 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned an narcotics detail. You get a tip that a man is peddling heroin in his place of residence. He's a known user. Your job? Check it out. Dragnet, the documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law to an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Tuesday, September 6th. It was hot in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out on narcotics detail. My partner is Frank Smith, the boss is Captain Walter. My name's Friday. We're on our way out from the office. It was 9.33 p.m. when we got to the corner of 8th and Temple. Converted garage. Is that the right address? Yeah, I want you to swing around here at the corner where we can park across the street up there. Okay. Yeah, right up here will do. All right. There isn't much of a house. Looks more like a store or something. Yeah. You sure that's where he's living, Joe? Yeah, and Nicky says the place used to be a garage. Huh? Someone ran it when it broke. Turned it into living quarters. All right, see. How long's Denson been staying here? About six months. Alone? No, he's got his family with him. A wife, two or three kids. All right. Now, what do you think? Should we tap him now? Let's give it a couple of minutes to see if he's drawing any customers. Okay. Is this Nicky sure about all this? Yeah, he does. He says Denson's loaded for action 30 or 40 camp. Just got him tonight, huh? Yeah. Nicky, you know who we got him from? He does. He wouldn't tell me. Joe? Hmm? Front door. Yeah. Let's see the wife. Wonder who she's looking for. I don't see anybody. I guess she doesn't either. Well, that might make it a little easier for her. What do you mean? She left the door open. Clash only 45 minutes earlier, we received a telephone call from an informant named Nicky Corbin. Corbin reported that Slim Denson, a narcotics user who lived at the corner of Temple on 8th, had some 30 or 40 caps of heroin in his possession. Corbin said Denson was getting ready to push this stuff. Frank and I waited across the street from the Denson residents for 26 minutes. During that time, no one came in or out of the house, but the front door remained open. 9.59 p.m., a young man turned the corner and headed into the converted garage. Five minutes later, he reappeared and started down the street. Should we talk to him? Yeah. Wait a minute, Frank. Huh? I guess he forgot something. Yeah. Going back inside. Now, let's give him some company. The man re-entered the Denson residents. As soon as he disappeared through the front door, I moved in after him. At the same time, Frank went around to the rear of the building. The garage had been crudely partitioned in the room, and the front area contained an overstuffed sofa, a dining room table, and chairs, and a TV set. In addition to the young man who'd gone in ahead of me, there were two other people in the room. The woman who had previously appeared in the doorway and a sallow-faced middle-aged man. Now, hold on, Mr. Where do you think you're going? Please don't, sir. You're under arrest. Please? That's right. Don't move any of it. It's a fine time for you to be showing up. You ought to be ashamed. I bet. Three hours ago. That's when you should have been here. That's when we needed you. Oh, now take it easy. I'll just don't start raising those things. That little girl, only seven years old, running around the city like this, Lord knows what could have happened to her. You call her copy, don't even show up till three hours later. I told you, hold your mouth. Else is my baby. I tap out of my mind when she didn't come home from school. No thanks to you that she got home at all. I don't know what you're talking about, lady. Elsie, that's what I'm talking about, my baby. Yeah. Anybody else around, Frank? Yeah, a couple of youngster sleeping in one of the back rooms. That's it. All right. Now move over to that wall. Hold on, move. You're not heading for such a thing, little girl. Get lost on the way home from school. You're sent for a police unit. Treat you like it was dead. You better get it straight, lady. You're under arrest. All of you. It hasn't got anything to do with your daughter. Arrest? Hey. But you can't arrest me. I ain't done anything. Is that so? You've got to have a reason for picking somebody up. A good reason. A suspicion of violation of the state narcotics act. Is that good enough? What? Come on. Over against the wall. Come on, move. I'll check on you. Well, Elsie, you sure are making a mistake. Yeah, we always do. Well, sending the state to come out of your mind. That's what y'all. Sure. I'll have you on the counter, Elsie. On the counter, she got lost. All right. They're playing to her. That's why we wanted you. You'll find her. You have nothing to do with no narcotics. If your daughter was missing and you reported it, you'd have had plenty of help. Of course we reported it three hours ago. That's when you called them, Slim. Huh? When you went down to the drug store, you said you was going to use the