 sergeant you're assigned a homicide detail it's new year's eve in your city and your on special duty thousands of people crowd downtown streets one of them is a killer your job find them drama of an actual crime for the next thirty minutes in cooperation with the Los Angeles police department you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files from beginning to end from crime to punishment fragment is the story of your police force in action was new year's eve it's cold in Los Angeles we're working the night watch out of homicide special duty my partners been remarried the bosses that brown chief of detectives my name's friday i was on the way back from dinner and it was eight thirty five p.m. when i got to room forty two homicide hi barney i was outside cold not keeping people at home check the crowd i'm watching it from the window here he's bigger than last new year you're on with ben and me tonight is that right i thought i was gonna have it all like a little house party plan everything well it's too bad maybe next time and that's what i said last new years yes we better start moving you went down the hall a minute so to be right back i'd better take my top cover yeah i would if i were you nothing for us in the book is there barney almost forgot jack calico having a little party out of his house once you remember to drop around when you get off city call back by jill right if i ready you know let me grab my overcoat and just take back communications what sports lit up like a Christmas tree doing a little bit just like last year they're starting off strong four fifteen five oh seven calls coming in with a dozen i'd like to see it just once people celebrating new years without tearing up half the town homicide friday oh yeah yeah well barney just mentioned well we're trying to make it you know how things are tonight yeah we'll try sure thanks a lot but jack can't leave ben on his way home he wants us to drop by his place to get off early not much chance of that you ready yeah i am you barney mm let's go guess you can't tell you might get a break the crowd is starting in pretty early good chance of breaking the home right after midnight that should get us off early that was the idea last year wasn't that what time to get off six a.m. together with sergeant barney lou check ben and i left the city hall and started the crews of the southern end of the central area as any police officer can tell you new year's eve for him is one of the hardest working nights in the year this one was no different for us within an hour we've had more than a half a dozen calls to check out street fights drunken driving disturbing the peace the usual complaints that you'd expect to get when a community of three million celebrates new year's eve nine forty three p.m. we were cruising in the area of alameda and macy street that's one twelve eighty three and keep the peace game no stopping them up and it's a big nine smoke joe no no thank you that looks like we got one yeah guess we better handle it and that's one of the left and we can go out there better call eighty-kate control one eight okay to control one what's matter eighty-kate control one eight okay to control one attention all units all units in the vicinity called to be spain and our one is now shooting you should better push it then got it down to the floor units in the vicinity of the call to be spain and our one is now shooting the call is now called three that's it coming up and he's making a crowd there on the corner you should better pull up here all right over by light pole then man lying on the sidewalk one check the crowd line yeah okay let us through here please we get through excuse me look what you please get back move back please all right come on i wonder if you just move along move along move along give us a little room to work thank you Ben yeah Joe have a look here huh huh Jack Conley man he's dead name is John Patrick Conley serial number three six seven was one of the veteran officers in central homicide he lay face down on the pavement one of his legs straddling the curb stone he'd been shot twice at the base of his skull there were four more bullet wounds in his back Ben got to a phone called homicide and told them what had happened two dozen cruiser cars and more than a half a hundred men were immediately dispatched to the scene of the killing they circled the area for a dozen blocks around and started a door-to-door search for the killer suspicious looking pedestrians were stopped at every street corner in question ten thirty p.m. the ambulance arrived and Jack Conley's body was taken to the moor along with Thaxter and Brian from homicide Barney Lucek Ben and I continued checking in the immediate vicinity of the killing we found no one who'd admit that they actually saw the shooting half a dozen people in the crowd told us that they heard the shots and they saw Conley fall to the pavement they'd also seen a man standing behind Conley turn and run down the street right after the shooting no one had followed him the man was described as medium build wearing a dark suit and a dark hat that's all I could tell us eleven twenty five p.m. Ben and I met Barney Lucek back at the car morning did you get anything? checked out every store in the neighborhood that's open, not much how about you? it was the same, pretty thin Brian and Thaxter turned up a news boy down the street he told me he saw the guy in the dark suit running down the street thought he saw the