The Chickens and the Bulls (2012)
5 days ago
- In July 1965, Detective James McDonnell arrested John Aitken for impersonating a police officer at Grand Central Station, leading to a confession about a large-scale gay extortion ring.
- The extortion ring, known as 'Chickens and the Bulls,' involved impersonators posing as vice squad detectives who blackmailed closeted gay men, including prominent figures like a Navy admiral, generals, a congressman, and celebrities.
- The ring operated across the U.S. for nearly a decade, extorting over $2 million from thousands of victims by threatening to expose their homosexuality.
- Investigations by the NYPD and FBI, led by McDonnell and others, broke the ring in 1965-1966, with prosecutors like Robert Morgenthau and Andrew Maloney working to protect victims' identities and avoid public exposure.
- Key ringleaders included John Pyne, Sherman Kaminsky, and Edward 'Skull' Murphy, who later became a gay activist and community icon after cooperating with authorities.
- Victims often refused to testify due to fear of exposure, with some suffering severe consequences, such as Admiral William Church's suicide after being confronted.
- The case marked a shift in law enforcement, as authorities set aside homophobia to treat victims as crime victims, leading to convictions and the end of NYPD entrapment practices.
- Media coverage was discreet to avoid outing victims, though the New York Times highlighted the ring's scope in 1966, reflecting societal homophobia.
- Edward Murphy, after his arrest, became a Stonewall figure and AIDS activist, symbolizing the transformation in gay rights post-case.
- The ring's downfall resulted from police persistence, victim cooperation, and sensitive handling, with many perpetrators pleading guilty to avoid public trials.