Hi all, just watched an interesting documentary on British TV alleging a secret service agent, George Hickey, in the car behind JFK accidentely shot him as he reached for his automatic rifle to return fire at Oswald - it explains the smell of gunpowder at ground level which many witnesses reported and also gives a plausible reason for the secret service to begin an initial cover up which just snowballed....there were also clear photos shown of Hickey with the weapon in his hand at the time-anybody else heard this theory?

Yes, I watched it years ago. It's just one in a long line of conspiracy memes that are entirely based on speculation. Read Vincent Buglioso's epic 1,000 page Reclaiming History about the assassination. That along with the History Channel's analysis of the assassination should dispel any doubts.

Yea I have been watching documentaries about JFK all weekend long and that one just happen to be one of the ones I watched, very interesting. It's fascinating to hear everybody's theories about what happen that day.

Is there a single mob related biography, which has an explanation that is considered credible by historians? Or were they all tall tales designed to sell books?
These are all second hand accounts, but these people claimed to have heard it directly from the alleged conspirators.

Sam Giancana's brother (Chuck) claimed Sam claimed to have been involved in the murder conspiracy in his book, Double Cross.

Frank Ragano claimed Santo Trafficante confessed in Mob Lawyer.

Bill Bonanno claimed that Johnny Roselli admitted to shooting Kennedy from a sewage drain in his autobiography, Bound By Honor.

Carlos Marcello confessed his involvement in the JFK murder with an inmate, as reported by the Biography channel's Mobsters series.

I asked my AP U.S history teacher what he thought about the assassination of JFK, he said that the Russian mob set up the assassination.
Hmmmm

I thought Gerald Posners book "Case Closed" for the most part was an interesting read. Similar to Bugliosi's book as it came to the same conclusion that it was Oswald and only Oswald.

Off topic, GC. But if you enjoy Posner's writing style (and I do, myself), then you should definitely read "Miami Babylon." It's all about the resurgence of South Beach after the mid-'80s. There's quite a bit in there about the criminal element (cocaine cowboys, Chris Paciello, money laundering, etc...), so it also doubles as a true crime book.

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Miami-Babylon-Weal...ds=miami+posner

Thanks PB..i'll have to check that one out. Seems that Posner has been accused of plagiarism a couple of times and one of them had to do with his book Miami Babylon.

But personally i liked his book Case Closed. I used to be a big believer in all the JFK assassination conspiracies, but after i first read Posner's book i started thinking differently and slowly over time my thoughts on the assassination evolved into my current thinking that it was Oswald and most likely nobody else.

Just my opinion on it though.

Yes, Posner's book is not as monumental as Bugliosi's, but it effectively dispels those conspiracy notions. I need to read it again though since it's been a few years.

I know someone who was an FBI agent and spent a good deal of time on the JFK case so naturally saw a lot of material which the conspiracy theorists haven't seen and he feels Oswald acted alone. Don't know why people can't leave it at that.

Because Oswald was silenced before he could answer questions.

I wish Plaw were around to see this. He was very knowledgeable on the subject. He'd be eating this 50th anniversary stuff up.

Oswald was in law enforcement custody from mid-afternoon on Friday until Sunday morning. He was interrogated during much of that time by the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, and even a Postal Inspector.

Personally, I was never overly interested about whether there was a single gunman or multiple shooters. I just assumed there were multiple shooters- albeit without solid proof.

However, I've always been fascinated in the whodunnit aspect of the murder. The Jack Ruby connection is a smoking gun for a murder conspiracy involving the mob. Why did he whack Oswald?

In the book "I Heard You Paint Houses", Frank Sheerhan, alleged (confessed) assassin of Jimmy Hoffa and Joey Gallo, tells of picking up a duffle bag with rifles from Russell Bufalino, delivered to a Maryland airport to Danny Ferry. Watch Oliver Stone's "JFK", Joe Pesci is Danny Ferry.

And not a single word of it was recorded

I never bought Oswald as the lone shooter. In fact, I'm pretty sure he didn't fire a shot at all. Regardless, you will NEVER convince me that the fatal head shot came from behind Kennedy and not the right front (grassy knoll area).

I'm actually going to the museum on Friday for the 50th anniversary. I'm looking forward to it. I've been once before but I was 10 and don't really remember too much of it.

