contain information on the AIDS and HIV epidemic within the United States prison system. The characteristics of these inmates will be discussed and how well this population adjusts to the environment. There are some treatments and services provided to these inmates in and outside the walls of the prison. The public views areRead MoreAddressing The Issues With Human Immunodeficiency Virus1400 Words   |  6 Pages Carmichael Organization Date: January 19, 2017 RE: AIDS Prevention Treatment The Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV as it is commonly known was first seen in the United States about thirty years ago before it generated the world s attention. Since then thousands of American have lost their lives to AIDS and millions more have become infected. As a health organization, GA Carmichael has a growing population of patients infected with HIV. As the family health organization tries to extend partnershipRead MoreSexual Deviance And Its Effects On Target Population895 Words   |  4 Pageschallenges facing public health officials. Transitional Slide C. Impact on Target Population 1. Aside from statistical data highlighting HIV/AIDS incidences and prevalence amongst MSM, it’s imperative to consider the emotional, physical, and financial impact persons suffer when newly diagnosed. In many instances, the same holds true for those living with HIV/AIDS. 2. Psychological issues arise resulting from stress, depression, and isolation, which can impede a person’s capacity to make rationalRead MorePrevalence Of Hiv / Aids1525 Words   |  7 PagesPrevalence of HIV/AIDS in Ohio It was already stated that the HIV/AIDS epidemic impacts persons regardless of sex, age, race/ethnic group and/or geographic region in Ohio, but certain populations seem to be more impacted than others. There are 11, 544,225 people living in Ohio. 80% are white, 12% are black, 3% are Hispanic, and less than 2% are Asian. Each year in Ohio, about 1,000 people are diagnosed with HIV. In 2013, 1,180 people were diagnosed. Overall, there are almost 20,000 known to be livingRead MoreAids : The Age Of Aids943 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the Age of AIDS film many topics that were related to AIDS were brought up that I did not know anything about before. I did not know that there could so many strings attached to a disease and have such an influence in people’s lives whether it was negative or positive. The first scene in the movie I thought was powerful was the scene where kids with HIV were forced to leave school due to the fear of the parents and the ignorance they had back then about not understanding how HIV were transmittedRead MoreWomen Of The Aboriginal Canadian Women1513 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Aids is a disease that is increasing rapidly. Even though there is more efficient technology today than there was before, we still find it difficult to prevent the disease and yet have a large amount of infected people. Women are more prone to the disease than men, let alone the Aboriginal Canadian women. There’s a dramatic increase in HIV and AIDS rates among Aboriginal people in Canada. Although HIV indeterminately affects all individuals no matter age, gender, or race. InRead MoreThe Effects of Hiv/Aids2132 Words   |  9 PagesQUESTION: Discuss the impact of HIV/AIDS on education. CONTENTS 1.) Introduction. 2.) Discussion. i.)   loss of professionals to the effects of HIV and AIDS ii)   Funds channeled to combat effects of HIV and AIDS on education in Kenya iii) High dropout rates to the effects of HIV and AIDS on education iv) The introduction of HIV and AIDS as a unit on the Kenyan syllabus v)  Ã‚   Stigmatizations caused by the effects of HIV and AIDS on education in Kenya 3.) Conclusion 4.) References INTRODUCTIONRead MoreWhen Melonie proceeded to do her presentation, she first identified three persons to stand up and700 Words   |  3 PagesSTI class many years ago, so I came to a conclusion that her topic would be on HIV Aids. I have learnt about HIV at high school, read about it in the newspaper and magazines, bring awareness to young people and was privileged of meeting and talking with people who had HIV and were willing to share their experiences with me personally. Regardless of the all this, listening to Melonie presentation was never boring, I became more knowledgeable about HIV and more aware of what is happening amongRead MoreStephen Lewis, A Canadian Politician And Humanitarian1311 Words   |  6 PagesAfricans suffer through the AIDS pandemic, and critically examined how the neglect of global communities and their discrimination contributed to its failure to resolve. While the rest of the world seemed to be unresponsive to an AIDS-ravaged continent, Mr. Lewis found himself passionately involved in the crisis and began to take action. Since his involvement with the United Nations in 1984, Stephen Lewis has tirelessly advocated for African citizens affected by HIV and AIDS, ensured that he alth careRead MoreThe Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) And The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( Aids )2072 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) do not seem to be a major topic of discussion in the World today. Especially within the United States, HIV and AIDS are not conversed about as openly as perhaps it was in the past two decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at the end of 2010 there were approximately 1.1 million people living in the United States with the HIV virus. Of those 1.1 million people, about