- 1 day ago
This episode of Dragnet investigates the dangers of LSD, a powerful hallucinogen that was becoming increasingly popular among juveniles.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:28This is the city, Los Angeles.
00:30Los Angeles, California. It's a fine place to enjoy life. There are places reserved just for kids when they're young
00:42and feel young. Places they go when they're young and feel old, beginning the big search for something that often
00:49doesn't exist in the places they look for it. They might find it here, or here, or maybe here. They
00:56could try looking here.
00:58Their search might end with a college degree. One thing's sure. Whatever they're looking for cannot be found inside a
01:05number five capsule. When they try, that's where I come in. I carry a badge.
01:13It was Tuesday, March 15th. It was fair in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of juvenile
01:18narcotics. My partner's Bill Gannon. The boss is Captain Ritchie. My name's Friday.
01:24A powerful new drug capable of producing weird and dangerous hallucinations had found its way onto the streets of the
01:30city. It had fallen into the hands of juvenile experimenters. We had to try and stop it.
01:44The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
01:49The story you are about to see is true.
02:16Yeah?
02:17Except you never saw a kid do what he was doing.
02:19What's that, Skip?
02:20Chewing the bark off a tree.
02:242.08 p.m. Bill and I left Georgia Street Juvenile and headed for 1200 Loma Linda Avenue. It was
02:30eight blocks from the office.
02:31It took us four and a half minutes to reach the vacant lot where the strange behaving juvenile was reported
02:36to have been seen.
02:45Stand still.
02:46Reality, man, reality. I could see the center of the earth. Purple flame down there, the pilot light. All the
02:54way down. Purple flame down there, the pilot light.
02:58Pilot light of all creation and reality.
03:02Reality.
03:03Reality.
03:03What's your name, son?
03:04You can see my name if you look hard enough.
03:06Come on now. What's your name?
03:07Don't you know my name?
03:09My name's Blue Boy.
03:10What do you think, Joe? Card wheels?
03:12Oh, sugar cubes. I'll make you a book he's been dropping that acid we've been hearing about.
03:16All right, son. You're under arrest.
03:18It's our duty to advise you of your constitutional rights.
03:20You have the right to remain silent.
03:21And any statement you make may be used against you in a court of law.
03:24You have the right to the presence of an attorney.
03:26If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed before any questioning. Do you understand that?
03:30There I am. I'm over there now. I'm not here anymore.
03:34My hair is green and I'm a tree.
03:36You ever see anybody this torn up?
03:38Unless the cinch he's not strung out on sugar cubes.
03:41Yeah.
03:41All right. Let's take him to central receiving.
03:44Come on, son.
03:44Even if your body does die, your mind will live on.
03:47Yeah, we know. Come on.
03:48You're the dirty disbelievers.
03:51The evil disbelievers.
03:53Evil! Evil!
03:55Evil!
03:56All right. Come on, son. Settle down.
03:59Brown. Blue. Yellow. Green. Green. Orange. Red. Red. Red. Red. I can hear them. I can hear them all.
04:07Yeah, sure you can, kid. Let's go back to the office. We'll all listen.
04:142.20 p.m.
04:15We took the subject to central receiving hospital.
04:17The examining doctor pronounced him under the influence of an unknown drug.
04:223 p.m.
04:23We drove back to juvenile division.
04:24We took the subject upstairs to the narcotics unit.
04:27He appeared to be a little calmer, but it was impossible to tell if the effects of the drug were
04:31substantially wearing off.
04:32He would not tell us what drug he had taken.
04:34He still refused to give us his name.
04:36We filled Captain Ritchie in, and once again, we advised the subject of his constitutional rights.
04:41I know my rights, man. I don't want a lawyer, and I don't need a lawyer. There's no law against
04:45what I did.
04:46There's a law against taking drugs.
04:48Not my kind, man. Not my kind.
04:50You're pretty high and far out, aren't you? What kind of kick are you on, son?