Another thing I find is strangely overlooked is the murder of officer tippett shortly afterwards. Firstly,how lho managed to cover over a mile in 12 mins with a revolver, without being noticed, then shoot him and then go sit in a cinema? Tippett's background is fairly murky as well as far as ive read

If you want to cut to the chase: the Warren Commission’s conclusion wins by default: Kennedy probably- repeat, probably - was not the victim of a conspiracy. That conclusion wins not because it is definitive, but because it is less improbable than any of the conspiracy theories—all of which are even more flawed than the Warren Commission Report.

But, because the Warren Commission conclusion is less improbable than the conspiracy theories, doesn't make it a case-closer--not by far. Given the indecent haste of the commission’s work, the large amount of potentially significant information either deliberately withheld from the commission by the FBi and CIA, or not looked-for by the Commission, and the passage of a half century, the only reasonably credible certainty is that the case will never be closed.

Isn't the government releasing the Kennedy files in 2020? Thought I heard that...

I sure hope so I would be so interested in seeing those.

The real issue is the Warren Commission did a poor job, which has opened the door to conspiracy theories. Trust is we will never know for sure.

The public's skepticism of the WC is arguably what spawned the movements of the 1960's--Americans just never fully trusted their gov't after that.

Too much coincidence for me. LHO, who had already attempted political assassination some months earlier, just happens to get a job at the book depository, and the Presidential motorcade just happens to change routes down that street and open the top?

No, i think Oswald was there, but was just what he said he was, a patsy. Someone else did the shooting and left the patsy to take the wrap under the guise of protection--very powerful protection which soon double crossed him.


EDIT- I DO think it's time to put to bed the grassy knoll conspiracy--watching the fatal head shot in freeze frame shows Kennedy's head move slightly forward upon impact, suggesting a rear entrance wound.

The United States House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations was formed in 1976 to investigate the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr. The Committee investigated until 1978 and issued its final report, and concluded that Kennedy was very likely assassinated as a result of a conspiracy.

2038. They sealed everything for 75 years from 1963.

How convenient that is, when everybody will be a long time dead..

That's why they did it, so the people involved couldn't be prosecuted. I wouldn't be surprised if in 2038 they push it back and it becomes a generational thing.

Name me ANY other suspect or terrorist group involved in a successful assassination who's defence was he/they were set up ("I'm a patsy"), the credit is always either accepted or denied. Sirhan Sirhan comes close, coincidently eh...

I don't believe that Oswald did it alone. I just don't see the motive even though he was nuts...

Plus like was mentioned above, Jack Ruby didn't kill him out of love of his country and JFK. He was sent like Rocco was to kill Hyman Roth. It was either do it or you die a horrible death. I do think the mob was in on it, and possibly our own government as well. Too much cover up is why I think the government was in on it. Jack Ruby was a connected strip club owner (or ran one), so I just don't see why he thought he would go down and shoot Oswald because he was mad JFK was gone. He was involved with about every known crook that ran around that area including Marcello and Chicago as well. Wouldn't be surprised if the Dixie Mafia was not involved with him either.

I can agree with that. There could have been another shooter, but he wasn't on the grass knoll. I agree as well the shot/s came from behind him. It's crazy how his head exploded like a melon, it was a good shot no matter how many tries one had. To get off that many shots and score a head shot with open sights is pretty amazing regardless.

People like to say Oswald wasn't capable of doing the shooting but in 1956 Oswald scored 49 out 50 and 48 out of 50 at 200 yards and that was at rapid firing with a M1 Garand rifle. He was more then capable of doing the shooting in my opinion.

He scored lower in his final year in the Marines but at that point he didn't care and knew he was getting out of the service soon.

I believe the first shot was deflected by either a tree branch or maybe the traffic signal post or mast (whatever you call it), then the second shot was a straight line through JFK and hitting John Connally. Then the third shot was the money shot hitting JFK in the back of the head killing him. I believe all 3 shots were from above and behind and were fired from that window at the Texas School Book Depository.

Just my opinion on it....i could be wrong.

The HSCA hearings were pretty much a joke,and actually did nothing to discredit the Warren report.The Committee found that JFK was probably killed as part of a conspiracy,but that said conspiracy was not the work of the Soviets,Castro,Anti-Castro Cubans, the Mafia,the CIA,the FBI,the Secret Service,or any other person or group.
It also says that (based on a Dictabelt recording from a Dallas Motorcycle cop's recorder that has since been thoroughly discredited),four shots were probably fired ,including at least one from the Grassy Knoll. So basically,the official conclusion is that ,yes,there was a conspiracy,but it didn't really involve anyone,and that yes,there was a fourth shot,but maybe there wasn't,we're not sure.
If anything,that dog and pony show strongly reinforced the fact that Oswald was the lone shooter.