American Hostage is an Amazon Original and Criminal Content production. This podcast is based
on a true story of a hostage crisis that took place in Indianapolis in nineteen
seventy seven. Listener discretion is advised episode seven to kill or not to kill?
When the media hypes a hostage situation up to the national stage. Why
would someone want to tune in because they want to see the victim live?
I'm not so sure. Hello, this is Sally Kilmer with WIBC. I
was wondering if I could talk to your program director. Yeah, i'll hold,
thank you. Sow Is Cliffs still down at the apartment. Yeah,
he's gonna try to get into the police conference. That never letting him in
there. Who are you talking to now? WR has me on hold?
Or what about WRTV? There next television? Jesus Christ. He wants the
box? They did? Fred leave with Malone and Peterson. They're in the
back. Thank you? All right? Fred, look listen up. So
we're gonna set you up in the earpiece so you'll be able to hear everything.
Sally's got w THHR on the phone. She'll let me know if NBC
has run. What about the other affiliates? She's going one at a time.
You know, you really fuck this up, didn't you. We're not
giving the maritime Yeah, you said the same thing to us. No,
I didn't say the same thing to you. You talk to Tony without consulting
us, and then okay, hey, hey, hey, all right,
all right, all right, let's keep it together. It doesn't do us
any good to fight. If we're ready, we need to head out after
you. I'd just like to reiterate my oak that you shouldn't be going down
there. Fred the only one Tony feels comfortable with. That'll mean a lot.
When Fred's head comes a lit'll be fine. Let's just see Gallagher comes
up with the Chief's been a regular mastermind up to this point. Jim Right,
I forgot we learned fighting. NBC's running it, no no delay.
You're kidding checking with WRTV. Roy. There's no way we can broadcast this
ship. That's one thing to have it on the radio, but television.
I don't see why they'd have to. There won't be a TV in the
room. He'd never even know the camera's room. Well, that's something we
can bring up the Gallagher. It'll only take one more on in the crowd
to say something. ABC's running it no delay. The affiliates are already making
their decision. Well, luckily we're not holding to the whims of the press.
Can we have to have press? Their attorney will be set off and
if they're there, who's to say they won't flip on the cameras. Fucking
lost a suit from Woo detective from the force for disobeying never stick. Yeah
you're so sure. Yeah, you want to take the IMBD up against network
lawyers. Grow up, Leo, they're affiliates. CBS is running it with
delay unless they find out ABC and NBC are those are the folks you can
trust not to flip those cameras on. Good luck to you and your lawsuit,
Leo. Well you want me to say, Tony, he's gonna write
me a letter to read on TV. He's gonna tell everybody what you all
did to me. He's gonna assume responsibility, and he's gonna tell me that
he's sorry. Anything else, He's gonna write that I'm clear of my debt.
Every single penny. The lawyer who aren't negotiate it, I want to
hear it from him. It doesn't mean shit until I hear it from him.
Okay, Tony, Daddy, love you, Dicky. He does.
He's slow to show it, but he does give me your whole fucking profession,
nice cushy job. And you say he's slow to show it. Fuck
you Bill? Hello, Dad? Are you okay? Hey? Listen right
now? On Tony's here and he wants us to come up and put him
on the phone. Hang on, that's that's not a good idea. Put
him on the phone, right Dad. Trust me, we have been working
together for four years. I should talk to It's not a good idea.
Listen. I just called because Tony wants something from us. What does he
want? He wants a letter from the company that says we did him wrong
and that we're clearing his debt and now you committed slander and that we committed
slander. Do you hear me, Dad? Do you think you could get
that for us? He's gonna read it on TV if you can get it
to chief before tomorrow at eight pm. That's when that's when we're going on.
Dick. We didn't do anything wrong. I know. We gave him
two extensions. We tried to work with him the best we could know.
It could be legal ramifications. This could open a big can of worms for
a stink. Past clients we foreclosed on might eues this as a precedent for
their own cases. I'm just I'm telling you what Tony said. It's what
Tony wants. It'll be the end of us. What should I tell him?
Dad? I'll have Marcy type something up and get it to Chief Gallagher
soon. Okay, I'll tell him this is veg end of us. I
know that. All right. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you,
Dad. Yeah, you two'll stay safe, okay, by sez al right?
It good? That makes it easier in all of us. How did
you get here? Pal? How would have come down to this police outside
ready to gasp me and kill you? I don't know, Tony. Five
million dollars done the hard way? Can you believe it? No, Tony,
I should have let you talk to that preacher. Y'all could have prayed
together. You're still praying, Dick, Yes, Tony, you're still praying
for me. Yeah, you know what makes me sick. And when people
think praying makes them good? Do you think you're a good man? Dick?
All right, all right, Dick, hold on, you're you're crying.