phone. Oh. Well, you called them, didn't you? I guess maybe I forgot. Forgot? Your own place in blood? Your own, baby? That's the difference. She's home, ain't you? That's the difference. Give me a word. Get the call. Oh, look, look, look. You found your little girl. You got something else to worry about now. I sure don't know what you're aiming at, Mr. You don't, huh? Neither do I. You're accusing me of having something to do with narcotics, and I ain't never been mixed up with dope. I never even touched the stuff. Not once. Well, then we'll start with you. Well, you go out of here. I ain't got nothing to hide. What's your name? Boston. Jerry Boston. How old are you? 23. You live around here? Down the street. Four houses east. What do you do for a living, Jerry? I work in a southern station over on Pico. No, not yet. We're expecting one next month. What do you think you're going? I just wanted to see the youngsters. Just stay right here. They'll be all right. Come on. We're only talking to Jerry. We'll get around to you soon enough. Now, why don't you sit down and take it easy, lady? Better do like I said, huh? A bully and a person in our own home. Why did you come over here tonight, Jerry? I heard about Elsie that she was missing. I wanted to find out they found her. You came in, you went out, and then you came back in again. Is that it? Yeah, that's right. Well? Well, Kitty wanted me to ask Mrs. Hansen here something. Kitty's my wife. Yeah. I forgot when I was here first, so I had to come back. What was it your wife wanted to find out? Come on, Jerry. It wasn't nothing important. Just something about when you're having a baby. Uh-huh. You want to step over here now, Jerry? Huh? Over here, please. Side to side. Sure. All right, empty your pocket for you. Yes, sir. Take everything out. How much money you got there, Jerry? 20, 25 bucks. You always care that much gas station. Oh, I got paid today. Uh-huh. Okay, son, roll up your sleeves. Do what? Your sleeves. Come on, roll them up. All right. A little higher. Okay. Roll them back down. Are you and the dancing pretty good friends, I am? Well, we're neighbors. How long you know each other? Four or five months, I guess. Hard but long they've been living here. Hey, what the heck are you doing with that lamp? Why is the light bothering you? It's kind of bright when you're looking right into it. Okay, Jerry. Put the stuff back in your pocket. Now, take a seat someplace. Wait a minute. You mean I got to stay here? For the time being, yeah. Okay, I'll be worried. I only thought I was going to be gone a couple minutes. I did put in a nice young fellow like Jerry through all this foolishness. Well... Let's see how well you do it now, Denton. Huh? Come on. Over here. You already been wrong once, daddy. Maybe. No sense carrying on like this. No sense at all. Now, why don't you fellas just admit you made a mess they can go on your way? Over here. Come on. Quick stalling, will you? Move. Yeah. Now, go ahead. You went through your pocket. Is that all of it? You got every little do that. Turn them inside out. Whatever you say. What do you do for a living? Well, it's the moment when I'm sort of looking around, you might say. Yeah, I bet you are. You got a family, Denton. How are you feeling? Oh, we manage. We manage pretty good. Ow. Don't you worry none about my children. They ain't going hungry as long as I can work. Are you going to buff your wife to you? Now, I ain't no way to put it at all. She's just helping out while I'm having a rough stuff. All right, Denton. Roll up your sleeves, man. Come on. Get them up, will you? Back to my sudden perception. Yeah. Well, look here. I must have scratched myself the other day. You know, I was doing the cartwheel work. How long have you been a high fella? I'm afraid I don't know what you mean. Quit wasting our time, Denton. Now, how long? Well, I reckon ain't no point in lying to you, gentlemen. The fact of the matter is I did do a little chipping once in a while when I was young. Of course, that was some years ago. Oh, Mark's haven't even started scarring yet. And from the looks of it, you're building up to a big batch of infections there. Must be your inscriptions I was telling you about. All right, Denton. Where is it? Oh. The stuff. Where'd you stack it? Come on, Denton. We know you got 30 caps. We're going to find it anyway, so I hold out. Sorry, man. A guy like me couldn't afford that much stuff. Now, you ought to have more things. What'd you do? Give it to your wife? You ought to say a thing like that. Well, even if I did have a little age, I sure wouldn't want her to get involved. Last person in the world. Now, you can say whatever you got in mind to where I'm concerned. Now, you just leave her out of this. You're pretty anxious to go into the bedroom a little while ago, Mrs. Denton. I told you, leave her out. Now, if you won't do what I tell you. Take it easy, Denton. It don't matter what happens to me. You can lock me up. Give me the gas chamber. It don't matter. But my wife