Latest / Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas / Dragnet: The Big Kill (EP1520)

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Dragnet: The Big Kill (EP1520) · Great Detectives of Old Time Radio Volume 2|Mystery Audio Dramas

0:28
Welcome to the Great Detectives of Old Time Radio from Boise Idahol. This is
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You can try that out free for two weeks. All right, well,
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now it's time for today's program. The episode original Lar Day March the
2:00
Sack at nineteen fifty, The Toddle, the Bay Kill. The story you
2:13
were about to hear is true, only the names have been changed to protect
2:19
the innocent. Dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to homicide detail.
2:36
A police officer is shut down on the front steps of his home.
2:39
There's no apparent motive for the shooting. The assailant escapes in a blue sedan.
2:46
Your job, get him Dragnet. The document a drama of an actual
2:57
crime, while the next thirty minutes sin operation with the Los Angeles Police Department.
3:01
You will travel step by step on the side of the law through an
3:05
actual case from official police files, from beginning to end, from crime to
3:09
punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was
3:16
Sunday, May twenty third, was warm in Los Angeles. We were working
3:20
the day watch out of homicide. My partner's Ben Romero, the boss istad
3:23
Brown Chieva Detectives. My name is Friday. I was off duty reporting back
3:28
in on an emergency call. It was five minutes past three am when I
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got to room forty two homicide. All right, Jill, all right,
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how is he? He's dead? Went kind of fast. I just got
3:43
the call a couple of minutes ago. We got in went the hospital.
3:46
Friday. Then let's go that bronze office. All right, how did it
3:53
happen? Ski, I've got all of the tails. Guy who's a shotgun?
3:55
Point blank? Filmore didn't have a chance, was always egome lab Yeah,
4:01
not there not. Chief Ronnigan on the Hall of Captain line and telegence
4:08
said to have you wait, okay, we'll be inside night. You want
4:11
to fill us in the skipper. Not much to tell. Philmo was working
4:15
a day watch at a robbery. Left work at six o'clock last night,
4:18
drove home. Yeah, he had dinner, and then he and his wife
4:21
went to a show. He got home about eleven thirty, went to bed.
4:25
Yeah. But one thirty this morning the front door bell rang and Philmore
4:29
answered it. His wife said she heard him open the door and there was
4:31
a gun shot. Ran out the front door in time to see a guy
4:34
jump in the car and drive away. Fillmore was lying on a porch chest
4:39
ripped open. You see the guy used the shotgun. Yeah, No,
4:42
had the information on the car he used? Blue said, Then that's all
4:45
the wife could tell us. She didn't get the license number, said it
4:47
looked like a new model car. No physical evidence. I haven't found anything
4:51
yet. Here's a boll chief lift brief. Friday right now told him much
4:57
as I know. Any idea what the guy's motive was? Bee? Any
5:00
leads? Just one? Then White intelligens came up with it Gray in the
5:04
name of Jake Carver. Car not familiar. We got out of Folsom three
5:08
days ago. Served seven years arm robbery. Yeah, Pilmo was the man
5:11
who got carbon. Send him up. The time he was sentenced. Carvers
5:14
wore up and down. He'd get Fillmore when he got out. Hot at
5:15
it punk. Where do we look for? Carver already checked where he's supposed
5:19
to be staying. Not there. The list of guys he used to run
5:23
with before he went to Fulsmoth. Thanks, let's see Joe. It is
5:27
Ralph Danton, Ernie Travis Heimie Flores Carver been seen around town since you got
5:31
out once that we know of. In the bar out on Sunset Boulevard.
5:33
Flores is with him. How about Travis and Danton, they're still around.
5:38
Let's see Travis went of these two years ago. Danton's around, still runs
5:42
with Flores. That's where you start, Flores. Yeah, okay, any
5:45
reason two. Flora's sister used to go with Carver. Yeah. Floras owns
5:48
a blu sid an. Three twenty am we checked Timye. Flora's last known
5:56
address the old seventy six hotel down in South Alamina. Fars had moved.
6:00
His formiting address was his mother's house twelve thirty two Alabama Street out in Boyle
6:04
Heights. His mother told us Hoimi was living on County View Avenue in Highland
6:09
Park. Four thirty am. We located the address over eyes here when him
6:17
he keeps his car I parked on the street. Yeah, what do you
6:28
want? Police officers? Oh like to talk to Jimie Flores Himie Slate.
