Original subtitles

This is the city.

Los Angeles, California.

I work here.

I carry a badge.

The story you're about to see is true.

The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

It was Sunday, November 3rd.

It was cool in Los Angeles.

We were working the day watch out of Homicide Division.

The boss is Captain Hugh Brown.

My partner is Bill Gannon.

My name is Friday.

We received a call from the manager of an apartment house

at 12206 Yeoman Avenue in Central Los Angeles.

The manager informed us that he found a dead body at apartment 3A.

How old would you say she was, 20? 25?

About that, yeah.

Looks like she put up quite a struggle.

- Somebody gave the room a good prowl didn't they? - Yeah.

Wearing gloves and her handbag there, she must have been coming in or going out.

Going out boys.

The victim was already bound and gagged when she was struck on the skull.

And your murder weapon was a piggy bank in the shape of a dog.

Calvin Lampe, gentlemen. I found the DB.

I also manage this apartment house.

Now, don't worry about me disturbing any physical

evidence, I'll just stand here in the doorway.

- Now, may I see your IDs? - Yes, sir.

Sergeant Joe Friday, Homicide Division. This is Bill Gannon.

Oh, Sergeant, can I take a look at that badge?

Best looking shield in the US. May I help you?

No, sir. We don't do it this way.

You don't? It's supposed to be regulation in a murder investigation?

- Not in this city. - Is that a fact?

Why did you open this apartment Mr. Lampe?

Two days ago, I gave that wall over there a coat of paint. It had a chip.

Ms. Jenkins told me to come in any time after 3 p.m. today. Said she was going out.

That's the victim's name is it sir? Jenkins?

Mary Jenkins. Female, Caucasian, 25, single, 5'6", blonde, blue, about 120.

What time did you open the apartment?

3:10 p.m. Called you at 3:12.

Yes, sir no doubt about it. That head wound

was the last one she received in this world.

It formed a fast clot too didn't it? No ceramic fragments on top of the gag.

See, a couple more there on the left shoulder.

She was already down and most likely tied when they finished her off.

Nice girl too.

Make you a bet there's not a single ceramic chip beneath the victim's body.

Is that right?

Also she must have given him a good fight judging from the appearance of this room.

Sure gave it a good prowl. Wonder if somebody in the building didn't hear it?

- Maybe somebody did. - No, sir. They did not. I checked them out.

Mr. Lampe you are aware that this is an official police investigation?

- It better be. - Sir.

I liked that little girl. Almost like a daughter to me.

This is one we got to solve men.

We like to solve them all Mr. Lampe.

And if you'll just let us handle the police work maybe we can accomplish that.

Look at the way she's roped; hog-tied they call that.

The sash cord at the victim's wrist and around

her ankles, your killer could be a sailor,

steeple jack or more likely a cowboy to think she knows ropes and rigging.

You read a lot of detective stories do you Mr. Lampe?

- All my life. Nothing in the codes about that is there? - No sir.

Take that half empty glass of water over

there, hypes get thirsty when they need a fix.

Is that right?

And take a look at those perfume bottles too.

Mary would never leave them like that with the stoppers out.

It might pay you boys to think about that.

Yes, sir. We will.

What else occurred to you Mr. Lampe?

Most natural thing in the world, my fingerprints.

You know they're all over the place and you know why.

You paint, repair plumbing, and wash windows.

I'm the manager Gannon, not the janitor.

- Painting, plumbing, electrical, no window. - I see.

The rest of the SID team is kind of slow, huh Friday?

Did you put in a call for a coroner and photog?

Mr. Lampe, let me ask you a question.

- Go right ahead son. - How old are you sir?

-91 last August -No offense sir, but you are old enough to know better.

Okay, Friday, I can take a hint. I'm leaving.

I got here at 3:16, two minutes after I got the radio call.

He wanted to know what took me so long.

All right, you keep an eye on his apartment.

- Let me know if he starts to leave. - Yes sir.

That's all we need an old police buff.

- Well, he sounds pretty sharp doesn't he? - Maybe a little too sharp.

Struck out there, too much wax.

Even at that, I wish my wife kept house like your victim did.

- What does that give us now Dave? - Quite a bit actually.

