# Detroit 1-8-7 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 6, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209 "2010-10-06T03:00:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/21 "2010-10-06T20:47:49Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > Michigan has not had the death penalty since 1846. > > Isn’t living in Detroit punishment enough? No, it’s no punishment to live in Detroit. > [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > I got flamed here before for even suggesting it, but Detroit is under a federal consent decree. Do you have a citation for this and the rest of your claims? ---
**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/22 "2010-10-07T11:35:33Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > > [@gonzomax](#): > > > > It seems to be a pretty good show ,but they just threatened a couple killers with the death penalty if they did not confess. Michigan has not had the death penalty since 1846. > > Did it happen in federal area, like in a federal park? I think if prosecuted federally, Michigan has to execute if that is the law. That’s possible, and could have even made a nice twist to the episode. There’s a small national park not far from the crime scene, and if memory serves, there was some talk about expanding the park farther along the riverfront. It would have been interesting if, say, the feds had just resently purchased the land the crime was committed on. However, nothing of the sort was mentioned in the episode, which means either a) the writers sloppily forgot to explain that the detectives were investigating a Federal case, or, more likely, b) the writers sloppily forgot to check if Michigan did indeed have the death penalty. That’s sort of disappointing for a key plot element. > [@Kyla](#): > > I sort of watched this last night (my friend was over and we were talking through the episode) and I was pleased that it’s actually filmed in Detroit, but at one point someone said “he’s from eastern Michigan”. I’m not even sure what that’s supposed to mean. Detroit is in eastern Michigan. I’m in eastern Michigan. The Thumb is in eastern Michigan. It’s a weird and vague descriptor. Context here–two guys from out of town get snookered in the Big City-- implies the writers meant to say “western Michigan.” These dialogue/plot snafus are a little jarring, but hopefully the writers work them out. It’s kind of fun to watch the action and try to figure out where each scene was shot. And the show is shhoting in my neighborhood this weekend, so seeing that will be fun. > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > [@Al\_Bundy](#): > > > > I got flamed here before for even suggesting it, but Detroit is under a federal consent decree. > > Do you have a citation for this and the rest of your claims? The Detroit Police Department has been under a federal consent decree since 2003. [This resent article](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100921/ap_on_re_us/us_detroit_police_chief_3) mentions it in passing: “Godbee inherits a department that has gone through three police chiefs over the past two years and is under a 2003 federal consent decree over the use of force and the treatment of crime suspects.” ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/23 "2010-10-07T14:51:27Z")
Deleted it without watching past the “eastern Michigan” reference last night. I am removing it from my recording schedule. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/24 "2010-10-07T23:54:57Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > It seems to be a pretty good show ,but they just threatened a couple killers with the death penalty if they did not confess. Michigan has not had the death penalty since 1846. Same problem with the third Butterfly Effect movie. The movie’s set (and filmed) in Michigan, and the whole plot hinges around a guy on Death Row. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![A2Steve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/51bf81/32.png) [@A2Steve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A2Steve)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/25 "2010-10-10T02:52:15Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Good catch. That, and Washington’s foot chase of the suspect from downtown all the way to the train depot. That’s a hell of a long run, unless the “Detroit Post” is supposed to be based in Corktown or something. My wife happened to show me this scene earlier today, and I wasn’t listening to the setup but that chase started in front of Slows on Michigan Ave and appeared to be filmed entirely on the real path to the old train station - they’re about a quarter of a mile apart. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/26 "2010-10-10T18:07:45Z")
> [@zut](#): > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > Did it happen in federal area, like in a federal park? I think if prosecuted federally, Michigan has to execute if that is the law. > > That’s possible, and could have even made a nice twist to the episode. There’s a small national park not far from the crime scene, and if memory serves, there was some talk about expanding the park farther along the riverfront. It would have been interesting if, say, the feds had just resently purchased the land the crime was committed on. However, nothing of the sort was mentioned in the episode, which means either a) the writers sloppily forgot to explain that the detectives were investigating a Federal case, or, more likely, b) the writers sloppily forgot to check if Michigan did indeed have the death penalty. That’s sort of disappointing for a key plot element. > Context here–two guys from out of town get snookered in the Big City-- implies the writers meant to say “western Michigan.” > > These dialogue/plot snafus are a little jarring, but hopefully the writers work them out. It’s kind of fun to watch the action and try to figure out where each scene was shot. And the show is shhoting in my neighborhood this weekend, so seeing that will be fun. > > > [@Mahaloth](#): > > > > Do you have a citation for this and the rest of your claims? > > The Detroit Police Department has been under a federal consent decree since 2003. [This resent article](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100921/ap_on_re_us/us_detroit_police_chief_3) mentions it in passing: “Godbee inherits a department that has gone through three police chiefs over the past two years and is under a 2003 federal consent decree over the use of force and the treatment of crime suspects.” The Feds have been pondering bringing Federal charges against the Kwame admin, including high level police . You can not imagine what a mess the Detroit system was the last few years. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209/27 "2010-10-11T19:42:12Z")
My problem with the last episode was when the homeless guy said the “door was slightly ajar”. That didn’t ring true to me. Otherwise, I am just enjoying seeing Detroit and enjoying the soundtrack, not fact-checking everything. I think it’s a decent cop show, I like that there are 2 active cases, not just one, so more action and less soap opera than some other shows. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/detroit-1-8-7/556209.md?page=1)