The Savage City

by T. J. English

  “I don’t think I will be a free man soon”: Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 100–101. Whitmore’s correspondence with John Lawrence, who had briefly been an inmate at Bellevue Psychiatric Hospital while George was there, is detailed throughout Whitmore.

  Leftow summation: Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 431– 433; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 141–142.

  Lichtman summation (“on the button”): Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 102; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 433–435; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, p. 142; interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009).

  Whitmore found guilty: McNamara, Joseph, “Career Girls’ Slaying Suspect Convicted in B’klyn Rape Try,” Daily News, November 19, 1964; interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  “I was shocked”: Interview with Gerald Whitmore (June 18, 2009).

  “This helps to dispose of the police brutality charge”: Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 103; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 436; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, p. 143.

  Case of William Coleman: Benjamin, Philip, “Confession Cases May Rise Sharply,” New York Times, February 15, 1965.

  Selwyn Raab background: Interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); “The Original Kojak,” Time, November 24, 1974.

  Raab investigation of Borrero jury: Interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); interview with Jerome Leftow (February 17, 2009).

  Existence of FBI lab report about the button: Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 441; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 107–108; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, p. 173; Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confession,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969.

  Raab’s Harper’s article killed by Hogan: Interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); Mayer, Martin, “‘Hogan’s Office’ Is a Kind of Ministry of Justice,” New York Times, July 23, 1967.

  Raab contacts Mrs. Birdine Whitmore: Interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009).

  Mrs. Whitmore retains Miller and Kaplan: Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 105–106; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 438–439; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 146–147.

  Attorney Stanley Reiben: Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 437–447.

  Ricky Robles targeted as Wylie-Hoffert killer: Ibid.; Jones, Theodore, “Police Doubted Whitmore Story,” New York Times, November 9, 1965; “Two Lives for a Fix,” Time, December 10, 1965.

  Lt. Thomas Cavanaugh background: Van Gelder, Lawrence, “Thomas J. Cavanagh, Jr., 82, Who Inspired ‘Kojak,’ Dies,” New York Times, August 4, 1996; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 486.

  Cavanaugh puts squeeze on Robles: Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 486, 488–494; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 115; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 191–192, 211–212.

  Robles confession: Ibid.; Roth, Jack, “Wylie Case Arrest Is Based on Tapes,” New York Times, January 29, 1965.

  NAACP involvement: NAACP Papers, Whitmore file (SCRBC); “N.A.A.C.P. Seeks to Aid Whitmore in Rape Case,” New York Times, January 9, 1965; Benjamin, Philip, “N.A.A.C.P. Presses Aid to Whitmore,” New York Times, February 9, 1965; Kaplan, Samuel, “N.A.A.C.P. Seeking Reopening of Case,” New York Times, February 13, 1965; “George Whitmore Jr.’s ‘Confession,’” The Crisis, March 1965; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 390–392; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 108–109, 118–119.

  Telegram to Gov. Rockefeller: NAACP Papers, Whitmore file (SCRBC).

  Whitmore receives glasses at Sing Sing prison: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  7. HARLEM NOCTURNE

  Malcolm X television interview: CBS News, January 1965.

  Malcolm X split with Elijah Muhammad: Haley, Autobiography of Malcolm X, pp. 290, 301–317; Breitman (ed.), Malcolm X Speaks, the chapter entitled “Declaration of Independence,” pp. 18–22.

  Assassination of Malcolm X: Breslin, Jimmy, “Malcolm X Slain by Gunmen as 400 in Ballroom Watch,” Herald Tribune, February 22, 1965; Breitman, George, Herman Porter, and Baxter Smith, The Assassination of Malcolm X, entire book.

  Bin Wahad reaction to assassination: Interview with Dhoruba Bin Wahad (September 16, 2008).

  Richard Moore becomes Dhoruba: Ibid.

  Bin Wahad’s readings in prison: Ibid.

  “I definitely had a bad attitude”: Ibid.

  Bin Wahad before State Parole Board: Ibid.

  Ossie Davis eulogy of Malcolm X: The author listened to a recording of the eulogy at SCBR, January 21, 2010.

  Eddie Ellis background: Interview with Eddie Ellis (May 15, 2009); Widener, Pam, “Eddie Ellis at Large,” Prison Life, October 1996.

