Let's Time-Travel Back to Dallas and Save JFK FWST 11-9-86 Reviewed by Be Alive

COVERUPSI Number 28 Gary Mack, Editor and Publisher December 1986

Copyright 1963,1986 by Mary Moorman. All rights reserved From the original Polaroid, this is the entire Mary Moorman photo of the Kennedy assassination. The area that has faded completely was covered by a thumb print minutes after the shooting. This version has been contrast-enhanced, for the original has lost fine detail and is now as light as the extreme right edge. Nevertheless, the original does confirm the "Badge Man" image and possibly those of other people nearby. Two recent attempts at computer enhancement of a different, clear copy have not yielded sharper images than those obtained photographically by Jack White. Still, the computer work continues. Let's time-travel back to Dallas and save JFK FWST 11-9-86 Reviewed by be alive. JERRY FLEMMONS A TIME TO REMEMBER David talks scientist into sending him back to INANon Nov. 22, 1963, to save JFK in Dallas. But David The Latin term corpus vile means "something NAN= STANLEY SHAMA° PoiNumber: Random Mouse arrives on the roof of the Texas Schoolbook Depo- felt to be of so little value that it may be expert- Mew $16.96 sitory after Lee Harvey Oswald fires the fatal niented with or upon without concern for loss or three shots. David fights with Oswald, shoots him damage." Poor John Kennedy. His legend has cbanics of Back to Lh.1 Fu ture and Peggy Sue Got in the leg. Police arrive. David is blamed for become a publishing corpus vile, a 'kind of post- Married. Author Shapiro, coincidentally, is a killing JFK (Oswald becomesa hero). David even- mortem cottage industry for potboiling. Movie scriptwriter by trade. tually is shot by Jack Ruby, which should have In death. JFK has found everlasting life as This 191-page novel is more complicated than ended the book on Page 65, but this is, remember, subject for investigative tales, both official and the above one-sentence synopsis suggest. David fantasy. uhofficial, speculative Conspiratorial theories, meets Laura. Love. Laura, a public TV talk show So, scientist sends Laura to Dallas on Nov. 21, serious history, factual docudramas, fictional hOstess, interviews scientia who has invented an IAR.1 Rho Tao./ Waif.. to Ainaraleri intent-inns movies-of-the-week and now this, rising from the untested time-travel machine. David is haunted be on the roof when David arrives and both can genre of pulpy science fantasy. by the death of an older brother, Chris, who was return to the future. She gets there in time to be 'The story is this: Man in 1965 time-travels to killed in Vietnam. JFK would not have gotten the hit by a Buick and hospitalized. The only answer 1963 to save JFK from assassination. Seems sim- United States into a Southeast Asian war. Ergo, if is to find scientist, who now is 23 years younger ple enough and curiously similar to the plot me- JFK had not been assassinated, Chris still would and unknowing that he is to invent a time ma- 2 chine. Several pages later David and Laura and scientist meet. Everybody (including, at one DEATHS Dm 12-1-86 point, a 1963 teen-ager who wanders by) travels DTI{ 11-25-86 FWST 12-3-86 back and forth in the time warp — the time ELSEWHERE dimension may have a revolving door. After a confrontation with President Lyndon GARY ALLEN. 50, an author whose WILLIAM BRADFORD HUIE. Dr. Theodore Curphey Johnson and another quick time leap, David and books 'None Owe Call a Conspiracy" and 76. an author who wrote books about Laura get things straightened out by killing *Tax Target: Washington' articulated con- violence In the civil rights movement In PASADENA. Calif. — Dr. Theo- Oswald as he leaves home that fateful morning. servative goals for the pest two decades. the South, died Saturday in Guntersville, dore Curphey, the pathologist who JFK lives. The couple opt to remain in 1983 (in died Saturday of a liver ailment in Long Ala. He mote such civil rights books as became Los Angeles County's first 1964 they have a child who wasconceived in 1985, Beach. Calif. Allen's most popular book. 'The Klansmen,' 'Three Lives For Missis- medical examiner and presided "None Dare Call It Conspiracy." expound- sippi" and Slew The Dreamer.' a bi- over the inquiry into Marilyn Mon- and therefore is old enough to vote when born). ed the theory that imernational banking They meet Chris and make Houston their home. ography of Martin Luther King Jr.'s con- roe's death, died Thursday. He was and politics control domestic decisions. victed assassin. James Earl Ray. He also 89. There is no Vietnam war. and MK lives to a happy He was a contributing editor to the Con- wrote two books that were later made old age as a world statesman. servative Digest and the John Birch Soci- into successful films or television movies. And that's the latest JFK fantasy saga. Watch ety's American Opinion magazine. Allen "The Execution of Private Slovik.' about soon for the new Marvel Comics series and the also was a speech writer for former Ala- the last U.S. soldier executed for deser- JFK Saturday morning cartoon. bama Gov. George Wallace and an advis- tion, and 'The Americanization of Emily.' (Trove' editor Jerry Plenum is reported the Kennedy er to Dallas millionaire Nelson Bunker enaseloatioe for the Star Teley.iun.) Hunt.

A LETTER FROM HENRY by Gary Mack So what does ReKders Digest writer Henry Hurt have to say about Reasonable Doubt criticisms in this newsletter? Here is his only public- response (retyped for space):

