The photo accompanying the article... I am sorry to report that there has been another mysterious death. Philip Marshall was a former airline pilot, a 9/11 conspiracy theorist, and an author of several books on the topic. He was found dead in his home in Murphys, California, along with his two teenage children and his dog, on February 2, 2013. The official verdict was that he had shot them all and then himself in a murder-suicide. But was this really the case? Or was there something more sinister behind his death? Wayne Madsen, a freelance investigative journalist said: Marshall told me he was working on a new book about JFK’s assassination based on information he received from an old friend who worked as an investigator for New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison during Garrison’s probe of CIA links to JFK’s murder. So, what is this? The 379th mysterious death? I bet his book would have finally blown up the conspiracy and the cover up. And I guess this would have shown that Garrison really had something, no?

I started this blog one year ago. Over the course of the past year, I have posted hundreds of pages of primary Garrison documents, many of which are nowhere else to be found on the net. I have debunked many of the silly stories in the various Garrison conspiracy books. Here are some of the highlights: Sylvia Meagher and the Garrison Investigation In June 2019, I visited the Sylvia Meagher archives at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. Meagher's papers are housed in the Harold Weisberg archive. I actually had to find her papers. When I arrived, I was shown into a fairly small room with hundreds of document boxes. Most were Weisberg's, but the papers of Raymond Marcus and Hal Verb were also there. I couldn't find Meagher's papers. After an hour of opening boxes, I stumbled upon a section with her papers - none of her boxes were marked. Sylvia Meagher and Jim Garrison, Part One Meagher's letter to Clay Shaw and his reply. Sylvia Meagher and Jim Garrison, Part Two An unpublished Sylvia Meagher memo on the Shaw trial. Sylvia Meagher and Jim Garrison, Part Three Another unpublished Sylvia Meagher memo on Garrison and the Warren Commission Critics. Sylvia Meagher's Reaction to the Verdict in the Clay Shaw Trial Two letters from Sylvia Meagher to Harold Weisberg and Meagher's review of Paris Flammonde's The Kennedy Conspiracy. Sylvia Meagher Congratulates Clay Shaw on His Acquittal A letter from Sylvia Meagher to Clay Shaw. Kerry Thornley Writes Sylvia Meagher A Thornley letter to Meagher and her reply. Two Letters to Jim Garrison about A Heritage of Stone Sylvia Meagher and Jim Phelan write letters to Garrison. Garrison's Playboy Interview - What Couldn't Be Printed This blog post includes Sylvia Meagher's letter to Playboy Magazine about their interview with Jim Garrison. M. S. Arnoni and Sylvia Meagher Take On Jim Garrison... Arnoni was the founder of The Minority of One and he was very critical of Jim Garrison. Here is one of his articles along with a reply from Garrison and Meagher. Garrison's Secret Information to Playboy Magazine Gordon Novel sued Playboy Magazine and Jim Garrison for libel for comments contained in Garrison's Playboy interview. During the course of the interview, Garrison provided information to Eric Norden (who conducted the interview) that could not be printed. For the first time ever, I present those memos. Garrison's Playboy Interview - What Couldn't Be Printed Garrison's Playboy Interview - More Secret Information Garrison's First-Person Narrative in QUICK Magazine While going through some Jim Garrison papers at the New Orleans Public Library, I came across a translation from an article in the German magazine QUICK. It was a first-person narrative written by Jim Garrison. I also came across letters from Germany to Garrison about the article and Garrison's response saying that he did not write it. I didn't write about this in my book believing that Garrison might not have written the article. I shared all of the relevant documents with Paul Hoch and we realized that there is information in the article that could only have come from Garrison or people who were with Garrison in the early days of his investigation. In other words, there is material in the articles that was not public knowledge. Since I only had an English translation of the article, I had to find a copy of the magazine on eBay. There was also an Italian translation in TEMPO magazine and I found a copy of that, In addition, there was an interview with Jim Garrison in Paris Match, which I also found. Paul Hoch made an important contribution to these blog posts. Did a Homosexual Conspiracy Kill JFK? The article from QUICK magazine along with an English translation. Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part One) There are several references to homosexuality/S&M in the QUICK article that point directly to Garrison. Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part Two) There are several other clues that point to Jim Garrison Was the QUICK article about a homosexual conspiracy written by Jim Garrison? (Part Three) The QUICK article discussed James Dondson, who spent the assassination weekend with Clay Shaw. Only a few people knew about this. Garrison Disavows the QUICK article Once word got out about the QUICK article, Garrison said it wasn't him. Jim Garrison Does it Again - Claims Ruby and Oswald Were Homosexuals Jim Garrison Does it Again! He tells another reporter that Ruby and Oswald were homosexuals and then then attempts damage control. Jim Garrison Feigns Indignation at the Mention of Clay Shaw's Homosexuality Garrison Does it Again! He feigns indignation to Paul Hoch over his mention of Shaw's homosexuality. Did Lawrence Schiller Write the QUICK article? Many clues point directly to Schiller. Did Nerin Gun Write the QUICK article? Many clues point directly to Nerin Gun. Final Thoughts on the QUICK Article Homosexuality was always on Jim Garrison's mind throughout his investigation. A Total Debunking of the Richard Case Nagell Story When I first read Dick Russell's The Man Who Knew Too Much in the early 1990s, I thought it was an infuriating read. There was little hard evidence to support Nagell's story, and there was always the promise of evidence hidden in some trunks somewhere. For some reason, many conspiracy theorists have latched on to this story, despite the fact that Nagell was a very sick man. He suffered brain damage in a plane crash in the 1950s, and he was never the same. A Wrap-Up of the Richard Case Nagell Story The Importance of Richard Case Nagell to Some Conspiracy Theorists Was Richard Case Nagell the "Most Important Witness There Is"? Jim Garrison and a few conspiracy theorists think Nagell is a very important witness. But is he really? Genesis of the Richard Case Nagell story Did David Kroman Crack the JFK Assassination Conspiracy? David Kroman met Richard Case Nagell at the Springfield Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. Stephen Jaffe, a Garrison volunteer, wrote a memo, relating Nagell's story through the eyes and ears of David Kroman. Richard Case Nagell Shoots Up the State National Bank in El Paso... Nagell was convicted of armed robbery and was sentenced to ten years, but his conviction was overturned because of startling new evidence. Richard Case Nagell and the JFK Assassination Did Richard Case Nagell Have Foreknowledge of Oswald and the JFK Assassination? There is no credible evidence that Nagell had any foreknowledge of either Lee Harvey Oswald or the JFK assassination. Did Richard Case Nagell Meet Lee Harvey Oswald? Nagell claims he met Oswald in Japan, Texas, Mexico City, and New Orleans. There is no credible evidence that he ever met Oswald. Did Richard Case Nagell Warn Fidel Castro about the Assassination? Nagell went to Cuba and met with Fidel Castro and even played ping-pong with the man. Insane Conspiracy Theories about Richard Case Nagell Who was Leon Oswald? Richard Case Nagell said that he knew the two Oswalds - Lee Harvey and Leon. Some conspiracy theorists believe this madness. Richard Popkin Melds the Second Oswald Theory with the Richard Case Nagell Story Combine one part crazy and one part ridiculous and what do you come up with? An early attempt at a unified conspiracy theory of the JFK assassination. Two Smoking Guns of the Richard Case Nagell Story Is this Document the Smoking Gun on the Richard Case Nagell Story? Nagell sent conspiracy theorist Dick Russell one page of a military intelligence file which seemed to indicate that he was monitoring Oswald and his wife on behalf of the CIA. But does the whole document really show that? Dick Russell's Second Smoking Gun on the Richard Case Nagell Story Did Richard Case Nagell have an Oswald Military ID in his possession when he was arrested in September 1963? Richard Case Nagell and Jim Garrison Why Didn't Richard Case Nagell Testify at Clay Shaw's Trial? Richard Case Nagell believes that he wasn't called to testify at Clay Shaw's trial because his testimony would have blown up Jim Garrison's case. Jim Garrison Discusses Richard Case Nagell At a conference in September 1968, Garrison and his investigators discuss his face-to-face meeting with Nagell in New York City. Richard Case Nagell Sends Jim Garrison on a Wild-Goose Chase William Martin, an Assistant District Attorney working for Jim Garrison, tried to retrieve a tape that Nagell said contained the voices of three JFK assassination conspirators. Richard Popkin Writes Garrison About Richard Case Nagell Richard Popkin, author of "The Second Oswald," writes Jim Garrison about Richard Case Nagell. Garrison staffer Tom Bethell thought the Nagell lead was useless. Richard Case Nagell's Mental Health Richard Case Nagell's Fight for a Disability Pension Nagell won a full disability pension in 1982 and the 60+ page court case provides complete details on his mental problems. Why Did Richard Case Nagell Shoot Up the First National Bank of El Paso? Richard Case Nagell told a psychiatrist why he shot up the bank in El Paso in 1963. Richard Case Nagell's Family Speaks about his Mental Health The FBI spoke to Nagell's ex-wife, his mother, his sister, and one of his friends. They all agreed that Nagell had significant mental health problems. Richard Case Nagell Visits Europe in 1969... Nagell visited the American consulates in Zurich and Barcelona in 1969. He was a deeply disturbed man. Richard Case Nagell in Europe, 1970 Edition More shenanigans in Europe in 1970. Richard Case Nagell's Evidence Richard Case Nagell's Nonexistent Evidence None of the so-called evidence that Nagell promised would materialize on his death has shown up. Did this evidence ever exist? The Rose Cherami Story Debunking the Rose Cherami story was a lot of fun. Steve Roe was an enormous help and he made an important new find. An Important New Find Regarding Rose Cherami An article from 1957 directly relates to her credibility. Did Dr. Wayne Owens Hear Rose Cherami Predict the JFK Assassination? Here are articles from the Madison Capital Times about Dr. Owens. The conspiracy theorists don't like to mention the later articles. Did Rose Cherami Ever Work For Jack Ruby? There is no evidence that Cherami ever worked for Jack Ruby. Did Rose Cherami Watch the Dallas Motorcade on Television? A Garrison document claims