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http://www.aetv.com/the_first_48/

This thread has been opened in "The Crime Blotter" department since it
deals with the series "The First 48" on A & E (Arts and Entertainment) Network.

To quickly bring anyone up to speed on what this series is:
Each episode is 60 minutes long and generally features the investigations by
homicide detectives in 2 different large American cities.

These are real detectives working on actual murders. These are not written by
some Hollywood hacks and acted by professional actors.

Some of the cities they have gone to : Dallas & Houston/Harris County, TX; Miami, FL;
Cincinatti, OH; Louisville, KY; Memphis & Nashville, TN; Birmingham, AL; Detroit, MI;
and Minneapolis, MN.

These detectives work very hard at finding the murderers and they don't care if the murder
victim lead a "street" kind of life, or if they were an upstanding citizen in the wrong place at
the wrong time.

Usually the investigations follow the procedure of talking to friends and relatives, studying
the calls related to their cell phones, fingerprints, and DNA evidence. Sometimes they walk
ghetto areas for hours, asking for leads in neighborhoods where the word is "that snitches get
stitches", but eventually someone calls them with a name or other lead.

The most agonizing part is when they interview the suspects in the police interrogation room.
They try to keep the perp talking but if the suspect says "I want a lawyer", the police have to stop.

Some detectives question their perps like bulls in a china shop, but still get a confession.
Some detectives use very charming and sharp interview skills to get a confession.

The cops or the producers of the show usually don't dwell on the particular handguns used during
the crimes. One amazing show from Tenn. revealed that a local drug dealer who killed another
drug dealer dropped the other guy with 1 shot to the head from .45 caliber pistol (brand/model unknown)
from a distance of 125 feet!

There was a 53 year old lady from Harris County, Texas who was going out of business for good. She ran
a gaming room. They did show the gun her murderer used - it was a Smith and Wesson Sigma in 9MM.

One thing I noticed is that the Harris County Sheriff's Office has one of the worst looking interrogation
rooms of all the police departments featured on the show. The walls are all scraped up looking, like it
was a janitor's closet or something.

I'm really a fan of this show and would like to start some discussion here on the board.

TIA / SIA

I'm a fan. My wife hates it.

I watch it some. It's pretty good! I am a fan of the real cases on shows like this and forensic files. You can really learn some ways to recognize when trouble is headed your way. It is always sad and disturbing to see how cheap life is to some people.

I enjoy it when I can catch it on...

Texas Size 11 wrote:I enjoy it when I can catch it on...

X2, I do enjoy , but don't set the dvr. It's "real" enough I dont watch it when the kids are around.

I enjoy watching it. Recently I saw an investigation of the murder of the son of a longtime co-worker and friend at work. I knew he had retired also and we don't stay in touch, but the name his unusual and it piqued my interest when I saw it. I was saddened to see him at the end of the show when the investigators informed the family they had the culprits and realize it was indeed my friend's son. Watching him I could only imagine what it would be like to be in his place and deal with such a loss.

I watch it a lot and am a big fan. Many of the early episodes were shot in Dallas and Miami. Since I have lived in both, its even more interesting.

watch it all the time

We read the info, and more often than not, we say "oh, we've seen this one". Unless it's new.

My twins watch it, and we use it as an object lesson about drugs.

Another one we like is "Beyond Scared Straight", the show about the kids who get to see prison from the inside. Another object lesson for my boys.

Jasonw560 wrote:We read the info, and more often than not, we say "oh, we've seen this one". Unless it's new.

My experience is not quite like yours. It seems like most nights that I watch it, it's a new episode.
Maybe at this point I'm all caught up!

SIA

I used to love this show. Dunno why, but it just doesn't catch my attention anymore.

Count me in. However, my wife finds the show to much violent.

I love this show, but it is on its last legs. Just been on too long.

I loved the 2 detectives from TN, cant remember which city. The bald white male and black female partners. They are both entertaining and very good at their job.

Beiruty wrote:Count me in. However, my wife finds the show to much violent.

The unfortunate thing is that it is real...

Glock 23 wrote:I love this show, but it is on its last legs. Just been on too long.

I loved the 2 detectives from TN, cant remember which city. The bald white male and black female partners. They are both entertaining and very good at their job.

Is that the woman who would buy pastries from the vending machine and give half to her partner saying, "there's no reason to get fat by yourself[?]" She's hilarious.

Chas.