6:33
We're in bed. It's important. We'd like to talk to him. All
6:39
right, Wait, I'll go get him up, hid, come on,
6:47
get up, Come on, HEIMI tops to the door. I want to
6:51
talk to you. What did you say you want to talk to you?
7:00
Yeah? Officers, Okay, I agree with you. You himI for us.
7:04
That's right. We're looking for Jake Carver. You know where he a
7:08
I wish I did. I'm through with that guy. Why, what's the
7:11
matter? He brought my car day before yesterday, so he'd only be gone
7:15
a couple of hours. I'm still waiting. You own a blue Sedan?
7:17
Is that right? Yeah? Forty eight Chevy? Why do you crack it
7:21
up? Couldn't tell you. Do you have any idea where we can look
7:25
for Carver? I did? I'd be looking myself. You know. If
7:28
Carver's got a gun? Why had punk pull of job? Does he have
7:31
a gun a trunk of the car? Use it on hunting trips? What
7:34
kind shotgun? Four forty five am we got out a broadcast on an APB
7:43
on Jake Carbon, containing a complete description of the car and its license number.
7:46
Roadblocks were set up on all main roads leading out of the city,
7:49
and police details at the airports, bus depots and the railroad terminals were alerted.
7:55
All of the people whom Carver was known to have run with before he
7:58
was sent to Fulsome penitentiary were around it up and brought in for questioning.
8:01
While Captain Elliot from Homicide supervised the interrogation, Ben went across the street to
8:05
check with a coroner at the Morgue. I contacted Lee Jones at the crime
8:09
Lab six am. We met in chief of Detective stat Brown's office Crime Lab
8:16
plan anything single footprint that saw Jones founded one of the flower beds in front
8:20
of Fillmore's home, A tie in size ten that's Carver's size and health.
8:24
Is there any indication Garbon might still be in the city. No, there
8:28
was a good three hours between the time film and was shot and the roadblocks
8:31
went up. What about Carver's pals? Aren't you helping him? But Flora's
8:35
is the only way I met, saying him since he got out. What
8:37
about Flora's sister Dorothy? She lives out in Long Beach and seen us and
8:41
Burton to bring her in. Now that guy Flores, did you question him
8:45
again at it? Yeah, satisfied whatever he told you that he knows,
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that's right. He doesn't seem to be too close to Carver. No record
8:50
of any correspondence with him while he was in Fulsome about the Carno's report with
8:56
shot gun close range hit him hard there muck shots at Carver. Ye are
9:00
photocopy is still working on it, turning out two thousands shoot Ron speaking over?
9:07
All right, I got Dorothy Flories in the interrogation room. You want
9:11
to talk to earlier, Ben, you and Joe talked to her. Tell
9:13
him Senus and Burton to check in here. I got another wrangle. I
9:16
want him to start on. All right, let's go. He must be
9:24
as mad as a hatter. Three days out of Fooshom and he kills a
9:28
coup. Yeah, if it was him, you've got any other idea?
9:31
You need more than a footprint. We got to find the gun. We
9:33
got to prove that he used it. Alright, you two going to take
9:37
over? Yeah, Lloyd, you and Gil check in at the chiefs officer.
9:41
Captain want's see you, Okay, I want the police woman to stand
9:43
by. It's fine. Let's go. Gil, see you guys later.
9:46
All right, you're Dorothy Flores. Yeah, you know why you're here,
9:52
Jake Carver. That's what they told me. That's right. You know where
9:56
he is? Now? Have you seen carbon past three days? Look,
10:01
I don't want any part of the guy. He's nothing to me. He
10:03
never was. He used to go around with him, didn't you seven years
10:07
ago before he went to Folsom wrapped your eye as flors those bruises there on
10:13
your arm? We had a party. I fell bumped myself. Looks like
10:20
a pretty new black eye. Did you have the party last night? I
10:22
told you, Jake's nothing to me. He's a crazy hothead. I don't
10:26
want any part of him. Was he around to see you last night?
10:28
I used to go with him that so I don't care what happened to him.
