Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Time
your detective sergeant. You're assigned the burglary details. You've got
a call from a citizen that a burglary is in progress.
(00:29):
You know the exact location. Your job stop it, drag Man.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
The document a drama of an actual crime. For the
next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
By step on the side of the law through.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
An actual case transcribed from official police violence, from beginning
to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story
of your police force in action.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It was two of the June fourteenth that was worn
in Los Angeles. We were working to night watch out
a burglery detail.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My
name is Friday.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Brought our way back from a show up and it
was eleven forty seven pm and we got the room
forty five burglary squadroom.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
You wanna get started on the report? Yeah all right. Oh,
I should be glad to get home. I'm tired. Yeah, sure, thanks. Hm.
Speaker 5 (01:33):
You seen the new building yet what seen the new
building yet?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Part of it? Yeah, sure is great. They thought of
just about everything. M a lab looks like something out
of a movie. All steel pile. Lee Jones is gonna
flip and it's gonna feel they have all that room.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
It's gonna be great to have a lad in the
same building anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Burglary Friday. Yeah, that's right. What's that address? So don't
try to stop him? No, right, good bye, betch coat.
It's Burglary.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah, the guy's there now, thanking man at the city
hall code three, a few.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Blocks from the place. We cut off the red light
and sirens.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
The address was a large drug store located at the
corner of Olive and Santee Streets.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
We parked the car in the middle of the block
and walked the rest of the way.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
The star was dark when we arrived, but the front
window had been smashed and the sidewalk was covered with
broken glass.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'll stay awaiting here.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Don't go back.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
He didn't up or place officers.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Oh, I'll be expecting you. I'm the one to telephone you.
I'm off for Monday.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Right, It's Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Hello, Hello, took you long enough to get you. He's gone.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Where'd he goes?
Speaker 6 (02:47):
He just took golf, that's all.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Took golf.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Which way down there there right Donald Street?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Do you have a car? I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
I didn't see what. Well, if he did, he didn't
buy it. You run away down the street to see
he's that way.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I want to go to the leaves.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Right after I called you, I come back here to
keep an eye on And he crashed through the window
and took off nan just as fast as he got
down that way the street.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
What do you look like? Can you tell us?
Speaker 6 (03:10):
Sure? I got a good look at him, real good
when he come out through the wind. He kind of
laid on the sidewalk for a minute and like it
was hurt. Right right after that he wrong.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
So you know, if you give us a description, well
you want.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
It to just to seem as I give it to
the other fellows.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Who's that the other cops.
Speaker 6 (03:24):
I give them a good one.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I told them all about the feet where they you know, they.
Speaker 6 (03:27):
Took out after him.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
They've got in the car, go off looking for awlongo?
Is that right away?
Speaker 6 (03:31):
They drove away right behind the man who wouldn't surprise
in the abyss. But what they called him and they
was right behind.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Now then you want to know what that's right?
Speaker 6 (03:40):
I thought you would. Well, I was on the way
hold of the movie down the street Igles there. Every
Tuesday night they got dishes, you know, give it away dishes.
I've been good since they started to night was Super
Bowl night. M hm, already got five of them tonight
fills out my step.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
About the burglary? Mm, the burglary? Would you tell us
about it?
Speaker 7 (04:02):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Yeah, yeah, Well because I get to talk from the back,
get to lose stay on the track.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Answer. Well, then, now, yeah that wasn't You were on
the way home from the movie.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Oh yeah, well I was just walking along. I got
here up to the drug store.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And I heard this noise.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
First off, it kind of scammed me. I can't expect it.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
You know, yes, what was it? But I'm say, grass,
whole lot of grass being broken.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
I turned around and right away I knew it. Come
to the drug store, so I went over to take
a look. You know, what do you think I saw?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
I wouldn't know she did. I take a guess, Doug, mister,
why don't you just tell us.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
This fellow was laying right on the floor, right in
the middle of the floor, and the glass all over.
I guess he'd fell on one of the showcases. He
sure broke it all over, just laying there, not moving
it all. Then all of a sudden, quick like, he
jumped up, and that's when he saw me standing there
looking right at him. He saw me right off. I
(05:05):
knew he didn't have no right in the store.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I knew it right.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Away, you know how.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I knew, Yes, you have an idea.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
You No, I don't have any Well, then the light
wasn't wrong. Oh, there wasn't any light off, so I
knew he was a thief. That's when I went.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
To call you.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
Use the phone booth there, see at across the street, aboule,
to keep my eye on the place all the time. Yeah,
come back here to make sure he didn't get out.
And first I thought the guy was gone. I couldn't
see him at all.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Then he came out behind the collar back in the
back of the place, and I could see he was hurt.
Something was wrong with his arm. He told it kind
of like this, see like there was something wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yes, sir, he was trapped, no way to get out,
but his arm hurt.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
He couldn't find him out.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
So what do you think he did? Why wouldn't look good? Turn?
God started running.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Come right at the window, running as fast as he could.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Crash right through it.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Won't clean through it. And if you're on the sidewalk there,
see see right on the sidewalk.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Glass all around him.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Laid there for a minute, then he got up and
took off down the street. He was hurt so bad.
I can see wade hit his head on the window.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Oh up, would you know the man if you saw him? Oh?
