 Ladies and gentlemen, we suggest that you pay particular attention to an important announcement, which will be given at the end of tonight's program. The story you're about to hear is true. Only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Fatima cigarettes, best of all long cigarettes, brings you dragnet. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned to personnel division. A resident of your city files a report of robbery and assault. A suspect or rookie police officer. Your job, arresting. If you want a long cigarette, smoke the best of all long cigarettes. Smoke extra mild Fatima. Yes, Fatima is the king size cigarette, which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, superbly blended to make it extra mild. To give Fatima a much different, much better flavor and aroma than any other long cigarette. That's why Fatima has more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. Best of all, long cigarettes. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes transcribed in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Wednesday, April 9th, it was foggy in Los Angeles. We were working a day watch out of personnel. My partner's Ben Romero, the boss's deputy chief home and commander BIA. My name's Friday. We're on the way over from the city hall and it was 5.25 p.m. when we got to Central Division. The assembly room. See him, Joe? Yeah, it looks like him over there. I'll let you know. Hi. You a Russell Clark? Yeah, that's right. Friday and Romero personnel. All right. Lieutenant Drummond over at BIA. I'd like to talk to you. All right. When do you want to see me? Right now. Okay. We're looking for a cab. Okay, let's go. Well, they want to see me, buddy, huh? Drummond will tell you. Okay. How long have you been on the job, Clark? About two and a half months. How do you like it? Oh, I like it fine. Wife doesn't mean much, huh? She want me to stay at my old job. What was that? It's like insurance. Likes to have me home nice. Doesn't like to be alone, especially now. Yeah? She's expecting a couple of months. You know, either yet. Yeah. That's close here. Hey, I put in a request for day work. You think that's why first no one's to see me? I don't know. I don't think so. All right. You'd like to get that day watch. Yeah. Is that the way you fell and started? I did, yeah. You started in traffic, didn't you, Ben? Yeah, huh? I have nine months, Ellen. Go ahead, Clark. No, thanks. I have to be on the job at six. You think it's going to take very long? I don't know. Hi, Friday. Hi. What's waiting? Personnel Coleman. Lieutenant? Yeah. Come here. This is Officer Clark, Lieutenant Drummond. How do you do, sir? How are you, Clark? Sit down. Thanks. A couple of questions for you. Yes, sir. You were on special duty at the Olympic Auditorium last night there, right? Yes, sir, for the fights. Anything unusual happened out there last night? Well, it wasn't very important, Lieutenant. After the fights, the drunk fell down the stairs. On the way out of the auditorium, broke his arm. I took him to Georgia Street, and he took care of the arm, and I drove him home. He was pretty drunk. Why didn't you book the man? I didn't think it was necessary. How long have you been with the department, Clark? Two and a half months, sir. Didn't you know he should have been booked for violation of 4127A LAMC? Well, a man who was in pretty bad shape, Lieutenant, broke an arm. I guess I didn't think the law was that strict. Law is there for a purpose. You decided to forget it, and now you're in a mess, right up to your neck. I don't understand. You remember the name of that drunk he took care of last night? Yes, sir. His name was Stacy Lizard in West L.A. What's the matter with him? That drunk, Mr. Stacy, wants to file a complaint against you. What for? He claims you took him back to the auditorium, beat him up, broke his arm, and robbed him of $128. He's crazy. He's lying. I didn't do that. Got his word against yours? Clark, in fact, seemed to favor him. But I can prove it. There was at least a couple of dozen people around. There was a doctor, he can tell you. Maybe you better take it from the beginning, Clark. Exactly how did it happen. I was right after the fight, so I was on duty in the lobby, and I saw a bunch of people crying around the foot of the stairs. I went over to see what the trouble was, and they were looking at this man lying on the pavement. With Stacy, a doctor was examining him. This doctor? Did he identify himself? Yeah. I asked for his identification. He showed it to me. They made Clark. He's a doctor, all right. Yeah, go ahead. Well, he told me that he had seen Stacy fall down the stairs coming