that Cherami watched the Dallas motorcade on television. Francis Fruge's Conversations with Rose Cherami about the JFK Assassination What did Cherami actually say to Francis Fruge? Did Anybody Hear Rose Cherami Predict the JFK Assassination? There is no evidence that anybody heard Cherami predict the JFK assassination. Did Rose Cherami Provide Valuable Information on Dope Smuggling? Her information was wrong. Jim Garrison (and Others) on Rose Cherami Jim Garrison didn't mention Cherami in his books. Was Sergio Arcacha Smith with Rose Cherami in November 1963? There is no credible evidence that Sergio Arcacha Smith was with Cherami in November 1963. Was Rose Cherami Murdered? Of course conspiracy theorists now believe Cherami was murdered. The Truth about Permindex In the late 1950s a Swiss businessman, George Mantello, had an idea for a trade exhibition in Basel, Switzerland. Mantello saved over 15,000 Jews during World War II by giving out El Salvadorean citizenship papers. He was a controversial figure in Switzerland because there were antisemites in the government and his past work in smuggling items to Great Britain was not appreciated. One left-wing newspaper in Basel attacked him continuously, and he had trouble finding capital for his venture. He then moved the operation to Rome and opened Centro Mondiale Commerciale (CMC). He asked Clay Shaw to be on the Board of Directors because of his experience in starting the World Trade Center in New Orleans. Conspiracy theorists believe that CMC was a CIA front to funnel money to right-wing extremist groups. There is absolutely no evidence to support that. Here is a link to my chapter on Permindex/CMC where you can read it for yourself. Other relevant blog posts: Clay Shaw's Permindex File Here are documents and letters from Clay Shaw's personal file on Permindex. The Founder of Permindex, George Mantello, Saved Thousands of Jews during the Holocaust... Mantello saved thousands of Jews during the Holocaust. He should be celebrated. Was Permindex Running an Assassination Bureau? Followers of Lyndon LaRouche believe that Permindex was running an assassination bureau. Exposed! Louis Bloomfield's Letters to Baron Edmund de Rothschild... Yes, Louis Bloomfield knew Baron Edmund de Rothschild. Read the letters for yourself. Why Didn't Jim Garrison Go to Montreal? Louis Bloomfield lived in Montreal. Why didn't Garrison pick up the phone to call Bloomfield or send an investigator to Montreal? Did The Umbrella Man Have Links to Clay Shaw? Michele Metta's ridiculous book claims there are ties between the umbrella man and Clay Shaw. Was Louis Bloomfield a Member of the OSS? Paese Sera, a Communist-controlled newspaper in Rome, claimed that Bloomfield was a member of the OSS. The only problem is that he wasn't. Exposed! Bloomfield's Letters about David Rockefeller! Yes, Bloomfield knew David Rockefeller. Read the letters for yourself. Exclusive - Louis Bloomfield's Secret Correspondence with George H. W. Bush... Bloomfield was friends with George H. W. Bush. Here is their secret correspondence. Conspiracy Nonsense Snared a Canadian Louis Bloomfield, a Canadian who raised millions for charity, was the target of conspiracy theorists. Did the FBI's Regis Kennedy Know that Clay Shaw worked for the CIA? Clay Shaw was only a domestic contact for the CIA. He did not work for the CIA in Rome. The Allegations of Fletcher Prouty Fletcher Prouty was X in Oliver Stone's film JFK. Many conspiracy theorists treat him as some sort of guru, but the truth is that there was nothing behind his allegations. When the Assassination Record Review Board (ARRB) reviewed his allegations they found that he couldn't supply any evidence to back up what he said. Fletcher Prouty Talks to the ARRB A summary document of his interview with the ARRB. Transcript of Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB Fletcher Prouty and Army Intelligence in Dallas Another summary document from the ARRB about Prouty's allegations and army intelligence. Was Fletcher Prouty an Antisemite? Prouty had some very unsavory relationships with antisemitic groups. Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part One Was Fletcher Prouty's Trip to Antarctica Unusual? Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Two Regarding Christchurch, New Zealand and The Christchurch Star Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Three Regarding the 112th Intelligence Corps (INTC) Group and/or the 316th INTC Detachment. Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Four Did Prouty Keep the notes from his supposed phone call about army intelligence? Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Five Prouty's experience with military presidential protection duties. Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Six Flagrant failure by the Secret Service to take minimum precautions? Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Seven Did Lee Harvey Oswald participate in a covert program in Indonesia in 1958? Fletcher Prouty's Interview with the ARRB, Part Eight Was General Edward Lansdale in one of the pictures of the three tramps? Was Marina Oswald Involved in the JFK Assassination? Prouty makes claim that Marina was involved. And, last but not least: James DiEugenio's Lame Excuses for Fletcher Prouty What's Coming Up There's a lot more coming up on my blog. Anticipate blog posts on Raymond Broshears, David Kroman, Lee Odom, the Clinton witnesses, some additional information on Richard Case Nagell, Gary Underhill, Eugene Dinkin, Ron Augustinovich, Richard Giesbrecht, Fred Crisman, Thomas Beckham, and more. Expect some major posts on the CIA and FBI treatment of Jim Garrison.

