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when two young cops were slainFOSTER_Continued from Page jeasily find inaccuracies in Fear on Trial.”For Foster and Laurie,” CBS’ film special produced by Charles Fries Productions, Inc., we invited two men directly involved with the shooting to view it with us — Detective Ray Ardiz-zone and his partner Detective Larry Haviland of the Major Case Squad. Both men irarar.man-iedphave^fouri-chi fc dren, and worked in the Ninth Precinct where the two young cops were shot. Ardiz-‘ y.rnv has 15 Vt years orrtfre force; Haviland 17 years.The Major Case Squad, according to the first-class detectives, evolved in 1972 during the period when Foster and Laurie were brutally shot down in the back by three members of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). Said Ardizzone; The squad was formed because of the out-Sixoccurred while I was in the Ninth, which was from early 1969 to 1971, Larry was there from 1967 tOl971:”The Major Case Squad took top men from all boroughs and assigned them specifically to the cop killings. The aim was to see if there was a conspiracy. Unquestionably, from the CBS dramatization, and from what both detectives tell. us, .there-definitely. was. The script written by Albert Ruben, based on abook by A1 Silverman, more than implies this.It opens with Foster and Laurie walking their beat. They spot an empty car and enter a store called “Gills” to ask who owns the car and how long it's been sitting there. The storekeeper tells them its been there a short time. Then out they walk, kidding each other, when 4hFee^la6k~mOT a doorway, walk past them, turn and open fire..The scene will knock you Tight out of your living room, How accurate was it, according to the actual events that took place? Pretty much so, our first-hand informants tell us. One thing is wrong, according to Ardizzone. “They were shot at closer range and the men came up behind them. They didn't pass them and turnrthen shoot.”As we viewed the film,relationship between the two young cops — Laurie played by .Perry King and Foster by Dorian Harewood. Both are married; Talia Shire plays Adelaide Laurie and Jonelle Allen stars as Jacqueline Foster. Their wives, it's apparent, would -prefer, .they. do something besides work on the force. They both live:Haviland were amazed at the casting. They said the two actors closely resemble the gunned down cods.perience I'll never forget.” Some, watching the telecast, might wonder why two cops appeared to leave themselves wide open at night. But in their defense, Ardiz-zone explained that its a district where people are out on theL_streeU~al] night. Where in some districts a person might be suspicious if he heard, footsteps, or.saw. men-What the drama shows is detail police work in a-tough precinct When the cops were shot one reporter asked the police commissioner in the drama (Wallace Rooney): How long have they been cops?” He replied: “Ten or 11 months.” Commented the reporter: “Is that all?”Ijtstb detectives generally agreed it was a good job. Some dramatic liberties were taken in the re-creation. Forinstance,- as^Ardizzone-poirit“ed out, Foster, the black cop,4 was dead on arrival at Bel-* levue Hospital. In the film there’s a dramatic sequence showing nurses and doctors working over both men trying to save their , lives. Both eventually die, and the story is then told in flashbacks.Focused on is the growingOur screening guests from the Major Case Squad were surprised at that line of dialogue, since, as they pointed out, it is policy to assign a man to a precinct where they can learn fast and get experience. “The Ninth,” Ar-dizzone said, is not the kind of a place a guy would ask a transfer to. It’s an expassmg, in the Ninth it’s common.One thing the two men take issue with in the film is an Tircldent wh'CTrt5rtne and-Foster are shown getting a lead on a pusher from a dope addict. Admitted ly it did not ring true. As Haviland said, a narcotics tip would be passed along to the Narcotics Squad or the officers, atleast, would notify their superiors before moving in on the action.Only one man, Henry Brown, was charged with the murder but he was later acquitted. All men thought to be involved with the crime a re-either-sem ng-ti m e on-different raps or died in gun battles with police. Without naming names, Detectives Ardizzone and Haviland said they’re certain all the men have been accounted for.
Newspaper Details
Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa, US
Sun, Nov 09, 1975
Page 145
Full Page
Clipped by
Nick N.
IL, USA 02 Nov 2022
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