HI/1%W C. Huirr, CHATHAM. VIRGINIA MAI I November 26, 1986 anything else 'derogatory to my personal or professional reputation. If you repeat this reckless disregard for my personal and professional reputation, Mr. Lawrence Dunkel we will unavoidably assume that your intent is malicious and that you have A/K/A Gary Mack charged ahead despite being fully informed of our position in this grave 4620 Brandingshire Place matter. Your continued publication of such serious charges will signify Fort Worth, Texas 76133 beyond any reasonable doubt your malicious intent to damage my reputation. Dear Mr. Dunkel: I will be sending a copy of this letter to all people who mention to me they have heard about your scurrilous allegations, and to others for whom I We have in hand a publication called "Coverups!" which is dated Oc- have great respect in the field of research into the JFK assassination. tober 1986. It lists your commonly used alias, "Gary Mack," as editor and publisher. The stated place of publication is the Lawrence Dunkel home at 4620 Brandingshire Place in Fort Worth, leading us to believe that you are in fact the person responsible for printing and distributing the scurrilous Henry Hurt. material contained in the publication. Weird, isn't it. This was Hurt's opportunity to correct any factual errors, Please be advised that you have seriously defamed my personal and disagree with interpretations or criticize points of view; instead, he chose to professional integrity by promulgating an extremely defamatory allegation. complain about something that was not published. You have done so with reckless disregard for the truth. Your material After revealing, for the first time, Hurt's lengthy Mississippi background pointedly suggests that I may have known Robert Easterling prior to the as both a university student and reporter at a major newspaper, the Jackson time described in my book, Reasonable Doubt. Such an insinuation carries Daily News (whose reporters often covered Easterling's home town of Hat- with it a dear implication that I might in some way have fabricated certain tiesburg), Johann Rush wrote: aspects of my book, perhaps in cahoots with Easterling. We consider such it occurs to me that since Easterling has been telling his bizarre story an insinuation defamatory to my character and professional reputation. for a long, long time, Hurt could have learned of it many years ago and just While your opinions about my book, Reasonable Doubt, are complete- recently decided to use it; or, Easterling may have remembered Hurt's ly irrelevant in view of your reputation in the community of critics and byline and chose to tell his story to a former Mississippian. It is intriguing scholars on the JFK assassination, I will not tolerate your dissemination of that while Hurt claims to have never heard of Easterling prior to September false and scurrilous allegations masquerading as facts about my profes- 1981, he avoided mentioning the years when he and Cowboy Bob lived on- sional and personal integrity. ly 90 miles apart." Be on notice that if you again publish or in any other way issue the Rush's point, clearly speculation, was simply that Hurt could have known malicious and false insinuation that I even heard of Robert Easterling prior of the story, not that he knew Easterling; if there were any reason to sug- to the time described in Reasonable Doubt, I will turn the matter over to my gest otherwise, the sentence would have been worded appropriately. As libel lawyer in New York. You obviously do not have a shred of professional such, there was no defamation, no insinuation, and no "scurrilous" integrity, given your publication of such scurrilous material without first material—and there will be no retraction or apology. (Interestingly, Hurt checking with me to see whether it is true–or at least to seek my side of the has not complained to Rush about his articles.) matter. I realize from the "quality" of your work that you are astonishingly Hurt's other gripes are just as easily dismissed. My professional name, or ignorant of (or indifferent to) basic publishing standards, as well as normal "pen name" in the writers' trade, originated in 1972 during my 22 years as standards of journalistic courtesy. Therefore, let me reiterate that you are a broadcast announcer. My legal name has never been a secret in the hereby informed that the insinuation noted above is false, scurrilous and research community and has been published by Penn Jones and G. Robert defamatory. If you repeat your libel against me, you should be prepared to Blakey (misspelled as I pointed out in an earlier Coverups!). My address is defend your reckless allegations in court. the same one Hurt visited for several hours in 1983 when this newsletter Usually, under circumstances such as this, the party who has been was in its second year. defamed and libeled in so serious a manner requests that a retraction and As for my reputation, I will match it with his anywhere, any time, in court apology be made by the person who has committed the defamation. In this or out, for I have yet to learn of one researcher who agrees Easterling's case, I am going to be very forthright by saying something that my libel story is believable, or even partially true. My point is simply that the lawyer tells me I should not say, for it could possibly detract slightly from credibility of Hurt's book is directly linked to his belief that Easterling's our case if we have to summon you into federal civil court there in Texas. story is worthy of investigation. Your reputation is such that I seriously doubt that anyone pays much atten- Coverups1 is not sent "out hither and yonder (sic) to anyone you can tion to anything you print in your sheet, even though I understand that you think of'; only one or two unsolicited copies are routinely distributed. Of send it out hither and yonder to anyone you can think of. So I am not going the two October mailings, the first went to Henry Hurt, whose subscription to ask for a retraction from you, thereby conceding that damages, while ex- had expired with the previous issue. Indeed, Hurt subscribed to this tremely painful and humiliating at this time, could be far worse. (I doubt you newsletter beginning with the second issue, and he renewed in July 1984. would be prudent enough to print this letter anyway, inasmuch as you have At no time did he express any dissatisfaction with the contents (and we never once sought my side of matters in any of the nonsense you've printed had several telephone conversations as recently as December 1985 or about my book.) January 1986.) Hurt even instructed his publisher (Holt, Rinehart and However, we are putting you on clear warning of the firm actions that Winston, a CBS subsidiary at that time) to send 'me a complimentary copy will be taken if you repeat your defamatory insinuations, or if you publish of Reasonable Doubt for review. 3 Hurt has been asked, on several occasions, to respond to the critical state mental hospital. material in this newsletter. Through a mutual friend he was told of three Our group of about 25 roared with laughter at the ludicrous and pathetic things: my negative reaction to his book, my forthcoming highly critical Robert Easterling, a man very different from the 1963 conspirator describ- review, and my offer to consider publishing his response. There was no ed by Hurt. As the tape ended, and the laughter subsided, researcher Mary answer. Ferrell jumped to her feet and emphatically stated she had told Hurt not to After the review appeared, in issue 25, Hurt reportedly drafted a lengthy print a word of Easterling's story because it probably wasn't true and no response but declined to send it; instead, he wrote at least one researcher one would believe it anyway! that it does not matter to him what I think about Reasonable Doubt. To Is that the real reason Reader's Digest declined to publish Reasonable another he wrote he was not troubled by criticism of his handling of the Doubt even though, according to figures obtained by a book distributor (In- Easterling story. Both publicly and privately Hurt has welcomed responsi- gram), it had paid Hurt a $500,000 advance? ble criticism of his Easterling chapter, and that's exactly what he got from To my way of thinking, Henry Hurt has done a tremendous disservice to this researcher and a professional television news reporter in Easterling's this case and the critical community. His book is filled with page after page home town. of confused, confusing and incomplete explanations of many crucial events. Part one of Johann Rush's expose appeared in issue 26, along with my One of the simplest examples is that of Dallas Police Officer Joe Smith, one own paraphrasing of additional information (Rush approved the final draft.) of the first cops to reach the grassy knoll. At the very end of the article I added ""Based on the evidence Rush has As researchers know, Smith pulled his gun on a man who identified supplied...this researcher is comfortable with the work he is doing; any who himself as Secret Service, even though no agents were on the ground at any disagree may respond." time. Smith let the man go and later described the event to the Warren The comment was Addressed to everyone, including Henry Hurt, and Commission. Hurt correctly summarized Smith's story and added, without again he chose not to respond. Shortly thereafter, I again told a mutual any further explanation, that the "agent" was an imposter (see pages 110, friend that Hurt was welcome to reply. I have no reason to doubt the 111 and 113). message was passed along, yet Hurt did not answer. We know the guy was an imposter, but general readers do not. Hurt left With the publication of part 2 of Rush's research, Hurt was pointedly ask- them puzzled about why he was an imposter when other seemingly logical ed to produce the 1963 New Orleans telephone book that lists both J. D. explanations ark possible. Most readers probably suspect Smith was Ward and Captain J. D. Ward. He has not done so, nor has he offered an mistaken or that the "imposter" had a legitimate reason to have Secret Ser- explanation for the phony story. Missing, too, is any objection to, or vice ID that Hurt didn't know about. disagreement with, any part of Rush's material. The real importance of this episode, which Hurt completely missed, is its As a responsible journalist, I demanded corroboration for Rush's most direct and absolute proof of conspiracy, for the "agent" has never come for- serious charges before agreeing to publish his research. He supplied both ward, has never filed a report, and his supervisor (if he was legitimate) never audio and video tapes, photographs, and photocopies. Much of this acknowledged his existence. One would think that if such an innocent per- material was shown to Texas researchers on the evening of the last son existed, one with ties to some branch of law enforcement, the US assassination anniversary. It included Rush's two-part report on Government would have produced him a long time ago to say "I was there Reasonable Doubt that aired on WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg last spring, and there was no gunman." reports that featured excerpts of interviews with Easterling, local sheriff Hurt bungled his way through many other areas, but he may have sent Gene Walters, and New Orleans library-official Collin Hamer. one clear message to book publishers—that the critical community sup- Rush also provided video tape of the pumper fire truck that responded to ported his research into the Kennedy assassination and helped legitimize the "diversionary fire" and the firefighters gave an on-camera demonstra- the Robert Easterling/pro-Castro stories. Our names are in the tion of how they would unroll the hose and put out a small fire with the Acknowledgments, and our achievements are liberally tossed throughout truck's own water supply. There was video tape of the 1963 New Orleans the pages. Thii researcher/editor is embarrassed to have played even a telephone directory showing no listing for Captain Ward, and video of small role in Reasonable Doubt; hopefully, researchers will be more Rush's entire Easterling TV interview on the grounds of the Mississippi cautious in the future.