04:54Ah, it's weird.
04:55What about these?
04:56Those are keys to the kingdom.
04:57Anything special about these cubes?
04:59I'm on the train.
05:01I'm on the train.
05:03I'm on the train. I'm on the train. I'm on the train.
05:06We're crossing over. We're crossing over. We're crossing over. We're crossing over on the train.
05:10On the train. On the train. The train.
05:12The train. The train. The train.
05:15The train. The train. The train. The train. The train. The train. The train.
05:19The train. The train. The train. The train.
05:23Now you stay put in that chair.
05:25I am the chair.
05:26I am the chair.
05:28I am the chair.
05:30I am the chair.
05:31I am the chair.
05:31I am the chair.
05:32I am the chair.
05:32I am the chair.
05:33I am the chair.
05:36Get those sugar cubes down to the crime lab.
05:42Bill and I took the sugar cubes found on the subject to the scientific investigation division
05:46located in the police building in downtown Los Angeles.
05:50We talked to forensic chemist Ray Murray.
05:52We filled him in on the subject appearance and his behavior pattern.
05:55Tell us about the stuff, Ray.
05:57Visual distortions, strangely disoriented.
06:01It's a relatively new drug developed in Switzerland virtually by accident.
06:04Swiss biochemist by the name of Hoffman came up with the first synthesis of the drug in 1938.
06:08Yeah.
06:09Lysergic acid, diethylamide tartrate, LSD-25.
06:12What's it look like, Ray?
06:13LSD is odorless, colorless, tasteless.
06:16Comes in two forms, liquid and powder.
06:18I'll run these sugar cubes through, but I can tell you right now, they contain LSD.
06:22Narcotics divisions handled a couple of cases like yours in the past few weeks.
06:25They even had one where they put the stuff on the backs of postage stamps.
06:28Is it habit-forming?
06:29It's new, Bill.
06:30We can't be sure about physical addiction, but one thing we're certain of.
06:33Yeah.
06:34In every case so far, every one of the individuals has had a psychological dependence on it.
06:38You tell me which is worse.
06:40Are the effects recurrent, would you know?
06:42Definitely a transient recurrence from what we've seen so far.
06:45User over in the county jail, been there six months.
06:48Two days ago, the man showed most of the symptoms of having just had a fresh shot of the stuff.
06:52Hard to believe.
06:53Unlike heroin, which slows down metabolism, or alcohol, which is a depressant,
06:56the users of LSD have the mistaken idea that it activates them, quickens their mental lives.
07:01Yeah, like painting yourself up like an Indian, trying to chew the bark off a tree, burying your head in
07:05a hole.
07:06Users believe they're turning into monsters.
07:07They want to destroy themselves, yet have no urge to commit suicide.
07:11They experience the vilest of garish, frightening hallucinations.
07:14They suffer extreme nausea, severe vomiting, aches and pains, anxiety, panic, depression.
07:20Sounds like it's going to be a big problem.
07:22If it isn't, it'll do to when it comes along.
07:25Joe, Bill, the real issue here is the degree of danger this drug presents to the psychological health of the
07:30user,
07:31along with the resultant effect of the user and those around them.
07:34And as of now, there's no law covering the sale and use of LSD.
07:37In a number of cases coming through this lab, I'd say they better give you people something to work with
07:41damn soon.
07:464 p.m., Bill and I left the crime lab and headed back toward Georgia Street Juvenile.
07:50Before we left him, Ray Murray filled us in on more facts and figures.
07:54A kilo of LSD, two and two-tenths pounds, can be divided into five to ten million doses.
08:02Murray also gave us one last frightening fact.
08:05LSD is so potent that a single pound of the preparation could turn every person in Los Angeles County into
08:10a total psychotic.
08:11The population of the county, seven million people.
08:16It was 4.15 p.m. when we arrived back at Juvenile Division.
08:21What'd you find out?
