Comments for The Venetian Vase

Comment on James Ellroy on the Rodney King Scandal by Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 10:05:31 +0000

Thank you for your comment Steve. Perhaps Ellroy’s comments, although made with the best of intentions, might do more damage to the department than good. I think his pro-LAPD stance is a brave one nonetheless, especially in an age when celebrities are perceived as adopting causes for cynical reasons. I remember seeing footage of Ellroy’s acceptance speech when he received the Jack Webb award. He paid tribute to two officers who had been recently wounded in the line of duty. It was a moving, honest speech.

Best wishes,
Steve

Comment on James Ellroy on the Rodney King Scandal by Steve

Steve — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:57:27 +0000

Let’s talk about context. Let’s talk about how Gates declared war on gangs, and by extension, South-Central L.A. African Americans. What African Americans saw on TV was, from their POV, a window into their daily confrontations with the LAPD. So I wouldn’t look at Rodney King as an isolated case as Ellroy has. Because if African Americans were not suffering from daily mistreatment by the LAPD, then the spark of the Rodney King incident would have fizzled instead of igniting a powder keg. People seem to think that African Americans were outraged by a single incident of abuse inflicted upon “one of their own”, but the reason the King video resonated is because it represented a widely shared experience. This is also why it was believable to the jury that a racist detective would tamper with evidence to convict a successful African American like OJ. The Rodney King incident and the OJ acquittal were a collective wake-up call to the LAPD, and they have come a long way since the early-to-mid 1990s.

Comment on James Ellroy on the Rodney King Scandal by stevehodelauthor

stevehodelauthor — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:48:30 +0000

Steve:

Actually, I had been retired five-years when the Rodney King incident occurred in 1991.
I was working as a P.I. on a high-profile LA murder investigation in 1992 when the verdict returned and then the LA riots broke out. [A sequel for me, as I was there working uniform patrol for the original Watts Riots in 1965]

It was a very difficult time for LAPD. Historically, the Department was used to lots of scandals. Ever since the 1920s they would surface, bob around a bit like a fishing cork, then submerge back into forgetfulness.

But the RK incident was different. Different, because, caught on tape, it remained in a constant media-loop from the day of the arrest through the trial, a year or more later. Every time his name was mentioned they would play the tape.

Because it went viral– worldwide; the 99% of LAPDs “good cops” were viewed in-mass as all being brutal. The bright klieg lights blinded most of the Public to the fact that it was just a few officers who were using excessive force, and not the entire police force.

“The Chief,” Daryl Gates tried to act swiftly and decisively in condemning the acts of “the few.” He hoped to contain the damage, but that was not to be. The negative PR had a life of its own, which ultimately resulted in a terrible cost to all Angelenos. The 1992 riots resulted in 52 deaths, 2500 injuries and 446 billion in property damage along with severe body blows and bruises to LAPD’s reputation.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of LAPD’s 99%, those officers that have always and remain true to their sworn code of “To Protect and To Serve” the Department’s image has finally been repaired and restored to a well-deserved “World Class” status again.

Comment on James Ellroy on the Rodney King Scandal by Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:57:50 +0000

Thanks for your comment Steve. I especially appreciate your perspective as you were working for the LAPD at the time. Could you tell us a little about the shockwaves that went through the department as a result of the scandal?

Best wishes,
Steve

Comment on James Ellroy on the Rodney King Scandal by stevehodelauthor

stevehodelauthor — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:33:26 +0000

Ellroy is flat out WRONG on this. It is excessive force plain and simple. Chief Gates and the DA’s Office were right to pursue it criminally. The actions were not even close to being “within Department policy.”
LAPD Detective III Steve Hodel (ret.)

Comment on Conversations with James Ellroy by Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:11:37 +0000

Thanks Tony,

You won’t be disappointed.

Steve

Comment on Conversations with James Ellroy by tonybulmer

tonybulmer — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:29:58 +0000

Looking forward to reading this one immensely Steve!

Tony Bulmer
Crimezine

Comment on Strange Bedfellows: Politicians and their Favourite Crime Novels by tonybulmer

tonybulmer — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:37:22 +0000

As a fan of the new Three Stooges movie (nyuk) I am sure you will have noticed that Jersey Shores dwarf Snooki was featured briefly “reading” Pelecanos novel The Cut.

Comment on Strange Bedfellows: Politicians and their Favourite Crime Novels by Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:57:43 +0000

Just remembered Bush 1 is also friends with Patricia Cornwell.

Comment on Strange Bedfellows: Politicians and their Favourite Crime Novels by Steve Powell

Steve Powell — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:18:31 +0000

Thanks Steve, I'm less knowledgeable about the Presidents, but I've managed to dig up some more Lords with links to the genre. There is Lord (Julian) Fellowes, Gosford Park is a murder mystery and Downton Abbey has elements of mystery. There is also Lord (David) Puttnam who produced Agatha, a film about Agatha Christie's life starring Vanessa Redgrave, although Puttnam quit the production due to disagreements with Dustin Hoffman. Best, Steve