out of the auditorium. Said that Stacy had broken his left arm. What'd you do then? Well, the doctor said it'd be okay to move him, so I helped him into my car and took him down to Georgia Street. And so drunk he could hardly stand up. Your tenants at Georgia Street took care of his arm? Well, they can tell you all about this. Maybe, but they can't help you out as witnesses. You could have beaten up Stacy, robbed him, then taken him to Georgia Street. But I didn't, Lieutenant. Lieutenant, that Stacy's lying. What'd you do when you left Georgia Street? Well, I drove into Central and told him what happened. I told the watch commander I was going to drive this Stacy home, and he warned me about it. I guess I should have known better, but... Well, I swear to you that Stacy's lying. You should have known better. Where'd you go after you left Central? I drove him home on the way. Said he was hungry, so I stopped. I bought him my sandwich and some black coffee. He kept telling me what a nag his wife was. Said he was afraid to go home. Go on. Well, when I got him to his place, his wife started chewing me out. I just said good night in life. That's it, huh? That's it. So help me. That's exactly what happened. Now, how about the doctor at the auditorium, the one who saw Stacy fall? Did you get his name and address? No, no, Lieutenant. I didn't. I didn't think it was necessary. How about the crowd that was standing around? Did you spot anybody you know? No. No, no, I didn't. There were just a bunch of people coming out of the fights. Then you haven't got anyone to corroborate your story. But all those people saw it. There must have been a couple of dozen of them. What are their names? I don't know. All I know is I didn't beat him up and I didn't take his money. I tell you, the Stacy's lying. You could be lying. We got no proof either way. I'm not lying, Lieutenant. I didn't do it. We might believe you, Clark. That doesn't make any difference. This man files a 211 against you. It's got to be settled in court. But I didn't do it. I tell you, I swear I didn't. In just a minute. Mike, send him, Mr. Stacy, will you? You can hear the story of the way we get it from Stacy and his wife. I'd like to hear it. I don't know why he's doing this. Tell me, I helped him all I could. But that's the one. Yeah, that's him, Chief. Now, wait a minute, Mr. Stacy. What's this all about? Hold it, Clark. Mr. Stacy, would you repeat the same story you told us this morning, please? I know what I told you, Chief. You had the stenographer take it all down. It's the same thing. I'd like to have you repeat it in front of Officer Clark here. He's entitled to know what you're charging with. A man like that's entitled to nothing. You ought to be a shitting to yourself. Look, lady, your husband's lying. Don't call my husband a liar. You're not a policeman. You're a hoodlum. All right, wait a minute. I don't know what this city's coming to. Cups going around beating up private citizens. Who do we trust if we can't trust a policeman? Just a minute, please. No, Captain. You should have seen my husband when that officer brought him home last night. Arm all bandaged. His face all cut up. He was hurt so bad he could hardly stand up. He was too drunk to stand up, lady. Don't you get fresh with me. All right, that's enough. This cop got holding me as I was coming out of the fights. Took me in back of the auditorium. Told me if I didn't hand over my wallet, he'd booked me on a drunk charge. Were you drunk, Stacey? I was not. Had a couple of beers, that's all. When I wouldn't give him my money, he beat me up, broke my arm and took my wallet. Had a man like you ever get on the police force? He figured he'd cover up, so he took me and had my arm fixed at the emergency hospital and he drove me home. Threatened me all the way. He said, you tell anybody about this and I'll get you. That's just what he said. I don't get it, Stacey. You know that story's a pack of lies. Why are you doing this to me? It's the truth. And I'm gonna press charges and get my money back. $128, what have you done with it? We can take care of the questioning, Mrs. Stacey. I don't see you doing it. Make him tell where's our money. I haven't got it. Don't talk back to me. Mr. Stacey, you and your wife want to file a crime report at this time. We want to press charges. Romero? Yep. Take Mr. Mrs. Stacey down to Wrecked Bureau. Have them make out a report for 211 and himself. All right. Get them out of the way, please. Now listen. We're gonna get action. We have to take this to the district attorney. We're not afraid of the publicity. We'll go to the newspaper if we don't get action. Yes, ma'am. That's