08:22Well, according to Murray, the Carver boy's on LSD.
08:25Figured sooner or later, didn't it?
08:27How's it falling into the hands of youngsters like that boy?
08:29I don't know, Skipper.
08:30Stuff's selling for eight to ten bucks a cap.
08:33Come on in the office.
08:34Boy's parents are here and they're not too happy.
08:36Mr. and Mrs. Carver, Sergeant Friday, Officer Gannon.
08:40All right, Mr. and Mrs. Carver.
08:40Is this a truth that arrested my boy?
08:41That's right, Mr. Carver.
08:42Give me one good reason.
08:43Why?
08:43Drug intoxication.
08:45Well, that's impossible.
08:46We believe it to be a powerful hallucinogen called LSD.
08:49You people trying to say my boy's a drug addict?
08:51No, sir.
08:52We didn't say he was addicted to the drug, but he certainly was intoxicated from it when we picked him
08:55up.
08:55Now, look.
08:56I've heard about this LSD and it's my understanding it hasn't done anybody any harm.
09:00If you could have seen your boy a couple hours ago, I doubt you'd feel that way.
09:03And look at him now.
09:04He always go around painted up like that.
09:05Half his face blue, half yellow.
09:07Well, I thought you men were supposed to be experts with young people.
09:10It's probably a high school initiation or something.
09:12The boys are always doing some silly thing or other.
09:15Letting their hair grow long or dressing up like those English singers.
09:18Here, Benji.
09:20Wipe your face and let's go home.
09:22I know how you feel.
09:23I've got two kids of my own.
09:25I wouldn't want to find either one of them in a police station.
09:27But we're holding your boy for his own safety and maybe the safety of others.
09:31Well, what do you mean you're holding him?
09:32There's no law against what the boy did.
09:34You act like he was taking heroin or smoking marijuana.
09:37You're not putting my boy in any jail.
09:38He's not going to have any police record.
09:40If we can't settle this right now, maybe my attorneys can.
09:42That's your privilege, Mr. Carver.
09:43But the boy's going to be detained at Juvenile Hall.
09:45You'll have a hearing and the judge will decide.
09:47All right.
09:48You insist on doing it the hard way.
09:50I happen to know there's no law against LSD.
09:53There's a law against being in a highly intoxicated state under the influence of any drug or narcotic.
09:57And your boy was and probably still is to some extent.
09:59Nonsense.
10:01You're fine, aren't you, son?
10:02I'm just fine, Ma.
10:03There.
10:04You can see for yourselves.
10:05Come on, Benji.
10:06We're taking you home.
10:07Booking for 601.
10:14The subject, Benjamin Carver, was booked under Section 601 of the Welfare and Institution Code.
10:20In danger of leading an idle, dissolute, or immoral life, he was being held for his own protection.
10:29Tuesday, May 10th, 5.30 p.m., the subject's case was heard in the Los Angeles County Juvenile Courts Building.
10:35There was no law covering possession of lysergic acid diethylamide.
10:39However, the petition was sustained for 601 WIC.
10:43Benji Carver was placed on probation and released to his parents.
10:52Satisfied, Sherlock?
10:53Good luck.
11:02Thursday, May 12th, 3.58 p.m., Bill and I had been out on a routine follow-up.
11:07When we returned to the squad room, Sergeants Gene Sappy and Dominic Carr were questioning two female juveniles.
11:13A policewoman was standing by.
11:15This shit interested.
11:18Girls, this is Sergeant Friday and Officer Bill Gannon.
11:21It's Edna May and it's Sandy.
11:22Sandy, tell Sergeant Friday and his partner what you were telling us.
11:25You mean about our trip?
11:26First, tell him how old you are.
11:27I'm 15.
11:29Where do you now?
11:3013?
11:30No, you know I'm 14.
11:32I just had my birthday last week.
11:34Oh, yeah.
11:34I forgot.
11:35Edna May's 14.
