Original subtitles

LIVING IN LOS ANGELES IN THE 1950s,

THIS GIRL AND I, WE WEREN'T SO DIFFERENT,

JUST LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER GIRLS

WHO MOVED HERE WITH DREAMS OF BECOMING SOMEBODY.

WE ALL BELIEVED IN THE HOLLYWOOD FAIRY TALE

THAT ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE HERE.

BRYAN, YOU SCARED ME.

SO JUMPY TONIGHT.

IT IS 12:30 A.M. IN LOS ANGELES,

AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO KFAX NIGHT MUSIC.

BUT THE BEST PART OF THE WEEK --

SATURDAY NIGHT OUT IN YOUR BOYFRIEND'S CAR

PARKED ON LOVERS' LANE

WATCHING THOSE TWINKLING LIGHTS.

FOR A MOMENT, YOU FELT LIKE A LEADING LADY,

BUT IN A BIG CITY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING.

LAPD VICE SQUAD.

YOU TWO ARE COMMITTING A MORALS VIOLATION.

PLEASE, OFFICER, WE WEREN'T DOING ANYTHING WRONG.

THAT'S NOT WHAT I SAW.

OFFICER, WE WERE JUST KISSING.

GET OUT THE CAR, MISS.

YOUNG MAN, YOU STAY RIGHT HERE.

YES, SIR.

COME WITH ME.

WAIT. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

AIN'T NO USE IN FUSSING.

NO!

IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF MAY 20, 1956,

A YOUNG COUPLE WENT INTO

THE LOS ANGELES CENTRAL POLICE STATION

TO REPORT A VERY HIDEOUS CRIME.

I'M GOING TO BE ASKING YOU SOME QUESTIONS.

NOW, I'M GOING TO NEED YOU TO BE HONEST WITH ME.

I DON'T CARE WHY YOU WERE UP THERE.

THAT'S NOT WHY WE'RE HERE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO START FROM THE BEGINNING.

THERE WAS A POLICE OFFICER.

HE CAME UP TO OUR CAR,

AND HE SHOWED HIS BADGE,

AND THEN HE ESCORTED ME

TO THE BACK SEAT OF HIS CAR.

OKAY.

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

AND THEN HE WAS ON TOP OF ME.

HE SAID,

"I THINK YOU'RE GONNA LIKE THIS."

HE TOLD HER THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE'S GOING TO

BE ABLE TO BRAG ABOUT FOR A VERY LONG TIME TO HER FRIENDS

AS THE BEST 15 MINUTES OF HER LIFE.

WERE YOU ABLE TO GET A LOOK AT THE ASSAILANT?

IT WAS TOO DARK TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT HIS FACE,

BUT HE WAS A TALL, LARGE, BLACK MAN.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THIS IS 1950s AMERICA.

AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MAN RAPING A WHITE WOMAN

WOULD HAVE BEEN PRETTY EXPLOSIVE.

YOU SURE HE WAS BLACK, BLACK POLICE OFFICER

PATROLLING IN THAT AREA?

AND THE LAPD AT THE TIME DID NOT HAVE A LOT OF BLACK COPS.

BLACK COPS TYPICALLY PATROLLED IN THE BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHITE COPS PATROLLED IN THE WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHAT ABOUT A LICENSE PLATE? DID YOU SEE ONE?

HE HAD HIS HIGH-BEAMS ON,

SO IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE THE PLATE,

BUT I THINK HE WAS DRIVING A DeSoto.

DeSoto, OKAY.

ANY IDEA WHAT COLOR IT WAS?

A DARK COLOR, I COULDN'T REALLY TELL.

CAROLINE, GOING TO BE OKAY?

I'M GOING TO DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO FIND THIS GUY, OKAY?

OKAY.

VERY BRAVE OF YOU TO COME HERE AND SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS.

THERE'S NO LICENSE PLATE NUMBER,

AND IT WAS TOO DARK TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THE PERPETRATOR.

FINDING THIS GUY WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT ANYWHERE,

LET ALONE IN LOS ANGELES.

IN 1956,

LOS ANGELES IS 469 SQUARE MILES.

IT'S HUGE.

AND LOS ANGELES ONLY HAS AROUND 4,000 POLICE OFFICERS

IN A CITY THAT IS GROWING RAPIDLY.

WHEN I MOVED HERE,

I THOUGHT L.A. WAS THE CITY OF DREAMS,

A LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE WHERE YOU COULD REINVENT YOURSELF,

BUT WORKING IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT,

I QUICKLY LEARNED THERE WAS SOMETHING UGLY

HIDING BENEATH THAT PRETTY FACADE.

