The Lennon Report Page #6

across the street.

- We gotta clear that

door, but don't move

until Mrs. Lennon

is ready to go.

- I'll inform the police.

- How bad is it out there?

- You can't tell the press

from the crazies anymore.

- How is he? Are they

done operating?

-He's gone.

- Is that more security for me?

- Was that her?

- Hey, hey!

-Is your radio on?

- It's complete radio silence.

I'm sorry I wish I could

be more helpful.

- That's not happening.

- Bud, bud...

He was 40 years-old

and is survived by

a wife and two sons.

While always popular,

Lennon was frequently a

controversial figure.

He used fame to give voice

to the cause of world peace

and asked us to imagine

a world where we can

live as one.

The irony of such a peaceful

man dying so violently

does not seem to have

silenced his message.

Mobs of fans have

spontaneously descended

on the Dakota and

Roosevelt hospital.

Police have had to shut down

several streets and avenues

to control the crowds.

These unexpected gatherings

seem to be outpourings of

affection and a celebration

of John's legacy.

-Alan! Really?

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Where do you think you're going?

Get back up here.

Come on. Easy, easy...

And what are you still

doing here, Reilly?

- Waiting to see what

time you get off.

- Out! Now.

- Okay.

Excuse me.

- Mhmm.

- Take care of yourself, Alan.

- All right, let's take

a look at that hip.

- Oh ho ho, doc,

what's the story?

- Story about what?

- Is he alive?

Is he dead?

Is he braindead? Did he

make a miraculous recovery

because he was pretty

dead when I saw him.

What's the story?!

- I'm sorry, Alan,

I can't tell you.

But there will be a

press conference

in a few minutes, okay?

- Doc!

I'm not exactly in any

condition to attend!

- I'm sorry, but I

can't answer you.

- Don't you work in the E.D, ?

- Weren't you the doctor?

- I'm the doctor on call.

- So if someone comes in

with a gunshot wound,

wouldn't that person

require your assistance if

they were still alive?

Doc, give me something

- media blackout, Alan.

All right?

Patient or not,

that includes you

- I wanna be checked out

of the hospital.

- Not without an X-ray.

- Did you always wanna

be a doctor?

- Yes.

But why is that relevant?

- Say you're walking down

the street, all right, and

this kid runs into the middle

of the street and gets

hit by a car.

You run to save him but by

the time you get there,

there's a crowd, there's

cops, they won't let

you through. You say you're

a doctor, they don't

believe you.

You have no credentials

but it turns out to be the

son of the president

of the hospital.

How would you feel?

What would you do?

That you couldn't get to him?

- Well, it depends.

- On what?

- Am I doing it because he's

the president's son?

Or because it's the

right thing to do?

- I can only imagine how

I come across being a

news producer and all but

I'll be honest with you.

I am a journalist first

and human being second.

But right now,

both my titles align,

telling me it's the

right thing to do.

So give me something.

Give me something, doc, come on.

Come on.

Give me something.

-Alan.

Good try.

I'm sorry, I can't tell you.

I'm going to go see to see if

the X-ray is ready

for you, okay?

- Howard [On tv[: The

dolphins win sixteen

to thirteen over the patriots.

-Thank you.

Oh! Fffuu!

-Sir? Sir, sir sir.

Come on, let me get you in.

You all right?

Can you support yourself?

Sir. Are you dizzy?

-Did he make it?

Newsroom.

- Phil!

- Alan!

- I got off the record

confirmation that he's dead.

- Alan. Thank god! Arledge

decided to run with your

lead and Cosell flashed it

on Monday night football.

We just broke the biggest

story of our careers.

Hold on, I'm sure

ABC radio wants to do

a follow-up with you.

I'm going to push you

through, man.

Who do we have on the line?

- My name is Alan Weiss.

I'm a producer at

eye witness news in New York.

- So you were there when

they brought him in?

- Yes, I was inside the

emergency department

when they brought

John Lennon in.

- All right, Alan,

can you tell us

exactly what happened?

- Yeah. I'll do my best

to tell you as much as I know

with as much detail as I can.

My gurney was situated

outside the O.R.

Where they worked on him.

-So you saw him come in?

- No, I didn't. All I saw

was blood, I didn't know

who it was. I thought I

overheard his name.

I confirmed it.

I got to a phone.

I called my desk.

- Can you confirm that he

was brought in by the police?

- Yes, that's correct.

Two police officers

brought him in, I believe.

-What's happening now?

-I'm not sure.

I'm currently in the

general hospital.

I was escorted out by security.

-David?

-Yeah.

- Calling it a night?

- Why'd you call him?

-Excuse me?

- Why'd you call Dr. Lynn?

You didn't trust me?

You didn't think I

can handle it?

- David, no. It's just his

department. He needed to...

-Can I have five minutes?

The voice of my youth just

died on my table.

I had his heart in my

hand. I had John Lennon's

still heart in my hand, so

can I have five minutes where

I don't react well to that?

- Sure you can.

It's understandable.

-Then why are you here?

- I was just coming to

check up on you.

You weren't the only one

in that room today.

I'm sorry that you got

blind-sided, but this

is the path we chose and this

is the world we live in.

And I'm sorry I even bothered.

That man had a great life.

It's just a pity it

got cut short.

But know it wasn't your fault.

There was no gun in your hand.

-Have the crowds cleared?

- Everyone's waiting for

the statement.

- John Lennon was brought to

the emergency department

shortly before 11 pm.

He had no vital signs at

the time of arrival.

Emergency surgery was done in an

attempt to resuscitate him.

He was pronounced dead

at 11:
15 pm.

I will not take any questions.

He was shot how many times?

He had multiple gun

shot wounds to his chest,

to left arm, and to his back.

How many times was he shot?

- There were seven

wounds in his body.

Seven bullets?

I don't know

exactly how many bullets.

There were just seven wounds.

Who did the surgery?

There was a

significant injury to the

major vessels in his chest.

Which led to a massive

amount of blood loss

which resulted in his death.

Did he lose consciousness

right away do you think?

- I am certain that he was dead

when the first gun

shots hit his body.

Thank you.

You have sort of

an arm's distance

from the stories you cover.

And most of those things

just didn't affect

me as a person.

John Lennon affected me

as a person.

It broke down that wall

of separation between

being a journalist and

being a person.

And I've carried that

forward ever since then.

I've always looked at news

ever since then

more as a person than just

as a journalist.

I had no idea that

I was gonna be a nurse.

I kinda was in high school

and someone said,

"well what are you gonna do?

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