11:37Go on, Sandy.
11:38I saw all these weird colors.
11:39And then I saw an eye.
11:41You know what I mean?
11:41A human eye.
11:43It kept coming closer and closer.
11:45Then all of a sudden, everything started to melt.
11:47You know?
11:47Just melt and run down.
11:48The sidewalk melted.
11:50The street melted.
11:51Just everything.
11:53LSD.
11:54Both of them.
11:55Dropped a cap apiece.
11:56Paid three bucks for them.
11:57Where'd they get them?
11:58Young friend of yours.
12:00Edna May, tell Sergeant Friday where you got the caps.
12:02We got them from Blue Boy.
12:04That's what they call them.
12:05Just Blue Boy.
12:06Benji Carver.
12:08And they were capsules, you said?
12:09Yeah.
12:10Little white ones.
12:12I think I'm going to be sick again.
12:14Please help me.
12:19Both of them were in awful shape a couple hours ago.
12:21Nausea.
12:22Vomiting.
12:23It was all right going out on the trip, but coming back's a little rough, isn't it?
12:26Terrible.
12:27Just awful.
12:28I'm so sick.
12:29My head still aches.
12:31My stomach hurts so much.
12:33Edna May.
12:35Can you read this?
12:38No.
12:39No, I can't.
12:40It's all swimmy.
12:41Everything seems to be moving around.
12:44How long ago did you take the stuff, Edna May?
12:47This morning.
12:48I forget what time.
12:50Me and Sandy.
12:51We ditched school today.
12:52We couldn't have gone anyway after we took it.
12:56Sergeant Carr.
12:57Come on, Edna May.
13:07Three bucks a cap.
13:09When it drops to 50 cents, the kids in grammar school will have themselves a big time at recess, won't
13:13they?
13:14Really getting popular.
13:15You seen that bus up on the strip, Friday, Saturday nights?
13:18Big sign on it says, can you pass the acid test?
13:22Pay a dollar and find out.
13:24For a buck, they drive you up the Hollywood Hills to an acid party.
13:26Before we're through, they'll be listing it in the yellow pages.
13:29Will you just nail them for possession?
13:32How long does it take to mix a batch of acid?
13:34A couple of days?
13:36Yeah.
13:36About that.
13:37Takes a little longer to stir up a law, doesn't it?
13:44Wednesday, October 5th.
13:46Six months went by.
13:48LSD users were increasing at an alarming rate, particularly among juveniles.
13:52By now, the users had established their own language.
13:55The drug itself was now called the ticket, the ghost, the beast, the chief, the hawk, or simply 25.
14:02Users now referred to themselves as acid heads or acid freaks.
14:06A trip still referred to having taken the drug, but now more often the words a bum trip and freak
14:12out were being heard, meaning a bad LSD experience.
14:15The pusher or supplier became known as the travel agent.
14:19The acid heads came up with another new wrinkle.
14:21After consuming LSD, it requires from 45 minutes to an hour for the drug to take effect.
14:26Most users were now spending this waiting period inhaling marijuana.
14:309 a.m.
14:32Bell and I reported in for work as usual.
14:34It was beginning to look like any other Wednesday.
14:38Federal and state, you're in business.
14:40In the California book, you'll find it on page 38.
14:42Division 10.5, Chapter 1, Section 11901.
14:46Lesergic acid diethylamide has now been classified as a dangerous drug.
14:49When does the law go into effect?
14:5148 hours.
14:58Monday, October 10th, 2.35 p.m.
15:01It had been six months since Bill and I first picked up the subject, Benji Carver.
15:05During all those months, the name Blue Boy kept turning up in arrest reports as a major supplier of LSD.
15:11Picked this one up in the 3rd Street Tunnel.
15:13Didn't want to leave.
15:14Thought he was a mole.
15:15Holding some acid, six caps.
15:17Name's Teddy Carstairs.
15:18Who's your travel agent, Teddy?
