- 9 minutes ago
Sgt. Friday and Officer Gannon are assigned to investigate an armed robbery in which a fellow policeman is a prime suspect.
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00:26This is the city, Los Angeles, California.
00:30It's a good place to live. We try to keep it that way.
00:35It's a full-time job. Every 60 seconds, a crime is committed in Los Angeles.
00:41In the Los Angeles Police Department's Communications Center, the telephone rings every 20 seconds, 24 hours a day.
00:48Of the 3 million people who live in Los Angeles, 35,000 of them are known rapists, murderers, and thieves.
00:55They outnumber the police force, 7 to 1.
00:59Every time a policeman answers a call, he takes a calculated risk.
01:02There'll always be somebody out there who doesn't like him, and who might have a gun.
01:08That's where I come in. I carry a badge.
01:12It was Tuesday, April 28th. It was overcast in Los Angeles.
01:15We were working the day watch out of Homicide Division.
01:17The boss is Captain Hugh Brown.
01:19My partner's Bill Gannon.
01:22My name's Friday.
01:23We were finishing up on the paperwork on a wife-beating case.
01:27The wife refused to sign a complaint against her husband.
01:30In the state of California, wife-beating is a felony and is considered a crime against the state.
01:34The case would be submitted to the district attorney.
01:45The story you are about to see is true.
01:48The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
02:14Stomach sure upset.
02:16Then why are you rubbing your head?
02:17I got a headache, too.
02:19What's wrong?
02:21I got a headache and a stomachache.
02:23I know. You just told me. Something you ate?
02:26Wife made her New England boiled dinner last night. Just never agrees with me.
02:30Oh, is that so?
02:31She always puts way too much curry powder in it.
02:33Curry powder in a New England boiled dinner?
02:35Something Eileen's mother taught her.
02:37Anyway, you're not married, Joe. You wouldn't understand.
02:39I don't see why you just don't tell her you don't like it.
02:41Like I said, Joe, you wouldn't understand.
02:46Hot shot.
02:47They killed him. They killed him.
02:49Now, just take it easy, lady.
02:50He's bleeding. He's dying.
02:52What's the address, lady?
02:53Olive in Maine, right on the corner.
02:54Ma'am, who's the victim? Who got shot?
02:55A policeman. A policeman. They killed him.
03:068.33 a.m.
03:08We checked out the homicide call car and headed for the scene of the shooting, Code 3.
03:12An officer-involved shooting is one of the many investigative responsibilities of the Homicide Division.
03:17Another unit and an ambulance were already on the way.
03:218.46 a.m., officer Dave Roberts had been shot in the stomach at point-blank range with a shotgun.
03:26He was holding his life in his hands.
03:29Getting shot is a risk every policeman takes.
03:32It comes with a badge.
03:34For officer Dave Roberts, it happened early.
03:36He was a new man, 18 months on the job.
03:40Witnesses gave conflicting reports of the shooting.
03:43Two of them agreed on one thing, however.
03:44There were two men.
03:46They were driving a green sedan.
03:48They couldn't describe the men, but they thought the car was either an old model Mercury or Plymouth.
03:549.36 a.m.
03:55Bill and I returned to Homicide.
03:57When we got there, Sergeant Alvieti from robbery division was waiting for us.
04:01Got something in my time with the Roberts shooting.
04:03Yeah.
04:04Liquor store two blocks away was knocked over just a few minutes before Roberts was gunned down.
04:08Liquor store clerk got a fast looking at me before they slugged him.
04:10What do you got?
04:10Two men, Caucasian.
04:12Number one, about 6'3", heavy set.
04:14Number two, five, nine, short, thin.
04:17Mutt and Jeff.
04:17Both of them were wearing dark sport jackets, dark slacks, no hats.
04:21What's the tie, Al?
04:22Big one had some kind of a rig under his coat.
04:24Swung a sawed-off shotgun out from under his armpit.
04:27Blayton Prince and a photog are on the way.
04:28Yes, sir.
04:29They turned that green sedan.
04:349.46 a.m.
04:35It took us ten minutes to reach the intersection of Whitsitt and Flower Streets, where the green sedan had been
04:39located.