sees a fine woman. I won't have you attacking her reputation. You could throw me in jail if you want to. Stand up in front of a firing squad. Hey, come on, Denton. But there's no reason to drive her out of town. No, no, sit down. She ain't done nothing. No reason to drag her in. How about I, Mrs. Denton? I just don't know what you're looking for, Mr. I swear I don't. Well, I either you've still got it on you or you've got it in the bedroom with you. Well, you're not giving us any chugs. I think you better put it in the call of the office, Frank. Yeah. Ask them to send a team over to take this joint apart. Right. Tell them we're bringing in a couple of suspects. See if they can get a police woman to stand by so there'll be somebody to search Mrs. Denton when we get there. All right. Frank, you just wait a minute, Mrs. Can't arrest us. Not both of them and me. Is that all right? What about my youngsters? I won't leave them here alone. Can you get somebody to stay with them? Well, I guess Josie will be home before too long. Who's Josie? Our oldest girl. Where is she now? Went to the movies with her boyfriend. She's full gold, almost 19. How long do you expect her back? I don't know if it's yours. Pretty soon. I'll maybe. Uh-uh. We can't wait that long. I'll take the kids in, too. All right, Jos. Tell them downtown. Yeah, that's what I'm here for. Yeah. You just gonna sit there? You gonna let them drag our youngsters out of bed in the middle of the night? That's another thing I can do, huh? I tried to tell them you heard me try. I'm not gonna have my kids in jail, not for you, not for nobody. It ain't right to get a man to his family, Mr. Yeah. I told you four. Don't make no difference what becomes of me. You can send me away. You can put me in prison. Rest of my life. You can give me the gas chamber. Oh. Y'all through now. You see how I try. I'm gonna go ahead with the call frame. Yeah. Probably take five or ten minutes to get the kids dressed and we'll shove off. All right. I ain't gonna stand for it, Slim. I warned you. Those kids ain't going to jail on the county you. Oh. He asked me to hide it when we heard Jerry Boston coming up the block. Well. I put it inside my dress. All right, if I turn around. Yeah. I reckon this is what you want. You know better than this, Miss Benson. Huh? There's no age in here. This is just his layout. It's what he gave me. Don't marry to a guy who's been hooked for a long time. You've got a pretty good idea what this stuff looks like. We're not going to wait you more time here. If you give us a cap, you go downtown all four of it. I'll get him for you. You just tell us where they are. Don't listen to him, Alex. Honey, don't listen. Bad room. Which one? Well, the kids are sleeping. Come on. Under the pillar. On the opposite pillar, that's where he put it. She be younger? Yes, sir. I'd appreciate it if you'd try not to wait her. She did a lot of warm-up rounds and she's lost. She's all tuckered out. I had to tell him, Slim. I had to. It sure was a logic trick, mister. What's that? Holding them youngsters over their head, making a fret about them, just so you could break her down. Real logic. You ain't got no kids you own as you. No. That's how I had it figured. The way you talked, Alex. The way you kept on her. Parents wouldn't act it that way. For over a million years. Not a real parent, that is. Well, there's just one thing that I don't understand here, Denson. What's that? How would you know? One of the pillows in the children's bedroom Frank found an envelope which contained 32 caps of heroin. Denson admitted that the ache belonged to him, but he refused to tell us where he'd acquired it. Jerry Boston denied any knowledge of the drugs. We made arrangements for the two Denson children to be placed under protective custody of the juvenile division. At 4.42 p.m. we took to Denson's and Jerry Boston down of an narcotics bureau for further questioning. Our investigation revealed that Boston was not implicated in the case when he was released. 11.17 p.m. while Frank interrogated the Denson woman, I talked to her husband in the adjoining room. Oh, I never saw the like. You sure are hard to satisfy, mister. I told you this stuff was mine. Now what more do you want? It just doesn't add up, Denson. We'll see why and on. Well, you called it back at your place. What's mean? Well, where would a high-fike you get enough money to buy 32 caps? Oh, I had me a little extra put away. Frank was right, so I made a buy. Oh, no, don't get me right. You're scratching just to keep even with your habits. I'll beg you, look. Now, we've seen the mark on your arm. You want me to guess? Three caps a day. Is that about it? All right, Denson, who's the stuff we'll undo? Look, fella, you're dead. We can make you un-possessioned, maybe even on sale. Sale? Huh. You must be off your rocket. You know I never sold none of them. Story of the week got your artist back pushing. For all we know, you started. Anybody told you that, he's a liar. I ain't no pusher, never