Its something, I followed the case, because I didn't get at first how these guys were supposed to know Shepard was gay. In their confessions, all they say is that he was at the bar by himself, and had money, later on, they added they figured out he was gay. I don't think they got that conclusion based on how he was dressed (geeky/preppy to be nice)
I know part of the premise that people thought these guys knew Shepard had to do with something that was done to him when they beat on him. They took his shoes or something, years earlier something similiar had happened to Shepard and he was tramitized, these guys said they only did it, to be jerks and make it difficult (the fact that they beat him senseless somehow wasn't enough).
Interesting fact that was going to be a part of the initial defence (it may have been used to get mercy from court later), one of the 2 attackers, had been molested as a child. The bartender who knew all the folks involved described Shepard postivley and the other 2 guys as drug users, but was always very coy about if this was a gay bashing or related to anything else, he pretty much makes it clear he thought it was a robbery.
I do know the bar is still open to this day, but from what I read, after a bunch of documentaries and movies or whatever, supposedly, alot of hostility has built up.