Henderson pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. He was rushed to a hospital but died five days later.
A cyclist found Shepard tied to the fence. Their reason for the crime was because Shepard was gay. The men proceeded to tie Shepard to a split rail fence, tortured and beat him until he was close to death. 6, 1998, Shephard, a 21-year-old homosexual college student, went with two men, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, to the Sherman Hills Neighborhood east of Laramie. "This play is one way we feel we can help educate people about hate because I think everyone in the cast has definitely learned a few lessons themselves," Podgorny said. Samantha Podgorny, a senior from Redman, Wash., who plays a principal role, shares Bishoff's feelings about the script. It is live theater at its most affecting." "As the play works its considerable magic, it evolves into an experience quite difficult to describe. But it is more than the sum of it's parts," Bishoff said. It is intense, non-violent, funny, infuriating, astonishing, and deeply moving. "The Laramie Project" deals with personal issues surrounding hate crimes - criminal acts that are motivated by the prejudices against a social group, according to Bonnie Bishoff, director and MCLA theater professor. By Andrea Salisbury 12:00AM / Wednesday, OctoPrint Story | Email Story NORTH ADAMS - The Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Theater Department will present "The Laramie Project," a play about the aftermath of the brutal murder of a gay man in the small town of Laramie, Wyo., on Wednesday, Oct.