factually
Index/Topics/Sam Cooke's death

Sam Cooke's death

The official investigation and ruling of Sam Cooke's death as a justifiable homicide

Fact-Checks

2 results
Jan 11, 2026

How did the Los Angeles Police Department handle the Sam Cooke case in 1964?

The Los Angeles Police Department dispatched officers to the Hacienda Motel after a reported shooting, found Sam Cooke dead, and carried out an investigation that led to a coroner’s inquest and an off...

Jan 10, 2026

What did the Los Angeles police homicide report conclude about Sam Cooke's death?

The Los Angeles investigation and coroner’s inquest concluded that Sam Cooke’s death was a justifiable homicide: motel manager Bertha Franklin shot Cooke in what she and investigators said was self‑de...