04:41We talked with Wayne Wolfer from SID.
04:44So far, he had not come up with any physical evidence in the green sedan that might lead us to
04:48the men who drove the car.
04:50We spoke to Officer Bill Walmsley from Leighton Prince.
04:53Looks like it's been wiped clean.
04:54Nothing so far, Joe.
04:55Take it into the garage.
04:56Doesn't look too promising.
04:58Right.
04:58Thanks, Bill.
04:59Anything on the plate?
05:00My partner's taking it with DHQ now, Sergeant.
05:02Anybody in the area see who abandoned the car?
05:04No, sir.
05:04We checked with all of them.
05:06Busy place.
05:07Somebody must have seen it.
05:08All right.
05:08Let's talk to some of them.
05:09You take this side of the street.
05:10I'll take the other.
05:11Sergeant, plate's clouded.
05:13Belongs on a 57 Ford.
05:2510.34 a.m.
05:26I had three stores left on my side of the street.
05:29One of them was a cut-rate drugstore.
05:30I talked to one of the clerks on duty.
05:33Yeah, I think I remember seeing them.
05:34Just coming into the store on my way to work.
05:36The green murk over there in the corner.
05:38Two guys.
05:38What'd they look like?
05:39Big brawny guy.
05:40Short little guy.
05:41Do you remember how they were dressed?
05:42Both of them had on sport coats.
05:43Could you tell what color hair they had?
05:45Eyes.
05:45Anything like that?
05:46No, I was too far away.
05:47Anyway, the only reason I noticed them at all was because they got out of the murk,
05:50and they hopped into a dark blue Chevy and drove off.
05:53Do you remember the license number by any chance?
05:54Not by no chance.
05:55Didn't pay that much attention.
05:56What year was the Chevrolet?
05:5866.
05:59Anything else you can add?
06:00No, as I say, something like this happens, and usually you don't pay much attention.
06:04Is this about that cop that got shot a couple blocks over?
06:07We heard some cop got shot.
06:08Yes, sir, that's right.
06:09You guys really pull out all the stops when a cop gets it, don't you?
06:12You really drop everything else, don't you?
06:14No, sir, we don't drop everything else, but we try to get to whoever did it fast.
06:18Brothers in blue and all that, huh?
06:20Let me ask you something.
06:21Yeah?
06:22Now, those men shot down an armed policeman, didn't they?
06:24Yeah, they did.
06:25Do you think they'd hesitate to shoot down an unarmed citizen?
06:3211.05 a.m.
06:34Bill and I returned to the police administration building.
06:36We put out an APB on the blue Chevrolet, along with what little description we had of the man who
06:41had shot Officer Dave Roberts.
06:45Righty, Cannon.
06:46Want to come in a minute?
06:48You do any good out there?
06:49They dropped the green Mercury for a blue Chevy.
06:51Plates clouded.
06:52Belongs on a 57 Ford.
06:54That's all we got.
06:54Nothing else?
06:55That's the whole enchilada.
06:56If we could just turn somebody, we could eyeball them.
06:58You got one, but I don't know if he's going to live long enough to help.
07:01Just talked to Doc Anderson over at Central Receiving.
07:03They dug an ounce and a quarter of lead out of Roberts.
07:06276 number six pellets and the fiber wadding.
07:09It's still touch and go.
07:11What's he doing still alive?
07:12Just got back from the valley, talked to Roberts' wife.
07:15How is she taking it?
07:16Pretty hard.
07:17She's five months pregnant, you know that?
07:18No, sir.
07:19If we just had a half-decent ID on those two punks, any chance we can talk to Roberts?
07:23We'll know in the next 72 hours.
07:30Thursday, April 30th.
07:32Three days went by.
07:33Bill and I called all of our informants to see if we could dig up a lead on the two
07:37suspects.
07:37We had no luck.
07:39The blue Chevrolet and the men who were driving it had disappeared.
07:42Anything from your informants?
07:44Nothing so far.
07:45That 57 plate on the Mercury was stolen from Reno.
07:48Plate checks out to a Gunnison Brothers junkyard in Elko.
07:50Yeah.
07:51Oh, and one more thing.
07:52Central Receiving just called.
07:53They're not too crazy about the idea.
07:55Yes, sir.
07:55You can have one minute with Roberts.
08:032.33 p.m.
08:05We drove over to Central Receiving Hospital to see Officer Dave Roberts.
08:10We spoke to Dr. Anderson in the PNF ward.
08:13He told us he didn't know how much good it would do to try and talk to Roberts,
08:16but in any event, to make it short.
08:18I told your captain, no more than a minute.
08:19Right, Doc.
08:29Roberts, how you doing?
08:31Not so hot right now, Friday.
08:34Just take it easy, Dave.
08:35We won't be here long.
08:36It's no use.
08:38I know what you're after.
08:40You want to hear about those two that gunned me?
08:44It's no good.
08:47I said, I'm just blank.
08:49Tell us what you can, Dave.
08:51They were in the car.
08:56And I remember checking the hot sheet.
09:01It was no make.
09:12Big guy was dropping pills and chasing them with wine.
09:20I told both men to get out of the car.
09:25Big guy swung something from under his coat.
09:28I thought it was another bottle.
09:30Well, it looked like it.
09:37That's all I can pull up.
09:42I'm just blank after that, Joe.
09:47Can you describe the men?
09:48Did they use any names?
09:49I parked and walked over.
09:55The car was green and there was no...
10:00Friday.
10:09The human mind's a delicate thing, Joe.
10:11He may never remember it.
10:13You mean he's lost his memory?
10:14It may come back in a few weeks, a few years.
10:17Nobody knows.
10:17The shock of getting shot like that was a big trauma, a frightening thing.
10:21The conscious mind doesn't want to think about it and blocks it out.
10:23It's something like amnesia.
10:25It may come back, it may not.
10:27You remember Whitten, burglary division?
10:29Three, four years ago, he took a .45 slug in the stomach.
10:33Can't even remember his name.
10:34Well, what are Robert's chances otherwise?
10:36He's past the critical stage.
10:37I see.
10:38We saved his life, but not him.
10:52Thursday, October 23rd, 9 a.m.
10:55Six months went by.
10:56We had no more to go on than we had the day Officer Roberts got shot.
11:00It became a habit to check all teletypes and robbery APBs every morning,
11:04looking for anyone who came close to fitting the description of the suspects in the shooting.
11:08We finally came across one report that looked good.
11:12We checked with Captain Brown.
11:14We told him what we had.
11:15Two men had robbed a liquor store in Pasadena the previous night.
11:18One was tall, the other was short.
11:20They had used a swing-out shotgun.
11:22You talk to robbery detail out there?
11:24Yes, sir.
11:24Sergeant James says they've got a witness who's got a good look at them.
11:27You better pray for rain on this one.
11:28How's that, Skipper?
11:29I just checked the hospital a few minutes ago.
11:31Yes, sir.
11:32You're going to need that eyeball witness.
11:34Roberts still can't help you.
11:40Bill and I, along with police artist Hector Garcia, drove out to Pasadena.
11:44It was decided we would try for composite drawings of the suspects.
11:48Sergeant James of the Pasadena Police Department robbery detail told us he would meet us at the scene of the
11:52holdup.
11:5310.05 a.m.
11:54Mr. Wilson.
11:56Sergeant Friday.
11:57Officer Gannon, LAPD.
11:59How do you do, sir?
11:59How do you do, sir?
12:00Are you people working on this case, too?
12:02Yes, sir.
12:02That's right.
12:03Now, this is police artist Hector Garcia.
12:05If you'll describe the men who held you up, Garcia here is going to try to draw them.
12:08I'll do my best, Sergeant.
12:09All right, Mr. Wilson.
12:10We have a suspect number one and a suspect number two.
12:14Let's begin with suspect number one.
12:16Let's start with the shape of his head.
12:20Understand them two might be the ones that shot that policeman.
12:22Yes, sir.
12:23That's right.
12:23Been held up two times since I bought this place.
12:26You boys nailed them both times.
12:28That's why I want to do this good.
12:30All right, sir.
