Billy the Kid was shot dead by lawman Pat Garrett, who put an end to the outlaw’s murderous career on July 14, 1881. New Mexico’s governor, before Billy the Kid was shot by Garrett, was going to Pardon Billy the Kid, and now, governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico is considering granting that pardon, 130 years later. News of Richardson’s potential pardon of Billy the Kid angered Garrett’s descendants, who are calling it an insult and defamation of their ancestor.
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid yet again
Garrett took Billy the Kid in under arrest in 1879 for murdering a county sheriff. According to the Los Angeles Times, William Bonney which is the real name of Billy the Kid, would testify on another murder in exchange for a pardon by the New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace. Billy the Kid came through, but the governor didn’t. Billy was tried, convicted and sentenced to die. Billy the Kid was on his way to be hung when he killed two deputies and escaped. Garrett found Billy a few months later and shot him when he was sleeping.
Was Pat Garrett responsible for killing Billy the Kid?
Richardson wanted to check on the issue of whether a pardon should have been issued which is why the Billy the Kid stuff came up again. The Associated Press reports that the majority are concerned about whether Billy the Kid was killed in bed by Garrett or if it was somebody else. Skeptics believe Billy the Kid might have lived in Texas until 1950, using the name “Brushy Bill” Roberts. Richardson decided he wanted everything to be right again so he appointed some Santa Fe lawyers to represent the outlaw in his case.
Bill Richardson’s New Mexico publicity stunt
After so numerous years, Garret’s family seems mad that Richardson is thinking about the Billy the Kid pardon situation. The El Paso Times reports that in a letter to Richardson, the Garretts said the governor had created his own version of the facts that have clouded history and damaged the old sheriff’s reputation. ”The history of New Mexico has been permanently disfigured by the element of doubt alone,” was a statement made in that letter from the Garretts. There is no purpose in trying to give a dead outlaw a pardon is what many historians think. “There is no point in restoring the civil rights of a dead man,” historian Drew Gomber told the El Paso Times. “It’s a publicity stunt by the governor”.
Find more details on this subject
Los Angeles Times
articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/14/opinion/la-oe-gardner-billythekid-20100714
Associated Press
google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hLcwJIblvIblKowDQ4Fcr2Ub0nRwD9H9AJEG0
El Paso Times
elpasotimes.com/ci_15626727?source=most_viewed