guy come out of this bar here we heard that too, Barney, we talked to the bartender, he doesn't even call him, man oh, sir, I almost forgot, I checked with the office, Mrs. Conley's been calling and wants to know where her husband is I asked personnel to hold off notifying her something to be you, fellas, we wanted to tell her you knew Conley pretty well, didn't you? yeah, a long time family, man? three kids you fellas don't want to tell her all cold personnel back, they can do it no, it's alright, it's alright eleven forty p.m. Ben and I got in the car and headed out for the home of the slain officer, Jack Conley the house was on Rawson Avenue, just a few blocks from where Ben lived we parked the car and started up the truck lock the lights were burning in the living room lousy job I said it's a lousy job, you know better try it again, huh? I heard it, somebody's coming hi, Joe, Ben I'm sure glad you can make it, everybody's here, come in, come in I'm still waiting for that wandering husband of mine he's not here by midnight, he's gonna be in the dog house for sure here, let me take your coat no, Betty, that's alright, I wonder if we could go back into the kitchen and we'd like to talk to you can't you stay long? well, no, not too long oh, that's too bad, well come on back in the kitchen, I'll get you something maybe you can drop back later on, Jack should be here by then he'd better be come on in by the one of you seen, Jack? that's what we wanted to talk to you about, Betty what? you want to sit down, Betty? what is it, Joe? tell me but he had an accident where is he? I want to go see him how bad an accident pretty bad I want to go see him, Joe, if he's hurt, I want to see him couldn't be that bad, could it? yeah well, please, Joe please, not dead tell me, Joe, please I'm sorry, Betty dear God oh, God why don't you give me a hand here, Joe? why does she... it'd be worse when she comes too, we'd better get a hold of the family doctor we're gonna have to wait, we'll never get through now phone lines are probably jammed, it's midnight oh, yeah happy new year 12.30 a.m. we finally got a hold of the Connelly's family doctor and he told us that he'd be over as quickly as possible some of Betty Connelly's relatives at the party said that they'd look after things until the doctor arrived Ben and I left the house and drove back to the scene of the murder the house-to-house check of the entire area was still going on there was no trace of the killer 1.30 a.m. a low fog moved in over the city, traffic began to thin out a little the street crowds disappeared 2.00 a.m. the search went on a little before 2.30 a patrolman on foot located a taxi cab driver in the neighborhood who claimed that he'd seen a man answering the killer's description just after the shooting Ben and I went down the street to talk to the driver he sat behind the wheel of his cab, it was especially equipped with shortwave radio to handle calls directly from the taxi company's dispatch office I had to pass it on for whatever it's worth officer, it happened just a minute or two before I picked up my last fare what time is that, do you remember? I'm remembering too, and I got it right here in the way, Bill yeah, yeah, here we go, 9.48 p.m. I was parked just where I am now, same old stand, picked up a fare, drove in the North Main in Satello and I came back here, my cab broke down, lousy distributor I've been waiting for the repair truck ever since well, just what was it that happened before you picked up that fare here, was it 9.48 is that right? yeah, 9.48, yeah well, I was gonna say it was just a minute or two before that, I was parked right here, this guy comes running down the street through the crowd he was really running too yeah, go ahead and he's almost passed me when he stopped all of a sudden, turned around and looked at me, I thought he wanted a cab so I opened the door for him he just looked at me and said never mind or something like that, and then he took off down the street maybe he was just a little goofed up, I don't know can you remember what he looked like? all about your bill, I guess, medium, and head on, dark hat, dark suit did you get a look at his face? yeah, he's about 28 or 30, dark complexion anything else you remember about it? no, not for sure, he looked like a hundred other mooches down around this neighborhood just listen to those calls come in, huh? New Year's Eve and I draw a lame cab well, there's nothing else that you remember about this man that you think might help us, huh? no, you got it all, Sergeant, just acted a little queer, that's all, goofed up probably did you see which way he went when he took off? right down the street, that way lost himself in the crowd, I couldn't be bothered how about when he came running down the street towards you, you happened to notice where he was coming from? matter of fact, yeah, that was just after I heard those gunshots, of course I didn't know there were gunshots, Sam looked to me like he came out of that joint up there, right near where the cop was shot which joint was that? the 228, that bar up there well, it wasn't much, but it was the only lead we had to go on seven persons in the vicinity at the time of the shooting had volunteered the information that the killer had been a recent customer at the 228th club, the neighborhood tavern the owner and bartender of the club, Ralph Stevens, had been questioned twice that night by different officers and he twice denied that there was any