Murder 101 - Introducing: Rorschach: Murder at City Hall

Episode Date: March 28, 2026

A shocking public shooting at New York City Hall leaves the ambitious, charismatic City Councilman James E. Davis dead, before his assailant is gunned down by a New York City cop. It turns out that Davis had been murdered by his political rival, Niel Askew. And yet all that summer, the two men had been seen around Brooklyn together, been together in James’ office, sat side by side at a barbershop. Despite the shock waves this murder sent through New York City in the summer of 2003, the story is now forgotten, along with the mystery of what really happened between these men. RORSCHACH: MURDER AT CITY HALL recounts their final fateful day through eye-witness accounts, and then traces the path that led James Davis and his killer Niel Askew to their deaths. Listen here and subscribe to Rorschach: Murder at City Hall on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A silver 40 caliber handgun was recovered at the scene. From I-Heart podcasts and Best Case Studios, this is Rorschach, murder at City Hall. How could this have happened in City Hall? Somebody tell me that. Jeffrey, who did it? Was it a coincidence? Jeffrey, who did it? There were times when I thought that he was unstable, and there were times when I thought he was unstable.

Maybe he shouldn't carry a gun. July 2003, Councilman James. James E. Davis arrives at New York City Hall. We walked through the metal detector. I said, how you doing, Counselman Davis? With him is a guest. And when he introduced him to me, I coiled back. I said, whoa, I didn't know where he was.

I just got a vibe. Like, so I said, whoa. Like James Davis, this man is black. He's handsome, and he's wearing a suit. And I looked at him. He looked at me, and I felt like he was a little nervous. Both men were carrying concealed weapons. And in less than 30 minutes...

both of them will be dead. A shocking public murder, told by the people who were there. I scream, get down, get down. Those are shots. Those are shots. Get down. Several shots. And I saw a silver gun in the shooter's hands. My daughter's up there. Where's my daughter? I can't see her. A charismatic politician.

You could almost smell the ambition. You knew this guy wanted to be something. You know, he just bent the rules all the time. and an outsider with a secret. He alleged he was a victim of blackmail. This is one of the most dramatic events that really ever happened in New York City politics. Nothing like this had ever happened before. This young man, 41 years old,

being assassinated inside the building, and they don't even speak of it. This is not just killing somebody because you want their seat. That may or may not have been political. That may have been about sex. I'm Jamal Jordan in this... is Roershack.

Yo, somebody got to tell this James E. Davis story. The fullness of that story has not been told. Listen to Roershack, murder at City Hall, on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.