The boy, Walter Collins, was reported as missing March 10th, 1928. We then instituted a...

Capt. J.J. Jones: The boy, Walter Collins, was reported as missing March 10th, 1928. We then instituted a nationwide search. On August 18th, we received a cable indicating that a boy matching his description was found in DeKalb, Illinois. Upon questioning, he admitted to being Walter Collins. We then made arrangements for him to be transported back to California. S.S. Hahn: Where Mrs. Collins told you the boy was not her son. Capt. J.J. Jones: Yes. She denied his identity in spite of all of the evidence pointing to the contrary. S.S. Hahn: But, as subsequent events have demonstrated, she was correct. So, what prompted you to send her for psychological evaluation? Capt. J.J. Jones: Whether or not this was in fact the correct boy was not relevant to my decision. Throughout this period, she acted strangely. She was often cool and aloof and unemotional, especially when confronted with the boy we found in DeKalb and in our subsequent conversation. It was because of her disturbing behavior that I submitted her for observation to the psychopathic ward of Los Angeles County General Hospital. S.S. Hahn: [snaps his fingers] Just like that. You snap your fingers and an innocent woman is thrown into the psycho ward. Capt. J.J. Jones: She wasn't thrown. S.S. Hahn: Every family in this state is in grave danger when a police captain can take a woman into his office and five minutes later have her thrown into the psychopathic ward on his own authority! [the courtroom erupts with applause] Capt. J.J. Jones: She wasn't thrown. She wasn't thrown! SHE WASN'T THROWN! S.S. Hahn: What was that, Captain? Capt. J.J. Jones: [the courtroom stops clapping] She wasn't thrown. She was escorted. [the courtroom fills with laughter] S.S. Hahn: Escorted, thrown, the verb doesn't matter, Captain. What does matter is that her incarceration was ordered without a warrant. I am holding a carbon copy of the affidavit of insanity that was issued in the case of the State of California v. Christine Collins. Who signed the affidavit? Capt. J.J. Jones: I did. S.S. Hahn: Well now, let me see if I have this correct. A woman was thrown into the psychopathic ward without a warrant, because no warrant existed. And when it was finally written several days later, there was no need to sign it or to go to a judge because she was already in the asylum! Is this correct, Captain? Capt. J.J. Jones: Technically, yes. Extraordinary steps were necessary because we were dealing - we were dealing with an extraordinary situation. Now, is it our fault that we were being deceived by a boy who claimed to be Walter Collins? No. In light of his claims and her - her disturbing behavior, who wouldn't begin to think that there was something the matter with her? S.S. Hahn: Because she questioned you? Capt. J.J. Jones: No, because she wouldn't listen! Because she insisted on being obstinate! Because she - because she tried to take matters into her own hand best left to qualified officers! Because once civil disobedience starts... S.S. Hahn: Because she was fighting for the life of her son! A boy who may have still been alive while you were wasting valuable time, denying you had done anything wrong! And in the end, that's what happened, isn't it? At some point, while all this was going on, Walter Collins was brutally murdered, along with as many as nineteen other boys at the Northcott Ranch in Wineville. Is that correct, Captain? Capt. J.J. Jones: Yes, it is. S.S. Hahn: [pause] No further questions.

whose young son, Walter Collins, disappeared nearly two weeks ago. Though she is not a member of our congregation, we pray for her today as we have every day, since we learned of her plight. On the radio and in the newspapers we are told that the Los Angeles Police Department is doing its very best, to reunite mother and child, and I'm sure that that is true. But, given its status as the most violent, corrupt and incompetent police department, this side of the Rocky Mountains, I am not sure, it's saying a great deal. Every day, new bodies appear along Mulholland, and in the ditches of our cities, the work of Police Chief James Davis and his aptly named, Gun Squad. Every day, the needs of honest citizens are put second, to greed and personal gain. Every day, this city sinks deeper into a cesspool, of fear, intimidation and corruption. Once the City of Angels, Los Angeles has become a place, where our protectors have become our brutalizers. Where to be the law, is to be above the law. I understand. Thank you. I will call back in a few weeks. Thank you very much. Las Vegas Missing Persons Department? Hello, this is Christine Collins. I'm calling to see if you've found any missing or lost children who meet the description that matches Walter Collins. All... Alright. If... Please do. Please do call. And I'll call back in a matter... In a week, if that's alright. Thank you very much. Thank you. $2. Hell, I think I left my wallet at home. Can I owe it to you? No credit. Pay up or I call the cops. I'm sick of bums like you coming around here. I'm not trying to stiff you, chief. I just left my wallet at home, that's all. I'll go back and get it. Five, 10 minutes, tops. Got collateral? You can't ask for better collateral than a man's own flesh and blood, right? Now, you stay here, son. I'll be right back. But... Now, don't give me any trouble. He's a good man to trust us like this. Now, you just stay here, and I'll go back and get my wallet. Ten minutes, then I call the cops. Yeah. Hell. Number, please. Hello, Myrtle? Yeah, this is Harve, down at the diner. Hi, Harve. Would you get me Sheriff Larsen? Sure thing. You have a nice day, too. Christine, I'm having trouble with the connection here. I can't seem to get through. I think so. Yeah, I think that's better. You have a person to person call, Fairfax 2231. Long distance. Sorry, can you repeat? I'll connect you right away, ma'am. Thanks. Mrs. Collins? Yes. I'm Captain J.J. Jones, Lincoln Park Juvenile Division. My office supervises all runaway and missing child cases, including your son's and... He's alive, Mrs. Collins. He was picked up two days ago by local police in DeKalb, Illinois. He's safe and unhurt. He was in the company of some drifter. We have an APB out for him, but he's safe. Thank you so much. Thank you. Christine... That is so great. Thank you. There's so much press. Yours is a story with a happy ending, Mrs. Collins. People love happy endings. We better get a move on, the train's pulling in. Back, boys. Back. Thanks. Thanks, boys, thanks! I'll have a statement for you in a few minutes, but the important thing right now, is to reunite this little lady with her son, so if you'll excuse us. Stay right there. Come on, don't rush. Easy, easy. Mrs. Collins, I'd like to introduce you to James E. Davis, Chief of Police. Very nice to meet you. We don't get a lot of positive attention from the boys in the press these days, so it's good to be here with a positive story, don't you think? I take it you've been treated well by my boys in the department? I couldn't file a report for 24 hours, and I thought that maybe that was a... Technicalities aside. It was wonderful. Well, good. Then you won't have any trouble telling that to the press, and the fact that the LAPD... Women. Hold on a second. Back, boys, back. Keep them back. Well, aren't you... Aren't you gonna... That's not my son. What? What are you saying? It's not my son. Well, I'm sure you're mistaken. I'm not mistaken. Well, he's been through five terrible long months. He's lost weight, he's changed. I would know my own son. All I'm saying is you're in shock and he's changed. What's your name? Can you tell me your name? Walter Collins. It's a common name. Where do you live, Walter? You know your home address? I live at 210, Avenue 23, Los Angeles, California. And that's my mommy! Mrs. Collins, listen to me, I... I understand. You're feeling a little uncertain right now, and that's to be expected. A boy this age, he changes so fast. We've compensated for that in our investigation. And there is no question that this is your son. That is not Walter. It's not Walter as you remember him. And that's why it's important for you to take him home on a trial basis. A trial basis? Yes, yes. Once he's around his familiar surroundings, and you've given yourself time to recover from the shock of his changed condition, you will see that this is your Walter. Now, I promise you, I swear to you, I give you my word. This is your son. Now, if you have any problems, any problems at all...