ANOTHER 261, YOU KNOW WHERE IT GOES.

I WAS IN CHARGE OF SORTING AND FILING THE 261s.

THAT WAS THE COP TERM FOR RAPE,

A WAY TO TALK ABOUT SOME WOMAN'S UNTHINKABLE EXPERIENCE

AS JUST ANOTHER NUMBER.

IT WAS ONE OF THOSE CRIMES THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

PREFERRED TO KEEP OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE.

GOT THE 261 FILES YOU REQUESTED.

ANOTHER ONE CAME IN LAST NIGHT.

THANK YOU, SHIRLEY.

IN 1956, THERE WAS A HORRIBLE INCREASE IN RAPES.

STATISTICALLY, THERE WAS A MORE THAN 20% INCREASE

OVER THE YEAR BEFORE.

PLEASE, HAVE A SEAT.

WHAT CAN I DO FOR YOU?

WELL, WE WERE PARKED OVER ON VALENCIA,

AND THIS MAN CAME OVER

TO OUR VEHICLE AND...

GO ON. WHAT? DID HE ROB YOU?

NO, NOT THAT.

THIS COUPLE HAD BEEN PARKED IN A CAR

ON A LOVERS' LANE WHEN THEY HEAR A RAP ON THE WINDOW,

AND A MAN WITH A FLASHLIGHT

TELLS THEM TO GET OUT OF THE CAR,

WHICH THEY COMPLY WITH.

HE WAS SHOVING MARGIE IN THE BACK

OF HIS CAR, AND THAT'S WHEN I YANKED HER AWAY.

I GOT READY TO FIGHT HIM,

AND HE WAS BIG, INTIMIDATING.

I WAS READY FOR HIM,

AND HE GOT IN HIS CAR AND LEFT.

HE SAID HE WAS LAPD.

WAS HE IN UNIFORM?

NO, BUT HE DID HAVE A FLASHLIGHT AND A BADGE.

WELL, WAIT A SECOND. HE SAID HE WAS LAPD AND HAD A FLASHLIGHT

AND A BADGE? YES.

HE DID.

DID IT LOOK LIKE THIS ONE?

YES, SIR.

SO HE WAS A COP.

IT WAS HARD TO TELL, HONESTLY.

SOMETHING JUST DIDN'T SEEM, RIGHT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

WELL, FOR ONE, WHERE I'M FROM,

WE DON'T HAVE COLOREDS PATROLLING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

HE WAS A COLORED POLICE OFFICER?

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME VICTIMS ARE COMING IN SAYING,

"HEY, IT'S THIS GUY THAT GOT A BADGE AND A FLASHLIGHT.

WE THOUGHT HE WAS A COP."

ALL RIGHT. LISTEN, WE JUST HAD ANOTHER REPORT

OF SOME SICKO POSING AS LAPD,

AND IF IT TURNS OUT TO TRULY BE ONE OF OURS,

I AM GOING TO BLOW MY TOP.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT THIS GUY IS LAPD.

YEAH, WELL, YOU BETTER BE RIGHT,

BUT WE BOTH KNOW HOW THESE BOYS OPERATE.

RIGHT, GALINDO?

I'M GOING TO HAVE TO START SENDING YOU OUT THERE

TO POLICE THOSE LOVERS' LANES?

YOU KNOW HOW MANY LOVERS' LANES THERE ARE IN THIS CITY?

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAG ALONG.

YOU DON'T WANT HIM TO GO ALONE, JONES.

HE MIGHT START TO GET SOME IDEAS.

ALL RIGHT. BACK TO WORK.

DETECTIVE DANNY GALINDO

WAS ONE OF THE FEW HISPANIC MEMBERS

OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

HE'S A DECORATED WORLD WAR II VETERAN,

AND HE'S DAILY TASKED WITH SOLVING DIFFICULT CRIMES.

THE FACT IS THERE ARE NUMEROUS LOVERS' LANES

IN LOS ANGELES IN THE MID-1950s.

AND THESE WERE SPREAD OUT THROUGH THE METROPOLITAN AREA,

SO THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY DIFFICULT.

HEY, HANSON, GIVE ME A LIST OF EVERY BLACK MAN

THAT'S EVER WORKED FOR THE LAPD,

PAST, PRESENT, RETIRED, FIRED, DEAD.

I WANT THEM ALL.

YES, SIR.

