I knew Randy Webster.

This made for TV film doesn't really tell what happened. Such is the way of films "based" on true stories.

I may have been the last person to see and speak with Randy in Shreveport, LA, where we lived.

I saw Randy at a liquor store one night (a Friday,I believe). I remember the store: it was "Thrifty Liquor" on Kings Highway.

We said "hey what's up"? Randy said he was on his way out of town, going to Houston, TX.

I told him "be careful", as I knew that drive. It was about 220 miles;much of it on Highway 59 South, which was a 2 lane, unlit highway. It was dangerous driving at night.

He said "see you later" and drove off. A few days later it was on the front page of our local newspaper. Randy Webster had been shot dead in Houston TX by the police. I knew he didn't carry a gun or anything like that. He was a kid-19 years old, with long hair, as we all had. This was the time of Nixon lying, Watergate, the ending of the Vietnam War. It was us against the Establishment! More turmoil in the US since the Civil War.

I was stunned. Then, I started hearing rumors that Randy had been murdered by the cops. A throw down gun magically appeared, so they could claim self defense. There was a trial of the police involved (3 or 4) and they were found to be acting in the line of duty. Those blue lines close rapidly in a case like this.

Randy's father spent all the money he had to prove the Houston Police Department's guilt. He found a lot of evidence showing they had used a throw down gun. It's what you can prove in court. Who is going to take the word of a young man against 4 fearless police?