Crime in the City of Angels

father to the county jail and courthouse, Crime in the City ofAngels: but was skeptical of her claim that her Two Views of the Past father had pu lled a gun in court during a high-profile murder trial. BY SABR I NA CORSA A curious Trope set out to conduct his own research into Rogers' conduct during the trial of People v. Boyd. Poring Whether yo u're interested in historical events, high through 1902 newspaper articles, Trope profile trials, legal anecdotes, or celebrity scandals, stumbled across a Los Angeles Times yo u'll find them in Michael T rope's book, Once Upon headline that read, "Buffalo Bill's hottest a Time in Los Angeles - The Ih'als of Ea rl Rogers. O n show was a tame performance compared the other side, For The People - Inside the Los Angeles with Earl Rogers in the Boyd trial yester County District Attorney's Office, 1850-2000, high day. It was so effective that he drove the lights the role of the DA, providing a captivating look jury under the table and the audience out inside some of the most notorious criminal cases to the fire escapes." haunt the dockets of the Los Angeles courts since the Having confirmed St. Johns' account, mid-nineteenth century. Trope dove into further research on Earl Do yo u know the origin of the name "Griffith Rogers. H e sifted through numerous Park?" Or, that the man who donated that land to Los microfiched newspapers at the downtown Angeles shot his wife in the head while they were Los Angeles public library. Focusing on vacationing at a Santa Monica hotel? Did you know Rogers' trials, Trope was pleased to dis that the LA C hief of Police was criminally charged in cover that the court proceedings were 1915 based on allegations of illicit conduct with a sev often covered by several daily publica enteen-year-old girl ? tions. Journalists frequently competed for business by You can read about these and other high-profil e providing the most detailed accounts of trial proceed events in Michae l Lance T rope's recent publication, ings, Trope explains. Nearly verbatim transcripts were Once Upo n A Time in Los Angeles - The 'foals of Earl regularly published in va rious newspapers, allowing a Rogers, a fasc inating account of Rogers' rise and fa ll as present-day historian to cross-check the accounts. one of California's preeminent criminal defense attor The Los Angeles Superior Court's archives also neys of the early 1900s. provided a wealth of source material on Earl Rogers. Trope begins by sketching Earl Rogers' life and his Case fil es contained copies of transcripts and pleadings ultimate demise as a penniless drunk in a Los Angeles - in fact, Trope found a motion that had been signed boarding house. He then proceeds to recount some of and fil ed by Rogers in 1903. Rogers' most colorful cases, including various murder Over the next decade, while maintaining his pri trials, the San Francisco graft tri als, the Los Angel vate law practice, Trope continued his research into es Times bombing case, and the C larence Darrow Rogers' life, gathering material one case at a time. bribery trial. Trope eventually selected about fifteen of his favorites, Each chapter covers a separate trial, making the and ultimately compiled the collection that would book read like a collection of two-minute mysteries, become Once Upon a Time in Los Angeles. with such colorful titles as The Case of Catalina A history major during his undergraduate years at Cards harp and The Case of the D ea d Woman's the University of Southern California, Trope describes Diamonds. The c h apters unfold unpred ictably, the experience of researching and writing the book as and Trope has included excerpts of testimony that an "intellectual fantasy." "I've always enj oyed ge tting reveal classic cross-examination techniques and clever close to the source to distinguish between reality and trial tactics. myth," he explains. I recently caught up with T rope at Jerry's Deli in Trope set each case aga inst a historical backdrop Los Angeles to talk with him about his book and how that allowed him to recount subtly the history of Los the project developed. Angeles during the early 1900s. Significant events such T rope first learned of Earl Rogers in 1988 when, as as the great fire, the San Fra ncisco earthquake, the a new lawyer, he happened to see the obituary of a developing labor movement, the growth of city gov woman named Adela Rogers Saint Johns, born in ernment and its vulnerability to corruption play a role 1894. The obituary indicated that she was raised by her m his stori es. "[ don't think many people know that father - a single, rather eccentric alcoholic who also the