You bet I would. I'd know him any place we'd
like adding him downtown.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Look some pictures, cheregh anything I can do.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
You just name it.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Notes.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
I've just scored a settle.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
With that guy myself.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
I want to see you get it there, so I
understand gould be a shade of himself. Whole thing's his
fault that would have happened, man, and come crashing out
that window. My personal reason for one to see you
get it?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He made got my shop.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
A complete description of the suspect on a local broadcast
and an app were put out. Arrangements were made for
the witness to be taken to the city Hall to
check through the mug books, and then thinking, I started
to canvas the area.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Twelve twenty am. I think you made it. I don't
know months he put it. He was hurt pretty bad,
couldn't get too farre. Yeah, want to pull up. Let's
check that alley. All right, No, it doesn't go all
the way through. Let's get out. I'll cover the fireside,
(07:42):
how about it? All right, come on out, come on, we.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
Can see you had I got up.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Stand there where we can see it. I got my
hands up.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
I'm not gonna cause me trouble.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
I now please do all right, walk out here, walk
out here, keep your hands and we can see him.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I'll check him. Do a right turn, went on, put
your hands against the walls.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
All right, I'm doing just what you said, just like
you tell me.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Now clean, all right, turn around on, put your hands back.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
Look, please dumping in here because something please don't my
list is going.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I can't do.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Your hands behind your head, walk out towards the street,
all right, give me a doctorate.
Speaker 8 (08:20):
Couldn't feel good.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
I think I hurt my head. So I'm telling you
the truths.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
You can see yourself.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I think I heard it. Come on, keep walking.
Speaker 6 (08:28):
I don't feel good. I got awful pain in my head.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
You know it's gonna get worse.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
The suspect was taking a Judge Street Emergency hospital for treatment.
We identified him as le Royer and hist Finch, twenty
seven years old. He had a record listing two convictions
of burglary along with several misdemeanor arrests. His mudshot was
shown to the witness and we got a positive identification.
After emergency treatment, Frank and I were able to talk
to him.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Am I a Finch? Next statement about what the burglary?
Speaker 6 (08:56):
You guys are forgetting something?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
What's that? I'm the one who sick. I don't know
what you're talking about it.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I don't think about any Berkeley.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
That's a nice tray thinks, but it's not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
You better tell me what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
We got a witness who saw your break into a
drug store today. He's willing to go to court with it.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
And then you better get a new witness because the
one you got is all Warner.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You got cut up. A couple of guys tried to
rob me.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
I didn't like the idea, and they put the screws
to me.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
You expect that started to stand up and got to
prove it didn't happen. We can't then be my guests.
Why don't you save us all a lot of time
and cop out here that.
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Don't make things real easy on you?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Wouldn't I get it? Help?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
It's too bad. I can't go along with you boys.
But I'm not going to carry a beef I didn't build.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
You want us to believe that, don't.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
I don't care what you believe.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I'm telling you the truth. I was mug to night.
A couple of guys took my wallet, beat me up, and.
Speaker 6 (09:39):
That's the way it is.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
There's nothing you can do to change it. We'll see
if I knew about any Burglary said tell it.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
There's no reason not to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I can think of a couple spell them. You've fallen
twice before. I thought we'd get a ound of that. Well,
you guys better take another look. You can't bring up
my record in court. You're gonna have to make this
on your own, and I'm giving you nothing. It's a
little later in huh, you already have that morning.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
The suspect was removed to the prison war at General Hospital.
He was reported in good condition was expected to recover
in time to stand trial. Frank and I worked with
the District Attorney's office in preparation of the case.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
By checking the drug store by Holland Stall of late
in print.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Detail had turned a complete set of usable prints. Bloodstains
found on the floor of the place where the same.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Type as finches.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Particles of cloth on the transom where entry had been
made matched to suit the suspect was wearing.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
According to the District.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Attorney's office, the case was complete and the conviction was assured. Thursday,
June sixteenth, we attempted to requestion the suspect, but he
was sullom and uncooperative. Six forty seven pm, Frank and
I got back to the office.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
How about Tom d all right, where do you want
to go? How about that taco place on Broadway?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
We were there yesterday. Good food prices are in line.
I don't know. I think you could live on beans
and tacos, couldn't you? Sometime I'd like to try? So
you got it? Burgery Freddy? How long ago? Right now?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
We'll be right over. Your dinner's gonna have to wait tonight.
Huh Roy Finch. Yeah, he just broke jail. We left
the office and grove over to General Hospital. An immediate
warning had gone out to all officers in the city,
carrying Finch's description. As far as we knew, he was
(11:21):
still wearing hospital clothes. Wouldn't be too difficult to spot.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
We went up to the thirteenth floor and met with
a guard who had been on duty.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
And you see he went out.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
This way thirteen floorers to the street. And I'm not
easy to believe. How do you make it? A loon
as we can figure.
Speaker 7 (11:36):
He throw the bed sheets into strips, fretted him together,
you know, worked at one of the bars until he
could slipped through.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Must have looped the sheets around the other bars and
lowered himself. How far could he go that way?
Speaker 7 (11:45):
And two stories after that he must have rested on
the ledge while he pulled the sheets down after him,
kept going until.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
He got to the street. Anybody see him on the
way down?
Speaker 7 (11:53):
You know, we're checking out. Not likely if there had
been anyone there to let us know for sure. Hate
to see that guy in the loose way he talked.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
He's gonna cause a lot of trouble. Any chance they.
Speaker 7 (12:01):
Had helped getting No, he's the only one in the room,
didn't have any visitor's door was locked.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
He mentioned any friends in town, anybody might go to.
Speaker 7 (12:09):
But the only thing he talked about was the beef
against him, all the time, saying that he was going
to beat it.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
How he was going to blow your case sky high.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
He sure have him sound said you never get him
in a court.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
He did, never chance. You know, it looks like you
might have been a night. It isn't going to change.