  Mosque Number Seven burned down: “Muslim Mosque Burns in Harlem Blast Reported,” New York Times, February 23, 1965; Kihss, Peter, “Mosque Fires Stir Fear of Vendetta in Malcolm Case,” New York Times, February 24, 1965.

  “There was a lot of anger and frustration”: Interview with Eddie Ellis (May 15, 2009).

  Kitty Genovese murder: Rosenthal, A. M., Thirty-eight Witnesses, entire book.

  “City in Crisis”: New York Herald Tribune, January 25, 1965. The series ran until spring, with articles under differing bylines. The subtitle of the series was “New York, Greatest City in the World—And Everything Is Wrong with It.” For general mood of the city at the time, see also Lindsay, John, “Can New York Be Saved,” Saturday Evening Post, October 9, 1965; Nichols, Mary Perot, “Is There a Chance for New York City?” Village Voice, October 28, 1965.

  “Something has gone out of the heart and soul of New York City”: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, p. 61; Fun City Revisited: The Lindsay Years, PBS documentary.

  “No problem facing New York City”: Ibid.

  “What is happening” (Buckley quote): Cannato, The Ungovernable City, p. 62.

  Buckley announced candidacy: Ibid.

  “Every time a judge and jury”: Breslin, Jimmy, and Dick Schaap, “The Lonely Crimes,” Herald Tribune, October 25–29, 1965.

  “It’s ten o’clock”: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, p. 163.

  Attitudes of cops toward Lindsay: Interview with Sonny Grosso (May 13, 2009); interview with Randy Jurgensen (February 12, 2010); interview with Robert Daley (January 21, 2010); interview with Brian McDonald (February 4, 2010); interview with Michael Armstrong (August 12, 2009); Murphy, Patrick V., and Thomas Plate, Commissioner, p. 38.

  “It was just part of the job”: Shecter with Phillips, On the Pad, p. 212.

  “I’ve seen a guy brought in”: Ibid.

  “arms outstretched like Jesus Christ”: Interview with Robert Leuci (February 12, 2009).

  “I mean, I’m not a merciful guy”: Shecter with Phillips, On the Pad, p. 213

  The flake: Ibid.; interview with Edwin Torres (April 13, 2009).

  Numbers racket in Harlem: Grutzner, Charles, “Dimes Make Millions for Numbers Racket,” New York Times, June 28, 1964; Powledge, Fred, “Pick a Number from 000 to 999,” New York Times Magazine, December 6, 1964; Johnson, Thomas A., “Numbers Called Harlem’s Balm,” New York Times, March 1, 1971; Leuci, The New Centurions, p. 305. Writes Leuci: “A Harlem captain once told me that there were forty policy number drops in one Harlem division alone. To operate, they paid one hundred dollars a day, 365 days a year. Do the math…. The money was major, the backbone and heart of corruption in New York City. The pad went all the way up, right through police headquarters into the mayor’s office.”

  French Connection narcotics theft: Blumenthal, Ralph, “Mobster Makes Offer on French Connection Case,” New York Times, February 22, 2009; Leuci, All the Centurions, pp. 312–316, 318, 331; Lardner and Reppetto, NYPD, p. 269; Murphy and Plate, Commissioner, p. 116.

  Adam Clayton Powell Jr. accuses NYPD of corruption: Grutzner, Charles, “Powell Is Called a Liar by Police,” New York Times, February 20, 1965; “Powell Tells of Threats on Life Over Crime Expose,” New York Times, March 4, 1965.

  Harry Gross gambling scandal: Lardner and Plate, NYPD, pp. 224, 261–265, 276; Cunningham, Barry, with Mike Pearl, Mr. District Attorney, p. 163.

  Phillips connection to Freddy Clark: Sh
ecter with Phillips, On the Pad, pp. 222–224.

  “I go over to see Freddy for Christmas”: Ibid.

  Freddy Clark homicide: Ibid.

  Phillips approaches Grosso with score: Interview with Sonny Grosso (April 13, 2009).

  “Phillips was a good cop”: Interview with Edwin Torres (April 13, 2009).

  Phillips approaches Torres: Ibid.

  Dick Gregory at Antioch Baptist Church: “Negroes Blamed in Lag on Rights,” New York Times, February 15, 1965; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 125–126.

