All language subtitles for Dragnet S02E22 The Little Victim.DVDRip.NonHI.cc.en

This is the city, Los
Angeles, California.

A great many city
dwellers use a leg or two

of the freeway system
at least twice a day.

Some say it's nerve-wracking.

Others navigate them with ease.

The living can be good in a
modern apartment complex

or in your own home,
but there are those,

no matter where they live,

that never quite become adjusted

to living a normal, useful life.

Some people start out
with good intentions,

and they bring new
people into the world,

and sometimes, these
are the ones that need help.

When they do, I go to work.

I carry a badge.

It was Wednesday, October 18th.

It was warm in Los Angeles.

We were watching the day
watch out of Juvenile Division.

The boss is Captain Jack Morris.

My partner's Bill Gannon.

My name's Friday.

Public Affairs had approved
a speech on child abuse.

Captain Morris had
assigned me the job

to deliver it at the
monthly luncheon

of the Pacific Women's Club.

The talk was
pretty stiff medicine.

Some of it wasn't
going down too easily.

The story you are
about to see is true.

The names have been
changed to protect the innocent.

Now, the photograph
of this little 2-year-old

I just showed you,

my partner and I
handled that case.

The reason the mother gave us

for holding the child's
hand over an open flame

was that she was trying
to teach him fear of fire.

We never did find out what
she was trying to teach her baby

when she fractured his skull.

Psychiatric tests revealed
the mother was a sadist.

She was psychotic,

but the psychotic
or the insane parent

represents the
smallest percentage

of those who
abuse their children.

Marked emotional immaturity

seems a predominant personality
characteristic of such people.

More often than not,

these parents were
themselves reared

with brutality and without love.

A significant number are young,

many times unwed mothers,

who openly resent
having borne children,

or the young father
resents the restrictions

imposed by having
to raise a child.

Facts have also shown
that those who torment

and kill their children
come from all social,

economic, and ethnic groups.

Now, these pictures
that we've shown you,

they were not taken in
Dachau or Auschwitz.

They were taken
right here in this city.

Some of these crimes
might have taken place

right next door to you.
Don't let that happen.

Help us help those
infants and children

who cannot speak
up for themselves.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Ladies, I've just
asked Sergeant Friday

if he had time for a brief
question and answer period.

Now, are there any
questions from the floor?

Yes, I see some
hands. Mrs. Walters.

First, let me say I know there
isn't a woman in this room

who wasn't deeply affected
by your talk, Sergeant,

and we do want to help.

But what if we only suspected
a case of child abuse?

Calling the police could
be terribly embarrassing,

if it turned out our
suspicions were wrong.

I mean, isn't there
some other way?

I'd probably share
your embarrassment,

if you called me, and it
turned out you were wrong.

On the other hand, I wouldn't
want to share your guilt,

if it turned out your
suspicions were right,

and you hadn't done
anything about them.

Oh, yes, that would be awful.

But what if there were
no way I could prove

that the parents had
actually done the beating?

A qualified physician
may be able to prove

a beating actually occurred,
but you're asking me

what happens if there
isn't sufficient proof

to obtain a criminal
complaint, aren't you?

Well, the law is
twofold, Mrs. Walters.

We can protect that child by
removing it from that home,

as a dependent.

At least the child will be safe.

That's our first objective.

Our laws are designed
to protect the child.

They come first.

Excuse me.

- Better cut it short.
- Yeah?

We've got a bad one,
Green Pines Hospital.

1:50 p.m. The
call Bill had gotten

was from Lieutenant Bongard,

watch commander
at Juvenile Division.

He'd received a report from the
Green Pines Children's Hospital

about an injured
baby admitted there.

A police photographer
was already on his way.

We were there in ten minutes.

Mrs. Bradley, Director
of Social Services

at Green Pines
Children's Hospital,

had made the verbal report

of the suspected child
beating to Juvenile.

One of her prime
functions was liaison

between the medical staff
and the police department.

Male, Caucasian,
age nine months.

His name is Andrew Marshall.

- When was he brought in?
- About noon.

The mother had taken him to
a doctor in her neighborhood,

who told her to bring the
baby here immediately.

Dr. George Samson was
on duty in Emergency here.

He was suspicious of
the nature of the injuries,

so he called in the Pediatric
Trauma Coordinator, Dr. Martin.

The baby's in a room
down the hall, this way.

What's the mother say?

She says the baby crawled out

the front door of
their apartment

and fell down
a flight of stairs.