He hasn't beat it. Yeah, he just postponed it.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
For the rest of the night, the area was subjected
to an intense search. All people in the vicinity were questioned,
Cars going into and out of the blockaded section were checked.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
At seven point thirty the next morning, a.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Search was called off, Apparently Leroy Finch had made good
his escape before the warning had been sounded. For the
next two days, Frank and I checked everybody listed in
his package. Friends and relatives were placed under surveillance.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
All known associates and places he was known to frequent
were checked. Wood went out to informants for possible leads.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Every step was being taken to bring le Roy Finch
back into custody. Sunday, June nineteenth, we got word that
Finch had been seeing a woman just before his arrest.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Her name didn't appear in any of the reports. Frank
and I drove out to see her. I guess this
is that we know? What about the back? All? This
is the only entrance. Alright, I get it done? Okay,
I'm chiding him. Yeah, when is it like to see
miss wall? Please? Who is it like to talk to you?
(13:25):
It's important?
Speaker 9 (13:27):
Alright?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Thank you's here? I don't know better? Be ready for Yeah? Hya,
what do you want to see me?
Speaker 5 (13:40):
About it?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You alone here?
Speaker 7 (13:41):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Why you might have a check?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
No, go ahead, I'm looking him.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
You're looking for the police officers?
Speaker 7 (13:54):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
A man named li Roy Fincher? Yeah, okay, John, I
got it.
Speaker 9 (14:00):
Cuss that going on?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
All right?
Speaker 9 (14:02):
Sit Down't I just having him coffee? Looking at the
Sunday funny?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Well it got excused me?
Speaker 9 (14:08):
Where the play looks? I wasn't look at back?
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The company's sorry?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
By you a cup of coffee?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
No thanks? How about you? All right?
Speaker 9 (14:17):
What do you wanna know about Roy?
Speaker 3 (14:19):
When'd you see him last?
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Let me think.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
It was a week ten days ago?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Not said son. Huh you hear it? Come at all? Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Huh.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
This is all about what's really done.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
It's all been in the papers.
Speaker 9 (14:33):
Outside of the funny they it's been at blank.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
What's he done?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
I wanna talk to him like that? Huh, that's right.
What do you know about him?
Speaker 9 (14:40):
H niceky good Spender's been out a couple of times, dinner, dancing,
nothing special?
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Yes, is good? Looks nice?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Why there's too much pattern in this coat?
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Outside of that, he looks like something in a magazine.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Yeah. Where'd you meet him?
Speaker 9 (14:56):
Cafeteria downtown? I wasn't there eating one night. Place was
pretty crowded, and he came over and asked for it
to be okay if you sat at my.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
Table, and oh, yeah, said me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
See mm.
Speaker 8 (15:07):
We went up and had a couple of drinks.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
How long ago was there?
Speaker 7 (15:10):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Let me see, just a couple of mons.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Did you ever talk about any of his friends?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Hm?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
You know where he lived?
Speaker 9 (15:18):
I don't think if you had one place kept moving around,
you know, one hotel this week, some other place, and
acts kept moving.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Where was he staying the last time he saw him?
Speaker 8 (15:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (15:28):
Some place down on Paco I.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Think they can't give us an address. Huh no, alright,
miss Well, we'll leave you one of our cards. We'd
appreciate it. He could call us me again, Finch gets
in touch with you.
Speaker 9 (15:37):
It's sure I hear anything. I'll call you right away.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
Excuse me, Mat.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Huh go ahead where you can find the dark huh.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
Oh uh, huh oh yeah, just a minute. I'll set
to Friday.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, your office, they wanna talk to you. Thank you.
It's Friday when we'll be right over. Thank you very much,
Miss Wolf. Let's go. Yeah, what do you got? They
(16:11):
found Finch? Yeah, he's been hiding in a house in
Highland Park. Is there now only left about an hour ago?
Who was placed longer? I don't know. If we want
to talk to him, we better step on it. Yeah,
he shot him. Both Frank and I left.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Immediately for Judge Street. Receiving the hospital where the latest
victims had been taken. We talked to the doctor in attendants.
He didn't have had the couple as mister and missus.
Fred Gildner went on to say that both of them
had suffered serious gunshot wounds. Missus Gilder had been hitting
the left shoulder in the neck while her husband had
been shopping the arm and chest. The man was on
the operating table at the time, but the doctor said
we could talk to the woman briefly.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Frank and I went into the treatment group. That's Gilly.
Is Gilly?
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Or police officers, ma'am like to talk to you if
you feel up to it.
Speaker 8 (17:09):
I guess so, I guess it's all right.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Wait, I get a live at a picture and see
if it's the man who shot you.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Where is it? Right here? I'll hold it for you.
Here's the ma'am.
Speaker 8 (17:23):
Hard to see it. Do the best you can, please, Yes,
that's him, he's the one.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 8 (17:34):
How's Fred? Have you heard how my husband is? We
don't know yet, ma'am shot Fred too, you know, shot
us both?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Now? Can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 8 (17:45):
Came into the house last Thursday night, came in best, ma'am,
tried to rob us. Fred surprised him in the climate.
I guess he was trying to steal some clothes over Thursday.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Yes, nice, alright, he didn't go on the place.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
Had Fred's gun, Mister Founder and the bureau had it
pointed right at us, kept waving it around.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Prestmam.
Speaker 8 (18:10):
They just stay in the house three days, kept his
prisoner three days with a gun, and then tonight Fred.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Tried to get the gun away from him.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
There was a fight, terrible fight him and Fred.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Hi, you wanna stop him? Go there?
Speaker 9 (18:34):
No, not much more.
Speaker 8 (18:36):
He shot Fred's cold blood, shot him, then me kept
his prisoner, then shot him. Awful things shot.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Hide was going. We'll do what we can.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
I got that's the best thing.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
A rest, the best thing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You want to check the doctor Gill excuse me? Yes,
where can we find doctor Savin?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Sad?
Speaker 6 (19:08):
I saw him a couple of minutes ago.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
He went into treatment room number three.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Sorry for good. Yes he's alone by dot Oh yeah, Joe,
thank come, oney, thank god. Got to go tough one.
