They all lie all the time.

HOCKENJOS FAMILY IS NOW IN THE HANGING TREE - "Hanging Tree" - Realtime Story of Hockenjos who they say murdered three - Government and Judicial Corruption driven by criminal influence has become the Hockenjos "Hanging Tree" an acknowledgment of what humans do to oppress, control, exploit each other and the atrocities ("strange things", like innocents being hanged) that result when people fight against this oppression for their freedom. http://www.fuse.tv/2014/12/jennifer-lawrence-hanging-tree-pop-radio-remix-edit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/quora/what-was-the-meaning-of-t_b_6264250.html Characters familiar with the song use it as a reminder in the book to prioritize freedom for all over things such as surrender/enslavement, suicide, or revenge.