``Matt was one of us, all of us,'' said Meesha Fenimore, a friend of Shepard's. ``He was no different from any of us. He bought groceries. He did laundry. He wore braces and he loved unconditionally.''

About 150 people attended a ceremony at the University of Wyoming on Tuesday to remember the slight college freshman who died after a beating that caved his skull in. Police say Shepard, 21, may have been targeted because he was gay and two men were charged in the attack.

In a closed courtroom, jury selection continued for a second day in the trial of Aaron McKinney, 22. McKinney is charged with murder, kidnapping and aggravated robbery in Shepard's death and could face the death penalty if convicted.

A second man, Russell Henderson, 22, pleaded guilty in April to felony murder and kidnapping and received two life sentences.

In Fort Collins, Colo., Shepard's parents were on hand for the premiere of a documentary on hate crimes, saying they hoped other families would be spared the pain they have gone through since their son's murder.

The film, ``Journey Toward a Hate-Free Millennium,'' was shown Tuesday to a sold-out crowd of 650 on the Colorado State University campus, not far from the hospital where Shepard died five days after the attack.

``Hate is a disease. Disease can be cured. The cure is tolerance and education for human dignity and the right to be different,'' Dennis Shepard told the crowd before the film that looks at his son's death.

``If we can stop one instance of hurt because of this film, the reason you're here has been worthwhile,'' he said.

The film also focuses on James Byrd Jr. of Jasper, Texas, a black man dragged to death behind a pickup truck, and Rachel Scott, one of 12 students killed in the April 20 rampage at Columbine High School.

Made in Denver with volunteer crews and donated money, the film looks at what motivates violence, shows the diversity of victims and the tragedies that result. It ends with a call for people to educate one another to stop hate crimes.

Mylinda Washington, Byrd's sister, said she supports the film's premise of making the next century one that is free of hate crimes. <[> ``It's an honor and privilege to be a part of this documentary because it sends a positive, yet powerful message to the world,'' she said. ``Since this 20th century has been full of atrocities, a hate-free millennium may seem like something impossible, but not yet unattainable.''

At the Laramie ceremony, the Rev. Roger Schmit of St. Paul's Newman Center said attitudes have changed and that the city must challenge violence.

``We will get there,'' Schmit said, and predicted that Laramie would be ``a model for the rest of our state and our entire country to follow and to learn from.''