Outgoing New Mexico gov. Bill Richardson may one-up outgoing Florida gov. Charlie Crist in the pardoning department. Crist weighed a pardon for the late Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors who may or may not have exposed himself at a concert back in the late 1960s.
Richardson is weighing a pardon for one William Bonney, better known as Billy the Kid. A territorial governor at the time apparently offered Bonney a pardon in a particular shooting if he testified before a grand jury investigating another murder. Although Bonney testified, the territorial governor did not issue the pardon. Anyone who is surprised that a politician did not honor a promise should probably not operate heavy machinery until the drugs wear off.
Descendants of Sheriff Pat Garrett -- who is supposed to have ended Bonney's criminal career by shooting him -- as well as the descendants of the territorial governor have gone on record as opposing the pardon. None of the principals in the matter could be reached for comment, since they've all been pushing up daisies for a half-century or more.
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