I DO NOT OWN HATFIELDS AND MCCOYS
Logan County, West Virginia. March, 1881
A few weeks later, as Spring came to the Tug River Valley, Jed Graham was finally put on trial for murder. It was the first week of March when the trial was convened. all of the Hatfields and McCoys gathered in the courthouse as Cotton top Mounts led Jed into the courtroom with chains. Jed was sat next to Perry Cline who had offered to represent Jed pro bono. As Jed sat down, he saw Billie Jo sitting across from him, giving Jed an evil look. As everyone was seated, Judge Valentine Hatfield came in and sat at the bench.
"I wanna thank ya'll fer coming today." He said. "Mr. Preston, would you care to speak first?" Billie Jo nodded as he stood up.
"Judge, that piece of shit sitting across from me killed my daddy." He stated. "Stabbed him over and over and over again. He knew what he was doing and he meant ta do it. That judge, is first degree murder and I will see that his neck is stretched for it." As Billie Jo sat down, Perry Cline stood up.
"Your honor, while my client may have put an end to the life of Mr. Preston, what his son has failed to mention is that there were extenuating circumstances. My client's sister was the victim of a savage sexual attack by the murder victim..."
"Horseshit!" Billie Jo exclaimed.
"Order, continue Mr. Cline." Judge Hatfield said as he banged his gavel.
"This savage sexual attack and the shame that resulted from it, drove miss Graham to such a dark place that she tragically took her own life." Perry continued. "Now my client was not in his right mind when the crime occurred. He was driven mad by grief over his sister's and shame for not being able to protect her from her assailant. This was no cold calculated murder, but a hot blooded crime of passion. The record will show that Mr. Graham has had no run ins with the law before or since this incident and I would ask your honor to temper justice with mercy, thank you. As Perry sat down, Wall groaned.
"So, we are all in agreement that Jedidiah's hand shed ol' man Preston's blood. It's the circumstances o' that blood shedding that remain in doubt." He stated. "Jed claims that he was avenging a rape, Billie Jo says that ain't so."
"Correct." Cline and Preston both said. Judge Wall leaned back in his chair and thought for a few minutes and then made a decision.
"Jedidiah Graham!" the judge said as Jed and Perry rose. "For the crime o' murder in the first degree, I hereby find ya...guilty and I sentence ya ta hang by the neck until you are dead." Everyone was stunned by the decision.
"YEEHAW!" Billie Jo shouted as he was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone turned as Alifair let out a blood curdling scream while Sally tried to comfort her daughter. Even Roseanna was crying while Johnse held her close.
"Ya want him, ya gotta go through us!" Tolbert said as the five McCoy brothers surrounded Jed and Perry.
"Ya ain't killing our brother!" Calvin added.
"Hatfields be damned!" Randall shouted.
"ORDER, ORDER IN THE COURT! I AM NOT FINISHED!" Judge Wall roared as everyone sat down again. "A sentence that I hereby suspend, seeing as the defendant was under emotional distress, caused by a ghastly attack upon an innocent girl." Billie Jo roared in anger as everyone else was relieved.
"Thank you your honor, you have proven to be a fair and wise judge." Perry nodded.
"This is horse shit!" Billie Jo exclaimed. "He needs ta hang!"
"Mr. Preston, when I came to you with the offer of a bench trial, you agreed to accept the verdict; whatever it may be." Cline reminded him.
"Here's what I think o' yer damn verdict." Preston said as he dropped his pants and began to urinate on the courtroom floor. Everyone was disgusted by this display of disrespect.
"Git the Hell outta here or I will gut shoot you, you sick son of a bitch!" Wall said as he pulled out his pistol. Billie Jo buttoned up his britches as he moved to leave.
"I will have Jed swinging by his neck, even I have ta kill every Hatfield and McCoy ta do it!" He swore as he and his posses stormed out.
DOES BILLIE JO'S SAVERAGRY KNOW NO BOUNDS? REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.