15:21I already told you.
15:22Tell us again.
15:24Why?
15:24Now look, we advised you of your rights.
15:27And you agreed to talk to us, didn't you?
15:28Yeah.
15:29Well, talk to us.
15:30Tell us who you bought your tickets from.
15:32The Blue Boy.
15:33You willing to testify to that?
15:35What's that mean?
15:36You willing to swear to it in a court of law?
15:38Why not?
15:39Are you telling us yes?
15:40Well, wouldn't you if he was me?
15:42How's that?
15:43Well, that stinking Blue Boy.
15:45And I paid good bread for that, too.
15:47Yeah.
15:47That freak.
15:48He sold me two bum trips.
15:53With the willingness of Teddy Carstairs to testify against Benji Carver, a complaint was issued
15:58and a warrant was obtained from the district attorney.
16:024.30 p.m.
16:03We drove up to No. 17 Eagle Crest Drive, Benji Carver's home.
16:07His mother told us he had moved out three months ago.
16:09She had no idea where we might locate him.
16:12What's he done this time?
16:13Can you tell me?
16:14Yes, ma'am.
16:15He's been selling dangerous drugs to a minor.
16:17You mean another minor, don't you, Sergeant?
16:19No, ma'am.
16:20He's 18.
16:20When we find him, he'll be tried as an adult.
16:22That's the law in this state.
16:23I see.
16:25I don't suppose I have to tell you two men.
16:28My husband and I both owe you an apology.
16:30That's all right, ma'am.
16:31We understand.
16:32I, um, I wonder if you'd do me a favor when you find him.
16:35What's that, Miss Carver?
16:37Tell him we still love him.
16:42Before we left, we asked Mrs. Carver if we could check the house.
16:45She was cooperative and agreed.
16:47Bill and I searched the premises.
16:48We found nothing.
16:51Friday, December 9th, 8.30 p.m.
16:53We figured the Sunset Strip might be a good place to dig up a lead.
16:56Since the warrant on Benji Carver was registered and in the hands of all units,
17:00we hoped it wouldn't be too long before the suspect was picked up.
17:04The parade of teenagers begins at Laurel Canyon and Sunset and ends at Doheny.
17:09On Friday and Saturday nights for most of the young people in the city,
17:12the Strip had become the in place to go.
17:14It had also become the scene of teenage riots.
17:178.45 p.m.
17:19Bill and I showed Benji Carver's mug shots to the sheriff's deputies who patrol the Sunset Strip.
17:258.53 p.m.
17:27A couple of them thought they recognized him, but they weren't sure.
17:31Sergeant Friday!
17:41What, Sandy?
17:42Edna May, what's happening?
17:44Nothing much.
17:45Been behaving yourselves?
17:46Haven't touched any more of that acid, that's for sure.
17:48We were even invited to an acid party tonight.
17:50We told them no.
17:51We're on our way home.
17:52You told who no?
17:53Blue boy.
17:54He asked us.
17:55Do you have the address?
17:55Yeah, someplace.
17:57Supposed to be up in the hills somewhere.
17:59You gonna break up the party?
18:02About time somebody tried, don't you think?
18:1710.18 p.m.
18:19Bill and I drove up to the address given us by the two girls.
18:21It was in the Hollywood Hills.
18:23It was an old house that had seen better days.
18:34They must be way out to leave the door unlocked.
18:38That's weed.
18:40That's weed.
19:25Look at that, Joe.
19:30Not fasted there to turn them on for years.
19:31Must be at least a hundred caps.
19:42Marijuana.
19:50All right, hold it down. Quiet!
19:52Police officers, you're under arrest.
19:54Hold it. Stay right where you are. Freeze!
19:56All of you, keep your hands on the gravesite. You, on your feet.
20:00All right. Sober up and try to listen to this.
20:04It's our duty to advise you of your constitutional rights.
20:07Now, you have the right to remain silent, and any statement you make may be used against you in a
20:11court of law.
