A page on the JFK shooting

 

A work in progress. But if my developing thoughts are useful to you, here they are.

 

At the very least here is a list of the enquiry names with links to the various Wikipedia articles, so it can be clear who is involved with each. And it's a tangled and fascinating tale.

 

See also The Howard Donahue theory on the JFK assassination, which is of course the reason for my interest, and The JFK shooting seen from 2019 and more top follow

 

It seems obvious, and almost everyone agrees (even those who ran them), that the various US Government enquiries into the JFK shooting have simply not delivered the goods. Let's try to see why not.

 

Entries are roughly chronological, but many inquiries overlap.

 

Autopsy The Warren Commission Clark Panel Rockefeller Commission Pike Committee Select Committee on Assassinations Assassination Records Review Board The rest Conclusions

 

Autopsy

Started the night of the assassination, and went over to the following day.

 

Problems:

• Already illegal before it started. It should have taken place in Texas.
• Blatant interference by Secret Service, FBI, CIA, everyone.
• Many inaccuracies. inconsistencies and omissions. 
• Vital information withheld from those conducting the autopsy, such as the neck wound being obscured by the subsequent tracheotomy.
• Evidence that the report was rewritten at least twice, original versions and notes destroyed, photographs tampered with. 
• Such a morass of questions arose that the Clark Panel was convened to review the results, see below. 
• In a word, discredited. Some have said compromised, but that's far too mild a term.

 

On the positive side, the exhibits do yield useful information providing the possibility of tampering is considered, as does the report and the testimonies of those who attended.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy_autopsy  

 

 

The Warren Commission

The main inquiry of course, established 1963, reported 1964.

 

Problems:

• Laughable courtroom procedures, with counsel leading witnesses and very selective questioning, leads not followed up, important witnesses not called. Notably, Robert Frazier, a ballistics expert from the FBI, took the stand but was dismissed when he failed to follow blatantly leading questions, and gave no evidence of value. No other ballistics expert was called.
• Ballistics tests that were conducted by a veterinary surgeon. Of the panel of three he led, only one had any relevant experience, and that one testified to the commission that he found the conclusions his leader had reported "barely credible". Of ten skulls used in one test, the results of nine disappeared, and the reasons for selecting the one test reported or even the conditions that distinguished this test from the other nine were never revealed.
• The "reenactment" of the shooting on May 24, 1964, was compromised by moving Hickey from the back seat to the driver's seat. Perhaps "falsified" would be a better term. No explanation was given for this, but the obvious one is that Hickey's true role on the day was being deliberately concealed.  
• The "magic bullet", a completely unnecessary and bizarre concoction.
• Many major figures involved, including LBJ who set it up and Earl Warren who presided, subsequently rejected its findings. Woody Allen said he was working on a nonfiction version of the Warren Report. Around 80% of Americans think it's a lie at least in part.  
• Let's face it, they had already written a summary of their report before they started gathering information, let alone conducted hearings. A classic show trial at every stage.

 

On the positive side, their main conclusion, that Oswald acted alone, may yet be vindicated, and the documents contain much valuable testimony.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warren_Commission

 

WC pp 18 to 25

 

 

Clark Panel

A panel of four appointed in 1968 to review the autopsy, led by Fisher.

 

Problems:

• Requested material was just not provided.
• Fisher later described his problems in obtaining evidence requested as the strange antics of the Government. 

 

On the positive side, the report did uncover major problems with the autopsy before the trail was too cold.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_Panel

 

Rockefeller Commission

 The 1975 United States President's Commission on CIA Activities within the United States investigated the Kennedy assassination among other things, and reported some relatively minor abuses (minor unless you're the victim). It was succeeded by the Nedzi Committee, the Pike Committee and the Church Committee.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_President%27s_Commission_on_CIA_Activities_within_the_United_States

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nedzi_Committee

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Committee

 

Pike Committee

1975 - 1976

 

Problems:

• Probably produced a good report, but weren't allowed to present it. Drafts have been leaked.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_Committee

 

Select Committee on Assassinations

1976 - 1978

 

Problems:

• Basically the same rules as the Warren Commission. A show trial whose conclusions had been written in advance.
• Bad enough for Bonar Meninger to call Chapter 13, the third of the three devoted to it, Blakey's $5 Million Folly.

 

http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/HSCA

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_Select_Committee_on_Assassinations

 

 

Assassination Records Review Board

est. 1992, meetings 1994 - 1998

 

Problems:

• A great idea but completely toothless, as the Secret Service demonstrated when they simply destroyed their records rather than subject them to even confidential perusal.

 

On the plus side, they did make a great many more records available, and the actions of the Secret Service confirmed that they knew they had something to hide.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_Records_Review_Board

 

The rest

Who have I forgotten? Watch this space!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Official_enquiries_concerning_the_John_F._Kennedy_assassination

 

 

Conclusions

They all stink, don't they?

 

The best that can be said for any of them is, some of them don't stink quite as much as others. But not even by all that much.

 

And without information, there can be no democracy. The USA should consider a truth_commission. It is as scandalous and as damaging to their democracy as that.,

 

And quickly. Time is not on its side. Most of the people who might have testified under amnesty have died. But they said things that some of their children and grandchildren heard and remember and would in some cases at least like to get off their chests before they in turn die. 

 

Amnesty is not enough. Privacy needs to now be part of it. Witnesses should be allowed to make statements that will not be disclosed, let alone attributed to them, until a period of time has elapsed... at least their lifetime, and perhaps those of their children.