What's your opinion?

Wait'll you see the
child, then you tell me.

He's sedated and sleeping now.

He's a very good little
baby, and he's very hurt.

I've seen grown men in a
street brawl that looked better.

A little tough for
this one to fight back.

Yeah.

He can't make a very
big fist with one of those.

2:20 p.m. Dr. Frederick
Martin's official title

at the Green Pines
Children's Hospital

was Pediatric
Trauma Coordinator.

He examined all children

suspected of being
abused or beaten.

The physical
examination of the infant

shows old and new hemorrhages
of the retina of both eyes,

subdural hematomas,
accumulation of blood

on both sides of the
surface of the brain.

That can come from
repeated and severe shakings.

Close skeletal x-rays reveal
a skull fracture on the left side,

tarsus fractures,
injuries to the bones

at the ankles of both legs.

On the left, the
injury is to the tibia.

On the right, the injuries

are both of the
tibia and the fibula.

The long bone of each
upper arm, the humerus,

shows thickening
along the shaft cortex,

suggestive of old
healed injuries.

The baby's been injured before?

Yes.

Some of the injuries
could've been sustained

by a fall down a flight
of steps, but not all.

Here's our written report
on Andrew Marshall, Bill.

No question that the
baby's been beaten?

Absolutely none.

May we use your phone, Doctor?

The doctor's medical
opinion that the baby's injuries

were caused by other
than accidental means

enabled us to officially
place Andrew Marshall

in protective custody
to prevent the mother

from removing the
infant from the hospital.

2:50 p.m. We were told
that the baby's mother

had not returned
to the hospital.

We got her address, as
well as the name and address

of the doctor who had
instructed her earlier

to bring the child
to Green Pines.

3:10 p.m. We
drove to the address

the mother had given to
the hospital admitting section.

It was an empty warehouse.

We drove to the
office of the doctor

who had first examined
Andrew Marshall.

Dr. Wingate was
closing his office

and getting ready
to go out on a call.

He remembered the baby's mother.

She had given him the
same home address we had.

The doctor had never
seen the woman before.

This is a poor
community, Sergeant.

Transient neighborhood.

I don't get to know
my patients very well.

She tell you how
the baby was hurt?

Well, she said something

about his falling
down a flight of stairs.

Did you believe her?

No. Well, let me
put it this way.

I doubted her very much.

After she left, I phoned the
admitting office at Green Pines

and told them to be
on the lookout for her.

I know Dr. Martin's work there.

They have equipment I don't
have for full skeletal X-rays.

Dr. Samson in Emergency
called me a while ago

and said my suspicions
were confirmed

and that Mrs. Bradley
would report it to the police.

Nice little baby. How is he?

We don't know,
Doctor. He couldn't say.

3:45 p.m. We got a
call from the office.

Lieutenant Bongard told us

that Mrs. Bradley at Green Pines

was trying to contact us.

The mother of Andrew Marshall
had returned to the hospital

and was demanding
to take her baby home.

4:05 p.m. The
volunteer worker told us

that the mother
of Andrew Marshall

was waiting in the lounge.

We introduced ourselves

and advised her of
her constitutional rights.

She said she understood them.

- Am I under arrest?
- No, ma'am.

We just want to ask
you some questions.

What's the matter?

You brought your son
here this afternoon?

- Andy?
- Yes.

I'd just come back to get him,

and they've kept me waiting
here for almost an hour!

- Yes, ma'am.
- I don't understand!

What do you want of me?
I've got to take Andy home now!

You can't, Mrs. Marshall.
He's under protective custody.

He's what?

He's under the jurisdiction of
the Probation Department now.

I don't know what
you're talking about!

Somebody's made a mistake!

I think you've got the
wrong Mrs. Marshall.

You'd better get
straightened out

with that lady at the desk!

Is that why they've
kept me waiting?

That's right. We've
been trying to locate you.

Why?

How did your child
get hurt, Mrs. Marshall?

- I told them!
- Tell us.

He fell down a flight of stairs!

Your baby's badly hurt and
not from a fall down the stairs.

Well, nobody told me that!

You weren't here after
your baby was examined!

- I'm here now!
- And I'm telling you now!

What are you telling me?

That your baby's
been severely beaten!

That's not so!

Why didn't you give
your correct address

- to the admitting office?
- I did!

You live in an empty
warehouse, do you, Mrs. Marshall?

- No!
- That's the address you gave.

I keep forgetting
our new address!

I was so upset, I guess I
got the address all wrong.

You don't know how upset I was!

Do you mind giving us
your correct address?

Do you have your
driver's license?

I wasn't thinking straight.

Would you take it out
of your wallet, please?

You don't know how it is
when your baby gets sick.

- Here.
- I do.

I've got four of my own.

Then you know it's even worse
when your baby has an accident.

You blame yourself,
and you get scared,

even though the
baby doesn't cry.

You get scared!

I run to the doctor, and
he tells me to come here.

I do just what he tells me to.

Then somebody makes
up a horrible story!

Who said such a
terrible thing about Andy?

A doctor on the staff here.

Well, he's wrong!

I never, never, never
hit Andy! I never would!

He fell down a
whole flight of stairs!

How'd he get out
of the apartment?

- That dumb door!
- Pardon?

The front door, it doesn't
close right sometimes!

It pops open.

We live in this real nice
new place, and it's very nice,

but a lot of things don't work.

You know how it is?

And the way Andy
crawls around these days,

you turn your back,
and he disappears.

Well, that's what
happened this afternoon.

My husband had
come home for lunch,

and I had gone to the store.

When I got back, he told me
that Andy had crawled out the door

and had fallen down the steps!

Did anyone else in the
building see or hear him fall?

No! At least I don't think so.

To go through an
experience like that,

and then to have people
say terrible things...

I want my baby back.

You just tell those
people out at the desk

to let me have my baby,
or they're gonna be sorry!

He isn't going to be released
until we find out what happened.

- I told you!
- Besides, ma'am,

the baby will get
better care here.

You don't really know
how badly hurt he is.

I do know! Just some
bruises, that's all!

You don't understand.

When my husband comes
home and finds out Andy's here,

well, he'll just kill me!

Well, now, in that case,

maybe we can offer
you protection, too.

Me? From what?

Your husband.

Oh, that's crazy.

I was just using an expression.

Wally wouldn't hurt a fly.

How about a baby?

4:30 p.m. Protecting the
child was our first responsibility.

Finding out who committed
the assault on the child

was our second responsibility.

The second was going
to take a little longer.

4:45 p.m. We
drove to the address

Louise Marshall had given us.

We decided to check
with some of the neighbors.

A Mrs. Ruth Fowler lived
just below the Marshalls.

We decided to talk to her first.

You can sit down,
if you want to.

I'm sure glad you're
not wearing uniforms.

My name is mud
around here already.

What you investigating?

There's plenty of things
around here need investigating.

I got the fire department
to look at the wiring

a month after I moved in.

What they found wrong cost
the owners a pretty penny,

cost those tenants
without leases, too,

because the owners raised the
rents to cover the cost of rewiring.

That's why my name's
mud around here.

I got blamed for the rents
being raised, you see?

Afterwards, somebody
painted a dirty name on my door.

They used that spray
paint, you know?

Well, I'm just biding my
time until my lease is up.

After I move out of here,
I'm gonna say plenty.

We're looking into what may or
may not have been an accident.

What accident?

Do you know Mr. and Mrs.
Marshall who live upstairs?

I think he's the one who sprayed

that dirty name on
my door, Mr. Marshall.

- Do you know them?
- Well, hardly.

We don't even say hello
when we meet outside.

Then nobody around
here says hello to me.

I'm just biding my time.

You know the Marshalls
have a baby, don't you?

- Yes.
- Mrs. Marshall claims

her baby fell down
the steps earlier today.

Would you know
anything about that?

- No.
- You didn't see

- or hear anything?
- Today? No.

Have you been here all day?

Well, up until about
4:00 this afternoon,

when I went out for groceries.

Have you ever had the
occasion to believe the Marshalls

might not be good parents?

I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna
get involved in anything else

that goes on around here.

Once burned, twice shy.

Well, now, Mrs. Fowler,
once burned, twice shy

might be fine if we
were here to find out

about faulty wiring,
but we're not.

We're trying to find out
who beat up a helpless baby.

I don't want to have any
more trouble with the Marshalls,

not while I have to
live right below them!

You don't know what a
terrible temper Mr. Ma...

What a terrible temper
Mr. Marshall has.

I don't know anything.
I will not get involved.

5:00 p.m. We went upstairs
to the Marshall's apartment

to see if the father of the
injured baby was home.

Oh.

We'd like to talk to you
again, Mrs. Marshall.