What's this, Dick, Dick, I hain't gone pal, what's going
on with you? I do try, Tony, I do try to be
good. It's important to me. I don't I don't want to cheat anyone.
I always want to do right. I know what people's money means to
them. I know, I know it's hard for people. All right,
all right, I believe you, Dick. I believe you try. But
it's human nature. People want to be good more than they want to do
good things, and it just don't work that way. You want to play
cards, sure, Tony, Fred tell me, hiya, could you just
do me a favorite? Shoot that offwork? Just give me a second?
Sweetheart? Is there any t Why don't I make some? Okay? Thank
you? The Chief made an executive decision today to send in a SWAT team
while we were broadcasting. They we're gonna gas Tony and take out the bomb
before it could detonate. Well, but by the way, he has a
gun wired up. Yeah, I know. Luckily we were able to convince
him to pull the SWAT guys back, but Tony figured out what they were
doing and went ballistic. Now he's demanding we put him on TV, so
everyone can see him, and the cops can't try anything funny. That's an
awful idea, And you're not the only one who thinks so, Barbe.
He wants me to come down to the apartment tomorrow. I think he wants
me to be part of the show. Well, no, I don't have
the privilege of saying no, han Fred, I want you to listen to
what I'm saying to you. You are not going down there, Barbe.
Don't barbe me. Are you out of your mind? I Am not going
to sit here and watch my husband be blown to bits on national television.
You're not listening to me. They're going to kill him. I just got
out of a meeting with Leo Malone, Chief Gallagher, and the FBI.
They made a deal with the press. They can broadcast, but if it
starts going sideways, and we're almost certain it will, they're going to cut
the feed and shoot Tony in the head. It's a dead man's line.
Yeah. They think they can jam the shotgun before it goes off. In
order for that to work, they have to get him out in the open.
That's why they agreed to the press conference. But they're gonna kill him.
Barbara I've been trying to get down to the bottom of why he called
me. There plenty other stations in town, other reporters held better reporters.
He could have had TV from the beginning. He's a fan, Fred.
No, No, I don't think that was it. He called me because
he didn't want to die. I think he knew before he even started putting
his weapon together that this would be the last thing he'd ever do, and
then he changed his mind. He didn't want to die, so he called
me. I can't save him anymore. He thinks I'm his best friend,
so I should be there at the end. Promise me you won't get too
close to him tomorrow. You got it. How do you feel about France?
I've heard it's very pretty. Yeah, me too. Yeah. Do
you know I hear you. They say you can't enjoy it unless you stay
for at least a month. Oh yeah, Will you put on your favorite
record? Why? Because I just want to be your husband right now?
M m m mmm, Hello, Fred, it's Tony Freak either. Yeah.
Can you just give me a second to call you back? Tony,
I'm in betting my wit one minute, one minute he's calling the house now.
Yeah, apparently. Just give me a minute. Hey, Tony,
how you fred? We almost had a close one today. Huh yeah,
yeah, it looks like it now. Don't tell anyone, but I took
the line of Nick's Nick and I'm letting him sleep a little. That's real
nice to get, Tony. But don't get any ideas because I have my
thirty car behind point right square. You get any ideas you're gonna bring me
something tomorrow? Bring you something, yeah, like a gift to commemorate our
meeting. Well, Tony, you're the one getting five million dollars. I
kind of thought you'd be getting me something. Oh yeah, that's a that's
a good point man. Aside from that, you're the best thing that's come
out of this mister Egman from fan of friend. I thank you, sir.
Well it's been a treat you think so, sure, Tony, I'm
about tomorrow. What's that It's gonna get crazy? You think so? I
think there's a good chance, Tony. And if it does, will you
trust me? Trusting trust me? Trust being that I'll get you what you
need and we'll keep everyone safe. Trust me that I'll be there for you,
writing till the end down till the end. Yeah, the end of
the press conference. Absolutely, love you brother, I love you too,
Tony. Oh right, can you get back here? Bows for me?
Okay, bail and I'll see you later. I'll see it, Tony,
Radio Indiana, WIBC Indian. It's twenty six past eight at w IBC,
Kevin. You have an update on something in the newsman for us? Yes,
scary on the phone right now. We have our crew who is out
at the scene on the west side, Kevin. As we had indicated at
eight o'clock, there has been a rather dramatic change in the tone of the
situation out here where we find out now in substance that perhaps the negotiations are
reaching a very new stage. Our own news director, Fred Heckman, who
is now no longer on the story as a journalist, he is involved in
the story now, is perhaps one of the principal negotiators. Fred just arrived
here at Building seven where we have been operating from, and Mark, you
had a chance to speak with Fred more recently than I did in your own
line, having talked to Tony this morning on two occasions. Now, do
you feel that do you feel that Tony is receptive to you. Are you
satisfied that he would be willing to trust you. Well, I think that
we can get to the bottom of this without anyone getting hurt. So my
answer to your question is I don't know. All right, back up,
back up now, folks. We're out in this space right here, yep
here, back going up, please and thank you. M all right.