I think he's gonna live. That's good. I hope he
fields the same way. What you mean one at severed
the spinal cord. Well you'll never walk again.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
The check was made at the guild in their house
and their automobile was found to be missing from papers
in the house. We got to making license number. The
supplemental broadcast was gotten out carrying the information. The description
of Leroy Finch was broadcast to all policemen in southern
California every thirty minutes. At the end of each transmission,
the officers were warned that the suspect was armed and
was to be considered extremely dangerous. Border stations were notified
(19:59):
and the points into Nevada were alerted. Bus and railroad
stations were covered, and airline terminals were placed under surveillance.
Roadblocks were set up on highways into and out of
Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
If Loroy Finch was still in the.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
City, every precaution was taken to prevent his escape. Thirty
six hours went by without word. Tuesday, June twenty first,
Frank and I checked into the office.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
I'll take the book to Friday. Yeah, I'm trying to
reach you guys where you've been. We just got back
from seventy seven. It's a matter. We got to check
with the skipper. Well that Carfinch was driving, Yeah, and
they just found it.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
The vehicle had been found by a motorcycle officer on
the side street in the Hollywood area. As soon as
he'd made sure of the identification, he'd notified Captain Bernard,
and then he'd staked down on the car. Four teams
of officers had been dispatched to the scene and the search.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Of the area was started. Frank and I went down
the hall to Chief.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
That Brown's office and we checked with Captain Bernard. He
told us to leave for the scene immediately and take
charge of the investigation.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
We went back to the squad room before leaving.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Well silence, huh, yeah, I got it, Gurgery Friday, Oh yeah,
speak up a little, can't hear you?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
What's that? No? I got it now, I will be
right there. What you got It was Hazel wool Bench's girlfriend. Yeah,
he just walked in.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
We notified Captain Bernard what happened, and along with him
and two teams of men from Rby Detail, we left
for the woman's address.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
The building was covered completely and Frank and I went
up to the front door. Isn't it's Joe Ronnie?
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Oh yeah, what do you want?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Like to see it?
Speaker 8 (21:51):
I'm kind of busy right now, Joe.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Did you come back? Manner?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Bench must be.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Yeah, I'm leaving town. It won't take very long, just minutes.
Howe me up and take it easy.
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Hi, Hi, Bill, I didn't expect to see you.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Gotta call from New York.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Gotta get back there right away, like morron, tell you
sorry about that date for tomorrow night.
Speaker 9 (22:14):
Okay, I understand all along, man, Yeah, but I was
just getting ready to go out.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Anybody I know?
Speaker 9 (22:21):
I think so friends out in the valley asked me
over for dinner.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Well, well, I'm sure wish I could keep that date tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
So hey, what if I could have a drink of water? Yeah,
get so, I get it here.
Speaker 9 (22:35):
I'll come with you.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
There's a guydy that.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Got a gun.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
You say, I have care, Thanks a lot, but I'll
be running along.
Speaker 8 (22:50):
Okay, alright, thanks.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
When you're in the bedroom, throw that gun out and
you follow it. Come on, thanks, drop the gun.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
You're coming get me.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
We can wait a lot longer than you can finish.
Let's see, we'll take the building a product.
Speaker 6 (23:04):
We have to go.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I'm not gonna walk, all right, you call it rank, Yeah,
get downstairs.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Ask him to bring up the gas equipment. Okay, watch
the fight coming out.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
Come on, leave me alone, Leave me alone.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Come on on your feet.
Speaker 9 (23:20):
I can't.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
I heard, I can't get out.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
You're not hurt that bad, it's just a shoulder rum. Joy.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
I'm going to die.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
I know, I know I'm going to die. I'm pretty
sure that. Yeah, I feel it. You got it wrong, finsh.
It will be that easy. The star you have just
heard is true.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
On October fourth, trial was held in Department ninety seven,
Superior Court of the State of California in and for
the County of Los Angeles. In a moment the results
of that trial, the Roy Ernest Finch was tried and
(24:05):
convicted of burglary in the first degree, escape a felony,
assault with intent to commit murder two counts, and grand
theft auto one count. In view of his past record
and because of the viciousness of his crimes, he was
sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary without possibility
of paroles. You have just heard Dragnet a series of
(24:36):
authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the
Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles
Police Department.
Ladies and gentlemen. The story you're about to hear is true.
The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Time
your detective sergeant. You're assigned the burglary details. You've got
a call from a citizen that a burglary is in progress.
(00:29):
You know the exact location. Your job stop it, drag Man.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
The document a drama of an actual crime. For the
next thirty minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department,
you will travel step.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
By step on the side of the law through.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
An actual case transcribed from official police violence, from beginning
to end, from crime to punishment. Dragnet is the story
of your police force in action.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It was two of the June fourteenth that was worn
in Los Angeles. We were working to night watch out
a burglery detail.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Bernard. My
name is Friday.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Brought our way back from a show up and it
was eleven forty seven pm and we got the room
forty five burglary squadroom.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
You wanna get started on the report? Yeah all right. Oh,
I should be glad to get home. I'm tired. Yeah, sure, thanks. Hm.
Speaker 5 (01:33):
You seen the new building yet what seen the new
building yet?
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Part of it? Yeah, sure is great. They thought of
just about everything. M a lab looks like something out
of a movie. All steel pile. Lee Jones is gonna
flip and it's gonna feel they have all that room.
Speaker 5 (01:52):
It's gonna be great to have a lad in the
same building anyway.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Burglary Friday. Yeah, that's right. What's that address? So don't
try to stop him? No, right, good bye, betch coat.
