So according to a new book, one of the guys currently in jail for the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard was tweaked to the eyeballs on meth, and had been for five days.

And apparently Matthew Shephard was a meth dealer (among other things). I rather think this complicates the “Ew, a Gay!” motivation that was attributed to the attackers.

The Advocate thinks so, too, But they proceed to bury the lede:

There are valuable reasons for telling certain stories in a certain way at pivotal times, but that doesn’t mean we have to hold on to them once they’ve outlived their usefulness.

When it’s time to move the public consciousness on a subject, then lie your ass off (or, amend the truth with great determination, if that makes it sound better). When you’ve achieved what you want, then you can permit “thoughtful re-examination,” “troubling questions,” and other fillips of the intellect. They can’t do any harm now.

(h/t Ed Driscoll)