have been. Then what are you doing with 32 caps? I keep telling you, Mr. That was cheap. How cheap? Five bucks a cap. That's minor reasonable for them these days. 165 bucks isn't reasonable. You never saw that much money. All right, who'd you buy them from? Ooh, wouldn't be nobody you know. What if you try me? I don't know, Mr. Uh-huh. Ain't from LA. Yeah. The week took to get down south across the border. Oh, sure you did. That's how come I made me such a good buy. You bet. Now you listen, Benson, we didn't drop in on you tonight just because we were in the neighborhood. That too. We wouldn't have been there if we didn't have information. You know that as well as I do. Well. Our info is that you just got those caps tonight. Well, I tell you, somebody sure has been spreading a lot of wild stories about me. They've been on the nose so far. Why are you spending your time these days? I reckon we covered that before. Well, I reckon we'll try it again. I stayed at home mostly. Well, you're home yesterday? Sure was. Day before? Yeah, as far as I can remember. A real homebody, aren't you? I think it ought to stick pretty close, seeing as how the wife's working. Well, I sure consider of you. When was the last time you were downtown? We're about downtown. May ain't hallow me to anywhere in there. I'm afraid I just don't recall. Last week, maybe? Oh, no. Wouldn't have been last week. I wasn't feeling rightly. Didn't go no place last week. But I had to get to Mexico. Yes, my memory ain't as good as it used to be. Reckon, I'm kind of mixed up. You sure are. All right, I know. Sit right over there. Now, honey, you take it easy. They can't do nothing to you. She knew where the stuff was. That ties her right into possession. Told you where to find it. Or else you won't. Who do the cats belong to in the convention? Just him. The belong to him. Where do you get them? I don't know. Honest, I don't. Did you have any visitors tonight besides Jerry Boston? Well, come on. I can't think of nobody. Slim, you've got to do something. You've got to get me out of here. Any single, solid, fair thing I can do about it? I want to know what's happened to my kid. Oh, I take it easy, lady. They're in good hands. I want to know. They ain't never been away from me not since they were born. They'll be all upset if I'm not there. Can't you understand now I feel? Yes, we can. My fault, anyway. It's all my fault. No, no, hon. You ought to talk like that. Well, it is. I should have left you, Slim. I should have left you ten years ago when you first started taking dopes. Well, wouldn't I have the other two kids? You'd just be Josie. Bad enough. What's happened to her? Now, if you start worrying about Josie... Can I turn somebody worried about her, ain't it? Going out with a married man. It wasn't for you and your dirty, finishing dopes. She'd never have married me. Now, that's what I'm telling you. Shut up. That's enough out of you then. Oh, sure. He can't do no wrong without your concern. God give you a free bindle. That makes him a fine fella, don't it? Six companies for your daughter. What are you talking about, Miss Denson? Clark Helvey. That's who. He's the one to give Slim them cats. He's the one. Going out with Josie for singing. Oh, she'll be on the stuff, too. Just like a father. How do you think she's with tonight? Tonight. Last night. Every night. I talked to her. I talked to her till I was blue in the face. Just like a father. That's what she is. Just like him. You know where they went? They said to the movies. No reason to believe them, though. You could've given us all that, Denson. Well, I wore them on caps. I was just keeping them for Perk. Joey Brung and Josie home tonight. Oh, he finds out what's happening. He sure is going to blow his back. Yeah. I guess maybe I got the shooting off my mouth too much. About having them 32 caps. Made me feel like a big man. Never had that much stuff for my whole life. I told some of the other boys it was mine. This shows you how you can get in trouble from a little exaggeration. Oh. When they had them caps a couple hours before you fella showed up. A couple hours. Oh, and it took. Look at this year of meth on there. Oh, it took you a little longer than that, Denson. What do you mean? Ten years. From previous investigations, Frank and I knew that Perk Helvey was involved in the narcotics trade. He'd been arrested several times for possession, but so far it always managed to escape conviction. At the time of his last arrest some five months ago, he had been in the company of his wife, Marjorie. When the wife was searched, three ounces of heroin were found on her person. Marjorie Helvey had not been known to us as a pusher or a user. But when her husband was questioned, he denied any knowledge of the dope. His wife was sentenced to a term at the women's state prison. 12.08 a.m. Frank and I drove back to the Denson residence. The place was deserted. We went inside to wait for Helvey and Josie Denson. 