" 

 ::The new category is irrelevant - it is just a way to do an end-run around the issue.  The ""new category"" is essentially just a thinly-veiled redirection to the hate crime article which brings us back to the legal issue.  The fact remains that Shepard's attackers were neither charged with, nor convicted of a hate crime.  As such it is blatantly deceptive to mention hate crimes in connection with his case.  The fact that some people believe that Shepard's attackers SHOULD HAVE been charged with a hate crime is irrelevent.  It is their personal opinions and speculation and is not relevant to an encyclopedia article.  There isn't even agreement that Shepard was targetted because of his sexuality.  First his attackers said he was (evidently as a legal ploy) and then they said he wasn't (when they had no motive to lie).   "