10:31
Saw him last night? I didn't. This is on a murder rap,
10:35
miss Florest. I didn't want to see him. He came to my
10:39
room, he forced his way in. I didn't want any part of him.
10:43
Early this morning, what time about two o'clock? Maybe ten? After?
10:48
He wanted money, acted like a crazy man. I told him I
10:50
didn't have any money. He slugged me. That's how I got his mouth.
10:54
What do you want the money for? He said he got the cup?
10:56
Who sent him up? He had to get out of town. My
11:00
purse forty eight dollars in it? Was he driving your brother's car? Yes,
11:05
I didn't want any part of you, I got nothing in this.
11:07
You tell you where he was headed Mexico. He's got friends across the border,
11:11
Tijuan. All right, stay with her, Ben and get us to
11:15
nug for two will Yeah, righty. The Flora's girl, Skipper Carbosar,
11:24
this morning admitted shooting Fillmore. She says he's headed south for Tijuana. Maybe
11:26
he stopped off on the way. How do you mean? Drugstore in San
11:30
Pedro just held up onner was shot and killed. Yeah, the guy was
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driving a blue Sedan. An immediate alert was teletype to the coastal town south
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of Los Angeles in the vicinity of San Pedro. The San Diego Police were
11:43
alerted, as were the Mexican authorities in Tijuana and other designated points of entry
11:46
along the California Mexico border. Seven fifty am Ben and I, together with
11:52
Lloyd Barton and al Shambra of Homicide, drove down to San Pedro and checked
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in with Lieutenant Maxwell at San Pedro homicide of a gun? Didn't the guy
12:01
use? Lieutenant? I checked the body looks like it could have been a
12:03
forty five No chance it might have been a shotgun. No, not that
12:05
kind of a womb who saw the guy make his getaway. My wife did
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he live right across the streets from the drugstore. My wife heard the shooting,
12:11
ran to the window. She says it was a blue Sedams. He
12:15
didn't see the license play. Oh. I got a look at the car
12:18
before it disappeared. It looked like a Chevy. The man there's been no
12:20
sign of it since the roadblocks went up, not yet. It's pretty hard
12:22
to understand what you mean. Uh, take a look at the map.
12:26
Here, here's Pallas, Berdie's and Clifton to the west roadblocks. Yeah yeah,
12:31
here's the roadblock to the north, just the Harbor City. Another one
12:35
northeast. They will make them. Yeah, nice one here outside of the
12:37
Long Beach had four roads to pick Frum. They're all blocked off. Uh
12:41
now turn off, snow detours. All the roads are under patrol. You
12:43
think he got south beyond Long Beach before the roadblocks went up, had a
12:46
chance. It's hard to figure if he could be hiding out somewhere along the
12:50
way. And I excuse anyone, Ah, that's a little tenant, maximm
12:56
Well, okay, be right there. Anything we found the cow off the
13:01
Coast Highway, blue Chevy sedan. How about carbon bloodstains in the front seat.
13:05
That's all they found. You are listening to drag nets for the step
13:18
by step solution to an actual police case. Eight am we found the blue
13:31
Chevrolet sedan was lying overturned in a ditch just off a dead end road,
13:35
on the edge of a grove of eucalyptus trees. Oil was still dripping from
13:39
the crank case. There were bloodstains on the upholstery in the front seat.
13:46
In the glove compartment we found two empty shotgun shelves. Ben marked them with
13:50
his initials for evidence and wrapped them in a handkerchief. The fingerprint men were
13:54
called. We found out and started the search of the general area. See
14:01
if we can't pick up a trail unless you can let the scroll here?
14:05
Sure has got me be what's that car? Alls? My step back?
14:09
There? Blood all over? The guy must have been hurt. How do
14:11
you get this far away from the car? What makes you think he did
14:15
get far? Neither that? If he's hiding right under our No, no
14:20
sign up a trails through here? No, there's nothing. There's a clearing
14:24
up ahead. Well, let's cut through this brush here, Ben, come
14:30
here, Yeah, take a look the trunk of this tree, brown smears
14:37
on it. Blood. Maybe look higher up on the trunk there is the
14:41
same thing. Wait a minute, up in the tree. Can you seen
14:48
anything up there? No, the branches are pretty thick. Trees go pretty
14:52
high up. Got sixty feet up there. Come here, Joe, Yeah,
14:58
follow my hand. No, over at the left, one point cover
15:03
man, You are right, Joe yeah. Can you see him? Yeah,
15:05
up near the top. Say off, Burton, don't come in the
15:09
clearing. He's up in one of the tree. Throw that gun down,
15:11
then come down yourself. All right, Ben, it's car shotguns over there.