SARGE, DON'T MEAN TO HOLD YOU UP,

BUT WE NEED TO GET THE PRESS ON THIS, SIR.

WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I CAN CONTACT

THE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.

WHAT FOR?

THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING

AT LOVERS' LANES.

NOBODY IS TOUCHING THAT.

WHY NOT?

"BLACK COP RAPES GIRL AT LOVERS' LANE,"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

IT MAKES US ALL LOOK BAD.

HERE, YOU WANT TO SEE THE STORIES

THEY'RE REALLY PRINTING?

READ THE PAPER.

IN THOSE DAYS, THE PAPERS HAD A VESTED INTEREST

IN MAINTAINING THE FICTION THAT LOS ANGELES WAS PARADISE.

LIKE I SAID, THIS WAS THE CITY OF MAKE-BELIEVE,

AND IT SEEMED LIKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT

WANTED TO PRETEND THIS CASE NEVER EVEN HAPPENED.

I STOPPED GOING OUT MYSELF,

BUT THERE WERE STILL THOUSANDS OF YOUNG LOVERS

PARKING AT NIGHT, AND NONE OF THEM EVEN KNEW

THEY WERE BEING HUNTED.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

I SAID NO HANDS, JUST KISSING.

I KNOW. I'M SORRY.

LAPD VICE SQUAD. ROLL DOWN YOUR WINDOW.

YOU'RE COMMITTING A CRIME.

WHAT?

LEWD MISCONDUCT. STEP OUT THE CAR.

HELLO.

I'M DETECTIVE GALINDO.

I'M HERE TO TAKE YOUR REPORT.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?

SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED.

ON JULY 23, 1956,

A JAPANESE-AMERICAN COUPLE COMES IN TO THE POLICE STATION

TO REPORT A RAPE.

WE WERE JUST HAVING A NIGHT OUT,

AND THIS CAR PULLED UP,

AND THIS MAN CAME UP TO US AND KNOCKED ON THE WINDOWS,

AND HE SAID HE WAS LAPD VICE SQUAD.

THE JAPANESE COUPLE DESCRIBES A LARGE BLACK MAN

FLASHING A BADGE, ORDERING THEM OUT OF THE CAR.

HE FORCED ME INTO HIS CAR.

NEXT THING I KNEW, HE WAS ON TOP OF ME.

I'M SORRY. I CAN'T DO THIS.

IT'S ALL MY FAULT. IT'S ALL MY FAULT.

I REALLY FELT FOR THAT POOR GIRL,

AND NONE OF US IN THE DEPARTMENT COULD STOP

ASKING OURSELVES,

"WHAT IF THIS CREEP ACTUALLY WAS ONE OF OUR OWN?"

THIS IS ALL OF OUR CURRENT AND FORMER BLACK LAPD.

ANYBODY STAND OUT?

YES, REMEMBER ROARK?

- YEAH, TODD ROARK, RIGHT? - YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

AND HE LEFT THE FORCE ABOUT A YEAR AGO?

HE WAS FIRED.

DETECTIVES REMEMBER THIS FORMER COP.

TODD ROARK HAD BEEN LET GO

FOR SUPPOSEDLY BOUNCING CHECKS.

YOU KNOW THE REAL REASON THOUGH.

NO.

HE GOT CAUGHT...

DOING SOMETHING UNMENTIONABLE.

HOWEVER, IN THE WHISPERS,

THERE ALLEGED TO BE SOME OTHER REASONS.

YOU KNOW THIS WHOLE LOVERS' LANE DEAL?

IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF WE CAUGHT HIM IN THE ACT, YOU KNOW?

WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE MAN

IF WE SHOWED YOU A FEW PHOTOS?

I CAN TRY.

JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THESE FOR ME.

LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE SEEMS FAMILIAR.

THE COUPLE FLIPPED THROUGH PAGE OF PERP PHOTOS...

NO.

...BUT THERE'S NO FACE THAT THEY RECOGNIZE.

GALINDO. HOLD ON.

COULD THIS BE THE GUY?

HIS FACE... LOOKS FAMILIAR.

AT THAT POINT, THEY BRING TODD ROARK INTO THE STATION,

AND THEY PUT HIM IN A LINEUP.

YOU TAKE YOUR TIME. GET A GOOD LOOK AT ALL OF THEM.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE RIGHT GUY.

ONE, STEP UP.

DOES HE LOOK FAMILIAR?

TWO, STEP UP.

HOW ABOUT HIM? DOES HE LOOK FAMILIAR?

THREE, STEP UP.

GET A GOOD LOOK AT HIM.

