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CNN Live Today
Billy the Kid
Aired June 13, 2003 - 11:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we turn to a hunt for crime figure from a different era in time. For over 120 years, the story of Billy the Kid has been riddled with mysteries and myths, but now a new investigation hopes to get at the truth of a man who went to his grave in 1950, insisting that he was the infamous Western outlaw Billy the Kid.
Joining us now is New Mexico's governor, Bill Richardson. He's going to tell us more about this project.
Governor, can you hear me?
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON, NEW MEXICO: Yes, I can hear you.
HARRIS: Good to have you with us. I must say, governor, of all the times I talked to you and all the times I've had you on this show, I would never imagine I would be talking to you about a topic like this. Where did this idea come from?
RICHARDSON: Well, Billy the Kid, it's a big legend in the West, but there are a lot of unanswered questions, Leon. First, did Pat Garrett, the famous sheriff, kill Billy the Kid? Some Texans claim they have the real body of Billy the Kid. But we say we have it in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. There's a whole Western lore that involves a decision a governor would have to make. Many years ago, the territorial governor of New Mexico, Lou Wallace, told Billy the Kid he might pardon him if he started behaving. That promise wasn't fulfilled.
So I'm going to look at a lot of evidence involving Billy the Kid and what he did in terms of when he escaped from the Lincoln Country, New Mexico jail, and then decide whether to pardon him or not. This is a fun story, Leon, not all the bleak stories that you're talking about.
HARRIS: Well, it's a pleasure to finally have a fun one, I can tell you that.
So you have DNA evidence you want to look at as well?
RICHARDSON: That's right. We're going to seek DNA evidence of Billy the Kid's mother, who is buried in Silver City, New Mexico, but we're also going to get the national labs that are in New Mexico, Los Alamos, San Dia, to help us with forensic technology, radars. You know, there are a lot of bullet holes in these court houses that have to be determined where they came from. So we're getting modern technology, forensic technology, DNA, to establish the truths involving Billy the Kid. We're also going to try to exhume the body of his mom and get Billy's DNA.
HARRIS: But Let me ask you something. Does everybody want to do this? I'm thinking the idea of keeping the mystery alive keeps people bonded together and just makes life a lot more interesting.
RICHARDSON: Well Billy the Kid's legend will still live, Leon. There is something like 100 movies on Billy the Kid. What I worry about, the only worry I have is that we find out that Billy the Kid is not buried in New Mexico, he is in Texas. I think that's a very limited possibility. But it's an issue that involves, for my state, Western lore, good tourism, good economic development. I admit, you know, there's a bit of hokiness to some of these things, but you know, you've got to have fun sometimes.
HARRIS: We have plenty of time for any politician that wants to admit something. So we want to talk to you about this later after you get some information.
RICHARDSON: Thanks.
HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Governor Bill Richardson. Good luck to you on that mission. We'll be watching.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired June 13, 2003 - 11:32 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Now we turn to a hunt for crime figure from a different era in time. For over 120 years, the story of Billy the Kid has been riddled with mysteries and myths, but now a new investigation hopes to get at the truth of a man who went to his grave in 1950, insisting that he was the infamous Western outlaw Billy the Kid.
Joining us now is New Mexico's governor, Bill Richardson. He's going to tell us more about this project.
Governor, can you hear me?
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON, NEW MEXICO: Yes, I can hear you.
HARRIS: Good to have you with us. I must say, governor, of all the times I talked to you and all the times I've had you on this show, I would never imagine I would be talking to you about a topic like this. Where did this idea come from?
RICHARDSON: Well, Billy the Kid, it's a big legend in the West, but there are a lot of unanswered questions, Leon. First, did Pat Garrett, the famous sheriff, kill Billy the Kid? Some Texans claim they have the real body of Billy the Kid. But we say we have it in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. There's a whole Western lore that involves a decision a governor would have to make. Many years ago, the territorial governor of New Mexico, Lou Wallace, told Billy the Kid he might pardon him if he started behaving. That promise wasn't fulfilled.
So I'm going to look at a lot of evidence involving Billy the Kid and what he did in terms of when he escaped from the Lincoln Country, New Mexico jail, and then decide whether to pardon him or not. This is a fun story, Leon, not all the bleak stories that you're talking about.
HARRIS: Well, it's a pleasure to finally have a fun one, I can tell you that.
So you have DNA evidence you want to look at as well?
RICHARDSON: That's right. We're going to seek DNA evidence of Billy the Kid's mother, who is buried in Silver City, New Mexico, but we're also going to get the national labs that are in New Mexico, Los Alamos, San Dia, to help us with forensic technology, radars. You know, there are a lot of bullet holes in these court houses that have to be determined where they came from. So we're getting modern technology, forensic technology, DNA, to establish the truths involving Billy the Kid. We're also going to try to exhume the body of his mom and get Billy's DNA.
HARRIS: But Let me ask you something. Does everybody want to do this? I'm thinking the idea of keeping the mystery alive keeps people bonded together and just makes life a lot more interesting.
RICHARDSON: Well Billy the Kid's legend will still live, Leon. There is something like 100 movies on Billy the Kid. What I worry about, the only worry I have is that we find out that Billy the Kid is not buried in New Mexico, he is in Texas. I think that's a very limited possibility. But it's an issue that involves, for my state, Western lore, good tourism, good economic development. I admit, you know, there's a bit of hokiness to some of these things, but you know, you've got to have fun sometimes.
HARRIS: We have plenty of time for any politician that wants to admit something. So we want to talk to you about this later after you get some information.
RICHARDSON: Thanks.
HARRIS: Good deal. Thanks, Governor Bill Richardson. Good luck to you on that mission. We'll be watching.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
