Richard Diamond, Private Detective: “The Jean Cooper Murder Case”

Originally aired: August 20, 1949
Podcast airdate: December 29, 2025
Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives
Summary by: Richard Diamond, voiced by Dick Powell

Episode Overview

This episode dives into a web of murder, mistaken guilt, and blackmail as private detective Richard Diamond is hired to clear a young man accused of killing his girlfriend in Central Park. As the story unfolds, Diamond uncovers dangerous entanglements—including revenge, underworld killings, and family secrets—that point to a more sinister plot behind the apparent accident.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Central Park Tragedy Sets the Scene (00:00–05:35)

• Opening monologue by Richard Diamond, exploring how people in big cities take different paths—some becoming upstanding, others choosing crime.

  “By the time they get old enough to raise their fist, they're given two choices… One guy jumps over on the right side of the fence. The other... shakes his fist at the whole world” (00:45–01:23).

• Incident: In Central Park, a young woman (Jean Cooper) is fatally struck by Tom Cook’s car. He insists someone pushed her into the street (02:50).

• The police arrest Tom. Diamond is hired by Tom’s father, Earl Cook, to prove Tom’s innocence (04:15).

2. The Investigation Begins: Personal Ads and Politics (05:40–12:20)

• Earl Cook, a political figure, used a personal ad to find witnesses. Diamond notes the oddity and makes the connection to the accident based on the ad (07:45).

  “Anyone witnessing unusual accident at the 72nd street transverse, 11pm Wednesday...” (07:30).

• Earl hires Diamond ($100/day) and explains Tom’s version: the girl was pushed, not accidentally hit (09:15).

• Diamond interviews Tom Cook in jail—Tom is withholding part of the story to protect someone else (12:15). Jean had an ex-husband, John Cooper, who separated from her a year prior.

3. The Web Grows: Ex-Husbands and Blackmail (14:00–23:00)

• Diamond questions John Cooper (Jean’s ex). John claims he hasn't seen Jean in months and was home during the murder. His alibi is weak, and he appears nervous (15:30).

• At Jean’s apartment, a landlady provides comic relief and reluctantly lets Diamond in (17:00).

  “Hey sonny... How old do you think I am? … Come on, I’ll show you the apartment. But watch those steps.” (17:55)

• Diamond discovers a magazine addressed to John Cooper, suspecting a connection to blackmail (19:05).

4. Key Leads: Gangster Connections and a New Witness (21:00–29:45)

• Police reveal gangster Chino Scarbo was killed in Central Park the same night as Jean. The suspected gunman, Lou Spiegel, has gone into hiding (22:40–24:20).

• Diamond’s source, Wilbur Troy, reveals Spiegel’s hideout in the freight yards (26:25).

  “Wilbur, I have been looking for someone all my life. Preferably a brewery owner” (26:55).

• A mystery caller claims to have seen the girl pushed, linking the two crimes as possibly connected (29:10).

5. Blackmail Revealed: The Motive Emerges (30:00–35:20)

• Earl Cook produces blackmail letters sent to Tom, revealing the family’s political secrets.

  “They're about me... When I began my rise, I was a young criminal lawyer... the opposition tried everything to discredit me...” (31:10–32:40).

• Diamond matches the ransom notes’ cut-out letters to the magazine from Jean’s apartment, realizing the blackmailer knew both Tom and Jean.

• Further, John Cooper—whose real name is George Kingsley, an ex-con Cook once sent to prison—is likely the blackmailer and killer (34:30).

6. The Showdown in the Freight Yards (36:00–44:30)

• Police surround Lou Spiegel’s shack; Diamond negotiates for a peaceful surrender (37:05).

• Spiegel confesses to the Scarbo murder and admits he saw someone push Jean in front of Tom’s car—identifying John Cooper under pressure (41:30).

• In a dramatic confrontation, Cooper confesses under threat, but Spiegel shoots him before police can intervene (42:40).

  “No. No, no. All right, I did it. I did it. You’re too late. I’m on schedule.” (42:55, Cooper)

• Police shoot and kill Spiegel while trying to escape (43:50).

7. Resolution and Denouement (45:00–47:30)

• Rick returns to a more lighthearted scene with Helen at home, reflecting on the case with characteristic banter.

• The episode closes with Diamond singing and playful exchanges with Helen, offering a moment of levity after the grim investigation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Diamond’s cynicism:
  “Corpses designed with you in mind.” (05:15)
• Comic relief with Sgt. Otis:
  “You want to see the lieutenant?” “I think that would be lovely.” (10:15)
• On the dangers of witness testimony:
  “No one would duck out on a deliberate murder unless he just rubbed out New York’s biggest gangster.” (22:50)
• Landlady’s humor:
  “Hey sonny… Come on, I'll show you the apartment. But watch those steps.” (17:55)
• Showdown confession:
  “You found those letters Tom wrote to your ex-wife, so you started blackmailing him... I found a magazine in her apartment with your address on it.” — Diamond to Cooper (42:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------------|--------------------|-----------| | Opening monologue | Diamond sets the philosophical mood | 00:00 - 01:30 | | The Central Park accident & hiring | Tom arrested, Earl hires Diamond | 04:00 - 09:00 | | Tom Cook explains | Tom’s statement, withholding info | 12:00 - 14:00 | | Interview with John Cooper | Cooper acts suspicious | 15:30 - 17:30 | | Jean's apartment, clues | Landlady & clue discovery | 17:00 - 19:30 | | Police tie-in to gangster hit | Scarbo murder, gun found | 21:45 - 24:30 | | Spy at the Parrot Club, tip on Spiegel | Wilbur's comic help | 26:00 - 27:45 | | Blackmail revealed | Motive behind killing emerges | 31:00 - 33:30 | | Freight yard showdown | Spiegel and Cooper confrontation | 36:00 - 44:00 | | Home with Helen | Lighthearted close | 45:00 - end |

Tone & Style

The episode mixes hardboiled detective drama with snappy, comedic banter—especially between Diamond, his police contacts, and Helen. Dialogue is quick-witted and loaded with classic noir cynicism and repartee.

TL;DR

Richard Diamond is hired to prove Tom Cook’s innocence in a high-profile death by car; his investigation uncovers a blackmail plot, his client’s complicated political past, and two murders linked by a single night in Central Park. Through wisecracks and dogged deduction, Diamond solves the case, exonerates Tom, and delivers justice—even as two killers die in the process.