Jack got some good lifts off the dresser drawers

and one real good one off the water glass.

- Anything on the piggy bank? - One good print, one smudged.

With better care, I used red spray.

Gentlemen, if we're lucky, in about 17 hours, we might have

some nice purple pictures on that wall.

- Pretty girl wasn't she? - Yeah.

- You picking up anything Jerry? - Just one second.

- Just like downtown. - Not bad.

- Perfect you mean. - Yeah, if it's not the victim's.

- I saved the knots. - Thanks Glen. What's your best guess?

Liver temperature, postmortem lividity, state of rigor,

I'd say she's been dead a little over 24 hours, between 2 and 7 p.m. yesterday.

- Right. Thanks. - Joe?

- Did you talk to everybody? - The ones I could find, yeah.

This building has got 10 apartments not counting this one and the old man's.

Anybody see anything or hear anything?

Guy in the apartment right off the street noticed a young girl

sitting out front yesterday in a parked car.

Good looking girl, brown hair, sat there about an hour.

- From when to when? - 1:30 to 2:30.

- What kind of car? - He doesn't remember.

- But he remembers the girl. - Wessup's a bachelor.

- Anything else? - Woman in apartment 9B, Edna Wilson.

- What about her? - She was gone yesterday too from about noon 'til 3.

But she said a strange man has been hanging around the parking

area, the last couple of days out back.

Did you get a description?

- Pretty common. Could fit anybody. - Anything else?

According to witnesses Mary Jenkins drove a 1965 GTO,

beige with a white racing stripe.

Couldn't come up with a plate number.

- Did you check the parking area? - Yeah. And the witnesses were right.

- What do you mean? - That stranger drove it off late yesterday.

- Two sets of keys both for the GTO. - Appear to be, yeah.

It doesn't seem likely she loaned the car. She wouldn't have three sets.

- No. - Maybe it was just clouded.

Maybe not. Finance company record book here.

According to this, she was four months behind in her payments.

It could have been repoed.

She was a dental assistant, member of a church group.

Out of state driver's license, Rogers, Arkansas, expired.

California license expires in two years.

She's been out here a little over a year.

What have you got there?

It's a letter addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Burke

Jenkins, Rogers, Arkansas. It's unsealed.

- It's to her mother and father. - Anything?

Oh, the usual, lonely girl in a strange city.

- Wait a minute, this might be something. - What's that?

"I cannot seem to shake the feeling that something is going to happen to me.

Something that worries me. It's just a feeling so maybe there's nothing to it."

Then she goes on about not wanting to worry her mother and father.

Wait a minute. This might be a piece of daylight.

"There's this old man, his name is Calvin Lampe..."

Lampe was mentioned at the bottom of page 1. Here's page 3, page 2 is missing.

- Anything connect up on page 3? - No. She just closes out the letter.

Joe, Bill, I've printed everybody but the old man Carl Lampe.

All right. Let's print him now. And after

you roll him, hit this with some mag powder.

- Think we'll get a make? - If you do, maybe we've got a suspect.

5:35 p.m.

The crime lab photographer finished his job.

So did the other men from SID.

Mary Jenkins left apartment 3A for the last time.

The old elimination process.

Known prints, mine, the neighbors, even yours in case

you happened to touch something in the murder room.

- Easy there, boy. - What's the trouble?

The trouble is you're getting too much ink on those fingers.

I'm one man, you know, not a platoon.

I've rolled a print or two, sir.

How many of them were classifiable?

A couple of things have been bothering me Friday.

- Is that so? - Those perfume bottles in the murder room.

From the position of the stoppers, I'd say they were

removed before the bottles were knocked over.

Like someone had pulled them out, smelled them and dropped them.

Mary wouldn't have done that in a month of Sundays, too neat.

It could put another woman in that apartment. That occur to you by any chance?

- Yes, sir. It did. - Uh-hum.

- Something else Friday before I forget. - Yes, sir.

Did you Ninhydrin that wall I painted the other day?

- Yes, sir. We did. - Good man.

By tomorrow, if anybody has touched wall, it will show up

like a wart on the end of your nose.

It's all right here. "Murder in Malibu Cove", chapter 9.

Check. Good writer that Earl Bemis.

