Category Archives: #courts

January 27, 1928: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on January 27, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 27, 1928: Christine Collins, whose tragedy inspired the Clint Eastwood film ‘Changeling,’ writes to prison officials seeking the release of her husband, Walter. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1928, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Leave a comment

January 16, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on January 16, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 16, 1959: Paul Coates on the story of Butch Harris, who was refused admission to the Cub Scouts because he was Black. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1959, Columnists, Countdown to Watts, Freeways, Paul Coates | Comments Off

January 14, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on January 14, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 14, 1959: Paul Coates has an update on three boys, the oldest age 10, who killed their father as he slept. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1959, Columnists, Homicide, Paul Coates | Comments Off

Voices — Christine Collins, January 12, 1933

Posted on January 12, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 12, 1933: A letter informing Sheriff Eugene Biscailuz that the prisoner is dead concludes documents telling the unfortunate saga of Walter and Christine Collins, the inspiration for the Clint Eastwood film ‘Changeling.’ Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1933, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off

January 10, 1909: Addicted to Gambling

Posted on January 10, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 10, 1909: Wrecked on the rocks of the betting game! Of how many young men of Los Angeles, who but a few months ago held positions of honor or trust, and are now serving time on the chain gang, is this true? Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1909, Downtown, Fashion, LAPD | Comments Off

January 4, 1928: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on January 4, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 4, 1928: Christine Collins, whose life inspired the Clint Eastwood film ‘Changeling,’ writes to the warden urging parole for her husband, Walter. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1928, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off

January 1, 1959: Paul Coates — Confidential File

Posted on January 1, 2026 by lmharnisch

January 1, 1959: Paul Coates looks back at some of his major stories of 1958, including new evidence that won a reprieve from the gas chamber for Remmel Wayne Brice. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1958, 1959, Columnists, Paul Coates | Comments Off

December 3, 1957: Girl kidnapped

Posted on December 29, 2025 by lmharnisch

Revisiting the 1957 abduction and killing of Maria Ridulph from Sycamore, Ill. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1957, 1958, Crime and Courts, Homicide | Tagged 1957, Maria Ridulph, Sycamore, unsolved killings | Comments Off

December 29, 1938: Bookie shot to death in Hollywood

Posted on December 29, 2025 by lmharnisch

By the end of 1938, Weldon sensed that he was a marked man and that death was not far off. He could have stayed out of Los Angeles and maybe he would have lived–at least for a while. But he … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, City Hall, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD | Comments Off

December 22, 1938: Jealous husband kills wife with ax

Posted on December 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 22, 1938: Virgilio Spinelli kills his wife, Rose, because she was going to run off with another man. He was convicted and executed in the gas chamber May 17, 1940. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1938, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD | 2 Comments

December 21, 1930: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on December 21, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 21, 1930: Christine Collins, whose experiences inspired the movie “Changeling,” writes to the warden wishing him a Merry Christmas, even though parole was denied for her husband. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off

December 14, 1931: Voices — Christine Collins

Posted on December 14, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 14, 1931: Christine Collins, whose tragedy inspired the film ‘Changeling,’ writes to prison officials about trying to find work for her husband, Walter, in case he is paroled. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1931, Changeling, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Comments Off

December 13, 1953: Father charged with leaving son, 4, in car parked on skid row

Posted on December 13, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 13, 1953: Police find Kenny Ross, 4, sleeping in a car parked on skid row. He’s taken to Juvenile Hall and his father is charged with child endangerment. Kenny wants to be a writer and asks for a typewriter for Christmas. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1953, Front Pages, LAPD | Comments Off

December 11, 1938: Breakfast of death; voodoo cult killings

Posted on December 11, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 11, 1938: A family’s ‘Breakfast of Death’; Voodoo Killer Suspect Seized; Man Dressed as Woman Found Hanging From Tree Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1938, Food and Drink, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD | Comments Off

December 9, 1959: Matt Weinstock

Posted on December 9, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 9, 1959: A reporter for Ici Paris is assigned an interview with Caryl Chessman, and Matt Weinstock has the story. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1959, art and artists, broadcasting, Caryl Chessman, Columnists, Comics, Matt Weinstock, Television | Comments Off

December 2, 1958: Model stabbed, dumped off mountain highway

Posted on December 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 2, 1958: Model Charlotte Trosper is found stabbed to death in a clump of bushes off Angeles Crest Highway. Boyfriend Gerald Feasby was convicted in the killing. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1958, Courts, Crime and Courts, Front Pages, Homicide | Comments Off

December 1, 1938: California prepares to execute two killers at San Quentin

Posted on December 1, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 1, 1938: California prepares to use the new gas chamber for two executions rather than the previous method of hanging. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, 1938, @news, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Politics, Religion, Sports | Comments Off

November 27, 1968: O.J. Simpson wins Heisman

Posted on November 27, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 27, 1968: O.J. Simpson wins the Heisman Trophy after a remarkable two-year career at USC. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, broadcasting, Current Affairs, Film, Front Pages, Hollywood, Homicide, LAPD, Sports, Television | Comments Off

November 26, 1958: LAPD honors dead officer’s heroism

Posted on November 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 26, 1958: The LAPD posthumously honors Sgt. Gene Nash with a Medal of Valor after he died following a shootout with robbery suspects. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, @news, Cemeteries, Front Pages, Homicide, LAPD, Television | Comments Off

November 25, 1959: Paul V. Coates – Confidential File

Posted on November 25, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 25, 1959: Paul Coates has the story of a desperate young mother, her husband in jail and her children going hungry, rejected by all welfare and assistance programs, who abandons her children in a church. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Columnists, Paul Coates, Richard Nixon | Comments Off