JciAlli I WIN L I, 1Voti lets Fort Worth Star-Telegram Dallas Times Herald (combined ) Book digs into 1960s investigation of talent agency ever given such a blanket "the only effect of the blanket him in Las Vegas and in television. Reag exemption by the union. waiver to MCA alone was to give was paid more than ;100,000 a year as t The waiver meant that MCA was acting as MCA the dominant part in ... tele- host, program supervisor and occasion Reagan both the employer of actors and their agent, vision production. It did not in- star of GE Theater, the flagship program supposed to negotiate the best possible crease television production — it MCA's new entry into the television prods Associated Press terms for them. merely assured MCA a larger share tion business. WASHINGTON —Ronald Reagan was in- At the time the union granted the waiver, of whatever television film produc- The source told Posner that "Reagan mi vestigated, and ultimately cleared, in a fed- Reagan was the guild's president and MCA tion there was to be." The names have been given the role of host, a me eral criminal investigation in the 1960s into was his agent. Asked during his grand jury of the sources were blacked out desirable plum, in GE Theater in return f suspected payoffs from MCA, the Holly- appearance whether he had ever discussed when the Justice Department sup- having lent his good offices to see that M( wood entertainment conglomerate, to the waiver with MCA executive Lew plied the documents under the got the blanket waiver " Reagan and other officers of the Screen Wasserman, Reagan said he might have "Although it may never be proven th Actors Guild, according to a new book. Freedom of Information Act- mentioned it on social occasions, but that he Reagan told the grand jurors the Reagan or any other SAG official push As part of the investigation, Reagan's tax couldn't recall. waiver was given to MCA to stimu- through the SAG special arrangement wi returns from 1952 to 1955 were subpoenaed Deputy press secretary Peter Roussel said late employment in the TV indus- MCA and then received a suitcase fill, by the antitrust division of the Justice De- that the White House had no comment. with cash, it is clear that, within months try. Employment was down at the partment under Attorney General Robert Calls placed Friday to Wasserman's Uni- the deal, Reagan benefited personal, time in motion pictures. Kennedy, author Dan Moldea says in Dark versal City office were referred to Harold financially, professionally and political Victory: Ronald Reagan, MCA and the Mob. Haas, MCA vice president and treasurer. There was no comment on the from his relationship with MCA," says Mt The Justice Department sought Reagan's "Mr. Wasserman doesn't do interviews," book from the Screen Actors dea's book. tax returns the week after the actor spent said Wasserman's secretary, Betty Guild. the afternoon of Feb. 5,1962, testifying be- Brighthop. "I'm quite sure no one here has "MCA helped to make its client, acts Ronald Reagan, a multimillionaire; and tt fore a federal grand jury empaneled to in- Haas said he hadn't seen the read the book yet, but we are look- favors that were returned by Reagan . vestigate the suspected payoffs and any book and, "We wouldn't want to ing forward to reading it," actors have helped to transform MCA into a Oil& other possible criminal activity involving comment" guild spokesman Mark Locher M(7A. Moldea says. Portions of the book are said. dollar empire and the most powerful fore A memo by the head Department investi- world today," tl based on 6.000 pages of Justice Department gator written the week after Reagan's Reagan was president of the in the entertainment documents obtained 21/2 years ago by the Brand jury appearance says that "we have guild from 1947 to 1952 and again book says. entertainment industry publication Varie- ... taken steps to obtain income tax returns from 1959 to 1960. No criminal charges were brougl ty. which ran an extensive but largely un- of ... Reagan" and seven other Screen Ac- Reagan was president of the guild froM against anyone in the yearlong antitru: noticed story on the investigation. tors Guild officers whose talent agent was 1947 to 1952 and again from 1959 to 1960. investigation of MCA, but the federal go, The grand jury was part of an investiga- MCA. "It is true that the guild granted a unique ernment did break up the corporation,fon tion conducted by the Justice Department The income tax returns, the memo says, waiver to MCA," Locher said. ing it to choose between movie and Tlipiri of alleged monopolistic practices in the en- were to be one aspect in "further develop- In his 1965 autobiography, Reagan sup- duction or its talent agency. Th tertainment industry by MCA, which was ment of the 'payola' aspect" of the inveStiga- plied few details about his grand jury ap- corporation closed down its talent agehc the largest talent agency in Hollywood. tion. pearance, except to say that he "had spent a and expanded the much more lucrative pri Reagan's grand jury testimony, reprinted As part of its investigation, the long, unhappy afternoon being interrogat- duction end of its business. in the book, discloses that the actor repeat- antitrust division conducted ex- ed by a federal lawyer who'd seen too many edly said he could not recall details of a haustive interviews with dozens of Perry Masons." waiver the Screen Actors Guild granted With Reagan's first tour as SAG president MCA in 1952, which allowed the agency to entertainment industry sources. One source, according to the Jus- at an end in the early 19505 and his film engage in unlimited production of televi- career in decline, MCA arranged jobs for sion shows. MCA was the only Hollywood tice Department case file, said, 4 The dark victory of Reagan and MCA

required actors to forfeit all claims night. Then, Moldea claims that as DARK VICTORY: Ronald Reagan, to residuals for • TV showings of governor "Reagan made executive

MCA, and the Mob uns 8y Dan E. Moldea (Viking, $18.95) movies prior to 1960 — that it was decisions that were greatly benefi- called "The Great Giveaway." Even cial to MCA and other corporations qvp

By Lee Milaz:o Bob Hope, no flaming radical, was with motion picture studio inter- How important is MCA in show deeply disturbed by the agreement. ests."

business? They own it," says Jerry Because of this settlement, and Moldea also traces the connec- opo

Lewis. expressing an opinion held because of other serious charges tions between Korshak and Nevada aq t

by almost everyone in the business. against MCA, President John Ken- Sen. Paul Laxalt, who ran Reagan's Still, if that were the only theme of nedy and Attorney General Robert presidential campaigns in 1976 and

Moldea's Dark Victory, his IT Dan E. Kennedy began a concentrated 1980. Most seriously, says Moldea, 1 nets' book would be interesting and probe of the company's affairs. (It "During the presidential campaign, 86 entertaining, though only mildly was during this investigation that Reagan met privately with known 9 controversial. Reagian testified and, according to associates of organized crime and But Moldea's exhaustive expose Moldea "displayed a remarkable appointed others to his personal of MCA, known as "the Octopus" in loss of memory while on the wit- campaign staff. Several of these peo- 118 Hollywood. is one of the /host explo- ness stand.") Reagan has admitted ple were later given high positions 1

sive books of the decade, for here that the government's breakup of in the Reagan administration after 14

the author of The Hotta Wars traces MCA — it simply had to choose be- his election." e11 P the history of this immensely pow- tween being a talent agency and a Many readers will applaud Mol- erful conglomerate and sets out to Og production company, an easy deci- dea for ferreting out these facts. " Ronald Reagan, circa prove: that organized crime has 1950 UP sion — was a key factor in his 4eci- Others will condemn him for his long infiltrated Hollywood, with sion to enter politics. His mentors conclusions. But all should read 0 the approval of many major studios company. Stein took in Taft 4