15:33
You lie. Yeah, it's a hard tree to climb. I wonder
15:37
how you got up there. I don't know, but this was the only
15:41
way to get him down. We called an ambulance and had Jake Karva taken
15:48
back to Los Angeles to the County hospital the prison award. We took the
15:52
shotgun and the empty shells and booked them as evidence with the property clerk.
15:56
The wrecked blue sedan was impounded. Two counts of murder were filed against Carver
16:02
with the district attorney. There was still one important piece of evidence missing.
16:06
The forty five pistol used in the robbering and murder of the San Pedro druggist.
16:11
A month passed while Carver recuperated in the prison ward of the County Hospital.
16:15
We were busy building a case for his conviction. We still had only
16:19
enough evidence to convict him for one of the murders. Another two months went
16:23
by. On August thirtieth, Jake Carver was brought to trial for the shotgun
16:29
murder of police officer Robert Fillmore. Ten days later, the jury found him
16:33
guilty of first degree murder. He was sentenced to a life term and Folesome
16:37
penitentiary. Knowing that we didn't have enough evidence to convict his plant for the
16:41
murder of the druggist, Carver's lawyer demanded an immediate trial in the second charge.
16:47
Wednesday, September twelfth, ten am. I was called it the Chief
16:49
of Detective's office, Roddy hellout, thank you Edit, and I've been talking
16:56
about this. Jake Carver thinks they set the triald eight yet starts next Tuesday,
17:02
bringing Carver down from false and tomorrow. It's a bum luck. We're
17:06
not going to convict him on the evidence we've got. We don't even have
17:08
the gun. We've got to get a conviction, beat the death rap for
17:11
killing Fillmore he gets over this one, that means he's still elvigible for parole.
17:15
Well, so he serves ten years. Maybe the behavior he gets out
17:18
and he's ready to start in all over again. If we could just sew
17:22
him up for killing that druggist, we could put him away for good on
17:25
a house skipper. It's a pretty good bet that no jurial convict him unless
17:27
we find that gun. We got another, uh, just one? What's
17:32
that we didn't get Carved to admit he killed that druggist. It's a neat
17:36
trick you and Ben got invist. May did he see it all? Ye?
17:41
I think you could recognize you again, couldn't have gotten a very good
17:45
look from who he was up in that tree. Ben did all the testifying
17:48
at the trial. I wasn't even there. Now, you wouldn't know me.
17:52
What when they bring Carve down for foals to tomorrow, they'll put him
17:55
in county jail while he's waiting trial. Yeah, Chief figures that we could
17:59
plant you in this with him as a chance he might talk you play it
18:03
right? I don't know he's no beginner, neither of you. Carv enough
18:07
of the right date at the right time. There's a chance to put his
18:08
foot in it. Maybe all right, will you set it up with a
18:11
county jail. Yeah, and remember he's a killer. Don't take any chances.
18:15
I suppose he gets wise, we'll know you tried. The following day,
18:22
at two pm, I was booked at Central Jail as Joe Ramos,
18:26
a robbery suspect. Ramos was the actual name of an Eastern thief whom we
18:30
knew was not acquainted with Jake Carbon. After being mugged and fingerprinted, transportation
18:34
officers took me to the twelfth floor of the Hall of Justice, where I
18:37
was booked into the County Jail. After that, I was taken down to
18:41
a cell block on the tenth floor known as the High Power Tank, where
18:45
prisoners charged with major crimes are held. During the day, the individual cells
18:49
are left open and the prisoners are allowed to visit with one another. I
18:53
was taken back and shown the cell I was assigned to. Jake Carver was
18:57
already there. He was playing two hands poker with another inmate on the lower
19:00
bunk. Here. You got right, We'll sell here take the top.
19:07
How many ky do you want to make it too? Jack? Hey,
19:12
yeah, move will you? I want to get in my bunk. Come
19:15
on, make you back. There's two cigarettes. You're two, monk you
19:22
six? I said, I'd like to get in my bunk. Go on,
19:26
Sam, play the game. Okay, we'll see you. Maybe you
19:30
didn't hear me, Sam, I said I want to get in my bunk.