CONCENTRATE.

IS THAT THE MAN WHO ATTACKED YOU?

YES, THAT'S -- THAT'S HIM.

ARE YOU SURE?

- YES. - OKAY. GOOD JOB.

GET HIM BOOKED.

ON IT.

I STILL REMEMBER THE CHILL FROM THAT DAY.

FOR THOSE OF US WHO KNEW TODD ROARK,

IT WAS VERY HARD TO BELIEVE.

HE WAS A GOOD MAN.

COULD HE REALLY HAVE DONE SOMETHING SO AWFUL?

MY ONLY CONSOLATION WAS THAT DETECTIVE GALINDO

WAS THE KIND OF COP WHO WOULD GET TO THE BOTTOM OF IT.

GALINDO IS KNOWN AS BEING A PERSON WHO KIND OF DIGS.

AND HE HAD KNOWN ROARK A LITTLE BIT.

SO DANNY VISITS TODD ROARK IN THE JAIL.

ROARK, YOU GOT TO BE STRAIGHT WITH ME.

DID YOU DO THIS?

THEN JUST TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE ON THE NIGHT OF JULY 23rd.

I CAN'T TELL YOU THAT.

WHY NOT?

BECAUSE IT DON'T MATTER NOTHING.

ROARK, TALK TO ME.

I GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY OF THIS.

THEN TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE THAT NIGHT.

I WAS WITH MY OLD LADY, OKAY? ALL NIGHT.

OKAY,

AND WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT?

I'M NOT BRINGING HER INTO THIS.

WHY NOT?

YOU OF ALL PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW HOW THIS WORKS.

THEY'LL DRAG HER NAME THROUGH THE MUD.

NAH, IT'S OVER.

THEY ALREADY DECIDED.

WHO'S THEY?

WHO DO YOU THINK?

THE ENTIRE LAPD.

THAT'S NOT TRUE.

YEAH.

A COUPLE WEEKS BEFORE THEY LET ME GO,

I WAS IN THE PARK WITH THIS GIRL...

...A WHITE GIRL...

AND YOU KNOW WHO JUST SO HAPPENS TO BE

IN THE PARK AT THAT RIGHT TIME?

HANSON.

AND THEY SAW ME,

WALKED RIGHT PAST US.

I JUST KNEW...

IT WAS OVER, MAN.

ROARK TELLS GALINDO HE WASN'T FIRED FOR CHECK FRAUD.

THAT WAS JUST A COVER.

ROARK WAS REALLY FIRED FOR BEING OUT

AND BEING SEEN WITH A WHITE WOMAN.

GALINDO IS NOT A PERSON WHO JUMPS TO CONCLUSIONS.

SEE YOU LATER.

DANNY WILL GO WHERE THE EVIDENCE TAKES HIM.

JUST CAME BACK FROM THE DMV.

AND...?

THERE'S NO RECORD THAT SHOWS THAT ROARK OWNS A DeSoto.

HE ACTUALLY DOESN'T OWN A CAR, PERIOD.

WELL, HE PROBABLY BORROWED IT, THEN.

DID YOU SEE WHAT HANSON DUG UP ON THE MURDER CASE?

DANNY, YOU LISTENING?

SPACE CADET.

WAKE UP, AMIGO.

I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY OFF ABOUT THIS CASE.

BUT ONE THING DETECTIVE GALINDO TAUGHT ME --

THE PD WAS A FAMILY,

AND TO THROW A COP OUT LIKE THAT

WAS TO TURN YOUR BACK ON A BROTHER,

AND IF ROARK WAS INNOCENT,

THAT MEANT THE REAL RAPIST WAS STILL OUT THERE,

LURKING IN THE SHADOWS, WAITING TO STRIKE.

- NO! NO! - COME ON!

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS.

HELLO?

YES, THIS IS HIM.

WHERE?

A FEW DAYS AFTER ROARK'S ARREST...

YEAH, KEEP HER THERE.

...ANOTHER RAPE IS REPORTED, THIS TIME IN ANOTHER DIVISION.

HE ASKED ME TO FOLLOW HIM TO HIS CAR, SO I DID.

I THOUGHT HE WAS A COP.

HE HAD A BADGE.

THAT, IN AND OF ITSELF, REMOVES ALL DOUBT IN HIS MIND.

TODD ROARK CAN'T HAVE COMMITTED THIS RAPE

AND BE IN JAIL AT THE SAME TIME.

ANOTHER RAPE, VICTIM I.D.'ed THE PERP THE SAME WAY --

TALL BLACK MAN WITH A BADGE.

