Tag Archives: lapd

December 16, 1947: Back Broken and Skull Fractured, Girl, 2 Dies of Abuse; Mother Gets 10 Years in Prison

Posted on December 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 16, 1947: A terrible story of child abuse. A woman sentenced to 10 years for killing her 2-year-old girl gives birth to a son in the jail ward of county hospital. The judge takes the baby boy from the mother, saying: ‘You shall never see this baby again!’ Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Comics, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Coming in January: The Black Dahlia Book Club!

Posted on December 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

Starting January 20, I will be changing the George Hodel Ask Me Anything to the Black Dahlia Book Club, considering all the things that have been written about the Black Dahlia case, whether it’s forthcoming books or pulp magazine articles from the 1940s. At YouTube.com/LMHarnisch Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Black Dahlia Book Club, Cold Cases, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

December 9, 1907: Black LAPD Officer Blames Firing on Racism, Rejoins Fire Department

Posted on December 9, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 9, 1907: Mayor Harper has restored E.J. Bowen to his old job in the Fire Department after the rookie police officer was fired for allegedly being a coward—a charge that Bowen, who is Black, blames on racism. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, Fires, LAPD, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

December 3, 1907: Gunman Kills LAPD Officer; Dies in Slow Agony Awaiting the Gallows

Posted on December 3, 2025 by lmharnisch

December 3,1907: Daniel Meskil kills LAPD Officer Patrick Lyons, who was trying to arrest Meskil and his companion, Rolla Robe. Meskil was sentenced to be hanged at San Quentin, but died of injuries from jumping off a roof during an escape attempt. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, Homicide, LAPD, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on December 3, 1907: Gunman Kills LAPD Officer; Dies in Slow Agony Awaiting the Gallows

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, December 2025

Posted on December 2, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case includes a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and a brief introduction to the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, December 2025

November 20, 1907: Police Capture Streetcar Bandits

Posted on November 20, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 20, 1907: Police arrest two men who staged daring holdups on the Ascot Park and Eastlake streetcars, robbing the motormen and conductors as the cars reached the ends of their routes. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Streetcars, Transportation | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on November 20, 1907: Police Capture Streetcar Bandits

November 19, 1907: Crime Wave Sweeps L.A.

Posted on November 19, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 19, 1907: An influx of crooks, petty hoodlums and vagrants drawn by good weather and horse racing at Santa Anita are blamed for a siege of crime throughout the city. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, African Americans, Crime and Courts, LAPD, Medicine, Transportation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on November 19, 1907: Crime Wave Sweeps L.A.

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, November 2025

Posted on November 18, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 18, 2025: This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, November 2025

Black L.A. 1947: Sentinel Offers $100 for Proof That LAPD has Black Motorcycle Officer

Posted on November 6, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 6, 1947: The Sentinel offers a $100 reward to anyone who can identify a Black motorcycle officer in the LAPD. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Black L.A. 1947: Sentinel Offers $100 for Proof That LAPD has Black Motorcycle Officer

November 6, 1947: LAPD Officer Kills Black Suspect in Market Burglary

Posted on November 6, 2025 by lmharnisch

November 6, 1947: Clarence Wallas is shot during a struggle with Officer J.L. Brown during an attempted arrest in the burglary of a market. Officer R.F. Williams captures Roosevelt Everline, as he tried to flee. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, African Americans, Comics, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on November 6, 1947: LAPD Officer Kills Black Suspect in Market Burglary

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, November 2025

Posted on November 4, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and why the Black Dahlia case shouldn’t be treated as a game of “Clue.” Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, November 2025

George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, October 2025

Posted on October 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 28, 2025: This month’s Ask Me Anything on George Hodel and Steve Hodel in the Black Dahlia case. Continue reading →

Posted in Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on George Hodel: Ask Me Anything, October 2025

October 28, 1907: Former LAPD Chief Calls It ‘Most Detestable Job Ever Created’

Posted on October 28, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 28, 1907: A former LAPD chief says the job is the worst in the city. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, City Hall, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on October 28, 1907: Former LAPD Chief Calls It ‘Most Detestable Job Ever Created’

October 26, 1942: Lon Chaney’s Ghost Haunts Hollywood and Vine!

Posted on October 26, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 26, 1942: Councilman Norris Nelson tells a story about the ghost of Lon Chaney sitting on a bench at Hollywood and Vine. Continue reading →

Posted in 1942, African Americans, Books and Authors, Crime and Courts, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, World War II, Zoot Suit | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on October 26, 1942: Lon Chaney’s Ghost Haunts Hollywood and Vine!

October 25, 1943: Restaurant Manager Turns Tables on Robbers

Posted on October 25, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 25, 1943: Three bandits who hit a handful of businesses met their match at a cafe at 1306 S. Main St. when they tried to hold up assistant manager Joe D. Poindexter. As one man leaned across the counter to get the cash, Poindexter grabbed his gun, chased them as they fled and shot one of them. Continue reading →

Posted in 1943, Comics, Downtown, Film, Hollywood, LAPD, Main Street, World War II | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on October 25, 1943: Restaurant Manager Turns Tables on Robbers

October 23, 1957: Matt Weinstock

Posted on October 23, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 23, 1957: An intoxicated woman hails a police car, which provides a ride to jail. She’s freed, but then arrested for a warrant on a traffic ticket on a 1956 car — only she says she never owned a 1956 model, just a 1926 that she sold a year ago. Continue reading →

Posted in #courts, Columnists, LAPD, Matt Weinstock | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on October 23, 1957: Matt Weinstock

October 22, 1907: Mayor’s Son Gives a Lesson in Identifying L.A. County Sheriff’s Badges

Posted on October 22, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 22, 1907: Mayor’s son gives a lesson on L.A. County sheriff’s badges. Continue reading →

Posted in 1907, LAPD, Streetcars | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on October 22, 1907: Mayor’s Son Gives a Lesson in Identifying L.A. County Sheriff’s Badges

October 17, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

Posted on October 17, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 17, 1957: Paul Coates talks to a man who fled because he was suspected in the still-unsolved killing of Marguerite Keota in 1954. Continue reading →

Posted in Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on October 17, 1957: Paul V. Coates–Confidential File

October 16, 1947: LAPD Issues Guns to Policewomen!

Posted on October 16, 2025 by lmharnisch

October 16, 1947: The LAPD changes the uniform for policewomen and issues them guns — to be fashionably carried in a shoulder-slung black purse, also convenient for carrying handcuffs. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Crime and Courts, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on October 16, 1947: LAPD Issues Guns to Policewomen!

Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, October 2025

Posted on October 7, 2025 by lmharnisch

This month’s Ask Me Anything on the Black Dahlia case, including a progress report on Heaven Is HERE! and what sources went into creation of the Black Dahlia Mystique. Continue reading →

Posted in 1947, Black Dahlia, Cold Cases, Homicide, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Black Dahlia: Ask Me Anything, October 2025