A Goolsby "War Story:" About South Georgia Justice

As a young state prosecutor, I once had to try criminal cases in a rural, South Georgia county, which was located largely in the swamps, far below the gnat line. As I drove to court, it seemed to me that this desolate, God-forsaken county probably had more gators and possums than human beings living in it. I won't name the county, because, sure as the world, if I do, then it will be my luck that your momma was born and raised in that county! But this is a true story.

In this rural, isolated county, court was held only one week per year, during January. This meant that, if you had a hankerin' to murder anybody, you'd be better off to kill 'em in December, because, if you waited until after court week in January, then you'd be sitting and wasting in jail a mighty long time, until the judge came back to town for court the following January!

At that time, there was no courthouse in this rural county. The judge held court each year in the county's only public school. Since there were no restaurants located anywhere in the county, the clerk of court graciously provided lunch for all the court participants.

One year, only two jury trials were held in this county during trial week. The first case involved the murder by one man of another man. The other case involved the killing by one man of another man's bird dog. Well, the man who killed the other man was acquitted. But the man who killed the other man's bird dog was found guilty!

This is a true story!

What, if anything, does this story tell you about justice and bird dogs in this county?!