20:12You have the right to the presence of an attorney.
20:13If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed before any questioning.
20:17Now, do you understand that?
20:18I do, Matt. I understand it.
20:21I'm the one you want to talk to, because I sure understand it.
20:23Well, fine. Suppose you climb down off of there and come over here and talk to me.
20:30Talk to me about Blue Boy.
20:32He's super seen, man.
20:33Is he coming back?
20:34No, man.
20:36Dig this sea table? We're in power.
20:38Suppose you go over there and sit down.
20:42Bill.
20:43I'll call the office, get a couple of black and whites up here to take him in.
20:46Right.
20:51You're not going to search me.
20:53No, but a policewoman will.
20:56What's that address?
20:58Keep your nose out of my purse.
21:00Keep yours out of the acid. Next time, I will.
21:03Right. I got it. Thanks.
21:06Bill.
21:11Call came into the office an hour ago, drugstore over on Vermont.
21:14According to them, they did a little business with a guy who fits the description of the Carver boy.
21:17What kind of business?
21:183,000 empty number five caps.
21:25Before we left the house, we arranged for a stakeout in the event the Carver boy should return.
21:2911.40 p.m.
21:30It took us 12 minutes to get to the Apex Pharmacy at Vermont and Wilcox.
21:36The pharmacist's name was Ben Riddle.
21:38We showed him a group of mug shots.
21:40Oh, here's the fellow right here.
21:42Yeah, that's him, all right.
21:43Benji Carver.
21:45Here's the address where we delivered the capsules.
21:47Just a few blocks from here.
21:48Thanks, Mr. Riddle. You've been a big help.
21:50What do you fellas figure he's going to put in all those empty capsules?
21:53A lot of misery.
21:57It was midnight when we arrived at the Macon Apartments on West Beverly Boulevard.
22:01We got the manager out of bed.
22:03That's right. Benji Carver.
22:05Benji Carver. He's in the apartment over there, 107.
22:08He in now, would you know?
22:09I should say so.
22:10I was going to call you people until they quieted down about an hour ago.
22:14They?
22:15That's right.
22:16Sounds to me as though he's got another boy in there with him.
22:18And the two of them were really whooping it up.
22:21I see. Do you have a passkey we could borrow?
22:23Yes, I do. Here, this one will do.
22:25Thank you very much, ma'am.
22:27I'll cover the window, Jim.
22:28All right.
22:48Police officer, what's your name?
22:50Philip Jameson.
22:51How old are you?
22:5218.
22:54Poor Benji.
22:57Look at him.
23:00What's the matter with him?
23:02He's been like that for over an hour.
23:05He had some kind of a fit.
23:07And then he got quiet.
23:09Who is Joe?
23:10Acid reds, yellows, rainbows?
23:12Those are Benji's.
23:13He's been taking them all day.
23:15Just kept saying he wanted to get further out.
23:20Further out.
23:22Further out.
23:25Further out.
23:25The fifth kept saying he wanted to get further out.
23:30Well, he made it.
23:31He's dead.
23:54The story you have just seen is true.
23:57The names were changed to protect the innocent.
24:00On December 15th, the coroner's inquest was held at the County Morgue, Hall of Justice, City and County of Los
24:06Angeles.
24:07In a moment, the results of that inquest.
24:12At the inquest, the coroner's jury ruled that the 18-year-old suspect had administered himself an overdose of lysergic
24:18acid diethylamide,
24:20in combination with various barbiturates, and had thus taken his own life.
24:24The 18-year-old suspect, the coroner's jury ruled that the 18-year-old suspect was held at the 19
24:45-year-old suspect in the 19-year-old suspect in the 19-year-old suspect in the 19-year-old
24:53suspect,
25:13The 18-year-old suspect, the coroner's jury ruled that the 18-year-old suspect was held at the 19
25:19-year-old suspect in the 19-year-old suspect,
Comments