Billy the Kid Faces The Law... Again

Jason Raddin writes "MSNBC.com has an interesting story about a new showdown in the Old West. It seems as if Billy the Kid can still cause problems for the law-men of New Mexico, even as he rests in his grave. Several small New Mexico towns claim to possess the "true" grave of Billy the Kid (a.k.a. William H. Bonney, Henry McCarty, Kid Antrim). Two sheriffs in Capitan, New Mexico have proposed that this mystery be solved using modern DNA testing. The proposal was made in June to exhume the remains of Bonney's mother and the two reported graves of Bonney. This has spurred a hot legal debate raising an interesting question: which is more important, tourist dollars or the truth?"

Comments

What about...

[Stile 65]

...the rights of the dead buried people that they're digging up?

Who owns those plots of land? Do dead bodies automatically become the property of the state?

The Truth

[jeffasselin]

Really. I mean is there even an argument here?

Re:The Truth

[pavon]

No they are not. They both have historical reason to believe that Billy the Kid is buried there. Are they 100% certain about this? No. But that's not lying thats history - there is always uncertainty about the records and recollections of the past. There is no reason to think that these small town people, who have made nice museums and done their part to keep history alive, are a bunch of fraudulent scum. They are just uncertian.

Oh, and I don't know who framed that truth vs. tourism question but it is pretty stupid.

Re:The Truth

[balloonhead]

What if they dig them up and find that none of them are Billy the Kid?

Seriously, this is sad. The dead have no rights, fair enough. But this goes against all the moralities laid down by all the major religions, as well as common decency to those who, like me, are atheists. Leave him in the fucking ground.

A showdown, eh?

[Faust7]

But the mayors of Fort Sumner and Silver City say they won't let the bodies buried in their towns be disturbed, and that sets the stage for a legal showdown in December when New Mexico District Court Judge Jim Foy is to consider the matter.

Mayor Lopez: Draw.
Sheriff Graves: No!
(Lopez pauses)
Graves: I thought we could settle this like men!
Lopez: You thought wrong, dude.
*BLAM*

(Back to the Future ref for those of you in the sad sad dark.)

Possible problem with the truth...

[gloth]

What if they do the DNA tests and it turns out that Billy the Kid isn't in either of those graves?

What about RIP?

[Karadryel]

This has spurred a hot legal debate raising an interesting question: which is more important, tourist dollars or the truth?

Whatever happened to the whole "rest in peace" notion? Let me get this in writing right now: if someone comes diggin' me up in a century or so, I am *so* gonna haunt that guy!

How about respect?

[KFury]

"...which is more important, tourist dollars or the truth?"

How about respecting the dead? Is 'loss of tourism' really the best answer we can come up with to not open up two people's graves (at least one of whom is assuredly not Billy the Kid)?

Obligatory Predictable Response

[jasonditz]

Since when do living people have rights?

Re:okay. sure.... so where do computers come in?

[c0dedude]

News For Nerds, Stuff that matters. That's the test. A new technology comes in that lets you determine identity accuratly, 100%. A man has died and been buried for around 100 years. The question here is: "Should technology be used retroactivly?"

Consider the following example. A person is murdered. A murder-machine is invented 100 years after the person is killed that tells who killed a person even 100 years after the person died. Is it ethical to put the families of the suspects (all the suspects are long dead) through the trauma of knowing that their grandfather was a murderer?

Geekdom is occasionally concerned with science fiction, and science fiction creates worlds with rules designed such that the author can play with an idea. Here, the rules change such that a person can determine identity 100%. This change makes this News for Nerds, and I'd certanly say that the issue of retroactive technology, which can include DNA Testing, Mitochondrial DNA, and Cryogenics, matters.

Not only could it tell who was the right Billy:

[rsidd]

It could decide whether Pat Garrett was a hero or a "liar who covered up a murder to save his reputation."

New Mexico...for tourism?

[SetarconeX]

I've got a lot of family in New Mexico and Arizona, and I've actually been to a couple towns which claim to have his body, and you know what?

Nobody really cares, outside of those towns.

The problem is, some of these town, having basically nothing aside from big-ass desert, have so little in the way of anything whatsoever, that some of these little towns a hundred miles from anything have to go out of their ways to rationalize their existance.

And you know what's really shocking? It's not even a tourist thing. There's not that much cash in it. Nobody makes holy pilgrimages to Billy the Kid's tomb. It's a pride thing. It's completely about these towns wanting some claim to history, however miniscule.

It's rather sad really. Not unlike the town of Roswell, where you can't go downtown without seeing a dozen shops selling schlocky plastic alien trinkets.

Re:New Mexico...for tourism?

[Andurin]

I actually live in Silver City. I was born and raised here. What I can assure all of you is that this story has been around (my intial report in June) for awhile, and the reason it hasn't been settled yet is because we like to fight about everything. The local paper has been covering the story, if you want another perspective on things:

They include the statement that Catherine Antrim, buried in Memory Lane Cemetery, has a "legal right to repose in her grave"; Silver City is charged with the management of the cemetery; the town is "empowered to preserve and protect historical landmarks within its jurisdiction, including Catherine Antrim's grave site, under the Historic District and Landmark Act,"; and the town must protect the dignity of "those interred on its public grounds."

However, as far as tourism goes, NM does have alot to offer. No flashy lights or big buidlings, but we have National Monuments, Parks, and Forests, along with countless state monuments and parks. Perhaps you might want to check out the Gila Cliff Dwellings, or the City of Rocks, or take a tour of ghost towns. You can do all three within an hour and a half drive from Silver City. We have thirty-three art galleries downtown, access to just about any outdoor activity you can think of, and host the Tour of the Gila, a prominent cycling road race, every spring. And that's just Silver City.

I certainly agree that this might be getting a little too much attention. However, I think it might be taking it a little far to think that Silver City is trying to rationalize its existence on the fact that Billy the Kid's mom is buried here. In fact, aside from post cards, I've never really seen any Billy the Kid merchandise. Maybe I should go into business.