It's Burglary.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Yeah, the guy's there now, thanking man at the city
hall code three, a few.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Blocks from the place. We cut off the red light
and sirens.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
The address was a large drug store located at the
corner of Olive and Santee Streets.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
We parked the car in the middle of the block
and walked the rest of the way.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
The star was dark when we arrived, but the front
window had been smashed and the sidewalk was covered with
broken glass.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
I'll stay awaiting here.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Don't go back.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
He didn't up or place officers.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
Oh, I'll be expecting you. I'm the one to telephone you.
I'm off for Monday.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Right, It's Frank Smith. My name is Friday.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Hello, Hello, took you long enough to get you. He's gone.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Where'd he goes?
Speaker 6 (02:47):
He just took golf, that's all.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Took golf.
Speaker 6 (02:49):
Which way down there there right Donald Street?
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Do you have a car? I don't know.
Speaker 6 (02:53):
I didn't see what. Well, if he did, he didn't
buy it. You run away down the street to see
he's that way.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
I want to go to the leaves.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
Right after I called you, I come back here to
keep an eye on And he crashed through the window
and took off nan just as fast as he got
down that way the street.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
What do you look like? Can you tell us?
Speaker 6 (03:10):
Sure? I got a good look at him, real good
when he come out through the wind. He kind of
laid on the sidewalk for a minute and like it
was hurt. Right right after that he wrong.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
So you know, if you give us a description, well
you want.
Speaker 6 (03:20):
It to just to seem as I give it to
the other fellows.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Who's that the other cops.
Speaker 6 (03:24):
I give them a good one.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
I told them all about the feet where they you know, they.
Speaker 6 (03:27):
Took out after him.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
They've got in the car, go off looking for awlongo?
Is that right away?
Speaker 6 (03:31):
They drove away right behind the man who wouldn't surprise
in the abyss. But what they called him and they
was right behind.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
Now then you want to know what that's right?
Speaker 6 (03:40):
I thought you would. Well, I was on the way
hold of the movie down the street Igles there. Every
Tuesday night they got dishes, you know, give it away dishes.
I've been good since they started to night was Super
Bowl night. M hm, already got five of them tonight
fills out my step.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
About the burglary? Mm, the burglary? Would you tell us
about it?
Speaker 7 (04:02):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (04:02):
Yeah, yeah, Well because I get to talk from the back,
get to lose stay on the track.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Answer. Well, then, now, yeah that wasn't You were on
the way home from the movie.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Oh yeah, well I was just walking along. I got
here up to the drug store.
Speaker 3 (04:21):
And I heard this noise.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
First off, it kind of scammed me. I can't expect it.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
You know, yes, what was it? But I'm say, grass,
whole lot of grass being broken.
Speaker 6 (04:31):
I turned around and right away I knew it. Come
to the drug store, so I went over to take
a look. You know, what do you think I saw?
Speaker 3 (04:39):
I wouldn't know she did. I take a guess, Doug, mister,
why don't you just tell us.
Speaker 6 (04:44):
This fellow was laying right on the floor, right in
the middle of the floor, and the glass all over.
I guess he'd fell on one of the showcases. He
sure broke it all over, just laying there, not moving
it all. Then all of a sudden, quick like, he
jumped up, and that's when he saw me standing there
looking right at him. He saw me right off. I
(05:05):
knew he didn't have no right in the store.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
I knew it right.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Away, you know how.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
I knew, Yes, you have an idea.
Speaker 6 (05:14):
You No, I don't have any Well, then the light
wasn't wrong. Oh, there wasn't any light off, so I
knew he was a thief. That's when I went.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
To call you.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
Use the phone booth there, see at across the street, aboule,
to keep my eye on the place all the time. Yeah,
come back here to make sure he didn't get out.
And first I thought the guy was gone. I couldn't
see him at all.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (05:38):
Then he came out behind the collar back in the
back of the place, and I could see he was hurt.
Something was wrong with his arm. He told it kind
of like this, see like there was something wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yes, sir, he was trapped, no way to get out,
but his arm hurt.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
He couldn't find him out.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
So what do you think he did? Why wouldn't look good? Turn?
God started running.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Come right at the window, running as fast as he could.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Crash right through it.
Speaker 6 (06:07):
Won't clean through it. And if you're on the sidewalk there,
see see right on the sidewalk.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Glass all around him.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
Laid there for a minute, then he got up and
took off down the street. He was hurt so bad.
I can see wade hit his head on the window.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Oh up, would you know the man if you saw him? Oh?
You bet I would. I'd know him any place we'd
like adding him downtown.
Speaker 6 (06:26):
Look some pictures, cheregh anything I can do.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
You just name it.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Notes.
Speaker 6 (06:30):
I've just scored a settle.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
With that guy myself.
Speaker 6 (06:33):
I want to see you get it there, so I
understand gould be a shade of himself. Whole thing's his
fault that would have happened, man, and come crashing out
that window. My personal reason for one to see you
get it?
Speaker 3 (06:48):
He made got my shop.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
A complete description of the suspect on a local broadcast
and an app were put out. Arrangements were made for
the witness to be taken to the city Hall to
check through the mug books, and then thinking, I started
to canvas the area.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Twelve twenty am. I think you made it. I don't
know months he put it. He was hurt pretty bad,
couldn't get too farre. Yeah, want to pull up. Let's
check that alley. All right, No, it doesn't go all
the way through. Let's get out. I'll cover the fireside,
(07:42):
how about it? All right, come on out, come on, we.
Speaker 6 (07:45):
Can see you had I got up.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Stand there where we can see it. I got my
hands up.
Speaker 8 (07:52):
I'm not gonna cause me trouble.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
I now please do all right, walk out here, walk
out here, keep your hands and we can see him.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I'll check him. Do a right turn, went on, put
your hands against the walls.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
All right, I'm doing just what you said, just like
you tell me.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Now clean, all right, turn around on, put your hands back.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
Look, please dumping in here because something please don't my
list is going.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I can't do.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
Your hands behind your head, walk out towards the street,
all right, give me a doctorate.