were MCA founder Stein and[ aide Dark Victory. 01 and executives; that MCA has al- Schreiber, Sonny Werblin, and Lew Schreiber, plus many of lawyer 0 ways been notorious for its unfair. Wasserman as his chief aides. One Korshak's friends, who made Lee Milazzo is book critic of The often illegal tactics; that Ronald of their key associates was lawyer Reagan a multimillionaire over- Dallas Morning News. Reagan has enjoyed a highly profit- Sidney Korshak (described by gov able relationship with MCA for sev- ernment authorities as the Chicago FWST 11-7-86 eral decades; that this relationship Mafia's liaison with the movie in- London Daily Telegraph 10-86 began to flourish when Reagan sold dustry), who became one of the out his union, the Screen Actors most powerful men in the enter- Watergate Fa-CIA officer Guild. to give MCA a unique and un- tainment industry and in California fair advantage in the production of politics. wins libel award television programs; that, in return, In 1952. Reagan, as president of burglar gets Mr David Phillips, a former MCA made huge real estate deals the actors guild, engineered a top-ranking CIA officer. is to during the 19605 that gave Reagan "blanket waiver" exempting MCA receive "substantial" undis- agent's help closed libel damages from the his personal fortune: and that MCA from guild rules that prohibited a Observer for suggesting that he continues to play a key role in talent agency from also engaging in Knight-Ridder News Service was involved in a con- Reagan's career today. film production, thereby allowing spiracy concerning President MIAMI — A federal agent's testi- Kennedy's assassination and Obviously, such accusations are the company to offer jobs to the ac- mony has convinced a jury that the supression of evidence. not to be made lightly. Moldea pre- tors it represented. No other com- Watergate burglar Frank Sturgis The newspaper, in a state- spits an overwhelming amount of pany was given this advantage, and was working for the government ment made yesterday in settle- information. including the first MCA's income rose from S8 million when police arrested him in Miami ment of Phillils's High Court publication of Reagan s secret testi- in 1954 to 599 million in 1957. In re- last June on charges of dealing in libel action, unreservedly apolo- gised for the distress caused to mouy before a federal grand jury turn. Moldea alleges, MCA gave the stolen property. him and fully accepted that Mr investigating MCA in 1962 That fading Reagan jobs when no of The six jurors on Thursday acquit: phillips was in no way involved probe focused on "Reagan's possi- else would, first as the emcee of a ted Sturgis, 82, after deliberating for is the assassination. The allega- ble role in a suspected conspiracy revue in Las Vegas, then as host of 3% hours. tion was contained in two "We did believe he was working extracts from Anthony between MCA and the actors' un- GE Theater. with Customs at the time," said juror Summers' book "Conspiracy," ion" and the "decisions made by Despite the fact that Reagan had Theresa Noll. "We found the agent's published by the Observer in SAG while under Reagan's leader- been producing shows for GE. a di- credibility to be high and came to May, 1960. ship that became 'the central fact of rect violation of actors guild by- the conclusion that Sturgis was Summers' book does not imply that David Phillips MCA's whole rise to power." laws, he led the union in its strike working for Customs." was involved in the Kennedy assassination, only MCA was founded in 1929 by against the studios in 1959. The Sturgis, teary-eyed, shook the Jules Stein, who reportedly paid off eventual settlement, which Reagan jurors' hands as they left the court- that he may have used the name Maurice Bishop, union leader Jaems C. Petrillo to negotiated with the help of room of Circuit Judge Mario Goder- who allegedly had a pre-assassination associatior gain favors for his band-booking ich. Korshak, was so unsatisfactory — it Metro-Dade County police arrest- with Oswald. The Observer articles were apparent ed Sturgis on June 18 after he ac- rewrites, for Summers has never been sued by DTH 12-22-86 (edited) cepted four gold Rolex watches Phillips (to my knowledge). Asa Phillips or the from a man he thought was a big- CIA ever produced evidence indicating he could Here goes Geraldo again time drug dealer. The dealer was really undercover not have been in Dallas in late summer 1963? Renegade TV journalist Ger- officer Kennedy Rosario, who pre- aido Rivera is back with plans tended he needed Sturgis' "high- to ressurect the ABC investiga- brother Robert with the actress level" contacts to get a drug-ring FWST 12-15-86 tion into the death of Marilyn and possibly with her death. chemist released from prison. Monroe that led to his resigna- The report was quashed by Rosario wore a hidden Court upholds demotion tion from ABC news chief Roone Arledge transmitter, and the jury heard The demotion of Dr, Thomas Norte''', "20/20" last as a sloppy piece of journalism. a bout eight hours of taped conversa- the former Los Angeles County chief med- year. Rivera quit in protest and was tions between the bogus drug mer- ical examiner known as the "coroner to the After the soon followed by the investiga- chant and Sturgis. stars," was upheld by an appeals court that ratings suc- tion's producer Stanhope Gould said the ouster was Justified. cess of his and "20/20" reporter Sylvia WIN 11-5-86 "There were management audits in 1976 recent Chase, who also worked on and 1962 along with an independent audit "American the story. Pennsylvania by the grand jury in 1962 in which Dr. Vice: the "I'm definitely considering Sen. Arlen Specter, a Repuou,n Noguchi failed to pass muster," the state Doping of it [the Monroe investigation]," moderate who has often been at odds Court of Appeal said Friday. RON a Nation," Rivera told USA Today, "And with the White House, won a second Noguchi is "an outstanding pathologist Rivera says I'd like to do it in conjunction term by defeating former Demo- and forensic scientist" but "he lacks the BOYD he'd like with Sylvia Chase. It would cratic Rep. Bob Edgar. managerial skills and administrative abili- to reopen be poetic justice." ty to run the coroner's office," the panel his Monroe Rivera's upcoming specials Specter served on the Warren said. The Board of Supervisors demoted No- investigation as one of his three will be in April, August and Commission and invented the independent news specials December. In addition to Mon- guchi in 19132 after 14 years in the medical scheduled next year for Tribune single bullet theory, edger was examiner's job, during which he helped roe, Rivera says he is consider- investigate the deaths of many stars. The Entertainment. ing programs on the mob and on the HSCA's Martin Luther The "20/20" report linked a board said he mismanaged the depart- live broadcast from Death King subcommittee. ment and used his office to promote him- President Kennedy and his Row. self in his outside activities. 5 Alcoholics Anonymous and her newfound religious faith helped Former stripper says Ruby was a gem of a guy bring her out of a years-long alco- holic haze. By Tom Boone DTH 11-29-86 The friends she's hunting for are those she She also was a headliner at the But no matter which way con- OF THE TIMES HERALD STAFF worked and socialized with seven nights a old Colony Club before she versation takes her, she always re- week, three shows per night: Tammy True, hooked up with Ruby. turns to Jack Ruby. Her hair is still blond and her skin still Kathy Kay, Peggy Steele. Shari herself was a Ruby was kind of a mother hen "You know," she said, "I've seen smooth, but her features have hardened star, pulling down $200 a week for in-town to the girls in his clubs, and he him hit a man — I mean a real some and the waistline isn't what it was. But work and $450 a week on the road. A publici- frequently went out to dinner with hard shot, barn — and then pick then Shari Angel, Dallas' one-time answer to ty brochure described her this way: them after closing time, Shari An- him up and feed him for a week. Gypsy Rose Lee, doesn't take it off for mon- "Dallas' own Gypsy — See Sex gel recalls. Then maybe they'd all He was big-hearted. He really ey and applause anymore. Sational Shan doing her rendition go' bowling. "He was always so wanted to make it big, but he nev- The former stripper is 52. She has found of dances from the popular movie nice to the girls," she says, and she er did. He was really just a big ol' her way out of the bottle, and along the way 'Gypsy' with exquisite gowns and bristles at the suggestion — made kid. she discovered Jesus and a sense of love, exciting music." by one potential book publisher - "If I could just get a monument happiness and stability she hasn't experi- The strip shows were pretty that Ruby ran a string of prosti- to him, then maybe we could fi- enced in a long time. She bears no grudges tame by today's standards. "My tutes from his clubs. nally lay him to rest." against the people who did her wrong. G-string was more like a bikini For 12 years, Shari says, she And all she wants right now is to set the bathing suit," Shari says now. flew pretty high. She wore $1,000 (Oswald ts family might record straight about her old and dear friend "There was a law then that you costumes that she paid for, and not contribute. Shari and former employer, the former Dallas couldn't touch yourself with your she always had plenty of money, says admitted Babushka nightclub owner, the man wIo shot Lee Har- hands when you danced." And be- enough to bring up 10 brothers vey Oswald on national television, the late causethere usually were cops in and sisters all by herself. She mar- lady Beverly Oliver WFt.8 Jack Ruby. the audience every night, she says, ried the Carousel Club's master of not an assassination – "1 want to get together some money and the girls were carefid to abide by ceremonies, Wally Weston, a witness and agrees "she have a medal or a monument or something the law. stand-up comic. She misses him Would have -told one or for Jack," she says. "He was a wonderful Shari's real name is Bobbie Lou- now. "He died of lung cancer man." ise Meserole ("Pixie Lynn gimme down in Florida,* she says. more of the other girls And as part of her memorial, she wants to that name, Shari Angel, and every- Since she, tell the club work be- if she had seen it. Her write a book about Ruby, a book that will body liked it"), and she was born hind, life's runway has been tough. information that Wally show what he was really like, not how the in East Dallas. She attended Ursu- For a time she was a nurse in the Weston is dead was not public remembers him, she says. She is now line Academy through the seventh pediatrics ward at Parkland Hospi- working with a possible publisher. To help grade, which is as much schooling tal. There are gaps in her recollec- correct ;7. anyone know gather information for the book, she is trying as she could stand. She dropped tions at the points where there are his whereabouts?) to contact all the exotic dancers who per- out and worked at odd jobs until people and events she prefers not formed with her at one of Ruby's downtown she landed her first dancing job at to discuss. She mentions psychiat- dubs, the Carousel Club in 1963, the year age 24 at the Theatre Lounge, Dal- ric treatment and the doctor who Oswald allegedly killed Jack Kennedy and las' premier nightclub. believed her life was worth saving. Ruby killed Oswald. 2 0 Lawyers 1, r be to in Oswald Oc day, `trial' spar dnes We `Jury' to decide Kennedy case M0 )