12:30All right, sir, Mr. Police artist.
12:32Let's go get them.
12:41You're good, Mr. Artis.
12:43That's them to a T.
12:44No doubt about it.
12:45You remember anything they said, Mr. Wilson?
12:47They mentioned any names?
12:48No, they didn't say much.
12:49No reason to.
12:50How's that, sir?
12:51That shotgun.
12:52It did all the talk unnecessary.
12:58Bill and I put out a request for a supplementary M.O. bulletin with the composite drawings of the two
13:03suspects.
13:03It would be sent to all law enforcement agencies.
13:07Four by five prints of the composites were made up by the photo lab.
13:12We drove over to central receiving.
13:14We knew it was an outside chance, but we wanted to show the drawings to Officer Dave Roberts to confirm
13:18the fact that one of them was the man who had shot him.
13:21It's no good, Joe.
13:22These pictures don't mean a thing to me.
13:24You're sure?
13:27I'm not sure who's president.
13:341.30 p.m.
13:35We went back downtown to meet with Sergeant Al Vietti, who had shown the composite drawings of the two suspects
13:40to Pete Stewart, the owner of the liquor store that had been robbed the day Roberts was shot.
13:44No good, Joe.
13:45Showed the composites to Stewart.
13:46Said he couldn't make them from the drawings.
13:48He doesn't think they look like him?
13:49No.
13:49Said he couldn't be sure from drawings of them.
13:51Wants to see some photographs.
13:53So do we.
13:53Said he could definitely spot them from photos, but not these.
13:56Well, right now we're right back where we started.
14:00Standing in the middle of a tall hole.
14:04Well, we got two faces and no names to go with them.
14:10Tuesday, January 16th, 9.30 p.m.
14:13For three months, Bill and I spent whatever time we could squeeze out down an R&I.
14:17We started to go through every package of all Mutt and Jeff suspects known to operate with a shotgun.
14:22It was an endless job, and so far, we had gotten nowhere.
14:26You two still trying to read every package in R&I?
14:28We might get lucky.
14:29You might figure a way to French fry an ice cube, too.
14:32Those two gotta be someplace.
14:33Checked on Roberts late this afternoon.
14:35He goes home tomorrow, if he can find his way.
14:38It's a rotten shame.
14:41Homicide Friday.
14:42Who?
14:44Yeah, yeah, this is Friday, Verge.
14:46You did?
14:48Well, have you got a couple of names for me?
14:50Where?
14:52Where?
14:53Oh, Verge, we could find a place closer than that, couldn't we?
14:56All right.
14:57What time?
14:58Right.
14:59I got it.
15:01I'll see you then.
15:02One of my informants.
15:04Anything?
15:04Says he thinks he's got a line on our Mutt and Jeff boys.
15:06He won't tell me over the phone.
15:07He wants a meet tomorrow morning.
15:09Where?
15:0950-yard line at the Coliseum.
15:1610.30 a.m., Wednesday, January 17th.
15:19I drove out to Exposition Park to the Los Angeles Coliseum to meet with Virgil Hicks.
15:24When I arrived, he was seated in the stands, waiting.
15:27We both made our way to the center of the playing field at the 50-yard line.
15:39Big Joe.
15:40How are you, Verge?
15:416'2 and even, I guess.
15:42What do you got for us, Verge?
15:44Two names.
15:45Roger Kensington and Harry Johnson.
15:47Tell me about them.
15:48Real heavy, Big Joe.
15:50Both of them born with their mouths on upside down.
15:52Little guy and a big guy.
15:54Why'd you come to me with them, Verge?
15:55I was having a glass of port from one of the joints down on Fit.
15:58They were throwing money around pretty good.
16:00Go on.
16:01The big one.
16:02Kensington.
16:03Keeps talking about Big Mama.
16:04What do you mean, Big Mama?
16:05He said, Big Mama put that cop down for good.
16:08Then he said, and boy, is she built.
16:1112, 12, 12.
16:13Both barrels of her.
16:14Yeah.
16:15Even I know he's talking about a shotgun now.
16:17And I put the one and one you give me together, and I figure it might be them two that
16:21shot the cop.
