Earp recalls in court the details of the day when the Clanton gang rides into Tombstone to shoot it out with the Earps and his plans initially to head off a street battle by arresting each one of the gang separately and then the gunfight.

After the shootout editor Dameron and Sheriff Behan want the Earps and Doc hung or shot. Behan plans to charge them with murder while Curly Brocius and Johnny Ringo plan a quicker revenge by killing them during the outlaws's funeral.