Explains the Ninhydrin process so a five-year-old could understand it.

What do you think you're doing?

I'm trying to roll your fingerprints.

Well then, roll 'em boy. Roll the finger over gently like this.

Take a hinge at that. There's a fingerprint you could get a ridge count from.

- Pretty isn't it? - Beautiful.

The victim's car is gone you know.

You got a theory on that have you?

- Not theory, fact. Repo man drove it off. - Go on.

She bought the car secondhand several months ago.

Looked great but it must have been in a bad smashup.

Frame was bent out of line. They wouldn't fix it.

I told her not to make the payments so they repossessed it, 3:13 p.m. yesterday.

- Why didn't you mention this before? - You didn't ask Friday.

- Anything else we failed to ask? - Yeah, what I was doing yesterday.

All right. What where you doing?

Played golf all day. Let me give you a tip son.

Pack a little solvent in that kit. Helps remove the ink from the fingers.

Thanks.

I'll be in the apartment.

You boys got a theory on the time of death have you?

- Not theory fact. - Postmortem lividity.

Your coroner's deputy should have given you the word.

- They did. - Good for them.

Anyway, I figure Mary was hit sometime yesterday afternoon

about the time I left the 17th tee. I only played 17 holes.

- I'll say between 2:30 and 3:00 p.m. Am I right? - Close enough.

You seem pretty familiar with all the aspects of this case, Mr. Lampe.

- You accusing me Gannon? - Maybe.

If you do, remember to give me my rights.

Oh, we'll remember.

Remember that glass of water and those perfume bottles too.

I'll make book they're going to figure in this case.

Tell us about something else that figures in this case, page 2 of her letter.

- Oh, you finally found that did you? - All but page 2.

Mary asked me to write a few lines to the folks back home

just to let her know she had a friend out here.

- Check? - Check.

I guess that's one letter that won't get mailed.

You thought a lot of the Jenkins girls did you?

I don't get close to people Friday, not these days.

Is that so?

At my age, why bother?

Tuesday, November 5th.

The Ninhydrin process had turned a palm print on the newly

painted wall of the murder apartment.

As Calvin Lampe would say, there's a print that you could get a ridge count from.

Yeah.

And he ought to know, it's his.

4:45 p.m. Dorman checked with latent prints.

So far, Calvin Lampe's handprint on the wall

was the only one they've been able to match up.

- Anything on Lampe? - Not in our files. He's clean.

Sent his file to Washington for you, maybe the FBI kickback will tell us something.

Yeah.

This morning, we printed the other one we missed the other day.

They're all clean as far as this apartment's concerned.

- What about unknowns? - We got three. Still trying to match them in our files.

And you sent copies to Arkansas?

The minute we finished eliminating.

Just thought of another place you might have sent Lampe's prints.

- Yeah? - Where's that?

To London, 221 Baker Street.

4:50 p.m.

We figured we better have another talk with Calvin Lampe.

- Maybe he's taking a nap. - Yeah, or he might be playing golf.

What's this? Martini time already?

We want to talk to you Mr. Lampe.

Good. I want to talk to you too. Come on in, men.

Pardon the junk boys.

Sit down, sit down, sit down.

You keep yourself in pretty good shape Mr. Lampe?

You mean good enough to commit murder?

You boys still on the clock or can I fix a couple of drinks?

- No thanks. - No thanks.

- I've been doing some more thinking and frankly I goofed. - You did?

- No question about it. - How's that?

Just pulled it up last night. There's a jewelry

case missing from the Jenkins' apartment.

Got to thinking about it after dinner.

A small black case, six to seven inches, three inches deep.

Find that case, you've got your killer.

- Why bother to look for the case? - How do you mean that Friday?

Well now the way it looks to me, if we wait long enough you'll

tell us who the killer is and just where to pick him up.

You've got a point there, but let's pull together. We'll get there quicker.

You told us you only played 17 holes on Saturday.

- Check. You'd like to know why? - Check.

- Feet gave up. - What time did you get home?

3:05 p.m. What about that repo man? You talk with him?

- The car is impounded. - Good.

Have your lab people give it a good going

over. Never can tell, it might turn something.

- Like what? - Like a clue maybe. You've heard of clues haven't you?