This is one of the better reviews of Oliver Stone's JFK, from the San Jose Mercury News. 'JFK': OLIVER STONE'S SOUND AND FURY SIGNIFY VERY LITTLE By STEPHEN WHITTY, Mercury News Staff Writer December 20, 1991 Publication: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Page: 10 Word Count: 1058 ON A wall of the old Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, a small plaque commemorates what happened there Nov. 22, 1963. It also identifies Lee Harvey Oswald as the alleged assassin. Visitors have scratched lines under that word with keys or coins and it stands out, shining in the sun. Alleged. Oliver Stone's "JFK" (opening today) begins with that doubting question, quickly adding facts, theories, camera tricks and standout dramatic performances. And then it comes up with an answer. The Kennedy assassination was nothing less than a coup d'etat -- with generals, businessmen and secret police pulling the trigger. It's no longer as unthinkable an answer as it was three decades ago. ''JFK" has been dogged by controversy since a first draft of the script leaked out. Some critics complained Stone was listening to too many conspiracy nuts. Others said he simply wasn't listening to the right conspiracy nuts. And Stone didn't help matters when he admitted some characters were composites, or proclaimed "the dramatic force of a story transcends the 'facts.' " The Kennedy assassination was a pivotal event for a generation -- it deserves more than the "based on a true story" approach of a TV movie. It demands facts. But ultimately, "JFK" is half TV mini-series, half campaign speech. There's drama and rhetoric. But there are also baldly manipulative appeals and sloppy, over-stated movie making. Stone is a valuable film maker -- along with Spike Lee, he's one of the few directors who seems to have any political point of view at all. But also like Lee, he's angry because he doesn't think his audience is as idealistic and attuned and correct as he is. Call it the Second Film Maker Theory. Hiding just behind the grassy knoll is another director, one who isn't interested in trusting the audience to think. He's angry. He's loud. And because he thinks we aren't listening, he gets louder. This isn't just preaching to the converted -- it's haranguing them. People who go to see "JFK" already have strong feelings about Kennedy and a certain amount of cynicism about the official story. They don't need to be told by a narrator that Kennedy stood for freedom and had a "beautiful and elegant" wife -- as if liberty and an Adolfo hat went hand in hand. They certainly don't need an endless summation from a woefully wooden Kevin Costner calling Kennedy our slain king and the nation Hamlet's children. Kennedy might have moved away from the Cold War given a second term -- but he was also a political opportunist who did far less for the poor and civil rights than the demonized LBJ did. He had flaws. Kennedy doesn't have to be a god for his death to be a tragedy. But Stone doesn't understand subtlety. His heroes have to be saints; his villains have to be monsters. We see warm and fuzzy home movies of John-John and Caroline at play. We get several shots of Costner, the brave man alone, walking determinedly down empty streets. Lightning flashes; thunder rolls. We hear dozens of quoted lines of Shakespeare, sometimes from the most unbelievable sources. We're presented with a film that takes itself as seriously as holy writ. How pretentious is "JFK"? An end title announces that the movie is "Dedicated to the young in whose spirit the search for truth marches on." That pretentious. It's also dishonest. Stone accuses the media of lying, covering up and creating a "myth" of what happened that day in Dallas. "JFK" creates its own myth. Time is compressed, characters invented, revelations given to researchers who never did the work. Hypotheses are presented in flashback as fact. A famous photo of Oswald posing with a rifle is called a fake. It probably is a fake. But is it fair to show it being faked when none of the characters were there? Is it right to create Garrison's star witness -- gay hustler Willie O'Keefe -- out of whole cloth? Perhaps it is -- to Stone. Because along with his little-boy sense of shock and self-righteousness seems to come a queasiness about homosexuality. Several of the plotters against Kennedy are flamboyantly gay. They're not just murderers, the film seems to discover in horror -- they're homosexual, too! They're drug users! They consort with gold-painted boys! Kevin Bacon gives a riveting performance as O'Keefe, even uncomfortably appearing in Marie Antoinette drag. But is it because a gay hustler in drag is a more dramatic character than the real-life insurance salesman on which he was based? Or because, in Stone's mind, it makes him that much more evil? Bacon's performance is a flat-out risk that works on its own terms, and some of the other cast is fine. Of course, Costner gives his usual, stolid delivery -- we're supposed to believe he's honest and incorruptible because he's so dull. And Sissy Spacek, playing Garrison's wife, has little to do but be shrill. (It's Hollywood's favorite cliche -- the lone crusader whose spouse just doesn't understand why he's never home for dinner.) But Joe Pesci is on fire as David Ferrie, a jittery, hairless loudmouth suspect in a red wig who spits obscenities like Jake LaMotta's Louisiana brother. Gary Oldman is an eerily believable Oswald. And Tommy Lee Jones pours on the syrupy menace as Clay Shaw, the sort of fey, ferocious villain Sydney Greenstreet used to do in his sleep. The star-heavy supporting cast, though, is a miscalculation, turning what's meant to be a serious film into a spot-the-actor game -- a kind of Mike Todd "Around the Warren Commission in Eighty Days." Look, there's Sally Kirkland falling out of a car and out of her dress! And is that really John Candy as that hipster shyster in shades? ''JFK" is an important idea for a film. There are still more questions than answers about what happened that day in Dallas. A recent Gallup poll found that nearly three-quarters of Americans say Oswald didn't act alone. We know that if the CIA can overthrow foreign governments, they'd have no trouble overthrowing ours. All they'd have to do is want to. It could have been a thoughtful film. If only Oliver Stone would trust us to think for ourselves. One slight quibble - the backyard photograph of Lee Harvey Oswald with his Mannlicher-Carcano rifle is definitely authentic. Here is an excerpt of Whitty's review of Stone's South of the Border: “Human rights”? Stone — astonishingly — even dismisses that concern, calling it “a new buzz phrase.” It is actually an old one, and if he needs a definition, I am sure that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and even Jimmy Carter could have put him in touch with a few Venezuelans willing to provide one. But unfortunately, like Michael Moore — a clip of whom appears early in the film — Stone isn’t just his own worst enemy, but his cause’s. No one but a banana importer could deny that South America has long been exploited by its northern neighbors. No one but a blood-battened banker would assert that the IMF has always acted in the poor’s best interests, or that Chavez’ reforms didn’t answer a real need. But pretending that other issues don’t exist is not a way of answering them. And ending your film with a graphic of arrows leaving South America to puncture the United States, as a writer says he hopes the Chavez revolution will travel north — well, with friends like Stone and Michael Moore, the left doesn’t need enemies.