it, Clark. They're lying. I can't prove it. They're lying. You can see the position it puts us in. If you're innocent, we'll do all we can. If you're guilty, we'll see you get everything that's coming to you. But they're lying. You know that. Not up to us. The court's gonna have to decide. That's it. That's it. You know, there's no other way, Clark. We've got 4,500 men in the department. We don't claim they're all saints. Once in a while, a bad cop comes along. He pulls a caper and all of us get a black eye. This book of rules is the only protection we've got against that. By failing to enforce the law, you violated your duties as a police officer. That's yourself in a real mess, Clark. Like anybody else, you get a fair trial. I mean, I'm dropping the force. Those people have filed a crime report. Draw a suspension pen in the outcome of the case. After that, if you're cleared, I'll be hearing before the board of rights. Right through right now? You'll be booked for robbery and assault and held in town in jail. The case will be presented to the district and turned to tomorrow. What can I do? I'll have to have your badge on the desk. Your gun. ID card. Yeah. On the desk. All right, Joe, that's it. Okay. Take them. Six p.m. Ben returned to the office and together we took rookie police officer Russell Clark across the street to the Hall of Justice. At the county jail booking desk on the 12th floor, he was booked on suspicion of 211 PC and assault with intent to do great bodily harm. He was lodged in the cell block. Investigating charges against a police officer involves exactly the same procedure as cases where private citizens are concerned. Prove the suspect innocent or guilty. That's the job. If Clark was innocent, it looked like there was only one way of proving. That was somehow to find the unnamed doctor who was supposed to have seen Stacey fall down the auditorium stairs and then examined him afterward. If Clark was guilty, we had to find proof that his story about Stacey falling down stairs was a lie. Besides that, we had to find evidence that he beat up Stacey at the rear of the auditorium that night, and then he robbed him of $128. Thursday, April 10th, Ben and I checked in for work at 7.45 a.m. and found a message from the jailer on the phone board. Clark wanted to see us right away. We met with him in the county jail. The interview room. How are you doing? Not too bad. Don't let it sour you, huh? Sergeant, you really think I rolled that character? Come on, tell me the truth. We checked you out. Good family. You got a fine army record. No, we don't think you did it. I just can't understand why you picked me out. I tried to help him all I could. Then he walks in the next day with a frame story like that. You got any idea why Stacey would pull something like this on you? I don't know. I'm worried, Sergeant, believe me. I can't afford to sit here missing my pay. We live pretty close to the budget with a baby coming. I'm worried about the wife. I just don't know what to do. You sure you told us everything about this that you remember? Well, that's the one reason I wanted to see you. I didn't sleep much last night. I kept trying to remember the name of that doctor. Yeah? I remember once he did mention his name, and then when I asked for his identification, he showed me one of his cards. Any idea what his name was? Well, I'm not sure, but as I remembered, it was some kind of a Swedish or Norwegian name, something like Johnson, Tollison, you know, something with a son on the end of it. It's on that card. That doesn't narrate down too much. Where is it going? Well, I think I put his card in one of the pockets of my other uniform shirt. That's why I called you. I wonder if you could check that for me. It's at home. Sure, where do you live? Out on Norwich Road, 411. It's right near the Colosseum. 411? Yeah. All right, we'll check it out for you. Just ask the wife, will you? The card should be in one of the pockets. Yeah, if you put it there. Ben and I left the interview room at the county jail and drove out to the home of Officer Clark on Norwich Road. We introduced ourselves to his wife and told her what we were after. Her eyes were red and looked like she'd been crying. She asked about her husband. We told her he was all right. They're making a terrible mistake. Sergeant Russ never did anything crooked in his life. He didn't do it. I know he didn't. Well, do everything we can to straighten it out, Mrs. Clark. The court will have the final say. I knew Russ shouldn't have left his insurance job. I just knew it all was trouble. How about that shirt your husband told us about, the one he wore that night at the