Billy the Kid is a very important part of New Mexico
history. I love to visit New Mexico quite often and I love New Mexico. I
belong to the Billy the Kid Outlaw Gang, which I also love, and this
article is not reflective of the BTKOG, but rather the views of myself and
the Billy the Kid Museum of Canton, Texas.
There are two issues relevant to BTK that are active
today and I wish to express my views on them as follows:
(1) There is a movement to re-try BTK again for the
murder of Sheriff Brady. This is a moot issue and a waste of time. It
is true that BTK was promised a pardon then and should have been given
one as promised, in my opinion. But, lets be realistic He was
an accomplice to the crime at least and could easily be convicted of
murder, whether he killed Brady or not, because he was there, he was
shooting a gun, and he was deeply and actively involved. When BTK made his
famous escape from the Lincoln County Jail, he did kill 2 lawmen. These
two murders were made in the case of self-preservation and most of us
would kill to escape death therefore, many of us can relate to his
daring escape. However, please be realistic These two murders were two
murders of two lawmen clear cut. Billy the Kid WAS guilty of murder
so a retroactive trial to try him for the murder of Sheriff Brady is
irrelevant, unnecessary and moot.
(2) There is a movement to pardon Billy the Kid. This is
a two-sided issue, as follows:
(a) I would never support a pardon for Billy the Kid who
was convicted of the murder of Sheriff Brady (right or wrong), and then
who (regardless of the situation) killed, for sure, two more lawmen in his
jail escape. It is beyond my thinking to believe that anyone would waste
his or her time applying for a re-trial of BTK for the murder of Brady.
BTK negated this with the two murders in his escape.
(b) however, the other side of this issue is
interesting. I would and do fully support a Pardon of Billy the Kid who
did not die in 1881, but in a secret deal, escaped and lived a basically
decent and law-abiding life for 69 more years and who died under the
alias of Brushy Bill Roberts in Hico, Texas. There are several affidavits
of people who knew Billy the Kid on or before 1881 and who swore that
Brushy Bill was, in fact, the Billy the Kid. Mrs. Martile Able attested to
it in the Herald Post November 25, 1950 (Woman Says Billy the Kid Visited
Her Here in July.") and Severo Gallegos who attested to it in the El
Paso Times November 26, 1950 ("Billy Visited Him in April, Says
Gallegos.") It is time for New Mexico to admit the truth Billy
the Kid did not die in 1881, but rather in 1950.
I hereby beseech the Honorable Benjamin B. Rios to
request that the New Mexico Legislature pass a bill to pardon Bily the Kid
who lived 69 years as a decent citizen and who, in old age, seeking to
make amends with himself and his Maker, was denied a pardon by Governor
Mabry in 1950. Governor Lew Wallace should have given BTK a pardon as
promised. Then, the two murders in 1881 would not have happened. Governor
Mabry should have given Billy the Kid a pardon in 1950 for 69 years of
decent living. Now, it is time for New Mexico to correct its errors of the
past and grant Billy the Kid (1859-1950) a full pardon.
Dr. Jannay Valdez
Billy the Kid Museum of Canton
Canton, Texas 75103 (972) 504-6608
