Don Stroud's Crime


It must have been a bad one for Clint Eastwood to pursue him from Arizona to New York City and to have NYPD after him too. It never said what his crime was. I remember when the movie came out he did an interview at a locat station promoting the movie and he came across as a nice friendly person unlike his character. He was asked what his crime was to be pursued like he was and he said he didn't know because it was never mentioned in the script but he said it must have been a bad one.

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I'd like to think that it was one of those pbscure felonies that are really archaic and still remain because no one has bothered to question them or write them out of the rule book.

In Arizona, for example, you can apparently be jailed for 25 years for cutting down a Saguaro cactus. I bet that was Ringerman's crime - he was a bad-nasty cactus killer...

Either that or he allowed a donkey to sleep in a bathtub - also allegedly a crime in the state. The shame of the man - Coogan was right in his dogged determination to bring him to justice...

"don't think...feeeeel"
james-clayton.blogspot.com/

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Coogan tells the nosy guy on the helicopter that Ringerman killed someone in Arizona. This scene might be edited out in some TV broadcasts.

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Ringerman was obviously a big drug dealer, as he says to Linny in hospital room, "Keep pushing my regards".

So, I always thought it was for drug trafficking offenses across the AZ/Mex border.

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Sorry to have to point out that you may have misheard that line. It was actually "Give Pushie my regards." This in reference to Pushie, the owner of the pool room joint where Coogan goes in searching of Ringerman after the latter's escape from custody and gets bashed for his efforts. Pushie was the guy in red shirt and green corduroy pants.

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Ahh, I see, that was the signal for Linny to go and get Pushie to spring Ringerman from his arrest. Thanks.

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It's mentioned in a scene edited out of recent - in the last ten years or so- TV broadcasts for unknown reasons. (After the 'bathtub scene' the sheriff gives Coogan his specific assignment.) Ringerman killed a man (an employee?) during an armed robbery of a gas station in Arizona. So he is wanted for at least two felonies.

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I could've sworn at some point near the beginning of the movie Coogan says that Stroud killed a woman.

A day without a buzz is a day that never was.

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At the beginning of the movie its the first fella he arrested that killed a woman.
As Coogan is getting it on with a ;ady she comments on the native american who is chanting outside and asks why he was arrested thats when coogan mentions that he killed a woman, his wife.

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Ringerman's arest warrent states:

Date of arrest: March 20, 1967

Charge: Suspect Of Murder
Felony Hit Run Driving

Disposition Of Case: Convicted
Prisoner Escaped

Next of Kin: Ellen Ringerman

etc. etc. etc. etc.

So there you have it, Ringermans crime :o)

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Arrest warrant.

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I agree. Warrant almost singlehandedly paved the way for 90's grunge.

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I speculate big city East Coasters were not looked at too kindly by people in the rural Southwest.

That's what his "crime" was.

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It never said what his crime was.


Yes it does. As someone else pointed out, the arrest warrant (shown up-close) plainly states his charges as "Suspect Of Murder," "Felony Hit Run Driving." Furthermore, isn't it clear from Ringerman's behavior, as well as that of his accomplices (Linny and Pushie), that he's a vicious thug who has no qualms about resorting to serious injury or even murder?

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