Speaker 8 (08:20):
Couldn't feel good.
Speaker 6 (08:21):
I think I hurt my head. So I'm telling you
the truths.
Speaker 8 (08:25):
You can see yourself.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I think I heard it. Come on, keep walking.
Speaker 6 (08:28):
I don't feel good. I got awful pain in my head.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
You know it's gonna get worse.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
The suspect was taking a Judge Street Emergency hospital for treatment.
We identified him as le Royer and hist Finch, twenty
seven years old. He had a record listing two convictions
of burglary along with several misdemeanor arrests. His mudshot was
shown to the witness and we got a positive identification.
After emergency treatment, Frank and I were able to talk
to him.
Speaker 3 (08:52):
Am I a Finch? Next statement about what the burglary?
Speaker 6 (08:56):
You guys are forgetting something?
Speaker 3 (08:58):
What's that? I'm the one who sick. I don't know
what you're talking about it.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
I don't think about any Berkeley.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
That's a nice tray thinks, but it's not gonna work.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
You better tell me what you're talking about.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
We got a witness who saw your break into a
drug store today. He's willing to go to court with it.
Speaker 7 (09:10):
And then you better get a new witness because the
one you got is all Warner.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
You got cut up. A couple of guys tried to
rob me.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
I didn't like the idea, and they put the screws
to me.
Speaker 3 (09:20):
You expect that started to stand up and got to
prove it didn't happen. We can't then be my guests.
Why don't you save us all a lot of time
and cop out here that.
Speaker 7 (09:26):
Don't make things real easy on you?
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Wouldn't I get it? Help?
Speaker 6 (09:29):
It's too bad. I can't go along with you boys.
But I'm not going to carry a beef I didn't build.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
You want us to believe that, don't.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
I don't care what you believe.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
I'm telling you the truth. I was mug to night.
A couple of guys took my wallet, beat me up, and.
Speaker 6 (09:39):
That's the way it is.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
There's nothing you can do to change it. We'll see
if I knew about any Burglary said tell it.
Speaker 6 (09:44):
There's no reason not to.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
I can think of a couple spell them. You've fallen
twice before. I thought we'd get a ound of that. Well,
you guys better take another look. You can't bring up
my record in court. You're gonna have to make this
on your own, and I'm giving you nothing. It's a
little later in huh, you already have that morning.
Speaker 4 (10:02):
The suspect was removed to the prison war at General Hospital.
He was reported in good condition was expected to recover
in time to stand trial. Frank and I worked with
the District Attorney's office in preparation of the case.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
By checking the drug store by Holland Stall of late
in print.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Detail had turned a complete set of usable prints. Bloodstains
found on the floor of the place where the same.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
Type as finches.
Speaker 4 (10:21):
Particles of cloth on the transom where entry had been
made matched to suit the suspect was wearing.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
According to the District.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Attorney's office, the case was complete and the conviction was assured. Thursday,
June sixteenth, we attempted to requestion the suspect, but he
was sullom and uncooperative. Six forty seven pm, Frank and
I got back to the office.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
How about Tom d all right, where do you want
to go? How about that taco place on Broadway?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
We were there yesterday. Good food prices are in line.
I don't know. I think you could live on beans
and tacos, couldn't you? Sometime I'd like to try? So
you got it? Burgery Freddy? How long ago? Right now?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
We'll be right over. Your dinner's gonna have to wait tonight.
Huh Roy Finch. Yeah, he just broke jail. We left
the office and grove over to General Hospital. An immediate
warning had gone out to all officers in the city,
carrying Finch's description. As far as we knew, he was
(11:21):
still wearing hospital clothes. Wouldn't be too difficult to spot.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
We went up to the thirteenth floor and met with
a guard who had been on duty.
Speaker 7 (11:30):
And you see he went out.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
This way thirteen floorers to the street. And I'm not
easy to believe. How do you make it? A loon
as we can figure.
Speaker 7 (11:36):
He throw the bed sheets into strips, fretted him together,
you know, worked at one of the bars until he
could slipped through.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
Must have looped the sheets around the other bars and
lowered himself. How far could he go that way?
Speaker 7 (11:45):
And two stories after that he must have rested on
the ledge while he pulled the sheets down after him,
kept going until.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
He got to the street. Anybody see him on the
way down?
Speaker 7 (11:53):
You know, we're checking out. Not likely if there had
been anyone there to let us know for sure. Hate
to see that guy in the loose way he talked.
Speaker 3 (11:59):
He's gonna cause a lot of trouble. Any chance they.
Speaker 7 (12:01):
Had helped getting No, he's the only one in the room,
didn't have any visitor's door was locked.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
He mentioned any friends in town, anybody might go to.
Speaker 7 (12:09):
But the only thing he talked about was the beef
against him, all the time, saying that he was going
to beat it.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
How he was going to blow your case sky high.
Speaker 7 (12:16):
He sure have him sound said you never get him
in a court.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
He did, never chance. You know, it looks like you
might have been a night. It isn't going to change.
He hasn't beat it. Yeah, he just postponed it.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
For the rest of the night, the area was subjected
to an intense search. All people in the vicinity were questioned,
Cars going into and out of the blockaded section were checked.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
At seven point thirty the next morning, a.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Search was called off, Apparently Leroy Finch had made good
his escape before the warning had been sounded. For the
next two days, Frank and I checked everybody listed in
his package. Friends and relatives were placed under surveillance.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
All known associates and places he was known to frequent
were checked. Wood went out to informants for possible leads.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Every step was being taken to bring le Roy Finch
back into custody. Sunday, June nineteenth, we got word that
Finch had been seeing a woman just before his arrest.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
Her name didn't appear in any of the reports. Frank
and I drove out to see her. I guess this
is that we know? What about the back? All? This
is the only entrance. Alright, I get it done? Okay,
I'm chiding him. Yeah, when is it like to see
miss wall? Please? Who is it like to talk to you?
