Papa Joe's
Lorena, TX
There are many bars that have a song written about them, but you'll be hard-pressed to find one as good as "Where Do You Want It?" by Dale Watson. It was written about Papa Joe's Texas Saloon and the now-famous scuffle that happened on its patio.
It involved Billy Coker, a local TXU Energy employee, and famous country musician Billy Joe Shaver. Back in the day, Shaver was part of a notorious country Rat Pack crew that included Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, and Willie Nelson. They spent nights partying, fighting, and womanizing in the '70s and '80s. But that was a long time ago.
On that fateful spring night in 2007, Coker and Shaver exchanged words and stepped out the door. Shaver pulled out a .22 pistol from his pocket, asked "Where do you want it?" and fired into Coker's face. The bullet knocked out a tooth, tore through Coker's gums, and lodged into the back of his neck. (He survived.) Shaver and his ex-wife left in his truck.
But was it warranted? There was an argument, but witnesses provided conflicting testimony. The bar owner said Shaver instigated the whole thing. Others said he overreacted. The prosecution pointed out that he didn't aim at an arm or leg.
The defense argued that Coker was intimidating Shaver. He pulled out a knife, stirred Shaver's drink with it, and then wiped it on his shirt. He also told Shaver to step outside. That's when the shooting happened.
Shaver turned himself in 3 days later at McLennan County Jail in Waco. He posted $50,000 bail and played a show at Waterloo Records in Austin that night.
During the trial, Shaver played the showman. At one point he said, “Ma’am, I’m from Texas. If I were chickens—t, I would have left, but I’m not.” He also had the right people in his corner. Famed defense attorney Dick DeGuerin represented him pro bono. His buddies Willy Nelson and Robert Duvall sat through hours of testimony in the first 2 rows.
In the end, Shaver was acquitted and walked away a free man. Was justice served? Maybe, maybe not. But there's one verdict that's undisputed: Papa Joe's is now part of Texas history, and people will be talking about it for a long, long time.