publisher and told them not to do 'Rush to Judgment,' " Lane said here yesterday. "Finally, one did fHolt, Reinhart and Winston]. I re- ceived death threats as well." Lane's latest book on the assas- sination, "Plausible Denial," met a similiar fate with major publishers, The small Thunder's Mouth Press agreed to do the book, offering Lane "the worst book contract I ever signed. I told my wife, 'I don't care, I don't care if they only print 5,000 copies. As long as it's pub- lished.' Well, it's now in its eighth printing. The first printing of 45,000 copies was sold out before there Lane hits was any advertising or reviews of the book." "Plausible Denial" was No. 3 on CIA with the Publisher's Weekly best-seller list last week and No. 5' on The New York Times list. However, the `Denial' newspaper has declined to review the book, Lane said, because "they say there's nothing new in it." Lane By Bob Hoover said. Post-Gazelle Stall Wrier Lane's contention in his new id you know book is that the CIA killed Kennedy worked for Richard Nix- because the president had plans to on in 1947? Mark Lane abolish it in favor of a new intelli- does and he has a gov- gence agency headed by Robert D Kennedy. ernment document to prove it Lane shows the document with a "The CIA is the most powerful sense of fresh incredulity, a youth- organization in the world today, ful enthusiasm which belies the now that there's no KGB around. fact that he's been pulling out these Its hierarchy always viewed presi- arcane surprises about the John F. dents and its own directors as tran- Kennedy assassination since 1964. sients," said Lane, holding up the That year, the New York lawyer who had worked in the Kennedy SEE AUTHOR, PAGE 26 presidential campaign, began his career as a vociferous critic of the . His 1966 best seller, "Rush to Judgment," was one of the first mainstream publications challeng- ing the findings of the presidential panel which accused of being the sole assassin of J.F.K "The FBI went to every major Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Tuesday, February I I, 1992 CIA the villain in Lane's 'Denial'

AUTHOR FROM PAGE 25 Let's move on," However, Lane did attend the 1991 gathering in Dallas to promote his copy of an October 1963 column by We had the new book. A reporter told him most of New York Times commentator Ar- convention participants claimed that thur Krock, a long-time friend of the forensic evidence it was "Rush to Judgment" which Kennedy family. In the column, Krock launched their interest. "I told him wrote there was a "war" on between 25 years ago to that made me feel like Dr. Franken- the CLA and the White House over prove a stein. That's some monster I've policy decisions. "Krock writes this created" column in October and the next 11' month, the president is shot dead. conspiracy. Lane admitted his book was boost- Now, do you think there's some coin- — Mark Lane, author of ed by Oliver Stone's film, "JFK" which the author feels is "full of cidence there?" "Plausible Denial" factual errors. I talked to them [the E. Howard Hunt is one of Lane's ing former Director Richard Helms, producers]. They wanted to use my links in the chain to the CIA. Hunt stuff on the CIA, but they said they first surfaced in 1972 as one of the and created enough doubt about wanted to 'dramatize it' I asked them, Watergate burglars. A longtime mem- Hunt's alibi to reverse the verdict. 'Why do you need to dramatize the ber of "the agency," Hunt was active "We had the forensic evidence 25 president getting his head blown off in Latin American activities including years ago to prove a conspiracy," said in broad daylight on a sunny day in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Lane. "Now, we need to go beyond the front of hundreds of people?' I re- Cuba. parlor game aspect of the case and prove who did it." fused to work with them, but they When Liberty Lobby, a minor right- Every year, J.F.K assassination used my material anyway." wing organization, published a story buffs hold a convention to rehash As an attorney, Lane has also placing Hunt in Dallas Nov. 22, 1963, what may be the most bizarre crime represented James Earl Ray, convict- he sued and won a $600,000 libel of American history and Lane used to ed assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King award. Lane argued the Liberty Lob- attend. "I gave the keynote speech in Jr. who has since recanted his confes- by appeal and succeeded in overturn- 1975 and said, 'That's it. All you guys sion, and written seven other books, ing the award. In trying the case, he want to do is argue about how many four screenplays, a play and produced called numerous CIA agents, includ- angels can fit on the head of a pin. two documentaries.