I need your full attention, full attention right here, folks. Hey,
okay, my name is Detective Leo Malone. Now listen, we're gonna be
honest with you here. We do not know what's going to be happening tonight,
so anything and everything we can do to mitigate any harm or danger we're
doing, which means we need help. I need quick vocal confirmation from the
press on the following stipulations. The press will in no way engage with the
subject of tonight's ordeal, mister Tony Kuritzis, by instigating him in any kind
of physical or vocal manner. Agree, yeah, okay. The press will
employ ethical broadcast journalism and keep in consideration the viewing audience of their programming.
Agree all right. Now, We're gonna give you all a sign that says
kill the cameras Officer Mark Smith. Mark Smith came here, Mark Officer Mark
Smith will be behind us, and when he raises his hand, the cameras
go off and the cameras will shut off. Do you understand why do we
need that sign before? If it goes sideways, it's important that you stay
behind the line at all times. If any reporter or member of the press
acts in a way that triggers violence, or if they do not adhere to
the stipulation provided in this speech, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent
of the law. Do you understand we will bury you, so don't try
it. That movement upstairs all right, listen, we've got movement, so
stay behind the line. Be responsible. Where's Erica Potter? Erica right here,
detective you have those papers for him? Yes? Where's Fred? Yeah,
I'm back here. Leo, you got your ear piece? Yeah,
I got it all said Fred. I want you to go with the officer
here. It's gonna take you upstairs to Tony real quick. Now you've all
been briefed on just what you need to be doing, and that's the only
warning you get. What kind of mood is he in? Mad? There's
a change of pace you know if he slept, no idea, cove it
up. All right, we're coming all right, we gotta here you go,
Thank you, Tony, Fred. Yeah, Tony, it's me Fred.
Fred. I'm glad you made it. I can't let you in.
Well I understand that, Tony, but I'm gonna come out now. I'm
right for my close up. Okay, Tony, just you'll be careful step
back for me, Fred, he is coming out. Okay, everybody,
let's just be real cautious now. We don't want to set him off.
Hey there, Fred, Hey, Tony, how are you? Yest haafman?
Mister Hall? What do you think? Fred? You want to go
downstairs and be a TV star? Well that sounds good to me. This
is it, buddy, it's our moment. It's hard not to get emotional.
Okay, this is it. Okay, this is it. All right,
Move Dick, move Fred. You look pale. You need some sun,
I guess. So. Look at all these fuckers, Fred, just
look at him. They're true. They're happy little pigs, aren't they.
They're just doing their job, Tony, And I'm doing mine, Pal,
I'm doing mine. Listen, he's on his way down. You remember what
I told you, do you understand hey? Back behind the left, behind
the last the goddamn cameras are. I'm gonna show you something. Where's my
letter? Where's the letter? Ask for you right here? Who are you?
Eric? Erica Potter, female city lawyer? Yea, everybody, listen
up, listen up. Dick's gonna read us something. This is my time.
Now you're hearing me. This is my time. Here we go next
time. On American Hostage, the season finale, I wanted on all three
national channels. I've got friends all over the country. We do not have
seven seconds. Ran. You may be exposed to graphic sounds. Those of
you with small children, escort them out of the rooms. Mort tangoes up.
Shoot Tony in the back of the head to some facing good enough to
die Bred Heckman is very close to the actual way from Nedda. Don't don'ts
me. Paul is closing his eyes. It's like he's bracing for something that
made it so easy the sheet. What are you doing, Tony? I
want you to look around. There's a hundred guns in this room, and
they'd go right through me to get to you. American Hostage is an Amazon
original and Criminal content production written by C. D. Carpenter, directed by
Sean Christiansen, Produced by Adam Volerich and Brendan Hubbard. Executive produced by John
Hamm, Sean Christiansen and Gabriel Mason, starring John Hamm, Carla Guccino,
Joe Perino, Dylan Baker, and Becky Ann Baker, with additional performances by
James O'Connor, Christina Brucado, Mara Casson, Michael Dreyer, Michael Thomas,
C. D. Carpenter. Sound designed by Brandon Jones, composed by Darren
Morsey, Editing by Thomas Beach, Sean Christiansen and Adam Voolridge. Recording and
engineering by Dave Williams, Mixing, mastering and additional editing by Nick Messidi.
I d Reads by Natalie Prass for Amazon Music. Executive producers are Morgan Jones
and Dave Easton. Senior producer is Eliza Mills. Special thanks to Jacob Braunstein,
Phil Sanchez, Chris Davis, Jack Parker, Marcelino, v Yalpondo,
Stephanie Walknein Blad, Norman Vanessa Rebert, Sam Petherbridge, Cale Bittner, Alice
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