ng By Ed Bark lu r Television Critic of The News lio I

s They chided each other in the

lla manner of two heavyweight boxers

i)a stoking up interest in their upcoming title fight. Ght, Prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, who put the Manson family behind bars, will be trying to incarcerate a phantom Lee Harvey Oswald. De- fense attorney Gerry Spence, winner of a posthumous judgment for Karen Silkwood against the Kerr-McGee Corp., is charged with The Dallas Morning News: Ken Geiger proving that Oswald was not the sole assassin of President John F. Defense attorney Gerry Spence (left) and Texas School Book Depository — from Kennedy, who died in Dallas on prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi examine the which authorities believe Lee Harvey Nov. 22,1963. sixth-floor window in the Dallas County Oswald assassinated President Kennedy on The attorneys clashed Tuesday Administration Building — formerly the Nov. 22,1963. at the former Texas School Book De- pository building — now the Dallas nected to it. They testified before a he had during his return trip from and red tie. County Administration Building - Dallas jury and US. District Judge London through customs at Dal- The Dallas County clerk's office during a news conference to pro- Lucius Bunton, who is based in Mid- las/Fort Worth International Air- assisted in the production by promote the Showtime cable network's land. port. Customs workers became "om- viding the names of 80 potential production of On Trial: Lee Harvey None of the parties knows the inously silent," he said, when they jurors, said Showtime's director of Oswald. outcome of the sealed verdict, but learned he had been "defending" program development, Harry Chan- The 544-hour courtroom con- Bugliosi contends that Spence al- Oswald. Then one worker suppos- dler. A marketing firm chose the fi- frontation, billed as "the trial that ready is trying to sell the notion edly told him, "I hope, Mr. Spence, nal 12, he said. Jack Ruby's bullet prevented from that his "client" can't hope to get a that nobody ever assassinates you." Bugliosi and Spence called 22 happening," was taped July 23-25 in fair trial from a Dallas jury. Spence, who resides in Jackson witnesses to testify. Oswald's London and is scheduled to be tele- "I think he senses that the jury Hole, Wyo., has long blond hair and widow, Marina Oswald Porter, de- cast Nov. 21-22. did not buy some of the moonshine wore a buckskin jacket, blue jeans, clined to participate. Co-stars of the program, hosted that he was dishing out," Bugliosi cowboy boots and a black, Western- The complete edition of On Trial: by former NBC newsman Edwin said from the chambers of the Dal- cut shirt. The balding Bugliosi was Lee Harvey Oswald will be donated Newman, are real-life witnesses to las County Commissioners Court. his antithesis in a navy blue, three- to a planned Kennedy museum to the assassination and events con- Spence recounted an experience piece, pinstriped suit, white shirt be housed in the former depository 6

