Fri. March 21, 2014
Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard, released a short statement online about the passing of Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps, Sr.
"Regarding the passing of Fred Phelps, [husband] Dennis and I know how solemn these moments are for anyone who loses a loved one," Shepard said. "Out of respect for all people and our desire to erase hate, we've decided not to comment further."
Phelps Sr., a disbarred lawyer and an ordained minister, and his church gained national attention when they protested at the funeral of Matthew Shepard, who was killed in an anti-gay hate crime in 1998 by two men he met in a gay bar.
Judy Shepard went on to create the Matthew Shepard Foundation and lobbied for passage of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
Phelps Sr., died March 19, 2014 at a Topeka, KS. hospice after being excommunicated from the church in August of 2013.
Related: Fred Phelps, Westboro Baptist Church founder, dies at 84
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