As the head of the fan association had predicted, when Daisy and her group arrived near the entrance of the LA County Sheriff's Department, they didn't encounter a large contingent of riot police, nor was there any tear gas. With a substantial number of media reporters accompanying them and filming continuously, they were met only by some regular police officers maintaining order.
Banners were unfurled, protest posters were raised, and occasionally, they chanted slogans supporting Murphy. Hundreds of people blocked the entrance of the police station.
However, following the fan association leader's advice, both the members of the IMDB Murphy Stanton discussion group gathered by Daisy and other self-organized Murphy fans remained restrained. Besides the banners, posters, and slogans, they did nothing excessive.
As time passed, more and more people joined the protest. Initially, the participants were mostly Murphy's fans, but later, many human rights organizations also joined in, expanding the protest slogans beyond just Murphy to include themes like freedom and democracy.
Within just one day, over 2,500 people were sitting in protest in front of the LA County Sheriff's Department, and the number of media reporters had risen to over a hundred. Fox News and CNN even brought their TV broadcast vans to the scene.
Meanwhile, the California prosecutor's office demonstrated remarkable efficiency. After nearly ten days of investigation, they officially announced that Sheriff Gatlin Collins of the LA Police Department had conducted an investigation into Murphy without any formal or legal procedures, violating police regulations and citizens' rights.
The announcement of the investigation results caused a massive uproar in Hollywood. If something like this could happen to Murphy today, it could happen to them tomorrow.
Hollywood stars and celebrities publicly condemned the LAPD's actions on their social media accounts. High-profile stars like Robert Downey Jr. and Leonardo DiCaprio called for a public protest in Hollywood.
Leonardo DiCaprio was among the first to support Murphy. The reason was simple: he clearly wanted to mend his relationship with Murphy.
There was no turning back on "The Wolf of Wall Street," and DiCaprio wouldn't gain anything from the project. Naturally, he didn't want to conflict with Murphy any further. Neither Murphy nor DiCaprio were interested in conflicts that brought no benefits.
Since the previous issues were past, DiCaprio didn't want a complete fallout with Murphy for the future's sake. Expressing goodwill through some means to ease their relationship was necessary.
Murphy, meanwhile, didn't have time to pay attention to DiCaprio. With "The Wolf of Wall Street" about to be released, he and Gal Gadot flew to New York to prepare for the film's premiere.
As a film about Wall Street, the premiere was once again held at the New York State Theater in Lincoln Center.
Despite the relatively modest production cost of $80 million, "The Wolf of Wall Street" received extensive attention from the public and media. The so-called "investigation scandal" completely met Murphy and 20th Century Fox's expectations.
Murphy and Gal Gadot arrived in Manhattan early and moved into their newly renovated Upper East Side apartment instead of staying at a hotel. However, even while in New York, Murphy kept an eye on the situation in Los Angeles through news media and Bill Rossis, staying updated on the latest developments.
Once an issue escalated to the level of freedom and democracy, it wasn't easily resolved. The number of protesters in front of the LA County Sheriff's Department continued to grow daily, and the incident quickly spread worldwide through media reports, attracting widespread attention.
The "investigation scandal" was no longer limited to the police and Hollywood; it was becoming a nationwide hot topic.
The LAPD faced immense pressure, and due to internal divisions, they couldn't present a unified front. Under pressure from the public, prosecutors, and lawyers, the high-ranking officials within the LAPD who initially supported Gatlin Collins began to change their stance.
"Sacrificing the general to save the army" was not exclusive to the other side of the Pacific.
"You've brought immense pressure upon the entire LAPD!"
In a luxurious office, the bespectacled chief looked at Gatlin Collins, whom he had personally promoted, and said, "Why investigate someone so renowned nationwide?"
If it were only about fame, it would be one thing. The person was also incredibly wealthy. In this country, money represented many things. The recent events made it clear that the young Hollywood director had ties with some media conglomerates, forming a shared interest community.
The police might not fear them, but many within the police department also sided with them...
Shaking his head, the chief said, "Foolish! You're truly foolish!"
Gatlin Collins stood with his head lowered, not uttering a word. Over this period, he had faced immense pressure, almost like a rat exposed to the sun, with everyone chasing after him. If he hadn't hidden in time, he might have been torn apart by Murphy Stanton's crazy fans.
Add to that the journalists who thrived on chaos, and there wouldn't be a shred of him left.
"What were you thinking?"
Upon hearing the chief's words, Gatlin Collins looked up, his eyes bloodshot and temples graying, looking as if he had aged ten years.
"I'll take responsibility..."
"Take responsibility?"
He was cut off by the suddenly enraged chief, who stood up, hands on the desk, and scolded, "Can you take responsibility for this? The California prosecutor, top law firms, the FBI's Los Angeles office, and even the governor's office are all putting immense pressure on us!"
The chief straightened up, paced back and forth, pointed outside, and shouted, "Can you resolve the situation with those thousands of protesters outside?"
"The current governor has called me three times, asking for specifics!" The chief's fury grew. "Do you know he came from Hollywood?"
Finally, he glared at Gatlin Collins and said, "Without evidence and support from higher-ups, you, a mere sheriff, dared to investigate someone you shouldn't!"
By now, Gatlin Collins understood that his impulsive actions had brought immense trouble.
"But..." He tried to speak.
"No buts!" The chief raised a hand to stop him. "If we had any evidence, we wouldn't let Murphy Stanton off. But we have nothing to prove he did those things back then!"
Some things were left unsaid. Since the incidents weren't during his tenure, why bother investigating someone who would bring significant trouble without any evidence?
The law did advocate fairness and justice, but money, fame, and interests often skewed it.
"Here's the deal," the chief suppressed his anger. "Submit a resignation letter. Once this blows over, I'll try to transfer you to another city's police department."
"I..." Gatlin Collins started to speak but was interrupted again. "Just do it quickly."
Seeing no way out, Gatlin Collins nodded slightly and left the office.
As he exited, he thought about his substantial mortgage. Without a job, how would he pay it?
He quickly wrote a resignation letter and left the police station through the back door, planning to lay low until the storm passed. The mortgage issue could wait until things calmed down.
Two days before the North American premiere of "The Wolf of Wall Street," Murphy received news from Bill Rossis that the LAPD held a press conference, officially responding for the first time. They confirmed that Sheriff Gatlin Collins had indeed conducted an illegal investigation into Murphy, but it was a personal action without the department's knowledge. Collins had resigned in response.
Though this response couldn't completely quell the "investigation scandal," it appeased many, especially Murphy. Messages from the LAPD indicated they had abandoned Gatlin Collins.
"Will he do something impulsive?"
In the dressing room, Gal Gadot, helping Murphy with his bow tie, asked, "A former sheriff, if..."
"Don't worry," Murphy said, putting on his black tuxedo jacket. "He has neither the time nor the energy. The California prosecutor, FBI, and the Department of Justice's investigations will keep him busy. Robert is also applying pressure. Strictly speaking, Gatlin Collins is now involved in misconduct."
Murphy wasn't well-versed in law, but Robert had assured him that Collins wouldn't come out unscathed.
That was enough for Murphy.
To be safe, Gal Gadot re-hired their previous bodyguards. Although Murphy didn't mind, she didn't want him taking any risks and gave the bodyguards long-term contracts.
Dressed in his tuxedo, Murphy and Gal Gadot got into a Bentley driven by a bodyguard and headed to Lincoln Center.
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