DICT — which because of the filming schedule ac- night before the trial started, Spence claimed the tually came before all testimony was completed - table closest to the jury. was one in a series of tense moments that threatened Bugliosi objected and Bunton ruled in Buglioses to shatter the credibility of the trial, or worse, stop it favor. Spence refused to honor the judges ruling. before completion. Bunton cajoled. Spence all refused, calling for pro- NOVEMBER 16, 1986 DALLASUPEW.GAZINI Although the producers wanted to slake the trial ducer Redhead and executive producer Drewett. T *al" as true to reality as possible, the courtroom authority n. They argued in front of the jury. They argued off the of the judge to jail lawyers for contempt, or of the set, In the back of the studio. At one point Spence court to subpoena witnesses to force them to testify, walked off the set. The fighting went on for more than URY FOREMAN JACK MORGAN STOOD UP was missing. And because such controls weren't an hour. Finally, it was agreed Spence would sit next to answer the all-imponant question. Had there, the attorneys tended toward excess. to the Jury. the jury reached a verdict in the case of the 'Wait a minute," producer Redhead cautioned the The emotion continued to run so high that re- United States vs. Lee Harvey Oswald? attorneys at one point during heated discussions two searchers were instructed to keep Bugliosi and Morgan. a portly Dallas printing machin- days before filming was to sm. "There's three quar- Spence away from each other. When it appeared that ery salesman, solemnly handed over a piece tets of a million quid going down here (final cost was both would show up in the makeup room at the same of paper. The clerk showed it to the judge mote than $ 1 million)," Redhead said as he looked time one miming, researchers nulled Spence out one and then turned to face the attorneys. for compromises. door as BuglUosi was coming in the other. When it "We find the defendant. Lee Harvey Jurors bad their first glimpse of what was to come seemed both would end up on the same elevator, a Oswald, not guilty," he read. the night before the trial began. Seated around a huge researcher was delegated to keep Bughosi in conver- Coatroom spectrums erupted in emo- conference table, they met first with the judge and sation. During lunch and dinner breaks, separate Backstage in tional clapping and cheering. Hearing the reaction producers. "You am representing not only your city rooms were set up for the lawyers and their families. behind BIM prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, famous for but your state and country," Redhead intoned. "We London with 12 successfully posreuting Charles Manson, leapt to his take this all very seriously here. It is vital that you not THE PRODUCERS HAD PREPARED FOR NEARLY Dallas jurors, two feet, screaming in protest at Judge Lucius Bunton of discuss this program with anybody. Not your family, every contingency. They picked their witnesses care- Midland. "Slam" he mid loudly, looking at the not your friends, not anybody." fully, then budgeted the amount of time each wimess celebrity lawyers speaators. "You're sick." Then Judge Bunton told jurors that the rules for would have on the stand down to the minute. A fleet Through It all, the television amens kept film- this trial would be the same as for the real trials they of rented limousines brought witnesses to the studio and one judge ing. had heard in Dallas sometime during the previous on command. Researchers attended to the needs of Next Friday, the Amerian public will see for it- the lawyers. No participant got lost during a break self pm how London Weekend Television, a British Bunton continued to aszy tetone,ys telling jurors because no one left the building. Breakfast, lunch and By Bill Bancroft production company, chose to handle the trial of the that he would ask the in to meet them. dinner were saved on the set. accused killer of President John F. Kennedy. What There wasn't enough time taut was it maim' for Still, no matter how hard they tried, the trial's peo viewers will see is five-and-s-half hours of a trial, jurors to be selected as they would in a regular trial, ducers couldn't control some things. And they conducted without a script, stretched over two even- but the lawyers would be allowed to question the 14 couldn't — and wouldn't — have wanted to change Ings (Nov. 21 and 22 on cable's Sbowtime channel). who had been selected by London Weekend. Then others, leaving several quesdons about the outcome. The show's attorneys, judge and jurors are "real." they would decide who the two alternates would be. Should the trial have been held in Dallas instead? The verdict is a secret (both guilty and not guilty "I have never seen a case where the lawyers didn't What if the pay had had an unlimited amount of time endings were famed). want to curry favor with you," Bunton warned. "So be to reach a verdict instead of the two days allotted? Did But there is much more to the "trial" of Lee Har- alert to that." the fact that they knew the sootier they finished the vey Oswald; it is a behind-the-scenes story of how The. Jurors also witnessed several nasty exchanges mace time they would have for sightseeing make any television make-belie= collided with courtroom re- between Spence and Buralosi. It was not the first of difference? What if the television cameras had been DMN 12-1-85 ality. the fighting: By the time they had arrived in Load= less obtrusive' What if the trial had run three mouths five days before filming began, both were playing for instead of three days? WHERE ARE IN THE 23 YEARS SINCE KENNEDY WAS AMAMI- aced In Dallas, only ABC has attempted anything THEY NOW? similar to the London project, and that piece involved actors who followed a script. For On For sIx years, Nov. 22 was important Trial: to Dallas attorney Phil Burleson only be- Lee Harvey Oswald, British producers Richard cause it was his son's birthday. Dreweu and Mark Redhead were determined to work All that changed Nov. 22. 1963. without a script and use as many real characters as Burleson, then a 30-year-old private possible: real lawyers, a real judge, actual witnesses lawyer who had just left the Dallas and experts, and a jury selected in Dallas from the County District Attorneys office. soon federal court juror rolls. The actual setting was Lon- found himself In the national spotlight, don — with three days of filming during the week of helping defend Jack Ruby, the man who Prince Andrew's wedding — but almost everything shot Lee Harvey Oswald. else was pure Dallas, right down to the replica of a Burleson, now 52, still maintains a federal district courtroom on the 14th floor of the general practice with heavy emphasis Earl Cabell Federal Wilding in downtap Dallas. U.S. District fudge Lucius Bunton Prosecutor Vincent Bugfloaf on criminal defense cases. He gained Planning for the trial began in fall 1984. It was blood. The theatrical drama continued long after the film- fame in the late 1970s while helping de- not an easy project to put together, especially con- "My state of mind. and I'm sure Jerry felt the same ing ended. Spence left Imams saying he had serious fend millionaire Foil Worth industrialist sidering that what might have taken three months way, was that we were having a real trial," says Bu- doubts about the proceedings. Some of the evidence T. Cullen Davis on a murder charge. was going to be done in three days. Several elements shoal. "I (don't) think anyone said this is television he thought would be available wasn't, he Said. be- But It was the Ruby case that were key: locating the mat important witnesses and and we could ignore this and ignore that. We didn't came It wee "locked up In the archives, or classified brought nationally known defense attor- experts (gleaned from reports of the Warren Com- take It lightly." by the CIA or the FBI. Some people estimate there are ney Melvin Berri to Dallas, where he mission and the Have Committee on Assassinations) For his part, Bugliosl, high-strung and feisty, had 500,000 documents locked up in the archives and the went looking for a local assistant — and and convincing them to participate: picking a jury; done nothing btu prepare for the trial for duee-and-a- CIA which ate sated from the American public." found Burleson. - and choosing the prosecuting and defense attorneys MI( months. "I imerviewed my witnesses over and Spence contended some of the evidence should "Regardless of the fact that millions and the judge. ova again. I spoke to some of Jerry's witnesses five to not have ,gose to the Jury because it was coated by of people saw him (Ruby) do it on televi- Viewer will not see everyone who might have seven times. I proceeded in the same identical fash- the limits of television. "The question le Is this good sion. he (was) still entitled to a lair been expected to testify had Oswald lived and gone ion in peeving foe this trial as I would have In any enema:um& Yea. Is this Information that the public Burleson said last week. to trial. His wife, Marina Oswald: former Texas Gov. other. I couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned." should have? Yes. Is this information that should go to He had argued that Ruby was guilty John Connally; and the chief pathologist at Bethesda Spence, a hulking man who faintly resembles a pry( The answer is no. Some of it would be Inadmir of "murder without malice" — that he Naval Hospital are among about a half-dozen people singer Johnny Cash, claimed to have worked m hard sible under the rules of law. There was all kinds of had been wiring money at the Dallas who turned down the production company. But in plepuadon "as If I had defended Lee Harvey Inadsnimible away that got Into evidence necasi- Western Union office. had grown Curi- about 30 wimemes and other key characters did Oswald la the fiesta" And when he met with the Jury tated by the fact that this was a three-day trial instead ous at all the television vehicles next make the trip, including Dr. Charles Petty. Dallas he spoke of Own= as "my friend, Lee." of a three-month vial," Spence said. door at the police station, and had County medial examiner. and Ruth Paine, the "You an tell your kids and grandidds," Spence Spence also complained about the eighanan, four- walked down a ramp into the basement woman in whose home said, "this is the flow time Lee got a trial. He's beat woman jury. "You can't my a one in from of people — where he shot Oswald. Marina Oswald was liv- dead 20 years and it's about time. It's about time. who are retired insurance executives or to the right of "We strongly suggested that all he ing at the time of the as- g Vince and I wouldn't get testy if we weren't serious Genghis Khan. Texas is conservative enough without did was to do something an the spur of sassination. All were al- 5 about It. We are serious.' taking the most conservative people. I screamed and the moment." Burleson said, "(resulting lowed to bring a travel- The two attorneys clashed repeatedly. At least from) the emotion Jack and the nation hollered over the telephone one day about it until I ing companion once at pretrial meetings had been going through that weekend." to 11 at the Savoy Hotel. Spence actually hurt my side." London and each ;.; threatened to pull out of the trial, walking out of the Ruby was convicted in 1964 — but Bunton, though, defended the jurors. "I don't received about 1800 in la the verdict was overturned. Burleson room. Judge Bunton later said that if they'd all been think they went wrong in picking a jury. The Dallas was the lead attorney as the case was expense money. back in Midland, he'd have jailed them both for con- (federal court) division is a law-and-order division. moved to Wichita Faits, But before it Similar perks were of- ;!-1 tralti'. They are going to return more verdicts for the govern- could go to trial. Ruby died of cancer. feted to the 14 people = One of the touchier disameements was over ment than perhaps some ocher division. I don't mean Burleson was a pallbearer at the fu- chosen for the jury (12 2 whether anything Oswald mid after he was arrested that as critical. That's the kind of people that live neral. plus two alternates). was admissible. "He was arrested pre-Miranda," Bun- Burleson said he still gets calls from Representing a cross sec- 5 ton mid, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Wean had no such complaints about either the conspiracy advocates — but insists non of the Dallas area. that now requires police officers to advise the jury or the wimesses. He said most of the wimesses he ha's seen no evidence to prove an Defense attonwYJerrY from Irving to Wants- accused olds= rights. wanted were there. "When you have the real wit- Oswald-Ruby connection. Spence chic, all had previously "On the other hand, the Some of Texas already had acmes, you can't improve on that," be said. And he reflects on the small spot served on a federal jury in Dallas. a Law that required all confastons to be made in writ- The significance, they all agreed, was not in who he'll hold in the grand spectrum of Ken- No one will say how much the attorneys were ing and the defendant to be warned that anything he didn't testify but in the testimony given by those who nedy assassination history. paid. Bugliosi not only prosecuted Manson but also wrote would be used against him," Bunton said. "Ob- did appear (Shoaling* viewers will have a chance to "As long as it's in the sense that I wrote the book Heifer Shelter. Jerry Spence, whose viously Vince wanted to use everything because see all 18 bows of filming in early 1987). "Never, was an attorney and did a good job to clients have included the estate of Karen Silkwood, Oswald said some damaging things." ever was a witness in a hearing, either the Warren represent the client, It makes me leer handled the defense. Bunton ruled for the prosecution, which argued Commission or the Home Committee on Assassimr good," he said. "You've got to remem- The final character in the cast a U.S. District that when Oswald talked, he was not coerced. noes, ever permitted to be cross-examined, to be ber that he (Ruby) died with the Judge Bullied. The Midland judge signed on after sev- But Spence wasn't entirely shut out in the pretrial tested by the skillful cross examination of a trial law- Presumption of innocence after having eral in Dallas rejected the offer. dueling. la's tradition for the prosecutor to sit at the yet" Spence said. "The witnesses were for the first been seen shooting Oswald on televi- table nearest the jury when a case is toted. But when time put to the tat of oar-examination as very dif- Won In front of millions of people." THE OUTBURST OVER THE "NOT GUILTY" VER- the two showed up on the set for the first time, the ferent views were developed. "1 think there are certain Inherent fears in doing No depository fire They called for additional fire- It was from the sixth floor of this trial," Spence salt "1 don't think that this thing - the county-owned building that would ever haye been done in this country. There arc Dallas firefighters thought fighting equipment before dis certain feats in this country about getting too dose to they • saw smoke Wednesday af- covering the "smoke* was the Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly this sword." ternoon when they responded to by-product of sandblasting on shot President John F. Kennedy reports of a the at the former one of the building's upper floors on Nov. 22, 1963. Bill Bancroft ts a ft...41nm writer. He worked as a Texas School Book Depository, as part of its renovation. DTH 11-13-86 consultant on On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald. • now called the Dallas County Administration Building. alttNothelJilsming pets Saturday, November 22, 1986 They stayed on the grass for Caught up in history maybe three minutes. Tentatively, they stood up. A Channel 8 reporter spotted them. Billy recognized hint as the same man, Jerry Haynes, who Couple, sons stood watching only feet away as JFK was slain starred in a kiddie TV show. "That 'Man islit.Pepperinttar • • By John Kirkpatrick Building." No names of the mother Newman says. • 'met it 'TV iriterbe*, thE'Neer, Staff Writer of The News ind. father, no details. End of story. They watched and waited. Clay- mans spent hours at the sheriff's The photograph is slightly out of Bill and Gayle Newman were ton was too young to. really know office, where they again told what focus. Some of the faces are hidden both 22 years old then. Like thou- what was going en. Billy impost they had seen. It was 8 p.m. before from view. And you have to squint sands of other people in Dallas that interested in spatting his *uncle, they got home. - • to see what is most important in the day, they just wanted to see a presi- who was a motorcycle police officer "One thing thativorried me for a scene. dent. They wanted their Children to in the motorcade. ' time was someone thinking we sew Exactly 23 years later, Bill New- see him, too. The motorcade was about 150 something. Say there were other man clearly remembers what was They weren't big fans of Ken- feet away when the first two shots people involved — we would be a important at that moment on Nov. nedy and had supported Richard rang out, Newman says. threat to those people." He thinks 22, 196.3. Newman estimates that he Nixon in the election, which had It was a 'Boom! Boom!' just dim he loaded a shotgun to keep in the was 15 feet away from the presiden- caused some acrimony in the fam- that At the time, I thought that house. Gayle made a pallet on their tial limousine when he, his wife, ily. "Anybody who votes Republi- someone had thrown some fire- bedroom floor and made the boys their 4-year-old son, Billy, and 2- can," Bill Newman's father had told crackers beside the car. sleep there for the next few nights. year-old son. Clayton, saw the presi- him, "should go to hell." "As the car got closer to us, we Billy occasionally spoke of the dent of the United States killed. Even though they hadn't sup- could see something was wrong. We killing for the next few days, but as Look closely at the center of the ported Kennedy, "we considered could see Gov. Connally with the events overtook events, their minds photograph and you can see Bill him our president," Newman says drifted from what they had wit- and Gayle Newman, huddled to- now, adding, "We just wanted to get nessed on Dealey Plaza. "Ruby shot gether, covering their children a glimpse." Oswald, and then there was the with their bodies, fearing that the Newman, an electrician, was. president's funeral and all that, so next bullet might strike one of the waiting to start a new job after the really, it just took our attention off boys. weekend, so he had the day off. On what we had seen." To spot the picture, you had to the morning of Nov. 22, Bill and For several months, Bill New- search through that Saturday's edi- Gayle piled the kids into their 1957 man was an avid reader of assassi- tions of The Dallas Morning News, Oldsmobile, left their Oak Cliff nation stories, but that changed. going past the front page — which home and headed to Love Field to "My interest faded probably after on that day carried the headline catch the president's arrival. An the first year," he said. "Kennedy slain on Dallas street" - 8mm movie camera was left on the The family doesn't talk about it and past the photograph of Lee Har- dresser. They'd meant to take it president, looking into the crowd much these days. They've been vey Oswald in handcuffs, past the with them. with a bewildered look on his face. back to the assassination site only picture of Lyndon Johnson taking When Air Force One landed at "Just a few seconds pasted — I twice. the oath of office, past yards of 11:40, the Newmans were there. But can't tell you the exact time frame, It's not that they're avoiding it words chronicling the life and the crowd was so thick that the — and the car came toward us and they just don't see that much point death of John P. Kennedy. It was view was disappointing. the president was directly in front in going themselves. even past the movie ads and the If they were to get a good look. of me. We were there on the curb. Occasionally, something good stock tables. they'd have to go. downtown. Bill He was the width of one lane away comes out of their presence at Dea- Despite its flaws, the picture bn had seen the route the motorcade from us. That was when the third ley Plaza that day. They were flown Page 31 was one of the most dra- would take illustrated in the news- shot was fired . . . to London earlier this year to ap- matic, and perhaps the most curi- paper, so the Newmans drove down- "I turned to Gayle and said, pear as witnesses in the television ous, in that day's paper. The cap- town, parked behind the Texas 'That's it. Hit the ground.' " drama On Trial: Lee Harvey Oswald. tion: "A mother and father shield School Book Depository and found a ' They huddled the children un- Since the assassination, the New- their small children from bullets spot where no one else was stand- der them as they lay on the grass. mans have grown prosperous and on Elm approaching the triple un- ing — Dealey Plaza. They were too close to the car own their own electrical contract- derpass Friday, moments after Pres- "We just happened to walk up to not to have seen the grisly scene. ing company, located a few blocks ident Kennedy and Gov. John Con- that particular spot because that's Gayle remembers Billy saying, from the rooming house where the *ally were felled by rifle slugs near where the end of. the peophstapered "Look at all that blood! Why would Oswalds lived. the Texas School Book Depository off, .toward the triple underpass." they do that?" After a stint at IBM. Billy joined • the family business. Clayton, a sen- ior at Texas Tech University, also plans to work in the company. Their role in the events of Nov. 22, 1963, didn't change their lives much, they say. Aside from meeting Mr. Pepper- mint, Billy Newman doesn't remember much at all. "I don't think it af- fected me greatly one way or another." Witnessing the assassination has not been "a burden of any kind," says his father. "It's just kind of part of reality, that those things can hap- Pen." But when Newman drives near Dealey Plaza and sees the tourists pointing at the sixth-floor window of the School Book Depository, now the Dallas County Administration Building, he sometimes fantasizes about stopping. "I get kind of a funny little feeling sometimes, and I want to pull over and say, 'I was here! Let me tell you about it.' "I'm sure they'd say, 'Yeah, yeah. The Deltas Meriting News sure.' "

