Booth's trial

WI Lincoln's murderer was caught alive, perhaps he was more seriously injured jumping onto the stage.

Would any measurable number of people treat him as a martyr if the US government tied his hands and legs togehter and broke his neck publicly (that is hanged him)?

Would there be fewer conspiracy theories?

Would his acquaintances have been less likely to be prosecuted and hanged?
 
I doubt anyone would see Booth as a martyr if he was caught and hanged, anymore than they saw his co-conspirators as martyrs in OTL.

There would be less conspiracy theories about Booth's survival, but probably just as many about the scope of the conspiracy. Without an injured Booth to slow him down, David Herold might have escaped and Dr. Mudd's connection might not have been discovered. And an extensive search for Herold would probably lead to speculation about who helped him escape, so there might even be more conspiracy theories than in OTL.

I'd say any members of the conspiracy caught would get no more mercy than they did in OTL. Spangler might be an exception, and Mary Surratt might as well. In this timeline, Mudd might never be caught at all, and Herold might get clean away.
 
Top