19:33
I heard you, Max. I don't like shoving around like this,
19:36
all right, now sit down? What's your complaint? Didn't they tell you
19:42
when you came through the door they bury you in the hole of a deefent
19:45
in here? Then, as long as I'm in here with you, let's
19:48
get it straight right now. Don't bother me while they're at it. Keep
19:51
your rum dumb pals out of here. You understand I don't think I do.
19:53
You'll be your run quite a while, smart guy. I won't forget
19:59
that. Oh yeah, oh time, come on here. What are you
20:03
going down there? Diamonds? Nothing I always say on the floor. Get
20:07
back to yourself show. Yeah, see you, Jake, it's just junk.
20:17
They feed you boiled beef, boiled potatoes, So have it with him
20:21
here, junk it can you buy from the outside candy. Sometimes Fie guy
20:27
comes around the morning. Wh Yeah, Joel Ramis ray myself Chicago. I've
20:37
been there, so I'm Jake Carbo. All right, what you up for
20:45
it? Talk to my lawyer. I got a smart mind. You've got
20:47
a big one. You take care of your own words. Huh. I'll
20:49
take care of mine. I ain't got no worries. I got a maid.
20:56
He went up of bread. I don't want any of it. Take
20:59
it. Tell the truth. I never had it so good. No witnesses,
21:04
no evidence. I can't touch me. Sure, that's why you're in
21:07
here. Three days passed by playing the part of the tough gunman from Chicago.
21:17
I succeeded in getting close to Can because of the close confinement. I
21:22
was with him almost constantly, but he still refused to confide. In a
21:26
roundabout way, I pressed him as much as I could for the answer without
21:30
making him suspicious. No results. Eight fifty five pm Sunday, two days
21:36
before the trial opened. Sam, Jake Carbon and I were playing black Shack
21:40
in the aisle just outside our cell. All right, Sam, Hitty,
21:47
there you are, okay, I'm good Ramus, I'll stand eighteen pay nineteen.
21:55
That's all for me, think too. I'm gonna hear the second.
21:59
Yeah, just when I started coming like always crying, Hey, raymus,
22:03
excuse me, I remember you. Haven't I seen you around City Hall?
22:07
Sure? I live there, Alice time? Look up much? What's he
22:18
talking about you? I don't know. I don't get a headache. It's
22:22
killing me. Yeah. Let me crack your neck. It will help it.
22:26
It's no good you got any of them brown tails. I'm going to
22:30
crack your neck. Loosen up, doesn't know? It always helps me.
22:33
Yeah, yeah, yeah, let me sure, come on through. Just
22:37
relax, let yourself go. I'm gonna get my hands around the back of
22:40
your neck. Come on, relax, what is to you? You gotta
22:45
be careful with this stuff. You can break a guy's neck, you know
22:48
it, easy white, So come on relax. Let me get a better
22:53
grip on your neck. That easy, huh? All right now? Yeah,
23:00
eh, alright to Isa, that's not bad. Feels a little better.
23:07
I works something, sure, And I noticed you had a visit of
23:12
the day one of the boys in the east. No, a friend of
23:17
mine out here. You just got in town. The coppers are kind of
23:19
pin of killing on him. No, Max Wesley good Man tried to say,
23:26
pulled the job down to San Pedro Sedron, what kind of job?
23:30
Stick up drug store a couple of months ago. That's what they got me
23:36
on. You know, it's funny. I think I'll get some shut eye.
23:40
What about this job they're trying to hang on him? Tell you,
23:42
I don't remember the guy ran the store, was shot up and died.
23:48
Max wasn't even in town. Would have happened? Happened in May? Last
23:52
May? I don't know. I see in the morning. Yeah, hard
24:00
read. They didn't have nothing on Max hung it let him go. Oh
24:06
yet he's out on bail. No, I mean no evidence on him?
24:08
No gun? Huh oh that gun. I think that's what Max is.
24:14
What did they find to be safe? I don't know what they thought it?