ROARK IS LOCKED UP, SO IT CAN'T BE HIM.

DON'T BE NAIVE, GALINDO.

ROARK PROBABLY CALLED ONE OF HIS BUDDIES FROM THE INSIDE,

AND NOW HE'S FILLING IN FOR HIM.

IT'S THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK.

AT THAT POINT, DANNY GALINDO KNOWS HE'S ALONE ON THIS.

AND HE REALIZES THAT HE HAS TO WALK A FINE LINE.

HERE HE IS, A LATINO DETECTIVE

IN A ALMOST ENTIRELY WHITE DEPARTMENT

WHERE LITERALLY EVERYBODY ELSE BELIEVES

THAT THIS BLACK FORMER COP COMMITTED THIS CRIME.

- COME ON, ROARK! - COME ON, ROARK!

LET'S GO, BUD.

HEY! DON'T STRIKE OUT, ROARK.

IF WE LOSE, IT'LL BE ON YOU.

- COME ON, BUD. - ALL RIGHT. HERE WE GO.

HERE WE GO.

WHOO!

YOU KNOW THOSE MOMENTS WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THINGS

WITH A NEW EYE?

WELL, DETECTIVE GALINDO'S EYES WERE WIDE OPEN NOW.

YEAH. NOW, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. YEAH?

HEY, MAN, YOU COULD PLAY FOR THE MAJORS.

- YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. - RIGHT?

'CAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE WANTED TO BELIEVE

WE WERE PART OF THAT FAMILY,

THAT WAS JUST MORE OF THAT MAKE-BELIEVE.

IF THIS WAS A PLACE WHERE A COP COULD BE TORN DOWN

AND THROWN OUT JUST BECAUSE OF HIS COLOR,

THEN WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ROARK

COULD HAPPEN TO ANY OF US,

AND IT WAS OBVIOUS DETECTIVE GALINDO

WASN'T GOING TO GET ANY HELP

FROM ANYONE ELSE IN THE DEPARTMENT.

ROARK, I'M GOING TO GET YOU OUT OF HERE.

YOU HEAR ME?

THIS ISN'T RIGHT.

SURE.

IT'S VERY MUCH A LOSE-LOSE SITUATION.

THE WAY TO GET ROARK OUT OF PRISON

IS TO CATCH THE TRUE CULPRIT IN THESE CRIMES,

BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, MORE RAPES HAVE GOT TO OCCUR,

AND THE LAPD JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES

TO ASSIST DANNY WITH THIS INVESTIGATION.

ANOTHER ONE, SIR, LAST NIGHT.

THANK YOU, SHIRLEY.

SHE WAS 17.

NOTED, GALINDO.

WHILE ROARK IS IN JAIL,

SEVERAL OTHER RAPES ARE REPORTED.

DID YOU GET A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER?

NO, IT JUST ALL HAPPENED SO FAST.

IT'S THREE WOMEN NOW, THE SAME GUY POSING AS A COP.

SARGE, WE NEED TO STEP IT UP ON THIS.

THIS ATTACK HAPPENED DURING THE WEEK.

- LOOK. - HE'S GETTING BOLD.

I CAN'T TALK ABOUT THIS RIGHT NOW, OKAY?!

DANNY GALINDO ENJOYS NO SUCCESS WHATSOEVER

IN TRYING TO CONVINCE HIS COLLEAGUES THAT THEY HAVE

INCARCERATED THE WRONG PERSON.

WHO ARE YOU HERE TO SEE?

DETECTIVE GALINDO.

HE REQUESTED THAT I BRING HER OVER HERE.

ALL RIGHT. HAVE HER WAIT RIGHT HERE.

IN EARLY AUGUST, A BLACK WAITRESS

BY THE NAME OF JOSEPHINE JOHNSON

GOES INTO THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

JOSEPHINE? HI, I'M DETECTIVE GALINDO.

JOSEPHINE, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND TELLING ME WHAT HAPPENED?

I HAD JUST FINISHED WORKING A DOUBLE AT THE RESTAURANT,

AND I WAS WAITING AT THE BUS STOP,

JUST TRYING TO GET HOME,

A-AND THIS CAR PULLS UP.

HELLO, MISS. LAPD.

THIS MAN SAYS HE'S A COP

AND TELLS ME THAT I NEED TO GET INTO THE CAR

BECAUSE I COMMITTED SOME CRIME.

T-THERE'S BEEN SOME KIND OF MISTAKE.

