Category Archives: #courts

As crazy as two waltzing mice

Posted on October 9, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Oct. 9, 1957 Ventura, Calif. Renzee Louis Alameda, 36, was the quietest man on the block. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound ex-Marine, a USC graduate, was unmarried and had lived alone at 2412 Ridgeley Drive for the last 10 years. He … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, #gays and lesbians, 1957, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Homicide, Music | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on As crazy as two waltzing mice

A fifth of whiskey

Posted on October 8, 2007 by lmharnisch

Oct. 8, 1957 Los Angeles How can such smart crooks be so dumb? The short answer is: They just were. In the last few months, half a dozen seasoned pros had been involved in systematically burglarizing the homes of wealthy … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on A fifth of whiskey

A miracle

Posted on October 5, 2007 by lmharnisch

Oct. 5, 1957 Louisiana The story of Alton Clifton Poret presents unusually frustrating challenges for the diligent researcher. Identified in a 1954 Times story as "a former Los Angeles Negro," Poret and Edgar Labat were sentenced to die in Louisiana’s … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Countdown to Watts | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The Money Man

Posted on October 2, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Oct. 2-3, 1957 Los Angeles OK, let’s go get a cup of coffee and talk about our friend "The Money Man." We can just drive up Central Avenue until we find some all-night place. I’m not really hungry. I … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Homicide | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on The Money Man

Hollywood confidential

Posted on October 1, 2007 by lmharnisch

Oct. 1, 1957 Los Angeles No, I haven’t forgotten about Confidential magazine. The jury is still out.

Posted in #courts, broadcasting, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hollywood confidential

Mystery photo solved

Posted on October 1, 2007 by lmharnisch

The correct answer is Caryl Whittier Chessman. A very impressive showing by Duane Laible. I didn’t expect anyone to guess so quickly.    Meet the boy bandit gang, which terrorized Los Angeles with a string of robberies and shootings in … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Caryl Chessman, LAPD, Robberies | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Mystery photo solved

Hollywood confidential

Posted on September 28, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 28, 1957Los AngelesThis isn’t looking good.

Posted in #courts, Downtown, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hollywood confidential

Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on September 26, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 26, 1957 I talked yesterday with two men. One was fresh out of San Quentin, pardoned after nine months for a crime he didn’t commit. The second was a witness to the crime. His positive identification of the suspect … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Columnists, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Mickey Cohen arrested

Posted on September 26, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 26, 1957Los Angeles Alas, the old Redwood at 234 W. 1st St. was demolished before my arrival at The Times, although it lives on in newsroom lore. One incident I’d never heard about was the arrest of Mickey Cohen … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Downtown, Mickey Cohen | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Mickey Cohen arrested

Hollywood confidential

Posted on September 23, 2007 by lmharnisch

  The jury in the Confidential magazine case, sequestered at the Mayfair Hotel, is spending the day at the pool…..

Posted in #courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Hollywood confidential

A case of nerves

Posted on September 22, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 22, 1957 Los Angeles Neighbors knew that something was terribly wrong in the home at 3460 Ardilla Ave., Baldwin Hills. They never saw Cathy, the 4-year-old daughter of John B. and Patricia Ann Howerton. Their boys, Allan Wayne, … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts | 3 Comments

Iron lung

Posted on September 21, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 21, 1957 Los Angeles If the Murrill family’s story were fiction, it would be comic, but alas, it is fairly tragic, quite absurd and entirely true. In 1949, Jeffrey Lee Murrill  was born to Robert Murrill, a 27-year-old … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Iron lung

Hollywood confidential

Posted on September 20, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 20, 1957Los Angeles This doesn’t look good.

Posted in #courts | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hollywood confidential

Hollywood confidential

Posted on September 19, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 19, 1957Los Angeles Uh-oh….

Posted in #courts, Film, Hollywood | Tagged , | Comments Off on Hollywood confidential

Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on September 18, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 18, 1957 There are times when justice gets in its own way. By trying to hustle along a little too fast, it trips over its own ethical skirts. And a living example of what can happen when it does … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Caryl Chessman, Columnists, Homicide, Paul Coates | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Strangler strikes

Posted on September 18, 2007 by lmharnisch

  Sept. 18-26, 1957 Los Angeles Let’s go talk about the Ginger Mitchell case. We’re in Wilshire Division so how about Canter’s Deli, up on Fairfax? While we’re driving, I’ll tell you the rest of the story. Officially, this killing … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mystery guest revealed

Posted on September 11, 2007 by lmharnisch

Anthony Brancato, killed Aug. 6, 1951, 1648 N. Ogden Drive, Hollywood, along with Anthony Trombino in the “Two Tonys Murder.” Jimmy “The Weasel” Fratianno eventually confessed to the killings.

Posted in #courts, Hollywood, Hollywood Division, Homicide, LAPD, Mickey Cohen | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Mystery guest revealed

Police and the courts

Posted on September 8, 2007 by lmharnisch

I missed this op/ed piece when it came out July 19, 1957. It was certainly a different era for the police.

Posted in #courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Police and the courts

Confidential–Tells the Facts and Names the Names

Posted on September 5, 2007 by lmharnisch

Scenes from the Confidential trial: Sept. 4, 1957, Dorothy Dandridge testifies Photograph by Dan McCormack, Los Angeles Times

Posted in #courts, 1957, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, Music, Photography | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Confidential–Tells the Facts and Names the Names

Oops!

Posted on September 4, 2007 by lmharnisch

Sept. 4, 1957 Los Angeles On a field trip to Grauman’s Chinese Theater so that the court could visit the notorious Row 35, where Maureen O’Hara’s alleged tryst occurred, jurors discovered that it was really Row 40. Aisle C. Upon … Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Film, Hollywood, Television | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Oops!