Trial at the O.K. Corral: Sequence of Testimony & Ruling

Date Witness Called by Result/Notes
Day 1 10/31/1881 Monday Coroner Matthews Prosecution Generally reiterated his inquest findings
Day 2 11/01/1881 Tuesday Billy Allen Prosecution Worked to collaborate Doc as first to fire
R.F. Hafford Prosecution Didn’t have a lot to add
Day3 11/02/1881 Wednesday Johnny Behan Prosecution Sets up strong case for Doc as instigator
Day 4 11/03/1881 Thursday Johnny Behan Prosecution Handled well, and undermined, by Fitch
Will McLaury arrives in town to join Prosecution
Day 5 11/04/1881 Friday Martha King Prosecution Claimed to hear Virgil tell Doc to let them have it
James Kehoe Prosecution Stood near M. King; did not hear comment, did not think Tom McLaury was armed
Day 6 11/07/1881 Monday Wes Fuller Prosecution Admitted Earp party was not carrying guns in their hands
Andrew Mehan Prosecution Claimed T. McLaury checked gun at saloon previous to gunfight
Will McLaury successfully has Wyatt and Doc remanded to jail
Day 7 11/08/1881 Tuesday Billy Claiborne Prosecution Worked to collaborate Doc as first to fire
Day 8 11/09/1881 Wednesday J.H. Allman Prosecution Testified to belielving that Ike’s pistol and rifle were checked at his saloon during time of fight
Ike Clanton Prosecution Set himself at the center of all the build-up, that Earps wanted to kill him
11/10-11/11 Court Recess
Day 9 11/12/1881 Saturday Ike Clanton Prosecution Cross-examination exposed many of the contradictions in Ike’s testimony
Day 10 11/14/1881 Monday Ike Clanton Prosecution Final Day of Re-direct and Re-Cross Examination
Day11 11/15/1881 Tuesday Apollinar Bauer Prosecution Testified to Wyatt clubbing Tom, muttering he could kill him
J.H. Batcher Prosecution Testified to Wyatt/Tom altercation; Claimed Tom was more aggressive
Thomas Keefe Prosecution Also witnessed Wyatt/Tom altercation, but did not hear any words
Coroner Matthews Prosecution Recalled to confirm gun found at scene of fight belonged to Farnk McLaury and not Tom
Day 12 11/16/1881 Wednesday Wyatt Earp Defense Read from a pre-written testimony
Robert Hatch Defense Relatively ineffectual; claimed Doc’s gun was bronze, not nickel-plated
Day 13 11/17/1881 Thursday Ned Boyle Defense Testified to Ike’s threats made at his saloon; deemed inadmissable by Spicer
Day 14 11/18/1881 Friday Both sides argued before Spicer wether or not to allow Boyle’s testimony
Day 15 11/19/1881 Saturday Virgil Earp Defense Testified from his bed; Claimed Behan exhonerated him following gunfight: “You did right”
Day 16 11/21/1881 Monday Court Recess Naturally, no court on Sunday
Day 17 11/22/1881 Tuesday Virgil Earp Defense Second day of testimony by Virgil following long recess
Day 18 11/23/1881 Wednesday H.F. Sills Defense Confirmed virtually all of Earp defense timeline
Julius Kelley Defense Testified that Ike carried a rifle into his saloon looking for the Earps and Doc
Ned Boyle Defense Recalled after Sills’ testimony gave new light that made his testimony more relevant
R.J Campbell Defense Witness to events in Wallace’s courtroom between Ike and Wyatt and Morgan
Wyatt and Doc released on bail, once again, and spend Thanksgiving at home
11/24-11/27 Court Recess 4 Day recess for Thanksgiving Holiday
Day 19 11/28/1881 Monday Dr. John Gardiner Defense Testified to T. McLaury’s actions prior to gunfight; believed he was armed
Albert Billicke Defense Also believed T. McLaury was armed before the gunfight
Winfield Scott Williams Defense Was present during post-fight conversation between Virgil & Behan
Addie Bourland Defense Witnessed gunfight from directly across the street; didn’t see anyone surrendering
Judge J.H. Lucas Defense Witnessed gunfight from across the street and behind the Earps
Day 20 11/29/1881 Tuesday Ernest Storms Prosecution Testified he didn’t see T. McLaury acquire a gun when he came into his butcher shop
Day 21 11/30/1881 Wednesday Judge Spicer gives his decision, stating that the Earps and Holliday were justified and operating within their legal capacity

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Making some sense of the old west