Billy The Kid

Escapologist, lover, joker, charmer - everyone loved Billy. When he died, he was just 21 years old but he had killed six men. Careful scrutiny of the many original letters written by The Kid, and reports drawn from government files reveal an amazing truth. The government had promised Billy The Kid immunity from prosecution for his first two killings, both of which happened as part of a cattle war where all law had broken down on the frontier. But once Billy had served his purpose as a prosecution witness, the deal was not honoured. Billy was forced back on the run, turned back to crime, killed two more men and was captured. Sentenced to death, he was guarded by two deputies who taunted him about his hanging until he escaped, and shot them both dead with their own guns. Two months later Billy was ambushed at a remote homestead and shot dead. Based on detailed scrutiny of court records, letters and press reports, this film re-creates in exact detail all Billy's killings, and examines the case behind the pardoning of Billy The Kid.

Entfesselungskünstler, Liebhaber, Charmeur – William Bonney hatte viele Talente, für die man ihn schätzen konnte. Doch als der Revolverheld, der unter dem Namen „Billy the Kid“ Geschichte machte, am 14. Juli 1881 im Alter von 21 Jahren in New Mexico starb, hatte er mindestens vier Männer getötet. Die einen feierten ihn als tapferen Kämpfer im Lincoln-County-Rinderkrieg, die anderen schimpften ihn einen Gesetzlosen und Mörder. (Text: 3sat)