July 14, 1881, Pat Garrett shot Billy the Kid stopping the career as an outlaw and murderer. Nearly 130 years later, governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico has supposedly considered granting a pardon that was promised to Billy the Kid by New Mexico’s governor before he was gunned down 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.
The Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett saga
Garrett took Billy the Kid in under arrest in 1879 for murdering a county sheriff. As outlined by 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. The pardon wasn’t 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. Billy the Kid murdered two deputies on the way to his hanging. Garrett found Billy a couple of months later and shot him when he was sleeping.
Did Billy the Kid really die in there?
Richardson wanted to check on the issue of whether a pardon should are issued which is why the Billy the Kid stuff came up again. The Associated Press reports the governor once offered state resources to examine whether Garrett killed Billy the Kid and not an innocent man. Billy the Kid may very well have lived by the name “Brushy Bill” in Texas until about 1950. Santa Fe lawyers were put on the case to represent Billy the Kid so every little thing could be made right.
Publicity stunt by Bill Richardson
Richardson’s interest in Billy the Kid’s pardon prompted an angry response from Garrett’s family. A letter to Richardson from the Garrett family was shown in the El Paso Times saying the governor was making up stories that no longer show the truth and how great their ancestor really was. ”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. Numerous people think there is really no point in giving a pardon to someone well known as an outlaw. “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”.
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
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