24:17
Well, go to sleep. What do you mention anything else about Pedro
24:22
like Saint peterro Hills. Yeah, maybe that's what they thought. I think
24:26
Max said that. Uh, that couldn't be all right? They mussel.
24:40
It wasn't a Harbord drug store, was it? What's eating you anyway?
24:42
When you go to sleep? Look, Raymors, I gotta know it's important.
24:48
What are you talking about. I gotta get some sleep. Will they
24:49
listen a minute. I ditched a gun down there in the San Pedro Hills.
24:53
All right, what are you worrying about. They don't send you up
24:56
for hiding guns. I hot on that shop. They got me on one
25:00
mother refit. They tagged me in another one that's for keeps. What do
25:03
you want me to do? Talk to the government. You sure this guy
25:04
Max said that they found a gun. Oh look, cerver, Max said
25:10
they found a gun in the San Pedro Hills. Now you get on down
25:12
in your bunk and let's talk about it in the morning. What kind did
25:15
he say? What kind? I don't know. I don't remember. Something
25:18
like that. Yeah, forty five. I guess that was it. The
25:22
jailer barking down here. All right, go to sleep now, I can't
25:33
it's not the same one. They couldn't have a Then talked to me,
25:37
was when did they find the gun? The Max tend to that, when
25:44
did they find the gun? Wait, I don't know, didn't say where
25:48
San Pedro Hills, Raymos. I gotta know it wasn't by a COVID,
25:55
Whether on the hill road, I don't know. I'll ask Max. The
25:57
next time I see him is that when your ditch yours. They couldn't have
26:00
found it. Nobody could have this COVID see back on the road. Yeah,
26:04
there was a piece of something broken off the bottom edge of the COVID,
26:07
kind of a hollow lot space inside. I pushed the dirt hole around
26:10
it. You gotta ask Max, ask him where they found that gun.
26:15
Yeah, I'll see him wednesday. I'll ask. You've got to find out.
26:18
They could put me away for good. What are you worrying about?
26:22
They haven't paid you up yet with a gun they found. Yeah, that's
26:27
right. Maybe they didn't figure it, Maybe they forgot. Maybe, Yeah,
26:34
cops it though they forget. That's what everybody says. Yeah, that's
26:41
what everybody says. The story you have just heard was true, only the
26:53
names were changed to protect the innocent. On September eighteenth, trial was held
27:00
in Superior Court Department ninety one, City and County of Los Angeles, State
27:03
of California. In a moment the results of that trial, the murder gun,
27:17
a forty five caliber automatic pistol, was recovered from the San Pedro Hills,
27:22
and Jacob John Carver was brought to trial. He was tried and convicted
27:26
of murder in the first degree. The jury again refused to recommend the death
27:30
penalty. Carva is now serving a life term in the state penitentiary without possibility
27:36
of paroles. You have just heard Dragnet authentic cases from official files. Technical
27:47
advice for Dragnet comes from the Office of Chief of Police W. A.
27:49
Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department. Dragnet wishes to thank the editors of Radio
28:00
Best magazine for they're considerate appraisal of this program. For those of you who
28:06
may be interested, A novelized version of Dragnette appears in the April issue of
28:10
Radio Best. Tomorrow. Here mister and missus Ronald Coleman in the Halls of
28:19
Ivy on NBC Welcome Back. When I first played this episode, I was
28:37
curious if this sort of thing would be considered legal today and this time before
28:44
I commented on it, I did some research and I found a Supreme Court
28:48
ruling from the nineteen nineties most recent thing I found, where they ruled that
28:55
such evidence was mail. The argument had been made that in the case that
29:00
ended up before the Supreme Court, that the undercover police officer didn't read Miranda
29:06
rights, which wasn't an issue in nineteen fifty, but the Supreme Court went
29:11
back to why we have the Miranda warnings, and it was because that court
29:15
had concluded that if a suspect was in the custody of police, there was
29:21
a presumption of a coercion unless those warnings had been read. In this case,
29:26
since the suspect believed he was talking to a fellow prisoner, then there's
29:32
no coercion, or at least that's what the Supreme Court said back in the
29:34
nineteen nineties, so this was valid for some time. I like the way
29:40
that this was played. Apparently the first episode with Joe Friday going under a
29:45
cover had been a success that may have very well have been why they decided
29:49
to go ahead and do it again. And he really does get into this
29:55
character of being an underworld tough Actually this app extra generally do one Jack Web
30:03
a month and we're playing an episode of Are These Are Children? Where he
30:07
plays the sleazy head of a car game. As an actor, Webb had
30:12
a lot of experience playing these criminal roles. Safe to say, most of
30:18
his roles were either as the police or as the criminal prior to drag Net,
30:22
or as a private detective. He had an episode of Escape where he
30:27
played the criminal in their production of You Take Ballistics, which was actually also
30:34
the pilot episode of Pursuit, another version of that, and also had a
30:41
role not in Havanah and of course on the big screen. So it's easy
30:47
for Jack Web as an actor to basically just play this like he was playing
30:52
a tough criminal. So this was interesting. He was kind of like getting
30:56
two episodes in one. Well, now we turned to listener comments and feedback
31:00
and have a comment from Scott once again, thanks for all your hard works
31:06
and doing this podcast. Well, thanks so much, Scott, and thanks
31:10
again for your support. Then we have a few questions regarding specific episodes.
