Today is the second anniversary of the day that blues drummer Chet Woodward was murdered at the streetcar stop by the Don Haskins Transfer Center. The El Paso Police Department has reported no progress on the case.
Please note that if you’re a lawyer murdered in your house, law enforcement spares no effort to bring the assassin to justice, but if you’re a blues musician murdered on the street, only limited exertion is made to arrest the perpetrator.
You can read Kent Paterson’s excellent biography of Chet Woodward in three parts, here, here, and here.
The El Paso police are like any other police force in America. Mostly useless. Street tax. Cell phones and seat belts. Providing a 24 hour blanket of security for Dunkin’ Donuts. Over time they become morbidly obese and resentful of the people they are sworn to serve. Plus, Chet was a white guy. Like Richard Pryor said; “there’s no justice. there’s just us”.