Bass Reeves True Story: The Real Hanging Judge & Hell On The Border Jail Explained

Lawmen: Bass Reeves features the real-life depictions of the Hell on the Boarder prison and Judge Issac Parker, better known as the “Hanging Judge”. Throughout its first three episodes, the new Paramount series has maintained much of the historical accuracy in its portrayal of the legendary Old West lawman Bass Reeves. Reeves, who was born a slave and was forced to fight for the Confederate Army during the Civil War before becoming a free man, was a farmer until 1875 when he was sworn in as one of the first black Deputy U.S. Marshals.