I DIDN'T DO NOTHING, SIR.

WELL, WE JUST HAVE TO VERIFY THAT.

AAH!

GET IN THE CAR.

HE PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD.

JOSEPHINE IS FORCED AT GUNPOINT TO PERFORM ORAL SEX

ON THE DRIVER OF THE CAR.

AND I WAS SO DISGUSTED, I VOMITED ON HIM

AND CAUSED HIM TO DROP HIS GUN.

AND WHEN SHE SEES THE GUN ON THE FLOORBOARD,

SHE IMMEDIATELY JUMPS OUT OF THE CAR AND RUNS OUTSIDE.

SO NOW THE GUY IS USING A GUN.

THE VIOLENCE HAS ESCALATED.

- SARGE. - WHAT NOW?

THIS BETTER BE GOOD, GALINDO.

THE GUY HAS GOT A GUN NOW.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SERGEANT,

THIS IS SERIOUS.

I UNDERSTAND.

NOW, THIS IS AN OFFICER-SAFETY HAZARD.

"GOD FORBID ONE OF OUR OFFICERS WALKS UP ON THIS AND GETS SHOT."

LET ME TAKE A CRACK AT IT, SIR.

PLEASE.

FINE. WHAT DO YOU NEED?

MORE MEN. WE NEED A PAIR AT EACH SPOT.

DON'T MAKE ME REGRET THIS.

YOU WON'T.

HE MANAGES TO GET HIMSELF MADE THE HEAD OF A TASK FORCE

COMMITTED TO FINDING THIS GUY.

BUT WHAT ABOUT ROARK?

HE'S STAYING PUT.

BUT WE KNOW IT'S NOT HIM.

THAT'LL BE ALL, GALINDO.

SIR, HE'S ONE OF OUR OWN!

I SAID, "THAT'LL BE ALL."

FOR ALL OF US WHO WANTED TO SEE TODD ROARK SET FREE,

IT SEEMED LIKE THE ONLY WAY OUT

WAS FOR DETECTIVE GALINDO TO CATCH THE PERP RED-HANDED.

AT LEAST NOW HE FINALLY HAD THE MEN HE NEEDED,

BUT IT DIDN'T MEAN HE COULD PICK WHO THEY WERE,

AND WE ALL KNEW THAT NOT EVERYBODY IN THE DEPARTMENT

WAS AS DEDICATED AS GALINDO WAS TO SOLVING THIS CASE.

GALINDO THINKS THAT THE ONLY WAY

HE CAN CATCH THE GUY IS TO FIND THE CAR,

BUT THAT'S LIKE LOOKING FOR A NEEDLE IN A HAYSTACK.

YOU STILL MR. HOLLYWOOD, GALINDO?

IT'S ONLY A HOBBY.

IT'S KINDA -- KIND OF WILD.

THEY SHOULD HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE ME ON THAT SHOW.

YEAH. YEAH, THEY SHOULD.

THE BARTENDER SAYS, "HOW THE HELL SHOULD I KNOW?

MY WIFE LEFT ME."

I'M GOING TO NEED MORE RESOURCES.

WHAT FOR?

WITH THIS SERIAL RAPIST ON THE LOOSE,

DETECTIVE GALINDO REALIZED THAT THE ONLY WAY TO NAB HIM

WAS TO LAY A TRAP, AND IF WHAT THIS CREEP WANTED WAS GIRLS,

THEN IT WAS TIME TO DO WHAT WE DO BEST HERE IN L.A. --

PUT ON A SHOW.

DANNY PERSUADES THE LAPD BRASS

THAT THEY HAVE TO DO AN UNDERCOVER STAKEOUT.

THE PROBLEM IS THAT THERE AREN'T ENOUGH FEMALE OFFICERS

ON THE POLICE FORCE,

SO 10 MALE COPS GO TO THE MAKEUP WIZARDS

AT UNIVERSAL INTERNATIONAL STUDIOS.

THANKS AGAIN FOR DOING THIS, JACK.

COME ON. ANYTIME, BUDDY.

SO THIS HERE IS DETECTIVE DANNY GALINDO, LAPD.

NICE TO MEET THE REAL GALINDO.

DANNY WAS FRIENDS WITH JACK WEBB,

WHO PLAYED SERGEANT JOE FRIDAY ON THE VERY POPULAR

TELEVISION SERIES "DRAGNET"...

NOW, ABOUT THIS ELIZABETH HAUGHTON,

MRS. MILLER, DID YOU KNOW HER AT ALL?

