Pat Garrett's family plan showdown over plans to finally pardon Billy The Kid

Billy The Kid was famously gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett in a Wild West showdown nearly 130 years ago. But it appears the notorious gunslinger still can’t escape the clutches of his nemesis. Garrett’s descendants are enraged over a plan by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson to grant a posthumous pardon to the outlaw - who was said to have killed 21 men, one for each year of his life. The feud has opened up a lingering resentment at McCarty’s status as an Old West folklore hero, fuelled by countless books, films and songs. By contrast, Garrett has been accused of glorifying his part in the story. The dogged sheriff claimed he tracked down McCarty after he escaped from Lincoln County jail and shot him down on July 14, 1881, in a famous gun battle that left two deputies dead. Ironically, McCarty was virtually unknown during his lifetime, only catapulted into legend the year after his death when Garrett and co-author M.A. 'Ash' Upson published a sensational biography called The Authentic Life Of Billy, The Kid. The issue resurfaced earlier this year because Mr Richardson asked state historians whether there was sufficient support to grant a pardon. The governor now plans to meet the Garrett family next week to hear their objections. The pardon dispute is the latest in a long-running fight over whether Garrett shot the real McCarty or someone else and then lied about it...