possibility that the killer could have been a patron at his bar Stevens' denial didn't make any more sense than the killing itself we made arrangements to have the cab driver we interviewed come down to the city hall to check through our mug books for the suspect by 10 a.m. the next morning, the body of the slain homicide officer, Jack Conley, had been posted four bullets were taken from his back, two from the base of his skull Russ Camp ran the slugs through ballistics where they were identified as having been fired from a 38 caliber Colt special revolver 11 a.m., we drove back to the 228th club where we talked to some of the customers who'd been there the night before three of them told us that they'd seen a man answering the general description of the killer in the bar shortly before the shooting Ben and I went back to the stock room at the rear of the bar and talked to the owner, Ralph Stevens how long does this thing have to go on anyway? I told you everything I knew last night we know that Stevens doesn't seem to jive with what the rest of the witnesses saw though maybe you better take it up with them I don't know anything about it I got work to do and you're in my way there how come you're so sure that the man we want wasn't in your place last night? I'm not on trial here you asked me what I know and I told you you don't mind I got work to do you mind moving over there? all right we'd appreciate it if you'd cooperate all right if you want to know the truth you're not good for my business here cops never are coming around asking questions customers don't like it it's no good for business no good at all a cop was killed last night right outside your front door and a half a dozen people say that the guy who did it was in here drinking I run this place it's mine I say the man wasn't in here still like to know how you're so sure I'm getting a little tired of this I don't have an office down at the city hall the lounge around and I got work to do how about leaving huh you want to get your coat we can talk to you downtown come on now before I call my lawyer go ahead and call him where's your coat why do we have to have trouble I haven't got any beasts with you no trouble Stevens we have to get to the bottom of it that's all like to have you cooperate maybe the guy was in here last night he came in a couple of times that's all I didn't want it to get out bad for business those things can't afford it keeps customers away then the man was in here last night I was there right I wasn't trying to cover for him hardly know him I just didn't want it to get out I got a right to protect my business who is the man Harry Talman she's a hophead if he did it it probably wasn't his fault how do you mean he was hyped up last night uses heroin he probably didn't mean a shoe where do we find him wouldn't know if this is right old address what is it fairview hotel try there 1135 a.m. new year's day we got in touch with Barney Lucek and Tom Brian from homicide and they drove downtown to check at the fairview hotel for the suspect Ben and I finished questioning the owner of the 228 club and we went back to the office 1158 a.m. Barney Lucek and Brian got back morning what have you got fairview hotel and south grand was that the one yeah did you find it okay yeah talk to desk clerk tell me dreaded there yeah he was checked out two months ago no leads you are listening to drag met a series of authentic case histories documented from official files one p.m. new year's day after we found that the suspect Harry tell me he checked out of the fairview hotel months before Ben and I went back to the office and ran his name through our eye the information given us by Ralph Stevens the owner of the 228 club was apparently correct the record on tell me showed that he was a confirmed user of narcotics he served two brief terms for illegal possession of narcotics and another short term in the county jail for petty theft we got out of broadcast and an APB on town we checked out all his known friends and relevance the places that he frequented hotels boarding houses that he stayed at no leads with the help of lieutenant walters and narcotics detail we finally found the trail most likely to lead us to the suspect the peddlers who were suspected of supplying tellings with narcotics they were kept under a 24-hour watch three days past no results january 4th 9 a.m. Ben and I went to the funeral and burial services for the murdered officer jack Conley 11 a.m. we got back to the office don't know why Joe i just don't cotton the funeral not a cop's funeral anyway no don't blame your wife looked a lot better didn't she yeah they do bang up good well go hi barney let's say buddy that young fella you told me about he phoned you back oh is that right to give him the information yeah he wanted to know all about taking the police department examination now who's that one of my neighbor boys a nice kid wants to get on the force i told him to apply at room five city hall any weekday to make it as application in edit fine barney thing well they got the recruiting campaign going on yeah all this month taking applications from all over the country again homicide friday oh yeah walrus just a minute okay a ld s o m donelson okay fine thanks a lot blue walrus narcotics might be something what's that well he got a line on one of the mules who used to push heroin to tell him he's got the name of donelson he's been sounded out he's ready to talk to us this donelson was close to tell