If you are as old as I am…you might think that the whole controversy over amnesty/pardon for 187 people sounds a bit familiar.
The early 1970s, there was a popular comedy Western called “Alias Smith and Jones” (BBC2 Monday 8pm).
Starring Pete Duel (initially) and Ben Murphy as…
“Hannibal Hayes and Kid Curry” said the narrator”the two most successful outlaws in the history of the West…and in all the banks and trains they held up, they never killed anyone. This made our two latter day Robin Hoods popular…with everyone except the railroads”
And as the Prologue reminded us each week “of course the Governor cant come right out and give you a pardon”.
“So ….all we have to do is stay out of trouble”.

Interestingly they once met a feisty flame-haired Irish girl in the desert.
“My parents came from Londonderry” said Kid Curry (Jones).
“Londondonderry!!!…they must have been Orange” said the girl.
Great stuff!
But it couldn’t happen in real life…could it?