Conservative Christians fighting hate-crimes bill
Tiffany Stanley/Religion News Service
Issue date: 6/28/09 Section: Divine Intervention
"There is no evidence that a lack of prosecutions is occurring," said Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel of Alliance Defense Fund. "There is a well-documented pattern that these crimes are being punished under current criminal law without adding any kind of hate crimes provisions."
In Shepard's case, his assailants received life sentences without hate crime laws; but the prosecution was expensive, with no help from federal funds. The proposed legislation would help local prosecutors tap federal resources.
Sean Kennedy, a 20-year-old gay man, was killed in South Carolina in 2007 in what many call a hate murder. His killer, Stephen Moller, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and is serving 12 months and 2 weeks in prison.
His mother, Elke Kennedy, believes if the Matthew Shepard Act had been in place, federal authorities could have stepped in, providing longer sentencing.
"I can't do anything to change the past," she said. "What I can do is take my energy in a positive way and help get the Matthew Shepard Act passed at the federal level and then work to change South Carolina laws."
In Shepard's case, his assailants received life sentences without hate crime laws; but the prosecution was expensive, with no help from federal funds. The proposed legislation would help local prosecutors tap federal resources.
Sean Kennedy, a 20-year-old gay man, was killed in South Carolina in 2007 in what many call a hate murder. His killer, Stephen Moller, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, and is serving 12 months and 2 weeks in prison.
His mother, Elke Kennedy, believes if the Matthew Shepard Act had been in place, federal authorities could have stepped in, providing longer sentencing.
"I can't do anything to change the past," she said. "What I can do is take my energy in a positive way and help get the Matthew Shepard Act passed at the federal level and then work to change South Carolina laws."
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