Based on the Dragnet radio broadcast of September 6, 1955, this episode focuses on the frustrating legal limitations placed upon police officers when dealing with known criminals. Searching for a huge shipment of heroin, Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) search and detain suspected dope pusher Sam Free (Sidney Gordon). Though the detectives manage to build a strong case against Free, deputy DA Dan Lauren (Dennis McCarthy) throws out the evidence--because the suspect was neither placed under arrest nor asked permission to be search, and because there was no search warrant. As a knee-jerk reaction to the California State Supreme Court's recent "Charles Cahan" decision, this controversial episode was severely criticized by certain citizen's-rights pressure groups (though according to Dragnet historian Michael Hayde, no one protested the earlier radio version).
by Hal Erickson
synopsis
