John "Jack" McCall Trials: 1876

Defendant: John ("Jack") McCall
Crime Charged: Murder
Chief Defense Lawyers: First Trial: "Judge" Miller; Second Trial: Oliver Shannon and William Henry Harrison Beadle
Chief Prosecutors: First Trial:"Colonel" George May; Second Trial: William Pound
Judges: First Trial:William L. Kuykendall; Second Trial: Peter C. Shannon
Place: First Trial:Deadwood, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota); Second Trial: Yankton, Dakota Territory
Dates of Trials: First Trial: August 3, 1876; Second Trial:December 4-6, 1876
Verdict: First Trial: Not guilty; Second Trial: Guilty
Sentence: Death by hanging

SIGNIFICANCE: Lawman, army scout, and gambler, Wild Bill Hickok's accuracy and speed with handguns, as well as his long hair and striking good looks, made him a national figure and the subject of several dime novels while he was still in his early 30s. But death found Hickok on August 2, 1876, when he was shot in the back of the head in Deadwood, Dakota Territory (now South Dakota) by John "Jack" McCall.

Wild Bill Hickok brought law and order to notoriously lawless communities. Unassuming, never boastful, he was frequently challenged by gunfighters who felt they could take him. Many died when they tested Hickok's skill. It was a trying life, and Hickok sought to settle down.