Chief of Poli ce at the time was charged with statu happened to be one of the most infa mous lawyers in tory rape, or that Griffith shot his wife in the face " Los Angeles during the early 1900s. T rope was Trope notes. ' intrigued by St. Johns' memori es of accompanying her NEW S LETTER· S PRIN G/SU M MEil. 2 003 9 If Trope had to select a favorite case, it would be What follows are an additional twelve captivating the one that led him into the project, People v. Boyd, chapters with such titles as Crimes of the Heart, or The Case of the Catalina Cardsharp. The defen Family Violence, In the Limelight, and Gangs. Focusing dant was in a desperate situation, with little evidence on infamous crimes, Parrish often relays a touching and in his favor. "Rogers' instincts during closing allowed intimate view of the victims while exploring the evi him to do the only thing he could have done to show dence presented at trial, the challenges faced by the reasonable doubt, and he did it. He showed strategic prosecutors, and the public sentiment at the time. intellectual brilliance and dramatic flair as a showman. Throughout, the pages are adorned with scrapbook-like And he showed courage - because it takes courage to images of headlines, newspaper articles and photos that pull a gun out in front of a jury to save your client from capture the history, mood and media attention sur going to the gallows!" rounding each case. But what Trope learned most from Rogers is that For The People is a wonderful book to read along "no matter how important it is to be passionate about side Once Upon A Time In Los Angeles. Sympathetic your case, you must also be well-prepared. And Rogers to the defense, Trope's book reads like a series of detec always knew his subject matter - often times even bet tive stories unfolding in a sometimes suspenseful man ter than his experts." ner. Parrish's volume, meanwhile, is written from The same period of LA's criminal justice history the angle of the prosecution and reads like a colorful covered by Trope is included in For The People - Inside encyclopedia. The two books present distinct historical the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office, 1850- perspectives on the City of Los Angeles and its devel 2000. Authored by Michael Parrish, with a foreword by opment from "cow town beginnings," and provide a California State Librarian Kevin Starr, For The People is fascinating comparison of the scandals surrounding for part of a collaborative project by the District Attorney's mer Police Chief Charles Sebastian, Clarence Darrow Crime Prevention Foundation. and the Los Angeles Times bombing. The cover of this large-format book is eye-catching With a display of trial strategies and courtroom to say the least - a glossy collage of photographic tactics amidst great storytelling, Trope's book makes a images highlighting significant pieces of Los Angeles' great gift for an aspiring litigator. And with its dramat modem legal history. Who can forget O.J. Simpson's ic photos and vivid case summaries, For The People is a white Bronco cruising the freeway, followed by a long, well-designed and beautiful compilation that will look wide trail of LAPD patrol cars; Reginald Denny lying handsome in any law office or court reception area. in the street beside the red cab of his truck; Robert But, more importantly, these publications are great Kennedy struggling to get up after being shot at the reads for yourself, even if you have a busy schedule like Ambassador Hotel; Rodney King on the ground, most scholars and lawyers. Both can be enjoyed one surrounded by LAPD officers; accused murderer chapter at a time. But don't be surprised if, like me, you Barbara Graham peering over her shoulder from the have trouble putting them down! defense table; wild-eyed Charles Manson staring into Michael Trope is an attorney with Trope & Trope in Los the camera? Angeles, maintaining a general civil practice. From 1989 The book begins with a touching introduction to 19 90, Trope tried cases as a public defender before from former District Attorney Gil Garcetti, who resuming his private practice. Prior to practicing lau;, he reveals a rather ironic tum of events in LA's history. spent twelve years as a sports agent, representing more Who would have known that the young cop and the than one hundred athletes, including a number of young street gangster he arrested would go on, each in Reisman trophy winners. Other works by Trope include his own way, to impact local government? That cop a novel, Necessary Roughness, based on his experiences was former Mayor Tom Bradley.

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