(13:25):
It's important?
Speaker 9 (13:27):
Alright?
Speaker 3 (13:30):
Thank you's here? I don't know better? Be ready for Yeah? Hya,
what do you want to see me?
Speaker 5 (13:40):
About it?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
You alone here?
Speaker 7 (13:41):
No?
Speaker 3 (13:42):
Why you might have a check?
Speaker 6 (13:44):
No, go ahead, I'm looking him.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
You're looking for the police officers?
Speaker 7 (13:54):
You know what?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
A man named li Roy Fincher? Yeah, okay, John, I
got it.
Speaker 9 (14:00):
Cuss that going on?
Speaker 3 (14:01):
All right?
Speaker 9 (14:02):
Sit Down't I just having him coffee? Looking at the
Sunday funny?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
Well it got excused me?
Speaker 9 (14:08):
Where the play looks? I wasn't look at back?
Speaker 3 (14:09):
The company's sorry?
Speaker 1 (14:11):
By you a cup of coffee?
Speaker 3 (14:13):
No thanks? How about you? All right?
Speaker 9 (14:17):
What do you wanna know about Roy?
Speaker 3 (14:19):
When'd you see him last?
Speaker 6 (14:21):
Let me think.
Speaker 9 (14:23):
It was a week ten days ago?
Speaker 3 (14:25):
Not said son. Huh you hear it? Come at all? Uh?
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Huh.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
This is all about what's really done.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
It's all been in the papers.
Speaker 9 (14:33):
Outside of the funny they it's been at blank.
Speaker 6 (14:35):
What's he done?
Speaker 3 (14:36):
I wanna talk to him like that? Huh, that's right.
What do you know about him?
Speaker 9 (14:40):
H niceky good Spender's been out a couple of times, dinner, dancing,
nothing special?
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Yes, is good? Looks nice?
Speaker 3 (14:49):
Why there's too much pattern in this coat?
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Outside of that, he looks like something in a magazine.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Yeah. Where'd you meet him?
Speaker 9 (14:56):
Cafeteria downtown? I wasn't there eating one night. Place was
pretty crowded, and he came over and asked for it
to be okay if you sat at my.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
Table, and oh, yeah, said me.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
See mm.
Speaker 8 (15:07):
We went up and had a couple of drinks.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
How long ago was there?
Speaker 7 (15:10):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:11):
Let me see, just a couple of mons.
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Did you ever talk about any of his friends?
Speaker 6 (15:15):
Hm?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
You know where he lived?
Speaker 9 (15:18):
I don't think if you had one place kept moving around,
you know, one hotel this week, some other place, and
acts kept moving.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Where was he staying the last time he saw him?
Speaker 8 (15:27):
I don't know.
Speaker 9 (15:28):
Some place down on Paco I.
Speaker 3 (15:30):
Think they can't give us an address. Huh no, alright,
miss Well, we'll leave you one of our cards. We'd
appreciate it. He could call us me again, Finch gets
in touch with you.
Speaker 9 (15:37):
It's sure I hear anything. I'll call you right away.
Speaker 6 (15:41):
Excuse me, Mat.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Huh go ahead where you can find the dark huh.
Speaker 6 (15:45):
Oh uh, huh oh yeah, just a minute. I'll set
to Friday.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, your office, they wanna talk to you. Thank you.
It's Friday when we'll be right over. Thank you very much,
Miss Wolf. Let's go. Yeah, what do you got? They
(16:11):
found Finch? Yeah, he's been hiding in a house in
Highland Park. Is there now only left about an hour ago?
Who was placed longer? I don't know. If we want
to talk to him, we better step on it. Yeah,
he shot him. Both Frank and I left.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
Immediately for Judge Street. Receiving the hospital where the latest
victims had been taken. We talked to the doctor in attendants.
He didn't have had the couple as mister and missus.
Fred Gildner went on to say that both of them
had suffered serious gunshot wounds. Missus Gilder had been hitting
the left shoulder in the neck while her husband had
been shopping the arm and chest. The man was on
the operating table at the time, but the doctor said
we could talk to the woman briefly.
Speaker 3 (16:58):
Frank and I went into the treatment group. That's Gilly.
Is Gilly?
Speaker 7 (17:04):
Yes?
Speaker 5 (17:05):
Or police officers, ma'am like to talk to you if
you feel up to it.
Speaker 8 (17:09):
I guess so, I guess it's all right.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Wait, I get a live at a picture and see
if it's the man who shot you.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Where is it? Right here? I'll hold it for you.
Here's the ma'am.
Speaker 8 (17:23):
Hard to see it. Do the best you can, please, Yes,
that's him, he's the one.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 8 (17:34):
How's Fred? Have you heard how my husband is? We
don't know yet, ma'am shot Fred too, you know, shot
us both?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Now? Can you tell us what happened?
Speaker 8 (17:45):
Came into the house last Thursday night, came in best, ma'am,
tried to rob us. Fred surprised him in the climate.
I guess he was trying to steal some clothes over Thursday.
Speaker 3 (17:58):
Yes, nice, alright, he didn't go on the place.
Speaker 8 (18:02):
Had Fred's gun, Mister Founder and the bureau had it
pointed right at us, kept waving it around.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
Prestmam.
Speaker 8 (18:10):
They just stay in the house three days, kept his
prisoner three days with a gun, and then tonight Fred.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
Tried to get the gun away from him.