31:18
Phil asked Love your Podcast early in the program regarding episode fifteen oh eight,
31:26
early in the program on the hotline, to me, that sounded like the
31:29
future Bill gannon actor Harry Morgan. Am I wrong, No, Phil,
31:37
that was Harry Morgan. I didn't comment on it, just because Harry Morgan
31:44
was in Dragnet quite a bit in the early days the nineteen forty nine to
31:49
fifty season. In fact, he played the prime villain in sixteen Jewel Thefts
31:57
and also did some character roles, so Harry Morgan was in it quite a
32:04
bit at this point, but good catch. George says, I was curious
32:09
about how much of Dragon That was actually based on true times. Obviously there
32:15
were some big stories such as Carol Chessman's that inspired episodes, but I wonder
32:21
about the majority of episodes. How often did the scripts follow actual cases?
32:27
When did they follow an actual case? Was the show true to reality or
32:30
did the a simply form a backdrop for the writer's imaginations. Thanks and thanks
32:37
for all you your good work bringing us so much enjoyment. Good question and
32:46
a little complicated to answer. All of the cases truly were drawn from cases
32:55
that occurred from actual pull files. However, there would be things changed just
33:02
for the sake of storytelling and to fit within the format of dragnet, where
33:08
the primary investigation is carried on by two police officers or legal reasons, and
33:16
the extent even of the air of the show or the requirements based on what
33:23
they received from the LAPD. So there were a lot of factors. Some
33:29
episodes you really just have a basic contsant. Others there's very little change from
33:35
what actually happened. What they try to capture is the flavor of what happened
33:39
in the life of a working detective and the type of cases that they deal
33:44
with. They actually paid policemen for their stories, for ideas that could be
33:51
used for Dragnet, and if a policeman's idea was accepted, they would pay
33:57
them twenty five dollars, which was a lot more money now back then than
34:01
now, closer to two or three hundred. I should think, then a
34:06
question from Joel who says, you may have answered this, but I'm curious
34:14
why they say sensus prescribed by law when announcing the ending accepting death penalty cases
34:22
when they say executed. I'm going to just speculate on this because I'm not
34:30
one sure, but one possibility is that dragnet cases didn't all come from the
34:46
nineteen forties and fifties when the program was being aired. Many of them were
34:52
originally from the nineteen twenties, such as the Big Let of Jesus Well that
34:58
didn't involve a sentence at the or the City Hall bombing. And sentencing laws
35:04
do change, and a sentence might be more harsh or more lenient, though
35:08
it might make sense just as a matter of standard issue to say as prescribed
35:13
by law. It may also have just been a stylistic choice too. It
35:16
definitely does fit the tone of Dragnet and the tone of most of the scripts.
35:22
So that's my stab at it, and I hope I hit somewhere near
35:25
the actual reason. But that will actually do it for today. We will
35:30
be back Monday with the Saint and then join us back here again next Saturday
35:37
for another episode of Dragnet. If you have a comment, senate to me
35:40
Box thirteen at Great Detactives dot net, follow us on Twitter at Radio Detectives,
35:45
and become one of our friends on Facebook, Facebook, dot com,
35:51
slash Radiodattactives from Boise, Idaho. This is your host, Adam Grahamson and off