  NAACP involvement with Coleman and Everett cases: NAACP Papers, Whitmore file (SCRBC); Zion, Sidney, “Death Row Convict Lays Confession to Beating,” New York Times, April 1, 1965.

  “The police have apparently” (NAACP statement): Zion, Sidney E., “Inquiry Sought in Whitmore Case,” New York Times, April 3, 1965.

  Whitmore accepted at Walt Disney School: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009); Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 189–190.

  Whitmore draws Malcolm X portraits at Sing Sing: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  Hearing before Judge Malbin: Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 131– 132; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 442–445; Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969.

  Gerald Corbin affidavit: Ibid.

  Judge Malbin questions juror: Interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 211–212; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 444; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 193–194.

  Gerald Corbin testimony: Ibid.

  Judge Malbin questions Lichtman: Ibid.

  “The hearing revealed that prejudice and racial bias” (Judge Malbin ruling): Ibid.

  Borrero conviction thrown out: Ibid.

  8. FATHERS AND SONS

  NAACP history: Jonas, Gilbert, Freedom’s Sword, entire book; Branch, Parting the Waters, pp. 49–53, 189, 190, 847–849; Branch, Pillar of Fire, pp. 271–274, 423–425; Biondi, To Stand and Fight, pp. 23–28, 112–113, 201.

  “To promote equality of rights” (NAACP charter): NAACP official website.

  “I am positive that the police”: Roth, Jack, “‘Confessions’ Laid to Police,” New York Times, January 28, 1965.

  “Call it what you want”: Ibid.

  Minnie Edmonds case (pretrial Hundley hearing): Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 137–146; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 510–513.

  Whitmore at Hundley hearing: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  Minnie Edmonds trial: Ibid.

  “Any person who claims to have deep feelings”: Haley, Autobiography of Malcolm X, p. 112. Also on effects of incarceration, see Vaught, Seneca, “Narrow Cells and Lost Keys: The Impact of Jails and Prisons on Black Protest, 1940–1972” (Ph.D. dissertation, Bowling Green State University, December 2006).

  Bin Wahad at Coxsackie, Comstock, and Green Haven prisons: Interview with Dhoruba Bin Wahad (September 16, 2008).

  Bin Wahad encounter with his father at Green Haven prison: Ibid.

  “The meeting was kind of routine”: Ibid.

  Background on Collins Moore: Ibid.

  Bin Wahad sent to the Box: Ibid.

  “This is the year of Whitmore”: Benjamin, Phillip, “Confessions Cases May Rise Sharply,” New York Times, February 15, 1965; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 165; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 526.

  Repeal of death penalty in New York State: Apple, R.W., Jr., “Two Sides Testify on Death Penalty,” New York Times, March 26, 1965; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 156–157; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 451; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, p. 180.

  Repeal of “Blue Ribbon” juries: Schanberg, Sidney H., “Blue-Ribbon Jury Barred in State,” New York Times, July 16, 1965.

  Wylie-Hoffert murder trial: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009); Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 544–573; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 217–231; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 163–174.

  Whitmore on the stand: Ibid.

  Posttrial press conference: Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969.

  Whitmore makes hooch in prison: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  9. FEAR

  John Lindsay elected mayor: Talmer, Jerry, “Battle for City Hall: The Story of John Lindsay,” New York Post, October 25, 1965; “Lindsay’s Astounding Victory,” New York Times, November 3, 1965; Schumach, Murray, “The Oath Is Taken,” New York Times, January 1, 1966; “New Mayor,” op-ed, New York Times, January 1, 1966; Thimmesch, Nick, “The Fight for City Hall: Anatomy of a Victory,” New York Herald Tribune Magazine, January 2, 1966.

  Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB): “Lindsay Appoints Anticrime Panel,” New York Times, November 27, 1966; Cannato, The Ungovernable City, pp. 155–188; Lardner and Reppetto, NYPD, pp. 256–258, 268–267, 322; Levitt, NYPD Confidential, pp. 98, 161–162; Alex, Nicholas, New York City Cops Talk Back, pp. 75–80, 115, 193, 206; Klein, Herbert, The Police: Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don’t, pp. 20, 98–99.

  Vincent L. Broderick: Madden, Richard L., “Lindsay Delaying on Head of Police,” New York Times, November 28, 1965.

  “If you believe that a police officer”: Ibid.

