Everything about Joaquin Murrieta is disputed. He was either the Mexican Robin Hood or the El Dorado Robin Hood. He was either an infamous bandito or a Mexican patriot. He was born in either Alamos or Trincheras, in either Sonora Mexico or Quillota Chile.
He was either descended from Cherokee ancestors who migrated to Chile in the late 18th century, or a noble Spanish landowner. He either sympathized with Native Americans or with Mexicans.
An undisputed truth about Joaquin Murrieta is that he was born in 1829 and made his way to California in 1850, seeking to mine for gold. Legend says that he, his wife and his brother were attacked by American miners who envied his success and hated Mexicans. Talk about sore losers, they not only raped his wife, they hanged his brother, and horsewhipped the innocent Joaquin to a bloody pulp.
Murrieta tried to do the right thing and sought redress in the California courts, but was thwarted because Mexicans were prohibited from testifying against white men.
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