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Chapter 1: What is the premise of the Dragnet episode 'The Big Ruling'?
Welcome to Choice Classic Radio, where we bring to you the greatest old-time radio shows. Like us on Facebook, subscribe to us on YouTube, and thank you for donating at choiceclassicradio.com. Chesterfield brings you Dragnet.
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By Chesterfield. Smoother. Cooler. Best for you. Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. You're a detective sergeant. You're assigned a narcotics detail. You get a report that a supply of heroin has reached your city. You don't know who's got it or where it is. Your job, find out.
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For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action.
It was Monday, May 23rd. It was cool in Los Angeles. We were working the night watch out of narcotics detail. My partner's Frank Smith. The boss is Captain Waller. My name's Friday. We're on our way back from questioning an informant, and it was 10.46 p.m. when we got to the first street station. Narcotics squadron. You think Bronco's holding out on us? I don't know.
Well, if we don't turn something pretty soon, the stuff will be all over town. Yeah. How about a cup of coffee, Joe? Huh? Coffee. You want a cup? Sure, if you got some. Yeah, I brought a thermos from home. Oh. Made it myself the way I like it. You know, strong. Mm-hmm. I got some cups.
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Chapter 2: What challenges do detectives face in the narcotics detail?
Wait a minute. You don't need them, Joe. What? You don't need them. I got cups right here on the top of the thermos. Four of them. It's some gadget, huh? Look at that. Kids gave it to me for Christmas. Of course, Faye probably picked it out. Mm-hmm. Boy, look at her steam. Really keeps the heat in. Yeah. Well, go ahead. Drink up. Thanks. What's the matter? Something the matter? No, no.
No, you were right. That's all. What do you mean? About it being strong. Oh, yeah. Yeah. When I want coffee, I want boiled water, buddy. This stuff's got some taste to it. It sure has. Well, aren't you going to finish yours? Well, I'm not thirsty right now. Oh. Hey, you know, Joe, I just realized something. Hmm? All these years I've been working with you, it never dawned on me before.
What's that? You don't like coffee. Oh, yes, I do. No, you don't, Joe. Not the real genuine articles, stuff they serve in restaurants, drugstores. Heck, that's not coffee. It's not, huh? No, this is coffee. A little bite to it, a little zing. You don't like it? Well... All these years I've been working with a partner who doesn't appreciate good coffee. I guess you learn something all the time.
Don't finish it if you don't want to. Narcotics Friday. Who? Oh, yeah. Yeah, Candy. That's right. Are you still at the same place? Sure, I know where it is. What's that room number? Okay. Goodbye. Candy Delman. Yeah? You heard we were talking to Bronco tonight. Bronco tell him what it was about? Must have. At least Candy knows we didn't get anywhere.
Says it's our own fault for not going to the right guy. Who's that? Him. Candy Delman was an informant who had served three sentences for violation of the State Narcotics Act. Since his release from prison, he had given police officers several leads to burglary and robbery suspects. Most of his leads had panned out.
As far as we knew, Delman was no longer a narcotics user or a pusher himself, but in the past, he had always refused to give any information on the dope racket. Over the phone, he said he was living at the Hattrick Hotel on South Spring Street, room 217. Frank and I left the office and drove out to talk to him. It was 11.22 p.m.
when we got to the hotel, a dark two-story building badly in need of repair. We went inside and started up the stairs to the second floor.
Get back down here, both of you. Come on, start moving.
What's the trouble, lady?
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Chapter 3: How does the character Candy Delman contribute to the investigation?
Your friend of yours? He's expecting us.
That I know. Well, why don't you ask him? Oh, sure. That's all I gotta do. Tramp up and down them stairs from morning till night. Call him to the phone. Give him messages. Dunham for back rent. Well, I ain't making no extra trip on account of you. Well, you suit yourself. Just you wait a minute. I ain't said you could go upstairs. You claim to know Candy. What's his room number?
217. That's right, isn't it?
Yeah, I guess so. Well, you be sure you let me know when you leave. And you better be out of here by midnight or I'm collecting a buck from each of you. Friends or no friends, you're not bunking with Candy unless I get paid. In advance!
Oh, she's a mother, you know. You know something, Joe? Hmm? Faye was after me just the other day about getting a new suit. Oh? I guess she was right. Must be down this way. Yeah. Maybe you ought to go with me. Buy some clothes yourself. What for? Well, we must need them if a dame like that figures we'd mooch a room in this joint. I wouldn't help with her. Here we are.
Yeah, who is it?
Joe.
Just a minute. Come on in. Thank you.
You know Frank Smith, don't you, Candy?
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Chapter 4: What evidence leads to the arrest of Sam Free?
Guy wants to kick it, it's up to him, too. You can stick him in a joint, send him to the hospital, maybe he'll get rid of the habit for a while, but if he wants to kick it for good, he's got to do it. Nobody else. It ain't easy, either. Guy's own business is what happens. Whether he goes for a ride or gets off. All right, come on, Candy. What are you getting at here?
The horse you're looking for, it ain't just going to guys, boy.
You mean kids, too?
Yeah.
How do you know that?
Father asked me if I wanted to make a buy. I thought I was still shooting caps. What fella? Mm-mm.
Come on, we'll stand in front of the candy.
Well, you take it my way or you don't get it.
That means no names. All right, give us the rest of it.
