Lady, You Shot Me: The Life and Death of Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke died at the age of 33 on December 11, 1964, at the Hacienda Motel, at 9137 South Figueroa Street, in Los Angeles, California. Answering separate reports of a shooting and of a kidnapping at the motel, police found Cooke's body, clad only in a sports jacket and shoes but no shirt, pants or underwear. He had sustained a gunshot wound to the chest, which was later determined to have pierced his heart. The motel's manager, Bertha Franklin, said she had shot Cooke in self-defense after he broke into her office residence and attacked her. Her account was immediately questioned and disputed by acquaintances.

Cast

Sam Cooke Self (archive footage)

Zelda Sands Self

Al Schmitt Self

Eugene Jamison Self

Bill Gardner Self

Denise Dowse Self

Erik Greene Self

Cyril Wecht Self - Forensic Pathologist

Joe B. Kellum Self

Anthony Samad Self

Dick Clark Self (archive footage)

John Antonelli Self

Metadata from the source database.