{REPOST} FROM AN E-MAIL TO LEGS McNEIL from EILEEN POLK on 8/13/13
Hi Legs,
Thanks so much – Grove just paid me!
When you and Gillian came to Eugene to do the reading I told you that I thought the reports about Sid Vicious dying at noon on Feb 2nd, 1979 were incorrect. Youtube has a video of the black reporter Bob Teague saying that Sid died at noon. I think even the police report said he died at noon.
But I have a “photographic” memory and I remember Michelle calling me early in the morning of Feb 2nd and waking me up to say that Sid was dead. I also remember running over to Bank street to find a group of reporters already there and it was a gloomy morning. (They took my picture)
Anne told me on Feb 1st that Sid had to wake up early in the morning the next day to do something important for the court (Anne always got Sid to his appointments on time). When you interviewed me in 1994, we speculated that it was “bail bond”, but I think it might have been to give a blood sample – to be compared w/ blood at the crime scene at the Chelsea (which is ridiculous because every junkie in NY’s blood was in that room!) In Please Kill Me my quote is: “..Michelle called me at noon…” (page 356 of Search and destroy Ch.) But I think I may have said that she called me at “Dawn”, or at “Nine”. (perhaps a fact checker/ editor at Grove just put in the incorrect time from the police or news reports) I’m absolutely sure I didn’t say “noon”. I saw a news story about Sid having to provide a blood sample (published at the time he was released on Feb 2nd, 1979) online when I was writing my story for Punk # 20 but I can’t find it now because the internet is so full of crap. It may have been from the Daily news or the Post. I’m sure if Anne ever really said that she supplied Sid with the drugs that killed him, she was adhering to the “Code” of the streets by not revealing the real dealer (in other reports she made up some bullshit name). Now that Peter has admitted he supplied the drugs, her attempt to conceal the real supplier was useless, but she is still blamed for it. Even if she had anything in her pocket when we went to court on Feb 1st, (perhaps? I don’t know) we had no idea Sid was going to be released, so she might have thought she could slip him something in the courtroom. Anne gave Sid a 100 dollar bill at the party that’s all. Peter was the supplier and he was with his friend who was his photo assistant. They were total junkies (I discovered later and probably had a British source not a NY street china white, but the brown stuff) and would have had much stronger drugs than Anne could have gotten. (This had nothing to do with Rockets or any street dealers or hot shots; blah blah blah…) I also found another news story about “wittnesses” willing to give testimony to the court about the Todd Smith incident – and it was Peter – and his assistant, who probably would never admit he was there) I think they were just doing Sid a “favor”.
Sid died early in the morning of Feb 2nd. I was in the apartment from the morning of Feb 2nd until 11 PM. (I was questioned the next day) When Michelle and Anne were downtown with the police and I was left in the apt. with his body to answer the phone (between 5 & 9 PM.) I touched Sid’s hand and it was cold and hard (that is all I touched!) so I think he’d been dead awhile longer than just 5 hours. Michelle and Anne were taken down to police headquarters. just after dark – but the pictures look like daytime because of so many TV lights. A So Ho news reporter got into the building at about 10 or 11 PM. Michelle had returned and was in bed after she and Anne were grilled by the police (Anne had split and was pissed off at Michelle) and I got rid of the reporter and went home. The So Ho News story said ” a blond punkishly dressed women said ‘she doesn’t want to talk to anyone” …that was me! Anne and I made a pact not to talk to reporters but I told you the story because I was sick of the bullshit… and the bullshit never stops! Also, the police did an excellent job of spying on everyone regardless of how well they handled the crime scene at the Chelsea or the death scene at 63 bank street. They knew all the “Characters” it was amazing how much they knew. I was just lucky that I didn’t really know who Pete and his friend were! I still think Sid’s death was an accident, but very profitable to some people! Accident and neglect.. bad decisions on his mother’s part – which she continued to make by her choice of who to talk to. (except Alex Cox – I still like the movie) So now would be the time to make a correction – or not, Its up to you. Please Kill Me is a great book and I’m really glad I talked to you! Thanks for everything – all the best with the book.
Love,
Eileen
[ad responsive=true]