I wouldn't exactly say you two are up to your navels in them.

How long have you been in Los Angeles Mr. Lampe?

You've got my prints Friday. A few hours from now you'll have your FBI kickback.

So let's not waste time. Let's concentrate on the case. What do you say, okay?

Last night I had a talk with Frank Wessup.

He told you about the girl he saw out parked in front Saturday.

Just a hunch, but I think she's important. Another thing, contact the victim's folks.

Mary might have mentioned somebody in her letter home, ought to be checked out.

- It will be. - Good man.

Now, what about that Ninhydrined wall?

- We found one palm print. - Excellent. Were you able to identify it?

- We were. - Who does it belong to?

You.

- You're kidding. - No, sir.

Let's see. I painted that wall Friday afternoon.

When the devil could I have touched it after that?

Saturday afternoon maybe, about 3:05 p.m.?

Got it. Friday night, 8:15. Boy how senile can a guy get.

You were in that apartment Friday night were you?

8:15. Mary wasn't home. Completely slipped my mind.

And you touched the wall?

You know any other way to tell about wet paint Gannon? It was dry.

I figured to give it a second coat the next day.

Then I remembered I was going to tee off at 10 a.m.

Saturday morning, I said the heck with the paint job.

Sure I can't interest you boys in a little smash?

Martini maybe? I'm about ready for one.

You're working days, almost 5, you're off watch in three minutes.

- No thanks. - Forget it. I got a better idea.

- You have? - Yes, sir. We got four problems here.

You're not off watch, I don't like to drink

alone, you're concerned about my palm print on

that wall, and you better take my formal statement before your captain leans on you.

What you say we all take a ride downtown?

What say?

6:10 p.m.

We arrived at Homicide Division with Calvin Lampe.

You want to sit down there?

- Thanks. Mind if I smoke? - No go ahead.

- Care for one? - No thanks.

Real nice station you people got here.

Sure I can't interest you in one of these?

- I soak them in rum. - No, thanks.

Yes, sir. Real nice station you got here.

One of the best in the country.

- You want to light that? - Later son.

Joe, see you in a minute?

I think he wants to tell you something Friday.

- Yeah. Excuse me. - Go right ahead son.

I've got all the time in the world.

- What have you got? - The FBI kickback on the old man.

I was going to leave it on your desk. I didn't know you were back.

- Uh-hum. - Wouldn't that frost you?

Oh, I don't know. Not when I think about it.

He sure did me, pal.

How about those three unknowns? Did you make any of them yet?

No. But that stuff from back east looks promising.

- Good. Keep at it will you Dave? - Will do.

Women, Gannon. Life's lonely little souls, poor thing. Like the Jenkins girl.

What's the matter Friday? You don't look happy.

- Cal Lampe, you old war horse. - Hello Hugh. How's the boy?

Keep your seat. I knew it. Couldn't have been any one else in a million years.

Minute I saw that kickback, I called Chicago

and got the word. How you've been Cal?

Pretty fair, Hugh. You're looking good.

The Phillips case, my first extradition.

- You mean the Miller case? - No, sir. Phillips.

So you finally got your own command.

Took awhile, but I made it. This is the finest detective I ever knew.

Forty-four years with the Chicago Police Department.

Retired with a rank of Deputy Chief.

I get the feeling I've missed something. Chicago PD.

- So this is your suspect in the Jenkins case, huh? - No Sir. Not really.

- Bill and I were beginning to think we were his. - Is that so?

Homicide, Friday.

Yeah, you're sure Dave?

That's fine. Good. Yeah.

Now all we have to do is dig him out.

Right.

- Your print man Dave Dorman, right? - Yes, sir.

- We got word from Rogers, Arkansas. - Good boy.

They sent us a picture I'd like you to take a look at Chief.

What have you got?

Former Arkansas neighbor of Mary Jenkins, two priors for robbery and assault.

Been here about six months.

Girl's parents told us on the phone that he'd seen Mary at least twice.

We found prints for three unknowns in the dead girl's apartment.

His were among them.

- They got a location on him? - Yes, sir. Los Angeles.

- You got a name to go with that picture they sent you? - Yes, sir. Cletis Martin.

Doesn't ring a bell, but I'll tell you this Friday.

