The facts regarding the murder of Greedo by Han Solo were, for decades, not in dispute. Security footage from Chalmun’s Cantina clearly showed that Greedo held Solo at blaster point, which he was permitted to do under Tatooine law at the time, but did not fire at Solo.

Solo made the first and only shot, killing Greedo in cold blood.

The New Republic has since issued an “enhanced” version of the cantina security footage, which appears to show that Greedo fired a shot at Solo, and then Solo returned fire. This was an effort by New Republic officials to protect Solo’s image as a hero of the Rebellion, but it does not withstand serious scrutiny.

First, the original footage shows no indication whatsoever that Greedo fired at Solo. Comparing the two versions of the footage, it is clear that the version released by the New Republic has been doctored using sophisticated computer technology. Here is a comparison of the original, un-doctored footage with the version released by the New Republic:

Second, even if we were to accept the doctored video, it is beyond belief that Greedo could have missed Solo at such short range. Defenders of Solo claim that Greedo was a poor marksman, however the records of his licensing as a bounty hunter by the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems both show that he easily passed their certification tests, which included a blaster marksmanship component.

And third, numerous witnesses to the encounter between Greedo and Solo have corroborated the original security footage, and have signed affidavits indicating that only one shot was fired, and it was the shot from Solo’s blaster…the shot that killed Greedo.