auditorium? Oh, yes, his other uniform shirt. Can we see it, please? Yes, certainly. It's right this way, back and better. What's so important about this shirt, Sergeant? Your husband told us there might be a card in one of the pockets. It might help clear up things. Well, it should be hanging up here in the closet. I always like to keep Russ's shirts on hangers and keep some much nicer looking. What's the matter? This morning I sent it to the cleaners. Clark's wife, Ben and I drove down to a dry cleaning shop a few blocks away where Mrs. Clark had left the shirt. The counter girl there told us that the truck had already been by that morning and picked up the day's cleaning. It was a store rule to check all garments for contents. She had found nothing. They got the address of the main plant, the Great Northern Dry Cleaners, a place down on Factory Street. At 10.15 a.m., we checked in at the main plant and explained to the manager what we were after. We gave him the tag number of her cleaning and Mrs. Clark gave him the description of the shirt. We waited in the manager's office while he made a search for the dark blue wool police shirt. How about this one, lady? It's the only blue wool shirt picked up at your cleaners this morning. Yes, that's Russ's shirt. That pocket's out there. I mended it. I'll check the pockets for you. I had to pull it out of the tank. It's all wet. Nothing in this pocket. Try the other one. Yep. Look for yourself. Nothing. We're listening to Dragnet, the case history of a police investigation, presented in the public interest by Fatima Cigarettes. If you smoke a long cigarette, it will be in your interest to listen to a typical case history of a Fatima smoker. It's the case of Northwest Airlines stewardess Jean Madsen. This is her actual signed statement. There's one thing I really look forward to after a long flight. A good, mild smoke. That's why I prefer the new king-size Fatima. It's milder than any other long cigarette I've tried. Yes, I agree. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. And so do more and more smokers every day. Actual figures show extra mild Fatima as more than doubled its smokers coast to coast. So enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. The king-size cigarette, which contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos, is superbly blended to make it extra mild. You will prefer Fatima's much different, much better flavor. You will agree. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. The best of all long cigarettes. Thursday, April 10th. When the daily newspapers were on the streets and the head on one of the top front page stories read, rookie cop slugs rob citizen. Ben and I went back to the county jail and told Clark that we'd failed to find the card. He could give us no other lead that might help in clearing the case. During the next two days that followed, Ben and I ran down every possible lead, no matter how remote it was. I made a thorough check on Mr. and Mrs. Stacy. We double-checked back on Clark's record. For one full day we did nothing but phone doctors in and around the city of Los Angeles. From a list of hundreds, we came across three doctors who had been present at the fights in Olympic Auditorium on the night Stacy claimed he was beaten up and robbed by Officer Clark. None of the three had seen a man tumble down the stairway, leading from the balcony to the lobby. None of them had seen any accident or had been called on to help anyone professionally. Monday, April 14th, we met with Lieutenant Ralph Drummond. No go, huh? That's good of us, Ralph. We can't figure it. It's almost a fact Stacy's lying. Clark, what about him? There's still nothing to show that he didn't do it. He had the opportunity. Maybe he had a motive. He needs money, you know. Who doesn't? How much you get on Stacy? He and his wife run a second-hand furniture store in South Florida. It's a small business. Stacy's quite a gambler. He bets on the fights. Yeah? We checked around with some of the gang down at the Auditorium. Stacy's well-known down there. He laid some pretty heavy bets. The 90 claims Clark rolled him. How much? You got the dope there, Ben. How's it figure out? He lost over $75 in small amounts. Add to that the fact that he was doing some partying. That might have caught for the 128 this month. Stacy blew the roll, was afraid to tell his wife, so he cooked up the story against Clark. Yeah, sure. Maybe that could have been the way it happened. What do you got on the other side? Not much, Ralph. Couldn't dig up anything against Clark. I don't know. He doesn't seem like the type to pull something like that. Maybe not. You still can't prove he didn't do it. How about the papers? You've been plugging for witnesses? Yeah. Here's the ad. Had it running in person for four days now. All those slow men falling on the stairway. Auditorium. Please call Michigan 5211-75. No, he's older. No. All the possible doctors in town have been checked out, too. How about the local medical magazines? Got an ad in there, Ralph. Nothing's happened. Well, one thing is sure. Something's got to happen. These papers are scorching the kid in the department along with him. A victim without a trial makes good reading in the tabloids. There's one thing I can't understand. If Clark's leveling and there was a doctor at the fight that might have looked at Stacy, then where's the doctor? We've had this thing noised all around town. Well, give it a little more time. He might turn up. I kind of like the Stacy angle. What do you mean? Well, suppose we get him in here. I think we could break him down into questioning. No, I doubt that. We can't even get close to him. That wife of his and that lawyer, they're with him all the time. He's afraid to talk to us. Maybe if we pass the word to his wife, we've been gambling. How far could we go on that? Well, she might believe us. She might not. You've seen what she's like. Yeah. I got an idea. He sold her on a story. He was tagging along to get the $128 back. It gives me an idea, Joe. One thing we might have missed. Yeah, what's that? We found out that Stacy did a little partying before he went to the fights at the auditorium at night, didn't we? Yeah, go ahead. We checked out a couple of the bars he was drinking at, but we figured he must have parted away at least 50 out of that $128. Mm-hmm. He didn't spend that much at the bars. Well, sure. He probably hid a few other places, too. That's what I mean. There's still a lot of money to drink up alone. You figure a woman? Maybe. Do you usually think Stacy plays around? Just one. Yeah. Here's what? Monday, 1 p.m. Ben and I started a canvas of bars and small night clubs in the general area around the Olympic auditorium. We started with those where Stacy was a regular customer. We failed to turn up any leads. Either the bartenders refused to tell us so they had no knowledge of Stacy's running around with other women. We kept at it. Another day passed. Two days. Nothing. One of the newspapers started a campaign against the brutality of police officers. On Thursday, we got a tip from a bartender to place out on Washington Street, the Brown Cow. He told us that he thought he saw a man answering Stacy's description in his bar a few nights before with a flashy blonde in her late 20s. He said he didn't know Stacy too well, but he knew the girl, and he knew the hotel where she stayed. Her name was Sandra Gay, an acrobatic specialty dancer at the Chief Night Club. We checked out her hotel, but she wasn't in. We left word for her to get in touch with us, and we picked up a hamburger and some potato salad for lunch and checked back in at the office. How you doing, Colin? Not as good as you two. How you mean? Can't you smell up her fuel? Huh? It's off a blonde named Sandra Gay. She's waiting in the next room. Won't talk to anybody but you. Thanks. Come on, babe. Didn't waste much time, did she? Perfume. She was strong. Your name, Sandra Gay? Yeah, I was shy. The other cell has been looking for me. Drop by your hotel. We'd like to ask you a few questions. Sure, it's all right. This is my partner, Sergeant Romero. My name's Friday. How you doing? Oh, Romero. Kind of cute for a cop. What can I help you with? Do you know anybody by the name of Gerald Stacey, Miss Gay? Gerald. Yeah, I hate that name. Do you know any man who calls himself that? No. I think that's a terrible name for a man, Gerald. The man we have in mind is pretty short, stocky-billed, dark hair, and he wears steel-rimmed glasses. Yeah, where'd they hang out? Place out in Washington, the Brown Cow. Supposed to have been seen with you. Gerald Stacey. Oh, yeah. I think I know what you mean. Furniture business runs in place near the Brown Cow. That's right. You know him? Oh, Pops. Sure, I know him. We got together once in a while. He's a kick. Pretty big spender. Oh, he's got, yeah. Last time we went out, he was fine. You can kick it around what he wants to. Oh, Pops. When's the last time you were out with him, Miss Gay? Maybe a week, two weeks ago. The Tuesday night, I think, yeah. Tuesday the 8th? Is that about right? Yeah, most of it. Why was it all about? Did you spend most of the evening with him? No, I had to get back to the club to my act. He went on to the fights over at London. I get it. Personnel Friday. Is this Sergeant Friday? Yes, that's