In the film and Broadway musical, Chicago, a group of women stand trial for murdering their husbands. Were they guilty of cold blooded murder or was it just self defense?

Perhaps they had it coming?

Whatever their story, these are the women of Chicago.

A former nightclub singer, Velma Kelly was accused of the cold-blooded double murder of her husband and his mistress, also her sister. During the number, "Cell Block Tango," Velma tells the story of the murder.

At the hotel Cicero, Velma finds her husband and her sister Veronica doing their own rendition of one of the acts from their show, the "spread eagle." According to Velma, she "completely blacked out and couldn't remember a thing."

It was only after the murder that she realized she had possibly killed them both, when she was washing their blood from her hands.

Ever the diva, Velma commands quite a presense within the Cook County Jail, with the help of a few bribes sent the way of Matron Mama Morton. With the help of Chicago solicitor, Billy Flynn, Velma is found not guilty of the double murder and able to resume her performing career.

Velma Kelly was based on a real woman, Belva Gaertner. Unlike Velma Kelly, Belva didn't kill her husband and his mistress, but instead shot her lover - who was married, only not to her. It was said that she murdered him because she flew into a jealous rage when she discovered that he was leaving her.

There were many similarities between she and Velma, however. Like Velma, she was acquitted of the crime. Also, like Velma, she was a cabaret singer with a penchant for drinking.

Roxie Hart was just a poor, misunderstood girl with a regrettable husband and a lover on the side. Okay, so she was a calculating, poor, misunderstood girl. Soon, however, she found herself holding a smoking gun over Fred Casely's body.

Accused of murdering her lover, Roxie was sent to the Cook County Jail where she met Velma Kelly. There, she learned she was going to need a really good lawyer in order to find her way out of the death sentence. Of course, that lawyer was Billy Flynn.

Despite her dire circumstances, Roxie never lost sight of her dreams: to become a cabaret performer just like Velma Kelly. Once she was acquitted, she joined Velma Kelly and the two put together an act fit for two merry murderesses like themselves.

Roxie Hart was a character based on a woman by the name of Beulah Annan. Like Roxie Hart, she shot her lover and found herself facing a murder trial. With the help of her attorney, W.W. O'Brien, the two played up her claims that she was pregnant, pushed the trial through and took advantage of the press and an all male jury in order to win the case.

The song "We Both Reached For the Gun" is based on Beulah's claim that both she and her lover had reached for the gun simultaneously and that it had accidentally went off.

If you happened to be unlucky enough to find yourself in Cook County Jail, then Matron Mama Morton was the person who you wanted to have on your side. And you could win her over. For a price.

You see, as Mama Morton liked to say, "If you're good to Mama, Mama's good to you." And that's the way it was. Both Velma and Roxie found themselves vying for her good graces, doing whatever possible to win her over. Which usually involved a little green.

Mama Morton ran a tight ship, though. So if you ever got on her bad side, Mama, nor anyone else affiliated with her, was NOT good to you.