  Howard Leary chosen as commissioner: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, pp. 165, 470–471; Lardner and Reppetto, NYPD, pp. 257–258; Murphy and Plate, Commissioner, pp. 36–37.

  “I am sick and tired of giving in to minority groups”: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, p. 68.

  Incident at Joe’s Place in Harlem: “White Policeman Accused by CORE,” New York Times, March 1, 1966; Montgomery, Paul L., “Police Transfer 3 in Harlem ‘Disrobing’ Incident,” New York Times, March 2, 1968; Cannato, The Ungovernable City, pp. 335–337.

  CORE protest and press conference: Robinson, Douglas, “CORE Vows ‘to Escalate War’ on ‘Vicious Acts’ by City Police,” New York Times, March 3, 1966; Cannato, The Ungovernable City, p. 341.

  Lindsay pushes for new CCRB: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, pp. 156–159, 167–170, 183–188; Lardner and Reppetto, NYPD, pp. 257–258.

  CCRB campaign: Cannato, The Ungovernable City, pp. 168–169, 171–172; Cowan, Ruth, “The New York Civilian Complaint Review Board Referendum of November 1966: A Case Study of Mass Politics” (Ph.D. dissertation, New York University, 1970); Kheel, Theodore, “Facts and Myths About the Police Review Board,” New York World Journal Tribune, October 23, 1966; Skolnick, Jerome, “Why Cops Behave the Way They Do,” New York World Journal Tribune, October 23, 1966; McFadden, J. P., “Who Will Protect the Police?” National Review, April 5, 1966.

  “The only thing [it] didn’t show”: Ibid.

  Roy Wilkins’s response to PBA campaign: Wilkins, Roy, “A Sly Campaign Against Negroes,” Amsterdam News, October 15, 1966.

  CCRB complaints against Phillips: Shecter with Phillips, On the Pad, p. 396.

  Phillips’s “scores”: Ibid.

  “Money became just paper to me”: Ibid.

  “I sure had a fucking ball”: Ibid.

  Flies solo after six hours of instruction: Ibid., p. 187.

  Meanwhile, a throng of onlookers gathered: Ibid.

  Phillips lands plane on LIE: Ibid.

  “She [was] really pissed off”: Ibid., p. 191.

  “I put a thousand dollars down”: Ibid.

  NYPD Flying Club: Ibid., pp. 191–192; McDonald, My Father’s Gun, pp. 236–238; Lardner and Reppetto, NYPD, p. 268.

  Incident with Officer Walter Jefferys: Shecter with Phillips, On the Pad, pp. 197–200.

  “The job requires total commitment”: Interview with Randy Jurgensen (February 12, 2010).

  Jurgensen career background: Ibid.

  “Oh, yeah, I knew who Phillips was”: Ibid.

  Disputes between Whitmore attorneys: Int
erview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009); interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); interview with Myron Beldock (January 27, 2009); Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 421, 423–424; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 217–221; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 234–235.

  “I thought they might kill each other”: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009).

  Second Borrero trial: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009); interview with Selwyn Raab (April 22, 2009); Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, pp. 519–521, 522; Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 128–136; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 258–260.

  “Your Honor, both Detectives” (ADA Schmier quote): Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 411; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 193.

  “It is high time” (DA Koota quote): Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 522; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 196. For a detailed profile of Aaron Koota, see Fleming, Thomas J., “Case of the Debatable Brooklyn D.A.,” New York Times Magazine, March 19, 1967.

  The Miranda decision: Graham, Fred P., “Curb on Police Questions Is Ruled Not Retroactive,” New York Times, June 21, 1966; Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, pp. 243–249.

  Koota drops Edmonds indictment: Shapiro, “Annals of Jurisprudence: The Whitmore Confessions,” The New Yorker, February 8, 1969; Lefkowitz and Gross, The Victims, p. 519; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 151; Raab, Justice in the Back Room, p. 259.

  Judge Barshay releases Whitmore on bail: Anderson, David, “Whitmore Due to Go Free on Bail Today on Appeal After 2 Years in Jail,” New York Times, July 13, 1966.

  R. Peter Straus posts bail: “Whitmore Freed on Bail to Work for Jersey Town,” New York Times, July 14, 1966; Shapiro, Whitmore, p. 209.

  Whitmore returns to Wildwood: Interview with George Whitmore (April 3, 2009); Shapiro, Whitmore, pp. 211–212.