David Chandler was a reporter for the New Orleans States-Item in the 1960s. Jim Garrison was the best man at his wedding in 1965. However, their friendship ended when Chandler started to realize that there was something significantly wrong with Garrison's investigation. Here is a revealing article on Oliver Stone. This is from David Chandler's article, "The Assassin's Trail," from Westword, a Denver publication dated November 25 - December 1, 1992. I'll be posting Chandler's complete article in the next few days along with its highlights.

Chicago Daily New, March 6, 1969 Carl Rowan wrote in 1967 that Garrison's probe was "one of the most bizarre exercises in American history," and that "it may also be among the most irresponsible." Here is that column: Seattle Daily Times, May 17. 1967

Oliver Stone just gave an interview to Xinhua, the official propaganda arm of China. "The senior director also blasted the United States for recently stoking military tensions with Russia over Ukraine, accusing Washington of violating its promise not to expand eastward the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In particular, he lashed out at the U.S. military buildup targeting China, which he observed has accelerated since the U.S. "pivot to Asia" strategy in 2012, and at its arms sales to Taiwan, China." And then there is this clip: Start at 4:35: "Much more money is spent preparing for war. War is not a good thing, they all know that, but we're coming awfully close to lighting the fuse when we keep pushing in Ukraine, we keep pushing in Taiwan." Oliver Stone is blaming the United States for tensions regarding Taiwan? Really? What on earth is he smoking? Would he rather the United States not sell arms to Taiwan? This is not the first time he has mentioned Taiwan: Perhaps someone should tell Oliver Stone about the cultural genocide of the Uighurs in Xinjiang; the Han Chinese destruction of Tibetan culture; the erasure of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong; the budding imperialism of China in Africa and elsewhere; China's breaking its international commitments on Hong Kong; and the interference of China into the politics of Canada, Australia and other countries. This is the same man who seems to love Vladimir Putin, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and Nursultan Nazarbayev. And boy does he love the Russian state-owned press. My friend Don Carpenter, author of Man of a Million Fragments, the indispensable biography of Clay Shaw, is hoping that Oliver Stone will come to his senses and realize that Clay Shaw had nothing to do with the assassination. Previous Blog Posts and Links on Oliver Stone's Politics Oliver Stone said the CIA may have injected cancer into Hugo Chavez's rectum... Oliver Stone Sides with Cuba's 'Repressive Dictatorship Two Views on Oliver Stone's Love Affair with Nazarbayev... Oliver Stone Fêtes Another Dictator Oliver Stone's Disgraceful Tribute to Hugo Chavez Is the director's latest film soft on Castro? Oliver Stone defends himself After Calling Russian Anti-LGBTQ Law ‘Sensible’ Hollywood Movie Director Oliver Stone praises Putin for Syria intervention on trip to Saudi Arabia Oliver Stone: Jewish Control of the Media is Preventing Free Holocaust Debate Oliver Stone's Latest Dictator Suckup Oliver Stone’s Latest Piece of Pro-Putin Propaganda May Be His Most Shameless Move Yet ‘The Putin Interviews’: Oliver Stone’s Wildly Irresponsible Love Letter to Vladimir Putin Has Oliver Stone Ever met a Dictator He Doesn't Admire? Oliver Stone's 'Empathy' for Hitler Iran's Fajr Film Festival grabs headlines with Oliver Stone

Here is a letter from Bill Turner, part-time investigator for Jim Garrison and writer for Ramparts Magazine, to Bill Gurvich. Turner must have had really good eyes. He could discern from the Moorman photograph, "a white-shirted man aiming a pistol at the president from the west corner of the concrete wall, about where the blob of smoke of whatever it is shows." Here is the Moorman photograph: This is all ridiculous. The Moorman photograph was a Polaroid, with poor resolution, and so when you look at concrete wall, you are looking at a very tiny area of the picture. The HSCA found that anything you could find could easily just be an artifact. "Enhancement attempts in the region of the retaining wall produced no significant increase in detail and no evidence of any human form." I guess Turner was not a believer in the so-called badgeman. Here is a handy guide to what people have seen in the Moorman photograph: From David Reitzes' terrific article on the JFK assassination in Skeptic Magazine. Previous Relevant Blog Post My Research Trip to Dallas September 2021 Several of us went to visit with Mary Moorman.

Some conspiracy theorists find it strange that Marina Oswald was asked about a Mr. Farry before David Ferrie was even questioned by the FBI and the D. A.'s office in New Orleans. "When Marina Oswald was sequestered at the Inn of the Six Flags in Dallas, she was interrogated by the Secret Service. They asked her questions about her husband: about whether he owned a rifle, a handgun, or had been to Mexico City. But they also asked her about a “Mr. Farry.” And also if she knew about a Leonard Reisman at Tulane University, who was part of the Committee for Peaceful Alternatives. (Weisberg, p. 19) As a reader later wrote to Harold, what makes these questions so startling is that they seem to have been asked on November 24th, before Garrison brought Ferrie in for questioning. “Farry” is obviously a misspelling for Ferrie. In other words, the FBI [sic] was on to Ferrie before the DA even talked to him." There is nothing startling about this at all. Here is how this happened: It all started with a phone call: The 'Jack' in the report was Jack Martin: As you can see from this report, Jack Martin called up looking for Herman Kohlman. He was busy calling everybody to talk about David Ferrie. Donald Mitchell shared an apartment with Jerry Stein, whose former roommate was Kohlman. After chatting with Jack Martin, Mitchell called Secret Service agent John Rice. Mitchell also called Alec Gifford of WDSU-TV: And, Gifford then called John Rice of the Secret Service. Rice evidently reported the information to Washington: Inspector Kelley in Dallas was then called with additional questions to be asked of Marina Oswald: Yes, thanks to Jack Martin and Donald Mitchell, the Secret Service was on to "Farry" before Ferrie was questioned. But so what and why not? There is no mystery here, and for some reason, conspiracy theorists like James DiEugenio keep bringing this up like they have discovered some great anomaly.

Chad Nagle has published an article on Jefferson Morley's substack about threats to JFK in Florida in 1963. Nagle writes: Although the motorcade in Tampa went ahead as planned, eerie parallels with Dallas would emerge from facts ascertained after November 22. For example, the Secret Service was reportedly concerned about the Floridan Palace Hotel, an 18-story building on the motorcade route. The Secret Service was "reportedly concerned." But the reality is that they weren't. The supposed concern was noted by Lamar Waldron's 2005 book, Ultimate Sacrifice: John and Robert Kennedy, the Plan for a Coup in Cuba, and the Murder of JFK. Waldron interviewed Tampa Police Chief Mullins who said he was concerned about several tall buildings. However, one of his comments is revealing. Waldron says Mullins "said he depended on hotel staff to keep him abreast of any suspicious or strange people." Really? You're really worried about the hotel but you rely on hotel staff? There is no mention of Mullins' concern about the Floridan Hotel in Gerald Blaine's 2011 book, The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence. Here is the Final Survey Report of the Secret Service, written by Gerald Blaine, about JFK's Tampa trip: Kennedy visited Tampa on November 18, 1963. Here are some pictures from his almost thirty-mile long motorcade that show JFK standing in the limousine: Nagle then conflates the Miami trip and the Tampa trip: Cancelled Motorcade A Cuban-American who had returned from Communist Cuba in the summer of 1962, Gilberto Policarpo Lopez, was a member of the Fair Play for Cuba Committee, was separated from his wife, and had reportedly been involved in a fist fight for his pro-Castro sympathies. Listed in immigration documents as a resident of Tampa, Lopez applied for and received a Mexican tourist card from the Mexican consulate there on Nov. 20. On the day of Kennedy’s assassination, Lopez would find himself in Texas, crossing the US-Mexico border at Nuevo Laredo in the middle of the night and arriving in Mexico the next day. On Nov. 27, he would board a flight from Mexico City to Havana as the sole passenger. Lopez was secretly investigated by the FBI on behalf of the Warren Commission, and the CIA collected information and kept a file on him. Afflicted with grand mal epilepsy that caused frequent seizures, Lopez was two months shy of his 24th birthday when he flew to Cuba. Nagle has the story about Gilberto Policarpo Lopez all wrong: Here is an excerpt from a previous blog post about Lopez: Policarpo was in Texas on November 22nd. Well, yes he was on his way to Mexico from Tampa. There is no evidence he was in Dallas, and he most likely went through Houston which leads directly to Laredo. He went to Fair Play for Cuba Committee meeting. Not that surprising. He was anxious to go back to Cuba The mysterious flight to Havana. Of course, the fact that Lopez was the only passenger on a Cubana flight to Havana seemed suspicious. However, it turns out that he traveled on a cargo flight. The photograph of Lopez wearing sunglasses. One author, James Johnston wrote that Lopez was wearing sunglasses "presumably to hinder identification." Perhaps he was wearing sunglasses to help with his epilepsy. Policarpo was pro-Castro. I am not sure why this makes him suspicious. I have no reason to doubt that Gilberto Policarpo Lopez was who he appeared to be: a young man who came to the United States, got married and then had his marriage fall apart. He couldn't speak English and could only get menial jobs. He had significant health problems, and he missed his family in Cuba. He then decided to go back to Cuba, where they could help take care of him. For more information on the supposed Tampa plot and Gilberto Policarpo Lopez, have a look at the following blog posts: Was Gilberto Policarpo Lopez an Assassin or a Patsy? The truth about Lopez. "JFK: Destiny Betrayed" Misleads on Supposed Tampa 'Patsy' There was no plot in Tampa. There was also no plot against JFK in Chicago: There was NO Assassination Plot in Chicago JFK canceled his Chicago trip because of the assassination of Diem. Edwin Black Speaks to the HSCA The HSCA did speak to Edwin Black. It was a memorable interview. "JFK Revisited" Misleads on the Supposed Chicago Plot There is no evidence of a plot in Chicago against JFK. Paul Bleau and the Supposed Chicago Plot Against JFK Bolden's story about the supposed Chicago plot has changed over the years. Paul Bleau's Plots An examination of supposed other plots against JFK. Abraham Bolden's May 1964 Press Conference Bolden didn't say one word about a supposed plot against JFK in Chicago. Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Jefferson Morley Fred Litwin, CIA Apologist? Morley doesn't like my posts on Paul Landis. Is Jefferson Morley Seeing Double? Morley thinks there are two redacted memos on CIA reorganization, but there is only one. A Reply to Jefferson Morley on Bill Harvey A rebuttal to Morley's response to my post Was Bill Harvey in Dallas in November of 1963? There is no credible evidence Harvey was in Dallas in November of 1963. Does it Matter Where Allen Dulles was on November 22, 1963? Morley repeats the claim that Dulles was at a CIA training center during the weekend of the JFK assassination. He wasn't. Jefferson Morley's Claims about Reuben Efron Morley's claims about Efron are all wrong. A Reply to Jefferson Morley regarding Operation Northwoods Morley responded to my article "The Truth about Operation Northwoods." Here is my reply. W. Tracy Parnell on Jefferson Morley W. Tracy Parnell is one of the best JFK assassination researchers out there. Here is his look at Jefferson Morley with several important articles. The Truth about Operation Northwoods Operation Northwoods can only understood as being part of the Kennedys' war against Cuba and Operation Mongoose. Jefferson Morley Responds to my Post on MK-Ultra and Jack Ruby And a response from me. Did Dr. Louis Jolyon West Ask to Examine Jack Ruby in November 1963? There is no evidence that Dr. West petitioned the court to examine Jack Ruby before his trial. Did the CIA use a MK-Ultra Psychiatrist to Interfere with Jack Ruby's Case? There is absolutely no evidence that Dr. Louis Jolyon West interfered with Jack Ruby's case. Jefferson Morley is wrong about "Who Shot John?" The phrase 'who shot John' does not refer to the JFK assassination. "JFK: Destiny Betrayed" Misleads Viewers on Oswald's "Hands Off Cuba!" Handbills, Part Four Jefferson Morley used a fake Oswald handbill in his press conference for the Mary Ferrell Foundation. Redactions, Redactions, Redactions... An examination of redactions in the JFK collection of documents.

Dr. Werner Spitz, a forensic pathologist who examined JFK's autopsy X-rays and photographs for the Rockefeller Commission died today at the age of 97. Dr. Werner Spitz — the renowned former Detroit-area medical examiner who used his expertise in forensic pathology to weigh in on some of the significant cases of the last century, from President John F. Kennedy's death to the Oakland County, Michigan, child murders — was remembered as a pioneer Monday. His son, Jonathan Spitz, who lives in Washington state, said his father was recently hospitalized after a brief illness, and then moved to a rehab facility. After a few days there, he was placed in "a hospice situation," Jonathan Spitz said. He said his father "passed peacefully" Sunday, surrounded by his family. He was 97. Spitz served as the chief medical examiner in Wayne County, Michigan, in the 70s and 80s, and later served as the Macomb County medical examiner. Oakland County Medical Examiner Dr. Ljubisa Dragovic said Spitz was a "very charismatic character," and he trained many forensic pathologists over the years. "There's no question, his contribution is gargantuan, it's tremendous ― and immeasurable for the times to come, too," he said. Werner Spitz was born in Germany in 1926 to a Jewish family, and they moved to Mandatory Palestine ― now Israel ― ahead of World War II. He started attending medical school in Switzerland, but finished his medical degree in Israel. He later immigrated to the U.S. in 1959. Werner Spitz went on serve as the deputy chief medical examiner in Baltimore and as the chief medical examiner in Wayne County, where he instituted reforms at the county's morgue, according to The Detroit News' archives. He decreed that bodies were to remain in the facility no longer than 24 hours, and he hired additional staff and trained them to run the morgue more efficiently. While at Wayne County, Spitz built an international reputation by testifying at high-profile trials and congressional investigations. He testified in investigations into the Mary Jo Kopechne drowning, the Oakland County child murders, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and the Skid Row Murder trial in Los Angeles. In fact, he was often called to consult on nearly every high-profile murder, from the death of Caylee Anthony, the two-year-old Florida toddler who disappeared, to JonBenet Ramsey. In 1995, Time Magazine profiled him, calling him a "medical detective." During his career, he also co-wrote a textbook that's been "kind of the seminal text in forensic pathology" for decades, said Jonathan Spitz. He added that his father would rewrite the book periodically, so it's in its fifth edition. "Professionally, he was a pioneer," Jonathan Spitz said. "He was a leader, a thought leader in that field ― he and few others who were called whenever there was a case anywhere in the country." He said his father enjoyed the fact that "he was the opinion sought after." After he retired from the Macomb County Medical Examiner's office, he continued to work in private practice. Jonathan Spitz said his father had three kids and ten grandkids. "In addition to his professional work, he had a ... full family that he was involved in and engaged with, and enjoyed their company all the way through his life as well," he said. Daniel Spitz, his son who is also a former Macomb County medical examiner, said his father loved taking his family out to eat. He "just loved to go and have a good meal and, you know, tell his stories that people all loved to hear," he said. Here is his report to the Rockefeller Commission:

This blog rarely discusses current politics. Of course, I like to include the decrepit politics of Oliver Stone, but mainly to show his fans that there is something deeply wrong with the way he thinks and his analysis of history, current events, and politics. The attempted assassination of Donald Trump is brining out some of the worst attributes of American politics. Republicans blame the over-heated rhetoric of Joe Biden and other Democrats, and Democrats reply, well, look who started. As Canadian, I can tell you that both sides are at fault. And I think if the term Rush to Judgment should ever be used, well, it's now. Before any investigation has even started, people have already blamed the Secret Service. Some people are claiming that the Secret Service pulled back support from the Trump campaign and that they complained about it. This might be true, but how about we wait until the evidence comes out. I also feel that there are two items which are not going to get the coverage they deserve.. First, guns. I am fortunate to live in a country with few guns. I firmly believe that people should be allowed to own guns, but do people really need AR-15s? What was this 20-year-old kid doing with an AR-15? Secondly, there should be a discussion on mental health. There are way too many male teenagers, and men in their 20s, who feel left out in this DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) world. They aren't finishing high school and they aren't getting into University. This is a big problem and it's only going to get bigger. We've paid a lot of attention to girls and to women over the last thirty years. It's time for some focus on boys. I hope everybody in the United States just calms the fuck down. The world needs a strong United States. God knows we all face immense challenges from China, Russia, and Iran. Pay attention, guys.

Hat tip: Steve Galbraith Here is a good example of how easy it was to get evidence accepted at trial in Texas in 1964. DPD officer L.C. Graves identifies the revolver as the one he took from Ruby: It was simply a matter of the police identifying the weapon under oath. Here is what Vincent Bugliosi wrote about the issue of chain of custody: (page 4720 of the Kindle edition of Reclaiming History) An argument frequently heard in the conspiracy community is that Oswald could not have been convicted in a court of law because the “chain of custody [or possession]” of the evidence against him was not strong enough to make the evidence admissible in a court of law. Just one example among many: In Jim Marrs’s book Crossfire, he writes about the palm print of Oswald’s found on the underside of the Carcano, and says that “the palm print would never have been admitted as evidence in any courtroom trial because it totally lacked a chain of evidence—the unquestioned and documented path from discovery to presentation in court” (Marrs, Crossfire, p.443). The first observation I have to make is that I would think conspiracists like Marrs would primarily want to know if Oswald killed Kennedy, not whether he could get off on a legal technicality. Second, there is no problem with the chain of custody of much of the physical evidence against Oswald, such as the rifle and the two large bullet fragments found in the presidential limousine. Third, and most important on this issue, courts do not have a practice of allowing into evidence only that for which there is an ironclad and 100 percent clear chain of custody, and this is why I believe that 95 percent of the physical evidence in this case would be admissible. I can tell you from personal experience that excluding evidence at a trial because the chain of custody is weak is rare, certainly the exception rather than the rule. The typical situation where the chain is not particularly strong is for the trial judge to nevertheless admit the evidence, ruling that the weakness of the chain goes only to “the weight of the evidence [i.e., how much weight or credence the jury will give it], not its admissibility.” Raising objections to the chain of custody in a trial is a two-edged sword. Any challenge could backfire because it would signal to the jury that the item in question was important. Another view on chain of custody. The Warren Commission published an exhibit on the chain of custody of "various items of physical evidence." Steve Roe published an important essay on the concept of chain of custody and how it relates to CE 399. Here is an essay by Ken Rahn on why the bullet fragments were not planted. Previous Relevant Blog Posts Bombshell: "JFK: Destiny Betrayed" Proven Wrong on Chain of Custody of CE 399 I worked with Steve Roe to prove that the initial of Elmer Todd are on CE 399. Dr. David Mantik Admits Elmer Todd's Initials are on CE 399! Mantik admits the obvious but other conspiracy theorists are reluctant. The Enabling of Oliver Stone Oliver Stone's so-called documentary series would have you believe that most of the physical evidence in the JFK assassination is not legitimate. "JFK: Destiny Betrayed" Misleads on CE399 In a private interview, Tomlinson identified CE 399 as the stretcher bullet.