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Chapter 5: What legal issues arise regarding the search and seizure?
1.06 a.m., a man approached a Chevy convertible parked across the street from us. We knew he'd walked down from one of the houses on Walker, but we hadn't been able to determine which one. He passed under a street lamp, and we recognized him as Sam Free, a known narcotics user and suspected peddler. Hold it, Sam. Huh? Right where you are. Hold it up. Sure. Sure. Turn around, Sam.
Put your hands against the side of the car. Yeah.
You guys know me. I don't carry nothing. Mm-hmm. Hey, what you doing in my pockets? I ain't got no gun. You said so yourself. Now, where the heck did that come from?
Why don't you tell us? Yeah, it's the stuff jar. Is this all you got, Sam? Full, is it?
Yeah.
You're coming up in the world, aren't you?
What do you mean?
A couple of months ago, all we had you paid for was a user and a small-time pusher. That's a lot of H. Where'd you get it?
Oh, now, you know better than that. You're in trouble, Sam. Okay, you found the stuff on me. That means I'm going to do some time. A lot of time. Well, whatever it is, I'd just as soon be in one piece when I come out.
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Chapter 6: How does the court ruling affect the case against Sam Free?
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We took the suspect, Sam Free, down to the main jail, and we had him booked on possession of narcotics and suspicion of burglary. An examination of the labels on the sweaters indicated that they were all from the same Whiteside ladies' sports shop in North Hollywood. 1.58 a.m. We contacted the owner of the store, Mr. T.P. Whiteside. Yes, sir, that's right. Mm-hmm.
If you would, we'd appreciate it. About 30 minutes. All right, sir. Fine. Thank you. Goodbye. Well, he says they're stolen, all right. Well, why didn't he report it? Well, he didn't know anything about it until now. Huh? It just must have happened tonight. 2.22 a.m. Frank and I met Mr. Whiteside at his sportswear shop on Lancashire Boulevard.
At the rear of the building, we found a cut screen and a window that had been forced open. We called the crime lab and asked them to check the premises for any physical evidence. Mr. Whiteside made a quick survey of his stock, and as far as he could tell, the only missing item was a supply of cashmere sweaters.
I just can't get over it.
How's that, Mr. Whiteside?
You fellas finding out about all this even before I did? No. Well, I've done my share of complaining about policemen. In the past, that is. Yes, sir. Whenever I got a ticket, I used to say to myself... Ain't he got nothing more important to do than pull me over for going a couple of miles too fast? That's what I said. Yes, sir.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of the illegal search ruling for police procedures?
Yeah? It isn't Mexican. It's from back east someplace.
No kidding. Okay, I got it from back east. I sure don't want to louse up your scientific cats by saying different.
Is that the way you want it on your report?
Huh?
Uncooperative?
Ain't gonna make no difference what you guys put down. It might, Sam. Uh-uh. Oh, look, he... You want a deal, I'll talk. Otherwise, forget it. We don't make deals, you know that. It's up to you.
Now, look, this isn't your first fall, Sam. It's going to go hard with you. Maybe. No maybes.
Oh, you never know. I'm chilling with some of the boys back there. They tell me things have changed around here.
Yeah.
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Chapter 8: What is the conclusion of the episode and its impact on law enforcement?
It doesn't work that way anymore. No? Well, look, maybe I'm just thick, Don, but it seems to me the only guy who's better off is the criminal. That's how I see it, too. Well, all right, now look. Suppose we do pick up a guy. Maybe we aren't right, but we think we're on to something. If he's clean, he's not out of anything except a little time and trouble. Yeah.
And if he isn't, we got some evidence. Not anymore, you haven't. Yeah, well, this just don't make sense to me. Well, what are we supposed to do from here on in? If you want to make a search, you've got to get the guy's permission or put him under arrest first or have a valid search warrant. Otherwise, it's illegal. Your evidence may not hold. Let me have that again.
If you want to make a search, you've got to get the guy's permission or put him under arrest first or have a valid search warrant. Otherwise, it's illegal. Well, now, let's take free, for instance. Yeah?
Yeah.
We didn't have anything to arrest him on. As for getting his permission to search, well, I got a big picture of that. There was no way of getting a search warrant drawn, Don. We didn't even know what we were looking for. Well, that's the way it's got to be from here on in. Every time? There might be some exceptions. I don't know.
It's up to the courts to decide.
Well, what if we're after somebody, a guy who's heavy? Yeah. Let's take a killer, maybe, so we want to break in. Are we supposed to ask him if it's all right if we break in? You can get a warrant. Yeah, well, maybe we don't know who he is. Maybe it's 4 o'clock in the morning. What do you do then? When it comes up, you'll get an answer. Now, let's come up right now. What?
We got a dope pusher here. He's been selling H to kids. We got him made, dead to rights. Burglary, too. Now, you say he's gonna get off. I didn't say for sure. Well, I don't even like to hear a maybe, not in a case like this. It's the best I can do, Joe. I didn't hand down the ruling. If you'd arrested him first, that'd be different.
Yeah, and if he hadn't been carrying, he could have slapped a suit on us for false arrest. Only thing I can tell you, get a warrant, get permission, or arrest him first. Yeah, well, there's only one thing I'm gonna tell you. It's not gonna work. Maybe not. Well, just what do we do? Go back to Pound and Beats? Is that it? Look, I said we might not be able to make it hold up in Free's case.
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