me well supposedly yeah you know where town ideas well let's ask him ben and i left the office and drove to the address on south alamere where donelson a friend of the murder suspect was supposed to be staying turned out to be a cheap hotel in the skid row district was next to one of the rescue missions down there we finally located donelson across the street he was standing on the sidewalk along with four or five other men they were listening to a small salvation army band playing outside one of the bear joints i hardly miss any of the sidewalk meeting sergeant like him band music even listen to the sermon do me a lot of good understand you're not pushing junk anymore donelson is that right do you want to call me big sergeant names really john but everybody calls me big all right no i haven't been pushing junk not for months all through with it well when's the last time that you saw herring tell me a couple weeks ago i'm not much for harry anymore like i say i've been regular these sidewalk meetings hearing the sermon changes the way a fella does things you know yeah man's got to turn good sometime during his life not getting any younger 58 i figure it's time i start living by the word say that's nice music isn't it yeah do you have any idea where we might find tell me now i might have a few ideas on it i don't know let's say i guess neither one of you fellas you snuck no don't bother it doesn't go right i know the last boarding house harry stayed out of that'll help any place on a 12th street i can give you the address well is he still there do you know i don't think he is no matter of fact i'm sure he's not wish harry had come around and see me like to get him interested in these sidewalk meetings getting listening to the sermons might help him didn't offer a lot for me yes sir when you say that you saw tell me about two weeks ago well not quite two weeks ago it was a day after christmas came down to my hotel and wanted some money i couldn't give him any that's when he told me he was moving going to some rooming house up around the city hall section up there did he mention any address not that i recollect no that sure is nice music isn't it well how about some of his other friends big you think he might be able to help us well duke might help here harry and old duke are still great friends duke sees him more than i do where do we find you well you know the penny arcade down in south main right down from the train depot there yeah that's where duke works he's a janitor there i've been trying to get duke to come to the sidewalk meetings too he sure could stand it old duke well thanks very much big had it all son you know it's glad to help out now look at that now all out of snuff say you couldn't see your way clear could you there you go big that's your christian of your sergeant i'll handle this just like a personal loan it's all right big don't say anything about us talking to you though huh not the enemy no sir i won't you can trust me say when you see harry give him a message huh well what's that you tell him to come and see me i want him to show up at these meetings hear the sermons it could change everything sergeant could give him a new life new soul brand new soul for harry think of that yeah i could use one three p.m. tuesday january fourth we drove down to the penny arcade on south main harry telling me just friend duke wasn't there the manager of the place gave us his home address and we checked it out duke wasn't there either we staked out at the place for the rest of the afternoon duke failed to show at six o'clock that night barney lucek and brian from homicide came out and relieved this ben and i had dinner at johnny copen and then we went back to the office 7 20 p.m. want to grab that june yeah i got it homicide friday this is lucek joe oh yeah barney tell me just a minute let me tell you anything yeah you got a pencil you better write this down all right wait a minute just a second all right go ahead that was one seven two seven west hoover is that right apartment three or what's the pitch all right barney thanks bye lucek yeah what's he got harry tell me it's supposed to be at this address ben and i got in the car and drove out to the west hoover street address where we met lucek and brian 1727 was a small two-story apartment house spanish stucco in style apartment three was at the rear of the first floor all right lucek you want to pick up brian and you cover the back right you come on ben let's go huh up the stairs huh no sun inside by the bedroom i'll check the kitchen 38 revolver joe cold space right how about it tell me it's mine what over where's your coat i don't know why'd you kill him because i wanted to that's all he was a cop is that your only reason i told you it was a cop what's the difference a big difference mister why i killed him it's just one cop less what's the difference ask his family they'll tell you on march 26th trial was held in superior court department 86 city and county of los angeles state of california in a moment the results of that trial chesley talmadge was found guilty of manslaughter by jury trial and was sentenced to the state penitentiary he was paroled after serving six years in prison he's of authentic cases from official fires technical advice comes from the office of chief of police w h parker los angeles police cigarettes best of all long cigarettes is brought to dragnet portions transcribed from los angeles stay tuned for counterspy more good mystery on nbc