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Ed Cantrell
I
watched this on one of those crime shows today. In 1979
legendary lawman, and purported "fastest draw in the west" Ed Cantrell went on trial for murdering one of his own, gone bad,
under-cover officers named Rosa. At issue was whether it was
indeed self defense. The prosecution claimed no way could Cantrell look
back, see Rosa drawing his gun, and beat him too it unless he'd already
had his gun at the ready. Cantrell's attorney was legendary cowboy
lawyer, Gerry Spence. Here's what happened.
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In
his testimony, Cantrell said his revolver was in his belt, and his hand
was resting on it. "That's the way I always sit," he said.
Cantrell's hand was already on his gun, then, when Rosa reached for
his. And Cantrell was a quick draw expert. To show what that meant,
Spence called a former lawman who knew Cantrell from years of competing
against him at shooting events, retired Border Patrol officer Bill
Jordan.
Spence brought in two revolvers and loaded them with blanks. He gave
one to Jordan, who put it in a holster. He gave the other to a deputy
sheriff, loaded and cocked. He instructed the deputy to point the gun
at Jordan and fire as soon as the older man started for his gun. After
a few moments, Jordan drew and fired. The deputy's mouth dropped open
as he stood there holding the unfired gun.
Spence asked Jordan how fast Cantrell was.
"Ed's a mite faster than me," the old lawman said.
The jury found Cantrell not guilty. [Source]
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