Rolo Tomasi (spoilers)

This is the name that Exley uses to represent someone who escapes justice.

At the end of the film, Smith is about to shoot Exley when Exley says "Rolo Tomasi" which makes Smith stop because he wants to know who he is.

Why?

Earlier in the movie Smith had said to Exley that he had heard a name Rolo Tomasi floating around in relation to the Night Owl killings. He asks Exley if he knows who this is, and Exley says no. Smith tells him to keep an eye out for the name. It's obviously bugging Smith.

Prior to that, Exley had explained to Jack Vincennes that this was a name that Exley himself had invented as a name for the person who shot his father and who was never caught.

So what's the deal? Where has Smith got the name from and why is it bugging him?

I think I've got it, but what do you think?

If we agree we can probably close this case.

Jack Vincennes said "Rollo Tomasi" with his dying breath so that Ed Exley would know that Dudley Smith murdered Jack or at least had something to do with him being murdered. I got the impression that Ed Exley hasn't shared his Rollo Tomasi story with anyone, or at least very few people.

Vincennes clearly utters the name on his last breath, which was his little "F*ck you" to Smith. The fact that Smith brought it up with Exley the next day is the giveaway that he was involved since he hadn't shared that story with anybody before.

Also, although relatively known, you should specify somewhere that this is a spoiler for L.A. Confidential. Those that haven't seen the film and hence the ones that would be "affected" by the spoiler won't know what film this is about.

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Ah yes,I'd forgotten that scene.

Yes, so it was expressly clear to the attentive viewer then.

Case solved.