Hatemonger carries on
• Homophobia
According to Phelps' plan, which he has presented to the City Council, a brass plaque would show the young man burning in hell with the words: "Matthew Shepard entered hell Oct. 12, 1998, at age 21 in defiance of God's solemn warning."
City Manager Tom Forslund said the city is "repulsed" by the proposal. "There is no one that wants the Phelps' hate message placed here," he said.
Phelps has threatened to sue, arguing the city park already has a stone monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments, which has left the door open to other religious statements.
Deborah Frazier, Rocky Mountain News: Casper set to reject anti-gay monument
Phelps said he will buy private land for the monument or sue the city if it tries to keep him out of the park.
Sarah McMullen, a spokeswoman for Shepard's mother, Judy, declined comment other than to say "The Shepards and the entire community of Casper have chosen to confront Mr. Phelps' reprehensible behavior with silence."
Preacher muddies monument debate
Earlier: Most homophobic man in America