16:22Am I right?
16:23Sounds good, Verge.
16:24You sure about those names now?
16:26Kensington and Johnson?
16:27Sure is sure.
16:28Followed them to their hotel.
16:30Gave the last of my bottle to the clerk, and he gave me the names.
16:33Told him I used to work with them back in Cincy.
16:35You don't think you burned it?
16:36No, sir, Big Joe.
16:38This clerk was three sheets to the wind by the time I left him.
16:41What's the name of the hotel?
16:42The Adobe Red, down on Crocker.
16:44Right, Verge, and thanks.
16:45Now you take care of yourself.
16:47Oh, one thing more you ought to know.
16:49Yeah, what's that?
16:50The desk clerk at the Adobe.
16:51He told me something.
16:52Yeah.
16:53About that shotgun the big guy's got.
16:55What about it?
16:56He sleeps with it.
16:57In his bed.
17:0911.15 a.m.
17:11We went downstairs to R&I and pulled the packages on Kensington and Johnson.
17:15The mug shots were almost a perfect match to the composites.
17:19Bill called Al Vietti in robbery division and filled him in.
17:23Vietti said he and his partner, Slats Henry, would show the mug shots to the owner of the Pasadena liquor
17:27store that was held up.
17:30Bill and I drove over to Pete Stewart's liquor store, the one that was robbed minutes before Officer Dave Roberts
17:34had been shot down.
17:38This one, and this one, no doubt about it.
17:42It's like I told you, show me an actual picture and I'll pick them out every time.
17:45You sure, Mr. Stewart?
17:46Positive.
17:47Couldn't miss them.
17:48Drawings were good, I'll admit that, but that old photo will do it every time.
17:51Well, thank you, Mr. Stewart.
17:52You've been a big help.
17:53I haven't seen anything in the papers lately about that officer that's been shot.
17:56How's he doing?
17:57Not too good, sir.
17:58Yeah.
17:59Some time ago, I read where his wife was going to have a baby.
18:02You know, Sergeant, no matter how much we pay you people...
18:05Yes, sir.
18:06...it ain't enough.
18:1212.20 p.m.
18:13We returned to the office and filled Captain Brown in.
18:15Al Vietti and his partner had returned from Pasadena.
18:20Wilson gave us a positive make.
18:22Kensington and Johnson are the two who held him up.
18:26How, says you and Henry rule with Friday and Gannon?
18:28Yes, sir.
18:29Bring him in.
18:4112.27 p.m.
18:43We went downstairs to the property section and checked out a 12-gauge Ithaca shotgun.
18:48We also drew five rounds of 12-gauge Magnum Load double-aught buckshot.
19:10Flinching, you'll be chasing your head down Fifth Street.
19:12Now get those hands out where I can see them and climb out of that bed.
19:15Move!
19:17Police officers, you're under arrest.
19:18Get your hands up against that wall and get your feet back.
19:21Come on.
19:37How about let me wipe the soap off my face?
19:39Why, you look good.
19:46Why the roast?
19:47What's the charge?
19:48Sleeping with a shotgun will do.
19:573.30 p.m.
19:58Johnson and Kensington were booked for 211 p.c., robbery in the first degree.
20:03Two $1 rolls of Benzedrine tablets were found in their possession,
20:06along with a fifth of inexpensive port wine.
20:10Confronted with the positive identification provided by the liquor store owners,
20:13they admitted their guilt for the robberies.
20:17We checked back in with Captain Brown.
20:19Kensington and Johnson steadfastly denied having anything to do with the shooting of Officer Dave Roberts.
20:24That was Mert Howe.
20:25Robbery's got him for three other jobs besides L.A. and Pasadena.
20:28Yes, sir.
20:29Unless you can come up with an eyeball witness on the shooting,
20:31you got a pound of air and that's all.
20:33It's too bad Roberts himself can't finger him.
20:36They don't know that he can't.
20:38Well, he's home on recuperative leave.
20:40He's up and around.
20:41Memory's still faded out.
20:42Maybe it'll work.
20:44It's got to.
20:49Wednesday, January 17th, 4.15 p.m.