WELL, YES. NOT VERY WELL, THOUGH.

...WHICH WAS BASED ON THE REAL DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS

OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

DETECTIVE GALINDO PITCHED HIS REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES

TO THE SHOW.

THEY LIKED THEM SO MUCH,

THEY NAMED A CHARACTER AFTER HIM

AND TURNED HIS STORIES INTO EPISODES.

WE NEED YOU ON SET.

THANKS, AGAIN.

OFFICER HALL.

WHAT HAVE YOU ALL DONE?

DORIS HALL WAS THE ACTUAL ONE FEMALE

WHO WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THIS STING OPERATION,

AND SHE'S DANNY'S PARTNER.

ALL RIGHT. LISTEN UP, MEN.

IF WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS GUY,

WE'RE GOING TO GET HIM IN THE ACT.

IF HE APPROACHES YOUR VEHICLE, BE PREPARED TO TAKE HIM DOWN.

RIGHT?

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S GET HIM.

THE STING OPERATION BEGINS ON AUGUST 6, 1956

WITH 10 TEAMS OF COUPLES GOING UNDERCOVER

AT STRATEGIC LOVERS' LANES AROUND LOS ANGELES.

WE'RE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

I'VE GOT MEN POSTED UP AT LOVERS' LANES AROUND THE CITY.

WE'LL GET HIM.

YEAH. THANKS.

NEXT TIME I'M BACK HERE,

IT'S GOING TO BE WITH GOOD NEWS.

BUT NIGHT AFTER NIGHT, NOTHING HAPPENS.

THE PRESSURE STARTS TO BUILD FOR DANNY.

HERE IS THE FIRST TIME HE'S EVER LED A TASK FORCE,

AND IT APPEARS THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK.

WE FOLLOWED THIS GUY'S PATTERN.

IF WE STICK WITH IT, WE'RE BOUND TO GET HIM.

IT'S TIME TO PACK THIS THING IN. DON'T YOU THINK?

IT'S COSTING THE DEPARTMENT A FORTUNE.

JUST GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE TIME, SIR.

THIS IS A GIGANTIC ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES,

MEN PULLED OFF OF OTHER SHIFTS,

AND LOS ANGELES IS ALREADY AN UNDERPOLICED CITY.

DANNY GALINDO HAS A REAL FEAR

THAT THE TRUE SUSPECT IN THE CASE HAS GONE UNDERGROUND,

AND ULTIMATELY, THESE CRIMES MAY NEVER BE SOLVED.

SOMEONE IS WATCHING US, 7:00.

IT LOOKS LIKE A DeSoto.

YEP. THAT'S A DeSoto.

COME HERE.

HE'S COMING.

ON AUGUST 26, 1956,

AFTER THREE WEEKS OF RUNNING THIS OPERATION,

SOMETHING FINALLY HAPPENS.

THEY SEE THE FIGURE IS HOLDING SOMETHING -- A GUN.

NOTIFY THE OTHER UNITS.

LAPD! FREEZE!

CALLING ALL UNITS.

BUT THE MAN DOESN'T DROP THE GUN.

DANNY FIRES A SHOT. HE HEARS A YELP.

HE'S DEFINITELY HIT THE GUY.

- FREEZE! - AAH!

SUSPECT IS RUNNING SOUTH ON GRIFFITH STREET.

DETECTIVE GALINDO IS IN PURSUIT.

LAPD. STAY IN THE CAR.

AND ON AND ON THE CHASE GOES,

DOWN THE STREET AND AROUND ANOTHER CORNER.

POLICE!

PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN!

HE HEARS THE CLICK OF A TRIGGER.

HE HEARS IT AGAIN.

HE SHOULD BE DEAD,

BUT THE GUN HAS OBVIOUSLY MISFIRED.

DANNY HAS A SHORT NIGHTSTICK IN HIS BACK POCKET.

DANNY RUNS THE WAY HE CAME...

BUT BY THE TIME HE GETS BACK, THE DeSoto WAS GONE.

THE GUY WAS GONE.

COME ON!

HE'S MADE HIS GETAWAY.

DANNY IS THINKING HE MAY NEVER SEE THE SUSPECT AGAIN,

AND TODD ROARK IS NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF PRISON.

DAMN!

WHAT HAPPENED?

I LOST HIM.

THE SERIAL RAPIST HAS MADE HIS GETAWAY.

GALINDO'S THINKING HIS OPERATION

MAY BE COMPLETELY CALLED TO AN END.

DON'T BEAT YOURSELF UP, GALINDO.