?MN 11-22-86 DALLAS ?MST 11-24-86 Poor joke: 'Bang, bang' written on window Kennedy museum *A prankster with a morbid sense of humor scrawled the words "bang, bang" on a dirty window of the Texas School Book Depository, the site of President John F. Kennedy's assassination. The words, written on a sixth-floor window — the floor where Lee Harvey Oswald is believed to have fired the shots that killed Kennedy remains on hold on Nov.22,1963— were visible from the street where people gathered Saturday to observe the 23rd anniversary of the president's death. The floor has been closed to the public for many years. "Whoevpr did that chose one hell of a day to do it," said Eira Justice Scars, shortage of money delay project of Greenville, pointing to the window. "That's really, really bothering me. I have some relatives here from Wales who came down here to see this." By John Kirkpatrick S3 million together, "and then — "Good grief! That couldn't be worse. That's deplorable," said Lin- Staff Writer el The Nava wham! — oil prices tell," she said. dalyn Adams, head of the DallasCounty Historical Foundation, when Shirley Caldwell hates this time And even when the good times told of the writing on the windowpane. The foundation is trying to of year. return, raising the money probably raise money to turn the depository's sixth floor into a historical Every November, reporters start won't be a snap, she says. exhibit. By early evening the words had been smeared away. calling her, and "I never have any "It's not an easy project toga new to say." ,,, Dallas people. ,The Dallas NOW YOU CAN SEE No, she ;fits them,• there still is who were living here when this BRImTS '....The -rid 'et re- ft wg s THE EXPLOSIVE MOTION PICTURE no Kennedy museum. for the 1975—rereleese of the No, there still happened still maintain so many SUPPRESSED FOR OVER A DECADE! isn't anything close to the amount movie produced priOr to the hurts and scars and pain from NOW, AFTER 13 YEARS OF SHOCKING NEW FACTS— of money needed to finish the event that it's not something . . THE Warren Report; Only local project. Maybe in a couple of years. really want to commemorate in y WORLD MUST LISTEN! actors Were used; And the - Meanwhile, tourists still flock to way." . Dallas, walk around Dealey Plaza audience was asked to make and point to the sixth floor of the Making matters worse, she says, it 's own jlldgt-ent as the Texas School Book Depository. And is that the project has been mistm- jurOrs filed out of the court they wonder wfiere the museum is. derstood. The exhibit won't be a "This is really embarrassing," monument to Lee Harvey Oswald, roOm. Analysis of the most says Mrs. Caldwell, chairwoman of but "a historical exhibit to inter- recent "trial ?'" will Appear in the Dallas County Historical Com- pret this event for the thousands the next issue, along with my mission and a principal force be- and thousands of people who come interpretation of the Dorman hind efforts to open a permanent to Dallas to see it." Among the dis- film....A.J."illican, over - exhibit devoted to the assassins- plays will be a model of Dealey pass witness, died last April Hon. Plaza as it was on the day of the as "Is that bus still out there?" she sassination. Photographs, films and in Oklahoma City....Roger Sharp asks, pointing out the window of charts will help explain the event. "; ABC News rgi-poetAr who her office in the Old Red Court- It will all, she says, "be in good covered the JFK weekend with

