Former Governor’s Support
Hedda received the assistance from the former governor of Texas, T.M. Campbell, to stand in the trial. The prosecution assumed it will be easy to put Hedda behind the bars as they had a full-proof case. Although that’s not how the result was going to be.
Evidence Faded Away
Florence Rabe, the only person who could’ve testified that Hedda had planned to kill Otto disappeared on the first day of the trial. Apparently, she found it better to take off than to fight against a lady who was getting the support of an ex-governor. Although police did catch her and brought her for the trial she never admitted anything she promised to do in the past.
A Banker’s Claim
A banker named, J.H. Frost claimed that Hedda tried to cash in $10,000 letters of credit which belonged to Otto. As expected, Hedda never agreed to the charge. Also, she had several of her own stories to tell from time to time.
Different Stories
The first time she accepted that she shot Otto “to protect the honor of my friend”(Emma Dumpke-Doschel). Later on, she changed it to, “he was like a wild bull. I thought he was going after my friend.” Once she said Otto tried to choke her to death. Once she said he tried to kill her with the pistol.
Guns Belonged To Hedda
At last, it was revealed that both the guns belonged to Hedda. As per her, after killing Otto she tried to cut shoot her but she was confused: “I didn’t know if I had a bullet in my brain.” And then she tried to cut her own wrists.
Not Guilty
The all-male jury said Hedda was not found guilty of murder. She was freed from any jail term. And all the jury members congratulated her. A year after the whole incident, Hedda went to New Orleans with J.W. Turley, one of the jury members and married him. A few years later, the couple moved in the same little cottage that was gifted to Hedda and Emmi by Otto.
If you find all this strange then what happened to Mrs. Koehler will blow your mind.