Coincidence - 50th Anniversary Edition
Murder at the Wild Idol Inn
50th Anniversary Edition
Revised and Expanded with a New Forward and Aftermath
A triple murder in a small town hits the headlines: Shooting at the Wild Idol! Two men face the gas chamber when they're convicted for first-degree murder in 197l.The question on everyone's lips is not, "Why this horrid crime?" Instead, it's about the morality of the death penalty. Twelve months later, the sentences are commuted to life with possibility of parole, after a California State Supreme Court ruling. The gruesome murder helped change societal values and criminal justice procedures. Coincidence: 50th Anniversary Edition returns us to a time when morals, values, and the law were all on the line. Taken together, there are too many coincidences leading to the men's capture and justice served
"I didn't know anything about it when I was coming home from Carson City," explained Pearl.
"I stopped in Stockton to pick up some laundry. When 1 got inside, the lady said, 'You're from Byron, aren't you? I heard about those murders at the bar in your town."
"I said 'No, no, that can't be!' and burst into tears. 'There's only one bar in town, and it's mine. It's just a quiet, friendly little bar!"'
"I didn't go into the bar for a week afterward," she said.
-Mrs. Pearl Kelso, owner, The Wild Idol Inn, Byron, California,
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