house. A bit earlier she had spotted taste." Bob Cla?k, died April 21 .... a busload of retirees from Grand The fund-raising efforts will get Joe Peterson, Who Rapids, Mich., taking pictures of the some help soon, says Lindalyn -worked with School Book Depository, for lack of Adams, who heads the Dallas Breck Wall as entertainers anything else to do or see. "I mean, County Historical Foundation, for Jack Ruby just prior to this is a daily occurrence." which functions as the exhibit's the-assassination, died last The exhibit, to occupy the sixth board of directors. June-in Las Vegas ....David floor of the School Book Depository, "We're putting together some Burke, one 6f the ABC- Negs now the Dallas County Administra- support groups who would be work- This is not a docume tee ntary. execs- lion Building, was to open in 1984. log on campaign leadership," she It Is a motion picture which who helped kill the has boon buried for over a decade. "onroe story In the fail of Now the target date is 1988,the 25th 'said. It can be locked away no 10.911,I anniversary of the assassination. An array of problems — the 1985, wks promoted to executive A CAIIITALINIMSGORPORATION RELEASE Tm€ 'MAL OR LEE ...VEY OSWALD "We just haven't raised the state's economy chief among them STARRING ARTHUR NATIONS PROGUCV 6, NAR01.0 ROFFMAN vice president of ABC News last money," Mrs. Caldwell explains. — has stalled the drive, Mrs. Adams ...cr..V ,ARRI, SUGNANNAN RONTTEN S'INANOLONORFIAAN ARO LARRY !WIWI/A LEGAL CONSUL TANI CNARLES W TESSMER "ay....Big crowd tn -Donley The estimated cost of the project is said. apAwowNnmArlomm.mtiola MMWTECIS,M.114CCIAN.WORMMRING Plaza for the anniversgry - $3 million. "We haven't really asked for a There was to have been a "big cent in two years," she said. "And if IGI T=1= Penn Jones Ai/en offered tei strengthening" this year to get the you don't ask, you don't get." write a piece for Coverups; COVERUPS! A normally bimonthly publication dedicated- primarily to . the respOnsible study of the JFK assassination and related events, including new developments and reprints of significant historical articles. En- tire contents copyright 1986. Subscription price in the US and North America is $1 per issue, $1.25 elsewhere. All back issues are the same price. Within the US, personal. checks must clear before anything is sent; elsewhere, only money orders for US funds are accepted. One or more free issues are given to contributors whose material is published. Your subscription will expire with the issue number next to your name/address. ...... _::.. / 5 CO VERUPS! 4620 Brandingshire Place Fort Worth, DC 76133

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