The Resume

(March 16, 1865-March 11, 1912)
Born in Texas
Also known as ‘Stag’ Lee, ‘Stack’ Lee and ‘Stacker’ Lee
Carriage driver in St. Louis, Missouri
Fatally shot Billy Lyon during a dispute in a St. Louis saloon (December 25, 1895)
Convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison (1897)
Inspired the folksong ‘Stagger Lee’

Why he might be annoying:

He was also a pimp and a gambler.
There are several contradictory stories of how he got ‘Stag’/’Stack’ as a nickname.
He shot Lyons after Lyons grabbed his hat and refused to give it back.
He was paroled (1909), but was back in jail two years later for assault and robbery.
In folk legend, he became a symbol of resistance to white authority, even though his murder victim was a fellow African-American.

Why he might not be annoying:

At one point during the argument, Lyons took a knife from his pocket, declared, ‘You son of a bitch, I’m going to make you kill me,’ then walked towards Shelton.
There was enough debate about whether he was acting in self-defense to produce a hung jury at his first trial (1896).
He died of tuberculosis in jail.
Hundreds of versions of ‘Stagger Lee’ have been recorded, notably a #1 hit by Lloyd Price.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 64]
• Criminals
• Don't Look at Me, I'm Not in My Profile Picture
• I Covered 'Stagger Lee'
• I Died in 1912 (Ranked: 46)
• I Died in Jail
• I Have Tuberculosis
• I Need to Place a Wager
• I'm Remembered in a Tribute Song
• Look at Me, I'm Dead
• Men who Dress like Pimps
• My Nickname is Part of My Name [M-Z]
• Pimps and Madames
• Profiles 38751-38951 (Ranked: 38867)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 81.82% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 91 Votes: 57.14% Annoying