[UnderThe Gun]

"the DA did testify against him in front of the grand jury. it's generally in the best interest of the state to offer plea bargains even if they feel they have a solid case."

Is it "generally in the best interest of the state" to offer a plea bargain that hardly amounts to a slap on the wrist when they have a self-confessed child molester dead-to-rights? What part of that makes sense to you? Why, exactly, do you believe they made Slim the deal they did if there's so little doubt he's guilty?

I know people in Amarillo who've known Slim all their lives and aren't shy about bad-mouthing him. They'll tell you he's a snake-oil salesman and you have to be a fool to believe a word he says. When I asked if Slim had any history of child molestation they were quick to tell me not only that he didn't, but that anyone who understood the relationship between Slim and his son knew the charges were concocted to pressure Slim for money. The supposed confession amounted to something like, "yea, I slapped my granddaughter on the butt a couple of times, so?"

Also, anyone who has even a passing understanding of west Texas morality understands that the last thing Amarillo Slim should want to do is put his life in the hands of a jury comprised at least in part of people who have been mortified for years that one of the world's most famous gamblers came from their small town. Slim may have been something of a celebrity in the country as a whole, but in west Texas he was just the local gambler who embarrassed the Hell out of every preacher and church deacon in a town were half the population is either a preacher or church deacon.

If Slim had really been guilty of the charges there is no way the prosecutor would have given him the deal he gave him. He would have happily send him to the pen and started making his plans to run for congress. Instead he gave him a walk. You do the math.