1.16 a.m. Well, if he wouldn't cop out to save his own wife, he's not going to give us anything, you know. Well, I'm sure it's some family. Well, it can't help feeling sorry for the kids, though. Well, me too. Wait a minute. Somebody's out in front. Yeah. How do you want to work it? Well, let's split them up. I'll talk to the girl, and you take him in the other room and see what you can get. All right. Can I have that? Yeah, that's nothing heavy, remember? Just their own dad. You hope your old man didn't choose too many of my camps. Police officer, you're under arrest. Don't try anything, Helvey. Okay. Hey, what's going on here? Where is everybody? The folks are out. They'll get themselves pinned. Let me see your purse. Sure. See, you want to help yourself. Come on, move over here. Keep your hands out of your pockets and stand still, okay? It's a good thing I ain't ticklish, huh? All right. All right. Come on, Helvey. Huh? I want to toss you out in the back. Yeah, sure. What you guys do, draw straws for us? You don't look so sad about it, honey. You won. Come that for sure, then. I got the smart one, huh? Your mother and father have been arrested. Oh. It's not going to go easy on them. Who cares? The old man's a bum. Always has been. I was a little girly. He was a lush. Now he's a hype. I don't notice any change. What about your mother? What about her? She's been trying to hold the family together, hasn't she? Might be better if it fell apart. I'm going to give it straight to you, young lady. Your folks say that the cats we found belong to your friend, Perk, Helvey. Is that true? I wouldn't know. You'd know if you wanted to. It's going to be their word against his, unless you step in. Include me out. Maybe you've got to beat against your father. Maybe. Whatever you give me won't help him much. Might make a difference in your mother's case, though. Oh, come on. You don't care any more about my folks than I do. You're after Perk. It was his stuff, wasn't it? I don't know. You better think it over. Why should I? You don't mean anything to him. Isn't what he tells me. He's got a wife, hasn't he? The way I hear it, she's out of town. You know who said her there? Nothing to keep the same thing from happening to you. It won't. You ever seen your mother cry, Josie? Well, I did tonight. She wasn't crying for herself either. It was for you and your kid's sisters. You got a choice. Who's it going to be? Your mother or that two-bit pusher in there? Not a very nice way to talk about a friend of mine, is it? Is that your answer? I had a big night. I'm kind of kind. You've got nothing on me, so I think I'll just coddle off the bed. You just stay put. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not sure of you yet to stay here. You were through before you ever started. She doesn't care about her mother or anybody else. It'd be easier to crack LB, I think. Well, it was, but he copped out. So this stuff is his. He's got some more in his car. What turned the key? I don't know. Maybe he likes his girl. Maybe that's why he held back on his wife to get rid of her. When you guys get done comparing notes, I'd like to get a little shut-eye. We're done. Now you're playing it smart. No point in running into a stone wall, is there? Your mind's made up, huh? It's a general idea. You want to pin something on Perk, you better look someplace else. We don't have to, and we don't need you either. What? Neither does your mother. For her sake, I'm glad she doesn't. What are you trying to hand? I'm not handing anything. Perk gave us what we asked for more than enough. I don't believe you. Why should he? Well, you better ask him. Don't make any sense. I would have backed him up whatever he told you. He knows that. Sure he does. Crazy jerk. Probably thinks he's doing me a favor, helping out my folks. Some joke, huh? Yeah. Who's it on? The story you've just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On December 28th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the County of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial... Percy Foster-Helsey entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced for violation of the State Narcotics Act of felony. Porter Slim Denson and Josephine Annabelle Denson were tried and convicted of violation of the State Narcotics Act of felony. Violation of the State Narcotics Act of felony is punishable by imprisonment for a period of from five years to life. Two young Denson children were placed under 24-hour supervision in a foster home. You have just heard dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department. Technical advisors Captain Jack Donahoe, Sergeant Marty Winn, Sergeant Lance Brasher. Heard tonight were Ben Alexander, Virginia Gregg, Jack Krushen, Joyce McCluskey, Herb Ellis. Scripts by Frank Burt, Music by Walter Schumann. Hell, give me speaking. Watch an entirely different dragnet case history each week on your local NBC television station. Please check your newspapers for the day and time. Chester Beale has brought you dragnet. Transcribe from Los Angeles.