Paul Bleau Chokes, Part 17

Roger Craig

Paul Bleau's first chokehold is that "the official record impeaches the Warren Commission." He believes that: (page 38 in the Kindle edition of his book Chokeholds)

U.S. investigations into the assassination, statements made by investigation insiders and foreign government conclusions about the assassination prove that there is a strong consensus by the independent investigative authorities that there was a conspiracy in the murder of President John F. Kennedy.

Bleau's chapter then lists out a variety of statements that seemingly prove conspiracy. Of course, Bleau doesn't tell readers the full truth about these viewpoints.

Roger Craig -- Dallas Deputy Sheriff

Bleau Assertion: (pages 41 -42 in the Kindle edition)

Roger Craig was very well regarded up until the assassination. He was on duty and in Dealey Plaza at the time of the murder. In a number of interviews he explains what he witnessed on November 22, 1963: He was in the Book Depository when the alleged murder weapon was found which he confirmed to be a Mauser and not the Mannlicher-Carcano that the Warren Commission claimed Oswald owned. Furthermore, Craig said he had seen Oswald entering a station wagon a few minutes after the murder, which would contradict the Warren Commission’s chronology of Oswald’s movements and implicated a getaway driver—the following is part of his Warren Commission testimony:

David Belin: All right. Then, what did Captain Fritz say and what did you say and what did the suspect (Oswald) say?

Roger Craig: Captain Fritz then asked… “What about this station wagon?” And the suspect interrupted him and said, “That station wagon belongs to Mrs. Paine”… I believe that is what he said. “Don’t try to tie her into this. She had nothing to do with it.”

Craig’s description of the Rambler driver goes a long way in vindicating his account: He said that the man driving the vehicle was not a Negro but that he was dark-skinned—possibly Latin. His skin, he said, appeared to be very smooth. The driver had a powerful face, neck and shoulders. Craig repeatedly used the words “powerful” and “muscular” to describe his neck and shoulders.

The description of this escort comes up repeatedly in other sightings of Oswald with a stocky homunculus.

What Bleau Doesn't Tell You

Bleau doesn't discuss the credibility of Roger Craig. There is firm evidence that Oswald left the Depository in a bus and then a taxi. None of the officers present in Fritz's office back up Craig's story. Craig initially said the station wagon was a white Rambler but Ruth Pained owned a green Chevrolet.

As for Oswald's supposed escort, I have already written about the man with a scar. Here is a look at one of Bleau's supposed witnesses to an Oswald escort, and here is another supposed witness.

Don't miss Dave Perry's excellent essay on Roger Craig.

Here is what Harold Weisberg thought about Craig:

Roger Craig's daughter wrote that he was a "disturbed man."

His death was not mysterious.