July 14, 1881, Pat Garrett shot Billy the Kid stopping the career as an outlaw and murderer. It has been 130 years since that happened, and New Mexico’s current governor, Bill Richardson, is considering granting a pardon that was designed to be of course to Billy the Kid by the governor before he was shot by Garrett. 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.
Hearing more form Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett
The Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett saga started when the outlaw was apprehended by Garrett for the murder of a county sheriff in 1879. According to the Los Angeles Times, William Bonney which is the real name of Billy the Kid, would testify on an additional murder in exchange for a pardon by the New Mexico Governor Lew Wallace. The pardon was not given although Billy the Kid did end up testifying in the case. Billy went to court and was ordered to have the death sentence for what happened. When it was time to transport him to one more town for his hanging, Billy the Kid murdered two deputies and escaped. Garrett found Billy a couple of months later and shot him when he was sleeping.
Was this really the end of Billy the Kid?
Billy the Kid’s pardon resurfaced earlier this year when Richardson asked a New Mexico columnist to check with historians to see whether they would support issuing a pardon. Some people wonder if there was someone else within the bed instead of Billy the Kid who Garrett shot which, the Associated Press reports, is what the governor wants investigated. Skeptics believe Billy the Kid might have lived in Texas until 1950, using the name “Brushy Bill” Roberts. Richardson decided he wanted every little thing to be right again so he appointed some Santa Fe lawyers to represent the outlaw in his case.
Bill Richardson of New Mexico just wanting publicity
Richardson’s interest in Billy the Kid’s pardon prompted an angry reaction from Garrett’s family. The Garretts wrote a letter saying that Richardson was is making up parts to the story that do not exist and that Richardson is just trying to make their ancestor look like a bad guy, reports the El Paso Times. “The history of New Mexico has been permanently disfigured by the element of doubt alone,” the Garretts said. Many people think there is really no point in giving a pardon to someone well known as an outlaw. In the El Paso Times, historian Drew Gomber exclaims, “There is no point in restoring the civil rights of a dead man. It is a publicity stunt by the governor”.
Discover more information 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