If I've seen him, I'll remember him.

- You got a make on his prints, huh? - Yes, sir we have.

- Where did you lift it from? - That piggy bank.

7 p.m.

We put Cletis Martin's photograph among a dozen mug shots.

Chief Lampe picked it out immediately.

There. That's the guy. So much for him.

Now, you're working on my theory about that

glass of water in the apartment aren't you?

We've given it some thought.

Bet you my next month's retirement check at least one of your killer's is an addict.

Want to bet Gannon?

- How many do you figure were in on it? - Three. One guy, two dames.

- What makes you so sure? - I'm not. Just a hunch.

- What's your average? - On what?

Your hunches. How many have really paid off?

Listen Gannon, before your fancy crime labs

and what-not that's about all we had to go on.

- Friday. - Yes, sir.

Girl outside. You better talk to her.

- Where did you get that Hugh? - Why?

That's Mary Jenkins' jewelry case.

The girl's name was Eve Wesson.

She was a heroin addict.

Her boyfriend was Cletis Martin. We gave her, her rights.

How long have you been shooting "H" Ms. Wesson?

Three years since I was 15.

Is that why your boyfriend needed money? To support your habit?

- No sir. The other Girl Beverly Long? - What about her?

- Her husband's in jail. - We needed money to bail him out.

- How do you support your habit Ms. Wesson? - I'm a prostitute.

- Go on please. - There's not much to tell.

Mary Jenkins wouldn't give us the money. Said she didn't have any.

When Beverly used her perfume, Mary got mad. Then Cletis got mad.

He and Beverly started tearing up the apartment.

- Mary tried to stop them. - Go ahead.

She kept trying to stop them from tearing her place apart.

Clete said, "Okay if you want to do it the hard way."

And he threw Mary down on the floor.

She started to scream and he tied that gag in her mouth.

He really singed up on it. I felt sorry for her.

All right. Go on.

Well then he said, "You'll be a good girl when I get through hog-tying you."

And then he tied her up awful tight. Clete's real good with rope.

She couldn't move an inch. I really felt sorry for her.

What were you doing all this time?

I was scared and I needed a fix. I had a glass of water.

Finally, I told Clete I'll wait outside in the car.

I couldn't stand watching her tied up and lying there.

- What time was that? - 1:30, 2:00, I don't know.

I waited outside a long time.

Are you certain Mary Jenkins was alive when you left that apartment?

I swear it Sergeant. I stopped and looked. She was on the floor.

She was trying to get loose, but Clete really tied her up tight.

She couldn't get away.

Poor girl. I really felt sorry for her.

Did Martin tell you he killed her?

He said Mary wouldn't give him any money so he killed her.

He hit her with something just before he left the apartment.

- When Clete told me that, I knew I should turn him in. - Why?

I'm a hype and a prostitute Sergeant, but I want no part of murder.

What does Martin do for a living?

He's a cowboy. You know, in rodeos.

What made you return the jewelry?

Figured it might go easy on all of us if I did.

The Long woman and Martin, we'll need their addresses.

I'll give it to you. Clete's apartment. They'll still be there.

All right. Now, one last question, why did

Martin tell you he killed the Jenkins girl?

When we got back to Clete's place Saturday,

him and Beverly and me, I asked Clete what he did about Mary.

I mean did he and Beverly leave her all tied up and gagged like she was.

I told Clete the way he roped her up, she'd never get away.

- That I felt sorry for her. - What did he say?

He said, "Don't feel too sorry. She's dead."

7:55 p.m.

We were ready to go out and pick up Cletis Martin and Beverly Long.

I'll run Calvin home.

One last question Chief. I didn't see a single plaque, citation,

retirement certificate, or anything of the sort in your living room wall. How come?

Sure put that stuff out and every Tom, Dick, and Harry comes

along and wants you to play detective for them.

I'm retired. I told you that.

Gannon, your memory is failing.

I guess you're right. Sure you wouldn't like to come along Chief?

No thanks. You two go make your arrest. You solved it.

Did we?

Say Cal, that force actually did make the case.

The suspect was found guilty of murder in the first degree

and was sentenced to death.

The suspect was found guilty of second degree murder.

The suspect was found guilty of robbery and assault.