THIS IS 1047.

WE HAVE A SUSPECT FITTING THE ASSAILANT'S DESCRIPTION.

APPROACHING THEIR VEHICLE.

GALINDO THEN RECEIVES AN ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE

RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM TWO OF THE OTHER OFFICERS

THAT ARE PART OF THIS UNDERCOVER OPERATION.

REPEAT, SUSPECT GOT OUT OF A DeSoto.

HOW CAN THAT BE?

EVEN AFTER HAVING BEEN SHOT BY GALINDO,

INSTEAD OF ESCAPING, HE TRIES TO GO TO ANOTHER LOVERS' LANE.

THE SUSPECT IS APPREHENDED

AND IS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT.

THE SUSPECT'S NAME IS WILLY FIELDS.

HE WAS A CONSTRUCTION WORKER.

HE'S TALL, AND HE'S BLACK.

OTHERWISE, HE LOOKS NOTHING LIKE TODD ROARK.

HE WASN'T A COP.

HE HAD USED A TIN SHERIFF'S BADGE,

THE KIND SOLD AT THE FIVE-AND-DIME STORE.

HERE'S THE GUN.

YOU GOT LUCKY.

IT JAMMED.

THE GUN IS A LUGER.

DANNY GOT LUCKY.

IT HAD THE WRONG AMMO IN IT.

YOU'RE FREE TO GO.

THANKS.

WITH THE REAL SUSPECT IN CUSTODY,

TODD ROARK IS FINALLY RELEASED.

WHAT GETS ME AFTER ALL THESE YEARS

IS THE WAY HE GOT PUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

IT STARTED AS NOTHING MORE THAN A SNAP JUDGMENT

THAT TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN.

RACISM IS THE BELIEF THAT THE STEREOTYPES THAT WE CREATE

THAT ARE NEGATIVE ABOUT PEOPLE OF COLOR

ARE TRUE, AND, SO, IF YOU HAVE A PREDISPOSITION

TO THINK THAT HE IS GOING TO BE GUILTY,

THEN HE WILL ALWAYS REMAIN GUILTY.

IT WAS A FICTION PASSED FROM ONE PERSON TO ANOTHER

UNTIL SOMETHING SO WRONG SOMEHOW BECAME A BELIEF,

AND THAT BELIEF CLOUDED EVERYONE'S EYES.

ONCE ONE DETECTIVE WAS ALL IN ON ROARK'S GUILT,

IT TOOK ON A MOMENTUM OF ITS OWN,

AND THE WHOLE THING SNOWBALLED FROM THERE,

AND IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO SNOWBALL IF NOT FOR

DANNY GALINDO'S KNOWING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG ABOUT THIS.

WILLY FIELDS, WHO HAD COMMITTED THESE CRIMES,

SERVED ONLY 11 YEARS,

CAME OUT WITH A CARPENTRY SKILL

THAT HE LEARNED IN SAN QUENTIN,

WAS IMMEDIATELY HIRED GAINFULLY

AND HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE.

THE IRONY IS THAT TODD ROARK WAS A BROKEN MAN.

IT STILL MAKES ME SAD THAT DETECTIVE GALINDO,

FOR EVERYTHING HE DID,

COULDN'T SAVE ROARK FROM BEING LABELED,

FROM BEING STAINED BY THESE CRIMES HE DIDN'T COMMIT.

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS FREED, TODD ROARK'S LIFE IS RUINED.

WHEN HE GETS OUT, HE'S STAMPED WITH STIGMA

THAT HE'S ESSENTIALLY A CRIMINAL.

HE CAN'T GET A JOB,

AND HE PAYS A PRICE FOR SOMETHING HE DIDN'T DO.

HE LITERALLY JUST MOVES TO FRESNO

AND LIVES ON A FAMILY FARM, THEN DIES.

I USED TO THINK OF LOS ANGELES AS THE CITY OF DREAMS.

THERE WAS NO LIMIT ON WHO YOU COULD BECOME THERE.

A CRIMINAL COULD DRESS UP LIKE A COP.

A MAN COULD DRESS UP LIKE A WOMAN.

YOU JUST HAD TO PRETEND.

BUT THE TRUTH IS THE RULES WEREN'T THE SAME

FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME OR DETECTIVE GALINDO,

AND THEY CERTAINLY WEREN'T THE SAME FOR TODD ROARK.

SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T MATTER

IF YOU WERE PLAYING IT STRAIGHT.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE UP THEIR MINDS ABOUT YOU

BASED ON ONLY ONE THING --

THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN.