Woman Guilty in Aiding Gay Murder

The Associated Press

12/23/98

By ROBERT W. BLACK

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) -- A 20-year-old girlfriend of one of two men charged in the slaying of gay college student Matthew Shepard pleaded guilty Wednesday to being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

Chasity Vera Pasley is one of two women accused of helping Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson dispose of bloody clothing worn by Henderson during the Oct. 7 attack on Shepard, 21, a University of Wyoming freshman who was beaten and left to die on a fence near Laramie.

McKinney and Henderson, both 21, have pleaded innocent to the killing.

Prosecutors said Ms. Pasley's plea was not the result of an agreement for a reduced sentence, though she will be called as a witness if the case against the other defendants goes to trial. She will be sentenced in about 45 days.

Ms. Pasley was Henderson's girlfriend. Kristen LeAnn Price, 19, the other female defendant, was McKinney's girlfriend, and also was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder .No date was set for Ms. Price's trial.

Henderson's trial is to begin March 22. McKinney's trial was set for Aug. 9. Both men are charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping with intent to inflict bodily injury or to terrorize the victim.

The prosecution has until Dec. 31 to decide whether to seek the death penalty.