Speaker 8 (18:22):
There was a fight, terrible fight him and Fred.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Hi, you wanna stop him? Go there?
Speaker 9 (18:34):
No, not much more.
Speaker 8 (18:36):
He shot Fred's cold blood, shot him, then me kept
his prisoner, then shot him. Awful things shot.
Speaker 3 (18:47):
Hide was going. We'll do what we can.
Speaker 8 (18:50):
I got that's the best thing.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
A rest, the best thing.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
You want to check the doctor Gill excuse me? Yes,
where can we find doctor Savin?
Speaker 4 (19:07):
Sad?
Speaker 6 (19:08):
I saw him a couple of minutes ago.
Speaker 8 (19:09):
He went into treatment room number three.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
Sorry for good. Yes he's alone by dot Oh yeah, Joe,
thank come, oney, thank god. Got to go tough one.
I think he's gonna live. That's good. I hope he
fields the same way. What you mean one at severed
the spinal cord. Well you'll never walk again.
Speaker 4 (19:37):
The check was made at the guild in their house
and their automobile was found to be missing from papers
in the house. We got to making license number. The
supplemental broadcast was gotten out carrying the information. The description
of Leroy Finch was broadcast to all policemen in southern
California every thirty minutes. At the end of each transmission,
the officers were warned that the suspect was armed and
was to be considered extremely dangerous. Border stations were notified
(19:59):
and the points into Nevada were alerted. Bus and railroad
stations were covered, and airline terminals were placed under surveillance.
Roadblocks were set up on highways into and out of
Los Angeles.
Speaker 3 (20:09):
If Loroy Finch was still in the.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
City, every precaution was taken to prevent his escape. Thirty
six hours went by without word. Tuesday, June twenty first,
Frank and I checked into the office.
Speaker 3 (20:19):
I'll take the book to Friday. Yeah, I'm trying to
reach you guys where you've been. We just got back
from seventy seven. It's a matter. We got to check
with the skipper. Well that Carfinch was driving, Yeah, and
they just found it.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
The vehicle had been found by a motorcycle officer on
the side street in the Hollywood area. As soon as
he'd made sure of the identification, he'd notified Captain Bernard,
and then he'd staked down on the car. Four teams
of officers had been dispatched to the scene and the search.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
Of the area was started. Frank and I went down
the hall to Chief.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
That Brown's office and we checked with Captain Bernard. He
told us to leave for the scene immediately and take
charge of the investigation.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
We went back to the squad room before leaving.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
Well silence, huh, yeah, I got it, Gurgery Friday, Oh yeah,
speak up a little, can't hear you?
Speaker 3 (21:08):
What's that? No? I got it now, I will be
right there. What you got It was Hazel wool Bench's girlfriend. Yeah,
he just walked in.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
We notified Captain Bernard what happened, and along with him
and two teams of men from Rby Detail, we left
for the woman's address.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
The building was covered completely and Frank and I went
up to the front door. Isn't it's Joe Ronnie?
Speaker 5 (21:46):
Oh yeah, what do you want?
Speaker 3 (21:48):
Like to see it?
Speaker 8 (21:51):
I'm kind of busy right now, Joe.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Did you come back? Manner?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Bench must be.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Yeah, I'm leaving town. It won't take very long, just minutes.
Howe me up and take it easy.
Speaker 8 (22:04):
Hi, Hi, Bill, I didn't expect to see you.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Gotta call from New York.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Gotta get back there right away, like morron, tell you
sorry about that date for tomorrow night.
Speaker 9 (22:14):
Okay, I understand all along, man, Yeah, but I was
just getting ready to go out.
Speaker 3 (22:19):
Anybody I know?
Speaker 9 (22:21):
I think so friends out in the valley asked me
over for dinner.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Well, well, I'm sure wish I could keep that date tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
So hey, what if I could have a drink of water? Yeah,
get so, I get it here.
Speaker 9 (22:35):
I'll come with you.
Speaker 3 (22:40):
There's a guydy that.
Speaker 2 (22:45):
Got a gun.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
You say, I have care, Thanks a lot, but I'll
be running along.
Speaker 8 (22:50):
Okay, alright, thanks.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
When you're in the bedroom, throw that gun out and
you follow it. Come on, thanks, drop the gun.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
You're coming get me.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
We can wait a lot longer than you can finish.
Let's see, we'll take the building a product.
Speaker 6 (23:04):
We have to go.
Speaker 7 (23:06):
I'm not gonna walk, all right, you call it rank, Yeah,
get downstairs.
Speaker 3 (23:10):
Ask him to bring up the gas equipment. Okay, watch
the fight coming out.
Speaker 6 (23:16):
Come on, leave me alone, Leave me alone.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Come on on your feet.
Speaker 9 (23:20):
I can't.
Speaker 6 (23:20):
I heard, I can't get out.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
You're not hurt that bad, it's just a shoulder rum. Joy.
Speaker 6 (23:24):
I'm going to die.
Speaker 3 (23:25):
I know, I know I'm going to die. I'm pretty
sure that. Yeah, I feel it. You got it wrong, finsh.
It will be that easy. The star you have just
heard is true.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
The names were changed to protect the innocent.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
On October fourth, trial was held in Department ninety seven,
Superior Court of the State of California in and for
the County of Los Angeles. In a moment the results
of that trial, the Roy Ernest Finch was tried and
(24:05):
convicted of burglary in the first degree, escape a felony,
assault with intent to commit murder two counts, and grand
theft auto one count. In view of his past record
and because of the viciousness of his crimes, he was
sentenced to life imprisonment in the state penitentiary without possibility
of paroles. You have just heard Dragnet a series of
(24:36):
authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the
Office of Chief of Police W. H. Parker, Los Angeles
Police Department.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!