Oh, we can't talk now. Please!

It's either here or
down at the station.

But come back tomorrow after
my husband's gone to work.

He's gonna be home any minute.

Please! It'll be much
better tomorrow.

Sorry, it can't wait.

Oh, I don't know what to do.

Mrs. Marshall, this the door
that doesn't latch every time?

What? Please close that door.

If someone sees
you, they're liable

to ask me about
you in front of Wally!

I'll turn this off.

You must think it's funny of me

having music on
at a time like this,

but Wally likes music
when he comes home,

and martinis ready.

I was just making them.

Your being here is
gonna make it difficult.

Wally's not gonna like it.

Why? Because his son's being
well taken care of in the hospital?

You twist everything
around! You have no right!

We haven't twisted
a battered baby

into a case here, Mrs. Marshall.

Now, we want to find
out who beat that child!

- I didn't!
- Then who did?

Nobody! He fell
down those stairs!

Now, look, we've seen X-rays.

The last time wasn't the first
time your baby's been beaten.

We want to know who did it.

Your husband, maybe?

Wally's a wonderful husband!

All you have to do
is look around here

and see the kind of
a home he gives me.

Look! Go ahead, look around!

That's color TV!

Look in the kitchen.

There's a brand-new
electric can opener

and a thing that
makes shaved ice and...

If, if you don't want
to see the kitchen,

just look at my beautiful
furniture and my ring.

Just take a look at
that engagement ring.

Wally gave it to
me three years ago.

Wally gives me everything!

I never had things
before like he gives me.

You people, all your big
talk about kids and babies!

Well, where were
you when I was born?

I don't even know who
my mother and father are,

and I really don't care!

You try living in an orphanage

and get bounced from
one foster home to another!

Wally was the first good
thing that ever happened to me.

And I'll tell you
something else.

He says I'm the
first decent thing

that ever happened to him, too!

So, you just don't
know anything,

what it's like around here.

And that's the kind
of husband Wally is!

Now, would you mind telling
us what kind of a father he is?

I told you.

No, you told us what
it's like around here,

but I don't see
where the baby fits in.

- Baby?
- Yes, your baby.

- Wally likes the baby a lot.
- Likes?

Well, it's not so easy
when you're young.

I mean, we didn't
really plan to have him,

and, well, well,
when you're young,

sometimes you don't
want a baby right away.

How do you feel about the baby?

- Me?
- Yeah.

Well, how do you
think a mother feels?

When he's warm
and asleep and pink,

he's so cute,
like a little doll.

How do you feel about
him when he's hungry,

or he's gotta be changed,

or he wakes up in
the middle of the night,

or he's got colic
and starts to cry,

or his teeth coming in
hurt him, and he's cranky?

I see to him right away,
so he doesn't bother Wally.

I didn't mean it
the way it sounded.

You see, I try to
keep Andy real quiet,

so it's almost the
same as it was before.

Before the baby was born?

Yes.

But sometimes you don't succeed.

No, you, you don't,
you don't understand.

The baby was an accident!

Now, that's not Wally's fault!

What's the use?
You don't understand!

I couldn't help it!

Louise, I could hear you

coming all the
way up the stairs.

What's going on here?

They're policemen, Wally.

You're Walter Marshall, are you?

Yeah, that's right.
What do you want?

What is this?

I had to take Andy
to the hospital.

You what?

They say he's hurt bad.

- What have you done?
- That's enough of that.

I asked you a question!

What hospital?

Green Pines Children's Hospital.

What happened to him?

That's exactly what
we're here to find out.

After we advised
him of his rights,

we told Walter Marshall
what Dr. Martin had discovered

from the physical examination
and the skeletal X-rays

of the Marshall baby.

He fell down the
stairs. Tell them, Louise.

- I did tell them.
- See?

They don't believe me.

If she says Andy
fell down the stairs,

- then he fell down the stairs.
- It's no use!

- You shut up!
- No!

- I told you!
- I tried, Wally.

I tried!

Now, I know you never
meant to hurt Andy.

- Listen to me!
- It's no use!

The first doctor made me
take Andy to the hospital.

Now, there was
nothing else I could do!

What if Andy had
died on us, Wally?

You did right, honey.

He falls down the stairs,
you've got to get help.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to blow up.

You know how it is.

You come home,
tired out. I sell.

It takes a lot out of you,
selling electrical equipment.

I work for this
electrical supply house.

Ah, you can have a bad
day, nothing goes right.

