Category Archives: LAPD

Black Dahlia: Leslie Dillon, Paul De River and the LAPD – Part 4

Posted on September 16, 2017 by lmharnisch

Feb. 24, 1949: Leslie Dillon files a claim against the city of Los Angeles for the LAPD’s massive screw-up in the Dahlia case. And yes, he collected.   Dear [redacted], a Comcast user from Spokane, Wash. I’ll say it again: … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: Leslie Dillon, Paul De River and the LAPD – Part 3

Posted on September 14, 2017 by lmharnisch

The Mirror (that would be the other Mirror) jumps on the Dahlia Murder “Solved!” bandwagon. Nobody “enjoys a good murder” as much as the Brits, so we are seeing a wave of publicity for Piu Eatwell’s new book, “Black Dahlia, … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: Leslie Dillon, Paul De River and the LAPD – Part 2

Posted on September 14, 2017 by lmharnisch

“The Sexual Criminal,” by Dr. Joseph Paul De River, in a revised edition with an introduction by Brian King published in 2000. More about this book later. It will be important. Where does one start in telling the curious story … Continue reading →

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Black Dahlia: Leslie Dillon, Paul De River and the LAPD — Part 1

Posted on September 13, 2017 by lmharnisch

The Paul De River/Leslie Dillon/LAPD coverup conspiracy theory in the 1947 Black Dahlia murder is getting some traction with the upcoming release of Piu Eatwell’s “Black Dahlia, Red Rose,” which purports to “solve” the Dahlia case. Spoiler alert

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Black Dahlia – Piu Eatwell’s ‘Black Dahlia, Red Rose’ Exhumes Leslie Dillon

Posted on September 10, 2017 by lmharnisch

Since I learned a few months ago that British writer Piu Eatwell was going to “solve” the Black Dahlia case in the forthcoming book “Black Dahlia, Red Rose,” I have been waiting to see if she would open — Door … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘Hard-Boiled Hollywood’ and the ‘Blah Dahlia’

Posted on August 7, 2017 by lmharnisch

Hard-Boiled Hollywood: Crime and Punishment in Postwar Los Angeles By Jon Lewis University of California Press, 233 pages.   “Sometimes it’s interesting to see just how bad bad writing can be. This promised to go the limit.” — Joe Gillis, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 2017, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Black Dahlia: Don’t Spend Money on the FBI Files

Posted on June 14, 2017 by lmharnisch

Every so often, some EBay vendor gets the clever idea of selling the FBI’s files on the Black Dahlia case. In this instance, it’s someone in the UK selling Part 1 | and Part 2. Of course, you can download … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Found on EBay, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: Black Dahlia Voodoo Doll Listed on EBay

Posted on May 9, 2017 by lmharnisch

One of the strangest Black Dahlia items I have ever seen – a “Black Dahlia Voodoo Doll” — has been listed on EBay, complete with a box and a set of spells. The vendor says:

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Found on EBay, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘Severed’ Author John Gilmore Dead at 81 (Updated)

Posted on January 12, 2017 by lmharnisch

John Gilmore is dead? Really? Hidden in yet another rehash of the Black Dahlia case for the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth Short’s killing is word from Tony Mostrom in L.A. Weekly that “Severed” author John Gilmore died in October. This … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, 2016, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Black Dahlia: The Brits Get It Wrong (Again)

Posted on January 11, 2017 by lmharnisch

  Remember what I said Monday about the Brits having a huge appetite for gruesome crimes but a distaste for the facts?  Here we have an even better example, from the Sun. I won’t critique the entire article (why bother) … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia: The BBC Gets It Wrong

Posted on January 9, 2017 by lmharnisch

We are approaching the 70th anniversary of the killing of Elizabeth Short and it’s no trick for lazy writers to run off five yards of poorly researched copy on the Black Dahlia. The latest example is by James Bartlett for … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Black Dahlia: Why Dr. George Hodel Didn’t Kill Jeanne French

Posted on January 4, 2017 by lmharnisch

LA. Weekly has taken a deep dive into the Jeanne French case. I won’t get into all of it here, except to show why Dr. George Hodel didn’t kill Jeanne French.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘Heaven Is Here!’ Progress Report

Posted on December 22, 2016 by lmharnisch

A little over a year ago, on Dec. 18, 2015, I walked out the doors of the Los Angeles Times after 27 years, having asked a security guard to take this picture of my farewell. And yes, I’m wearing my … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | 35 Comments

Black Dahlia: ‘Ghostland’ and Another Good Story Ruined (Updated)

Posted on December 9, 2016 by lmharnisch

“Ghostland” by Colin Dickey, Page 136. OK, who can spot the mistake in the highlighted passage? (And yes, Dickey is about to invoke the name of Kenneth Anger, who has caused more grief for historians than any other writer). This … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Black Dahlia and the Hotel Cecil: L.A.’s Noir Folklore

Posted on November 17, 2016 by lmharnisch

The Guardian has jumped into it again with the Black Dahlia case, finding that it can’t resist the yarn about Elizabeth Short “rumored to have had her last drink at the hotel bar.” The Guardian, in case you don’t recall, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Another Good Story Ruined, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | 10 Comments

Black Dahlia Halloween Costumes: The Annual Warning

Posted on October 19, 2016 by lmharnisch

Halloween is quickly approaching, which means the internet is brimming with photos of young women practicing their “Chelsea Smile” makeup and otherwise showing off their talent in dressing up like a brutally murdered woman. Regardless of what you may think, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Black Dahlia: Elizabeth Short’s Birthday

Posted on July 29, 2016 by lmharnisch

July 29 is Elizabeth Short’s birthday. Try to find some way to remember her that doesn’t involve dressing up as a bloody murder victim. Please.

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

L.A. Celebrates Fourth of July With Cricket Match, Bagpipe Contest

Posted on July 4, 2016 by lmharnisch

Note: This is a post from 2007. July 4, 1907 Los Angeles And how does Los Angeles celebrate Independence Day? With cricket matches and bagpipe contests.  

Posted in 1907, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Fashions, LAPD, Music, Parks, Streetcars | Comments Off on L.A. Celebrates Fourth of July With Cricket Match, Bagpipe Contest

Black Dahlia: A Crime Graphic Novel by James Ellroy, David Fincher, Matz and Miles Hyman

Posted on June 13, 2016 by lmharnisch

Take a close look: “The Black Dahlia ™.” Does that mean the publisher is trying to trademark “The Black Dahlia?”  Good luck with that.   I picked up a copy of the new graphic novel version of James Ellroy’s “The … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Art & Artists, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Black Dahlia: Can You Identify the Black Dahlia? (Updated)

Posted on June 8, 2016 by lmharnisch

I thought an animated gif of the two images would make it easier to see the similarities or differences between the two photos. Which woman in the above images is Elizabeth Short? 1. Woman No. 1 is Elizabeth Short. 2. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments