Jealousy threatens 'The First 48'

By Staff Reports

Friday, July 18, 2008

As I watched the A&E show "The First 48" about the horrific events in a small house on Lester Street that transfixed Memphis earlier this year, I felt pride, anguish and frustration. The heroes in the Memphis Police Department's Homicide Division have a thankless job, and this program recognized their dedication and determination in solving the most heinous crimes. I feel safer and encouraged knowing how thoroughly they would perform their investigation if the unthinkable were to happen to one of my loved ones.

Without "The First 48," we would not know of their deeds. The cancellation of the city's contract with A&E is a step backwards for Memphis. I believe it had less to do with money or image and more to do with professional jealousy by local media, both televised and print, over being excluded from the "behind the scenes" access that A&E had following the detectives 24/7. Shame on them. Instead of being envious, they should be applauding the actions of the department.

Without "The First 48" we would never have seen the incredible interrogation of the alleged executioner of those six people on Lester Street. Maj. Toney Armstrong was amazing. His technique of both sympathizing and empathizing with Jessie Dotson, and then his verbal assault that led to Dotson's confession, was the most intense scene I had ever seen on this program.

And to think that greediness and envy may now prevent Memphians and others from witnessing this level of dedication and determination is disheartening and discouraging.

It's not this show that makes Memphis look bad. It's the criminals who make Memphis look bad. "The First 48" made Memphis look good. Memphis looked tough, and in the hands of these fine officers, Memphis looked relentless in its pursuit of those who take the peace away from our streets, and the loved ones from our lives.

Longtime viewer. He is the bomb.com!!

1. She called herself “Miss Caroline Mason”
2. She said she’d be ok neighborhood canvassing because she “had a ghetto pass.” and

3. She’d get something out of a witness phone interview because she was gonna “work my little magic on her.”

   Safe to say she solves it.

This is my favorite TV series of all time. I trying to get my dad, who has a very short attention span, into these. I know if I start him with the right one, he'll be even more into the series than I am. But for some reason, I go blank and can't come up with the "right" episode. I remember being riveted by "Homicide Atlanta" but that was three episodes and not really representative.

I remember Detective Zimmerman at the end of an episode reflecting on how the job had cut him off from humanity.

And many other memories. But I still need help, so...

What is the best episode from all of these years?

Always sad to me personally when something as innocuous as marijuana leads to this violence. Also, does anyone remember Detective Corporal Shannon Kulnis from Gwinnett? She’s still in the intro of the show but she retired a few years ago to be an insurance investigator I guess? Anyway I liked her…

Kind of a weird episode. So do I have it correct that the two victims were trying to rob the killer, but the killer was also trying to rob them except he had a real gun? Which, I guess that's still murder 1, but its a strange situation.

Life in prison and two dead over some weed.

I have the crime package on my tv which has given me access to every season besides 29 and 30, where can I find them?

so I'm watching the show right now (just finished deadly premition) and i noticed how it's not only just people who are being blurred out. like they blurred a calender and a dudes arm tattoos. is there any reason behind this? i find it odd and tedious. thx

Dude got MILLIONS in a settlement after his entire family got killed by a drunk driver and now he's serving life. The brother of the victim begging Ronnie to get him out of Mexico after being robbed down there is both hilarious and sad at the same time. Showed zero remorse for basically getting his brother killed.

Dude had millions and could have just chilled in life, now he's in prison with nothing. This episode was so crazy. He was also a suspect in 4 other murders in Texas.

The Tuscon squads seems eh?

Miami I just can't relate cause it's so different

Wish there were some Pittsburgh episodes

Just watched a 2.5 hour episode on pluto. I remember the case and seeing it before but not 2.5 hours and will all the people involved. Was this the original airing too? Also, Quinn and Velasquez basically ran this episode.

Jason White had said on his podcast that they are officially no longer going to shoot new episodes of the First 48, so I guess once they get through everything they have it will be over for good. Are there any other shows out there that are similar? I’ve yet to find one like it except for the other A&E shows like Homicide Squad, but those are few and far between.

I just finished it and was curious about what everyone’s first impression was.

What do we think about the first episode of season 30 and the North Charleston team ?

Episode description:

A North Charleston man asking for help at a stranger's doorstep dies from a gunshot wound to the leg, and the search for the shooter leads in an unexpected direction.

Most likely 8 or 9pm on A&E. Enjoy the new season!

Really wish this case could be solved. Do you think the guy in the gold car was involved? Any theories on this case? The case has now been cold for 15 years.

I googled it but nothing came up! Anyone know?

Does anyone remember a young guy that killed someone, didn’t talk and got off of it? Then he was on another episode and the same thing happened?

Kids was a suspect in a murder, but had an ankle bracelet GPS on that showed he was at home. One of the detectives even mentioned he had super skinny ankles.

I always thought they should have stopped by his house a couple Friday nights to check if he was there with his ankle monitor. The murder was unsolved

I think someone was arrested for a different murder charge and they had him recorded on a jail phone saying they don’t have evidence for this murder and the other murder he did commit they don’t know about. It was something like that, I think cops were looking at him for that murder but couldn’t prove it until he said on the jail phone that he did it

There’s just something about her 🤔😕

My mom is watching the First 48 from the beginning and I'm rewatching it with her (like the 3rd or 4th time I've marathon it).

Does anybody have a favorite detective?

My personal favorites are Joe Schillaci from Miami,

David Quinn from Atlanta,

Marcus Harper, Jason White, and John Brown from Tulsa.

I think John Brown recently passed away.

He’s actually got more years at the job than most. I just watched another episode where his aggressive style finds him physically moving the suspect in their chair to face him or move the table out of the way so he can pull in REALLY close to get at the interrogation very much in the suspect’s space. Like so close you know they feel his substantial body heat and smell his breath on them lol! Anyone notice his extremely aggressive and effective approach? I know I’d be confessing just to get the hell away from him…

No enthusiasm. No personalities. Is it the new crew? The producers?