20:53Look here, Harry.
20:54They sent in the first team.
20:56All right, tunnel mouth.
20:58Let's all save time.
20:59Last April, a police officer was shot at Olive and Main.
21:01We think you and that shotgun did it.
21:03He scare you, Roger?
21:03He scares me.
21:04He makes me sick.
21:06You've been rousing me ever since I was a kid.
21:08You and every cop from here to Kansas City, year after year.
21:11If it wasn't for prison food, you'd starve to death.
21:13You haven't been out of the joint for more than two or three years in your entire life.
21:17I'll be out again in 26 months, brown eyes.
21:19Stay home nights.
21:20Listen to me, punk.
21:21I've handled jaywalkers that were tougher than you.
21:23When I get out, I'm going to waste you.
21:25No reason to work of a sweat, Roger.
21:26They told us I write so we don't even have to talk to them.
21:28All right, I'll talk to you, Johnson.
21:30You were born in Harlan, Kentucky.
21:31Your father was a house painter killed in the war.
21:33Your mother and your sister brought you out here.
21:35You went to school in Torrance.
21:36You got expelled for throwing a punch at your math teacher.
21:38The army took you during the Korean War.
21:39They didn't want you.
21:40They shoved you out on a Section 8.
21:41For seven years now, you've been in jail or just getting out.
21:44I do hope you'll write my book.
21:45Now, your buddy here, he's really big time.
21:47Three states want him for parole violation.
21:50Two for armed robbery and one for statutory rape.
21:52That's in Kansas.
21:52You remember her name, don't you, Kensington?
21:54What if I don't?
21:55You should.
21:56She was your sister's daughter.
21:57All right.
21:58Now, let's take it back about a year.
22:00April 14th, Wednesday afternoon.
22:01You were out on bail pending trial in Hampstead, Nevada on felony assault with GBI.
22:05On April 22nd, you stole a 1960 Mercury sedan from in front of a drugstore on Clinton Street.
22:10You drove to Elko and you lifted a plate from the Gunnison Brothers junkyard.
22:13Tuesday, April 28th.
22:14You parked your clean car, the blue Chevrolet at Whitsitt and Flower.
22:17You drove the Mercury over to Olive and Main.
22:19You staked out the Stewart liquor store.
22:20While you waited for the owner to show up, you sat in the car dropping pills and chasing them with
22:23cheap port wine.
22:24The store opened up.
22:25You knocked it over.
22:26You got back in the car.
22:27Johnson, you were driving.
22:28Kensington, you were in the back seat with his shotgun cradled under your arm, hanging on this bent tablespoon.
22:32Everything was going just fine.
22:34You kept dropping bennies and swallowing wine.
22:36This black and white unit spotted you and pulled you over.
22:38It parked behind you.
22:39Officer Dave Roberts walked up to your car and told you to get out.
22:42Then, Kensington, you broke out in a rash of real bravery.
22:45You swung this shotgun out from under your coat, stuck it in Roberts' middle, pulled the trigger and slammed 276
22:49pellets into his stomach.
22:51Johnson, you dropped the car into gear and dug out, leaving that officer there with his life draining out in
22:54the gutter.
22:55That's a good story, cop.
22:56But you need a witness, and that you ain't got.
22:59Ain't we?
23:09You told me he died.
23:11You should have.
23:11You heard him?
23:12He's the one that did it.
23:13That shotgun fits him, not me.
23:15Shut up.
23:16I'll tell him to roll the tape.
23:22Thanks, Dave.
23:23Joe?
23:24Yeah.
23:25You know something?
23:26What's that, Dave?
23:28I still don't remember them.
23:31You don't have to now, Dave.
23:44The story you have just seen is true.
23:46The names were changed to protect the innocent.
23:50On March 23rd, trial was held in Department 186, Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the
23:57County of Los Angeles.
23:58The suspects were found guilty on a charge of assault with intent to commit murder.
24:09They were also convicted on three counts of robbery in the first degree.
24:13Assault with intent to commit murder is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than one nor
24:19more than 14 years.
24:21Robbery in the first degree is punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than five years.
24:26I don't think so.
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