Today was one.

So I come home and
take it out on Louise.

I'm real sorry, honey.

There's got to be
some mistake here.

We don't think so.
There's got to be!

Stop it! Wally, stop it!

I can't pretend it
didn't happen anymore!

Every place I've gone to today,

the look in the people's faces
when they don't believe you,

when they think you've done
something terrible to your baby!

You don't know what
those looks are like, Wally!

Your skin begins to
crawl! You want to hide!

Honey, I tried so
hard. Honest, I did.

You mean more to me than
anything in the whole world.

I'd do anything for you,

but I couldn't just
let him lie there,

little Andy lie there
and look at me,

no crying, just that look.

I didn't think he was
hurt as bad as they said,

but I had to do what I did.

I tried to keep you out of it.

People don't know
how good you are to me.

I had the music on,
martinis ready, everything.

I was gonna try
to explain to you

how you don't know
you're hurting someone

when you hit them sometimes.

Everything was gonna be
all right after I told you that.

I've been making up lies all
day and running and hiding.

If they hadn't found out,

everything would've
been all right after tonight.

Like now, officers, see?

Now that Wally knows, it
would never happen again,

would it, Wally?

Tell them.

Tell them it wouldn't, please!

Then they'll let us alone,

and things will
be all right again.

You'll be more careful.

Tell them, Wally!

Oh, God, what can I
do? Tell them, Wally!

How could you do a
thing like this to me?

- How could you?
- I'm sorry.

Look at everything I gave you,

and you had to
spoil it with him.

That's not so!

Oh, yeah, you can't fool me.

You're always thinking of Andy.

Maybe it's time she did.

6:30 p.m. We took Walter Marshall
and his wife Louise to the office.

Louise Marshall
signed a crime report.

How could she do that to me?

Signed a complaint, too, huh?

That's right.

- You bullied her into it.
- No, you did.

You want to give us a
statement or not, Marshall?

- No!
- Okay.

I've got my rights.

Yeah, even you've
got your rights.

On November 30th, Walter
Marshall was tried and sentenced

to one year in jail for
273DPC, child beating.

Louise Marshall was
convicted as an accessory

and placed on probation.

Three months later, she
started divorce proceedings

against her husband.

The baby, Andrew Marshall,
was returned to her custody.

March the 7th.

A year and five months went by.

4:42 p.m.

Gannon speaking.
Yeah, hold on, please.

For you.

Thanks. Friday.

Yes, Miss Fowler.

No. We'll be right over.

Ruth Fowler.

Who's she? The Marshall case?

Oh, yeah, the woman who
didn't want to get involved.

Well, she does now.

She thinks somebody's
beating the Marshall baby.

Before we left, we reported Mrs.
Fowler's call to Lieutenant Bongard.

He called Communications
and asked that a radio car

be dispatched to
the Marshall address.

5:05 p.m. Two black
and white units were there

by the time we arrived.

Bedroom.

The baby's dead.

He's dead.

How did it happen?

I called a doctor
right away this time.

How did it happen?

After Wally got out of jail,

he started coming
to see me again.

And you wanted
to see him, did you?

Yes, I'm sorry, but yes.

Go on.

He was just going to
spank Andy, that's all.

He was mad, but he was
just going to spank him.

After what happened last
year, didn't you try to stop him?

Oh, yes. When, when
Andy started to cry in there

and Wally got mad,

I said, "Now, Wally,
you be careful!"

I did. I did say that.

Ask Wally. He'll tell you.

Are you still on probation?

No.

I didn't think I was
lonely with Andy,

but, you see, when Wally
came to that door one day,

oh, I was so lonely inside.

I couldn't let him
go away again.

Wally?

Andy's all right, isn't he?

What?

This man says that
Andy isn't all right!

You murderer, murderer!

Oh, I'm sorry.

I love you. I'm sorry.

I didn't mean that.

Everything's gonna
be all right, you'll see.

Not this time. Yes, it will!

Without the baby, it'll be just
like it was in the beginning.

Tell them, Wally.

You see how it is, don't you?

No, I don't see how it is.

The baby, that's what
caused all the trouble.

We just didn't want him.

That's too bad, isn't it?

How do you mean?

He didn't have a choice.

The suspect was
found guilty of murder

in the second degree,

which is punishable by
imprisonment in the state prison

for a period of
five years to life.

Since no criminal
complaint could be filed

against Louise Marshall,
she was not held.