The Onion Field Page #4

four-door, white over red...

Edward-ocean-boy, 940,

Use caution, Vehicle may contain 187...

- They're long gone by now.

- Probably heading north.

- What's that?

- Right model and color.

- Wrong license though. Only one guy.

- Let's check it out, anyway.

Goddamn it!

Damn it!

Good evening. Can I see your license

and registration, please?

I wasn't speeding, was I?

No, but this is a registration

for a Chevy wagon, Mr. Powell.

No. I know what happened.

I have two cars. A Chevy wagon, which

my wife drives and this one, which is mine.

And I registered the cars the same day,

and inadvertently, I switched the...

the registration cards.

I'm sorry.

I hope you don't give me a ticket.

We won't write you a ticket.

Just to satisfy me,

would you open your trunk?

Sure.

Thank you.

What for?

Two men killed a police officer

out in those fields tonight.

A car like this was stolen

a few minutes later.

Killed a police officer?

Surely, you don't think it was me.

It's stuck.

The license said you lived

in Oceanside, Mr. Powell.

Yes.

My parents live there.

I live in Los Angeles.

Just north on business.

That's an irrigation shovel.

This car doesn't belong to any city man.

You're making a big mistake.

I'm a taxpayer and a citizen.

You're making one big mistake, pal.

Turn around.

I'm Sgt. Pierce Brooks...

Los Angeles Police Department.

I'm the investigator on this case.

Yes, sir, Sgt. Brooks,

it's nice to meet you.

Before we start, I want to tell you right off

that I'm happy to cooperate.

My partner, Jimmy Youngblood,

fired that shot into that officer's face...

then shot him again when he went down.

I wasn't even armed at that time.

As far as finding Jimmy,

I can describe him for you.

He's a negro, about my age and size.

Very nice looking.

Youngblood may not be

his real name, but...

he got out of Folsom Prison eight days

ago, so he shouldn't be hard to identify.

Yes, he knows

the Bakersfield area real well.

You might want to spread some mug shots

around an area he called Cottonwood Road.

Get that son of a b*tch!

Get him down on the floor!

Come on, roll over, cop killer!

- Move!

- Cop killer? Wait, please!

I ain't no killer!

I never shot that man!

I didn't shoot nobody! I'm just a thief!

I've been a thief all my life!

I'm just a thief! I ain't no killer!

They gas people for that!

Ian will be grievously missed

by his wife, Adah...

and his daughters, Valerie and Lori...

and his mother, Chrissie Campbell.

And he also will be missed

by his fellow officers.

Ian James Campbell

has completed his tour of duty.

May the love of God be with you all.

Amen.

Detail, ten-hut!

Present arms.

Order arms.

Ready.

Aim.

Fire!

Left march.

Parade rest.

You know, Jimmy...

Your story of the kidnapping and the ride

isn't really far off from Officer Hettinger's.

Thank you, Sgt. Brooks.

I thought maybe you didn't believe me.

The big problem, Jimmy,

is you left out a very significant detail.

What's that, sir?

After the officer

was shot down by Powell...

someone, using Officer Campbell's gun...

fired four shots into his chest.

Powell...

- Powell had two guns, a gun in each hand.

- So did you, Jimmy.

One of you had Officer Campbell's gun.

Four shots.

Yeah.

I guess I was too scared.

Yeah.

I remember those shots.

Down they went.

Down.

The fireballs went down into him, and...

Go on.

It was like...

the hand...

The Officer's hand kept...

reaching for my leg.

It was jerking, like,

reaching for my leg.

It jerked every time a bullet hit him.

I sort of get a picture

of Powell shooting down.

It would've been hard for Powell to fire

four shots into Officer Campbell...

at the same time

he was shooting at the fleeing officer.

The gun...

The bullets...

We have all of the guns

and the shells and the slugs.

And of course we have Officer Hettinger.

And what's he saying?

He don't say I fired those shots.

He don't say that, does he?

Did you?

Sgt. Brooks, I'm just a thief.

I never hurt nobody in my life.

I'm just a thief.

Have you ever felt bad

when you did something wrong?

- Like how?

- Has your conscience ever bothered you?

Like feeling guilty?

Mr. Brooks.

I believe...

I think...

that is something

that rich white guys dreamed up...

to keep guys like me down.

I honest don't believe there is

such a thing, such a feeling.

Guilty?

That's just something the man says

in court when his luck runs out.

You want to talk to me?

Yeah, Karl.

You've probably had to tell the story

of the onion field to everyone today.

They've got an idea downtown.

I think it's a good one.

How about telling it to all

the roll calls for a few days...

and just getting it over with?

- All the roll calls?

- Yeah.

You know, there are questions.

Like, why can't you say

who fired the last four shots into Ian?

I know it was Jimmy Smith.

But I can't swear to it.

It was dark. I can't be sure.

It doesn't matter because they're both

gonna go to the gas chamber.

When you get in there, I just want you

to tell it in your own words.

Tell how you guys followed them.

I mean, you can't bring Ian back...

but if you tell them

the things you did wrong...

the things that you wish

you would've done...

you just might save the life of

one of those boys. All right?

- Hello, Sgt. Brooks. How are you today?

- Greg.

I want you to say hello

to a couple of people.

Let's take a walk.

I got news for you.

Jimmy Smith's been arrested.

That's his real name.

He's here in this building.

Will you tell the same story

in front of him that you told me?

Why not?

All right, this is Sgt. Pierce R. Brooks,

serial number 5702...

Los Angeles Police Department,

Homicide Division.

Present is my partner,

Officer Glenn Bates.

It is 3:
05 p.m., March 12th, 1963.

We are recording

the statements of Gregory Ulas Powell...

and Jimmy Lee Smith, who are together

for the first time since their arrest.

Okay, Glenn.

You want to bring Officer Hettinger in?

Officer Hettinger.

All right.

Officer Karl Francis Hettinger

has entered the room.

Greg.

Would you like Officer Hettinger

to begin or do you want to?

I may as well tell you.

I popped the first cap into that officer

and Jim popped caps after he went down.

That's a lie. I never hurt

nobody in my life.

You're a liar. You're just a f***ing punk

and too chicken-sh*t to tell the truth.

- He's lying.

- Why would I lie?

I'm going to the gas chamber.

And he's going, too.

No matter who fired the last shots.

Why the hell would I lie?

What could I gain?

You buzzard. I'm putting a curse on that

unborn baby your lady's carrying around.

It's gonna be born dead!

You hear me, sucker? Dead!

You f***ing...

All right, Glenn. Take Jimmy next door

and let him cool off.

Greg.

Thank you.

Did you take care of my woman?

She said she was going home

to stay with her parents.

Okay.

As I got out of the car,

I was trying to think up some alternative.

I thought of handcuffing them but I realized

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