WE ARE: 5 women navigating our twenties in search of peace, happiness and love (or not). WE WRITE: about everything and nothing. From the insane to the mundane- you will find different paths taken, lessons learned and lives lived. WE THINK: you’ll enjoy it...Warning: Consumption of these views may leave you enlightened while intoxicated.

SO LONG, FAREWELL...

The View From Here will conclude on Friday, October 1, our third year anniversary. We would like to spend this month thanking all of our readers, followers, haters, visitors, family, friends, and fans for your continued support, encouragement, and comments over these past few years. Thanks y'all!
-The Five Spot

Thursday, January 24, 2008

to catch a killer

Earlier this month, I got cable and that’s saying something cause I’d been without it for over 9 months. And I’m so happy to have the first 48 back in my life.

This. Show. Is. The. TRUTH. Literally, ha ha…

For homicide detectives, the clock starts ticking the moment they are called. Their chance of solving a case is cut in half if they don't get a lead in THE FIRST 48. dunt dunt.

The show follows around homicide detectives in cities like Miami, Las Vegas & Detroit as they try to solve murders. There are usually two murders per show and they switch back and forth between the cities as the detectives arrive on the scene, investigate and try to catch the killers.

I started watching it in the summer of ‘06 when I was studying for my first bar exam…lol, who knew. Anyway, that summer I tried not to watch any tv but one day after a boring-as-usual bar.bri class, I was layin on my friend’s couch flipping through and this show caught my attention.

A reality show. Dead Bodies. Drama. Mystery. Sign me up. It’s law and order without the filter and I love it for a few reasons.

Sgt. Caroline Mason. She cracks me up. showing up at crime scenes wit stilettos on, her weave swinging, nails and make-up some crazy shade of red, she chats up the folks in the hood using what she calls “her ghetto pass.” and she usually gets the goods. I just love her.

Now ya’ll know I’m more defense minded. Well, very, totally and completely but whatever. For some reason, I find it so fascinating to watch the process from the other side. Of course, it burns me up when people go into the interview room and after a couple of pointed questions, jokers start pouring they hearts out.

Okay okay, you want me to tell you what really happened? I’ma tell you the real truth. This the truth right here. What had happened was…

Damn damn damn suspect, keep your mouth shut. Ask for a lawyer

But at the same time, I’m happy when people tell the truth, that they did it (but they do “deserve” and have a right to a competent defense) because the show is so good at humanizing the victims.

Dude mighta been standing on the corner slanging when he got shot, but announcer guy will say some shit like, Darnell Jenkins, the father of two small children, grew up in the neighborhood, everybody knew him… AS A DRUG DEALER. But still, every person that dies is treated with respect no matter the circumstances of their death and you see that in the back story of their lives, the moments when the detectives go to their families and break the news that they have passed, and the pain and emotion in the detectives faces as a trail goes cold.

Which leads me to my last point. The detectives involved are actually pretty decent. I don’t know if it’s because they are on camera but they do aight. I am by no means a cop-lover and I especially dislike the regular beat cops who often terrorize our neighborhoods unjustifiably. I’ve ridden along with the NYPD so I know of which I speak. They’re glorified cowboys, wielding way too much power and way too little understanding about our communities. But that’s for another day. The first 48 detectives are truth-seekers. I can’t recall a time when I’ve seen them lie to a suspect to get a confession. And that generally goes down on the regular in interrogation rooms around the country.

See for yourself. Check out my girl Mason in action tonight at 10 on A&E.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really do enjoy watching this. It has occurred to me that the detectives are probably on their best behaviour whilst the cameras are rolling, which makes perfect sense.

But as to your comments about the police, I think they need to wield the power they do and more. Why? Because thugs and gang bangers have entire communities under seige. Until they have no more power, I think the police could always use more.

mint julep said...

true enough, crime can terrorize a community but more power to do what? stop every black and brown person on the street cause they fit the "criminal" profile, knock down more doors without search warrants cause they think illegal activity is taking place inside, more shooting first and asking questions later?

such an increase in power may net more "criminals" or more timothy stansbury's, sean bell's, or random black folks like me shaken down because i look like i'm drug affiliated.

no easy answers...

The Breaking Point said...

More power to create an environment that discourages even petty crime.

As it is now, the police respond to what the criminals do. I think the opposite should be true. The police should keep these people so anxious that they figure it wouldbe easier to obey the law than to break it.

Amaretto said...

This weekend was the first time I ever watched the show. I enjoy Law and Order, so I definitely enjoyed this...

Though like LH said I believe either a) these cops are on their best behavior because the cameras are rolling or b) someone is getting happy with the edit button.

My aunt is a police officer and she's told me stories about the Good 'Ole Boys and their treatment of colored people in the streets. One story included a black man that was forced to stand outside in January whilst it was snowing without a jacket (bc it was still in the car) until the tow truck came to impound the vehicle. And the officer refused to let this man wait in the nearby McDonald's!

I mean I'm not excusing this man, he was driving illegally but he's still a person. LH/Breaking Point what you propose sounds like the police state described in "1984". Even in gestapo ruled Russia people were still trying to figure out ways to get over...that's the nature of people when they aren't raised well or if they are backed into hopeless corners.