Episode 3 of 3
Manslaughter Trial and Acquittal
- When
- August 3-6, 1865
- Where
- Springfield
Hickok was acquitted of manslaughter in August 1865, despite controversial legal grounds and public outrage.
Hickok's trial began August 3, 1865. He was released on $2,000 bail. The jury acquitted him on August 6, finding him justified despite mutual combat laws. The verdict was unpopular, with a prominent attorney denouncing it and talk of lynching, though it aligned with contemporary honor norms.
Sources
- Hickok–Tutt shootout Wikipedia
- Wild Bill Hickok Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-07
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.