right. This is Dr. Samuelson talking, Sergeant. I've been out of town. I just got back this morning. I saw the ad in the paper. Yes, sir. I was at the fights that night, Sergeant. What is it you want to know? Would you mind telling us, Doctor, did you see a man fall down one of the stairways to the lobby? Certainly, I was the one who examined him. 5 p.m., Mr. and Mrs. Stacy were called to Lieutenant Drummond's office. Arrangements were made to have Officer Russell Clark brought over from his cell in County Jail. At 5.15, Ben and I checked into the Lieutenant's office. Stacy and his wife were already there. I'm certainly proud of our police department, Chief. No whitewashing this time. You gave that fella exactly what he had coming. Thanks. You sure you didn't make a mistake? I'm sure, Chief. That's the right man. You got him. Jerry, don't make mistakes on things like this, Inspector. How about our money, the $120,000 he tell you where he hid it? No, he hasn't. We'll bring Officer Clark in from County Jail, figure we try to crack him. That's right. Make him tell what he did with our money. Joe, will you have Officer Clark brought in? By the way. All right. There he is. Where's our money? What have you done with it? Just a minute, please. Stacy, are you sure Officer Clark here is the man who beat you up and robbed you? Of course he is. You dragged me behind the auditorium and almost beat me to death. Broke my arm, took all my money. $128, where is it? I haven't got your money. Joe, bring the doctor in. I... In here, Doctor. All right. So, Stacy, you're a liar. This officer didn't break your arm. I saw you fall down a flight of stairs at that auditorium, break your own arm. I examined him. Jerry, who is this man? What about it, Stacy? He doesn't know what he's talking about and never saw him before in my life. No, but I've seen you, Stacy. You were drunk. I saw you fall down those stairs. You're crazy. Joe, send Miss Gay in. All right. Hi, Miss Gay. Here is Don Perfume. You recognize any of these people, Miss Gay? Hello, Pops. I don't know you. Don't you remember the perfume you give it to? Who is this woman? Just a friend, honey. All right, Stacy, now let's have it straight. It was all a mistake. I don't want to make trouble for anybody. It wasn't this cop's fault. I don't want to make any trouble. What about this woman? It was all a mistake. Believe me. You took that money, Gerald. You spent it on her. Now, wait a minute. Causing all this trouble, squandering our money. After all I did for you, you're no good. This time, I'm through. All right, Clark, let's go. Okay. Well, that's it. I don't know how to thank you, fellas. And Doctor's the best friend you've got. Yeah. Yeah, I'd better call a wife she want to know. Friday, phone message for you here. Oh, thank you. From your wife, Clark. Yeah? She found that doctor's card. The story you had just heard was true. Only the names were changed to protect the innocent. On September 2nd trial was held in Municipal Court Division 7, City and County of Los Angeles, State of California, in a moment the results of that trial. It's amazing how many long cigarette smokers are changing to extra mild Fatima. Here is the actual report. From coast to coast, extra mild Fatima has more than doubled its smokers. Yes, more and more smokers every day are discovering that Fatima is the king size cigarette that is extra mild. Extra mild because it contains the finest Turkish and domestic tobaccos superbly blended to make it extra mild. To give it a much different, much better flavor and aroma. Enjoy extra mild Fatima yourself. Best of all, long cigarettes. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. It's wise to smoke extra mild Fatima. Gerald Stacey was tried on charges of filing a false crime report. He was convicted under Section 5250, LAMC, and served his term as prescribed by law. Officer Russell Clark was returned to duty with full back pay. Ladies and gentlemen, in response to thousands of letters asking us to broadcast Dragnet at an earlier hour so that the entire family might hear it, we wish to announce that summer scheduling enables us to fulfill these requests. Beginning next Thursday, June 8th, Fatima's cigarettes will bring you Dragnet one half hour earlier over most of these stations. Consult your local newspaper for exact time. You have just heard Dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical Advice for Dragnet comes from the office of Chief of Police, W.A. Wharton, Los Angeles Police Department. Fatima's cigarettes, best of all, long cigarettes has brought you Dragnet transcribed from Los Angeles. Hear your favorite, Jack Birch, tomorrow on NBC.