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==Key persons and witnesses== ==Key persons and witnesses==


'''Jim Garrison''' -- believed, at various points, that the John F. Kennedy assassination had been the work of ] personnel, anti-Castro Cuban exiles, "a homosexual thrill killing"<ref name="abc">James Phelan, Scandals, Scamps, and Scoundrels, (Random House, 1st Edition 1982) pp. 150-151.</ref> <ref>Hugh Aynesworth, "The Garrison Goosechase", Dallas Times Herald, ], ]</ref>, ultra right-wing activists and a variety of other suspects.<ref></ref> "My staff and I solved the case weeks ago", Garrison announced in February 1967. "I wouldn't say this if we didn't have evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt."<ref>Milton E. Brener, The Garrison Case (New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1969), p. 84.</ref> ] -- believed, at various points, that the John F. Kennedy assassination had been the work of ] personnel, anti-Castro Cuban exiles, "a homosexual thrill killing"<ref name="abc">James Phelan, Scandals, Scamps, and Scoundrels, (Random House, 1st Edition 1982) pp. 150-151.</ref> <ref>Hugh Aynesworth, "The Garrison Goosechase", Dallas Times Herald, ], ]</ref>, ultra right-wing activists and a variety of other suspects.<ref></ref> "My staff and I solved the case weeks ago", Garrison announced in February 1967. "I wouldn't say this if we didn't have evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt."<ref>Milton E. Brener, The Garrison Case (New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1969), p. 84.</ref>
] ]
'''Clay Shaw''' -- a successful businessman, playwright, and pioneer of restoration in New Orleans' French Quarter, Jim Garrison believed Shaw was the elusive "Clay Bertrand." ] -- a successful businessman, playwright, and pioneer of restoration in New Orleans' French Quarter, Jim Garrison believed Shaw was the elusive "Clay Bertrand."


'''Perry Russo''' -- Following the death of David Ferrie, Perry Raymond Russo contacted the DA's Office to say he'd known Ferrie in the early Sixties and that Ferrie had spoken about assassinating the President. <ref> Patricia Lambert, False Witness (New York: M. Evans and Co., 1998), p. 304 fn. 4.</ref> He became Jim Garrison's star witness when he claimed to have overheard Ferrie plotting the assassination with a white-haired man named "Clem Bertrand", whom he identified as Clay Shaw. <ref>http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/session1.htm</ref> ] -- Following the death of David Ferrie, Perry Raymond Russo contacted the DA's Office to say he'd known Ferrie in the early Sixties and that Ferrie had spoken about assassinating the President. <ref> Patricia Lambert, False Witness (New York: M. Evans and Co., 1998), p. 304 fn. 4.</ref> He became Jim Garrison's star witness when he claimed to have overheard Ferrie plotting the assassination with a white-haired man named "Clem Bertrand", whom he identified as Clay Shaw. <ref>http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/session1.htm</ref>


'''David Ferrie''' -- a highly eccentric pilot and scholar who drove from New Orleans to Houston the night of the assassination, on vacation with two friends. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/dbdfhouston.html</ref> Though the trip was thoroughly investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, the Houston Police, the FBI, and even the Texas Rangers, Garrison was convinced it had something to do with JFK's death. When Ferrie died on ], ], Garrison quickly labeled him "one of history's most important individuals." <ref></ref> ] -- a highly eccentric pilot and scholar who drove from New Orleans to Houston the night of the assassination, on vacation with two friends. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/dbdfhouston.html</ref> Though the trip was thoroughly investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, the Houston Police, the FBI, and even the Texas Rangers, Garrison was convinced it had something to do with JFK's death. When Ferrie died on ], ], Garrison quickly labeled him "one of history's most important individuals." <ref></ref>


] -- came forward the day after the assassination with a variety of tales about Dave Ferrie, such as the claim that Ferrie "may have hypnotized Oswald and planted a post-hypnotic suggestion that he kill the President." Martin, born Edward Stewart Suggs, was a diagnosed sociopath and admitted alcoholic with a rap sheet and a history of furnishing false information to the authorities, and he nursed a burning grudge against former pal Dave Ferrie. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/ferriepre.html#martin</ref> ] -- came forward the day after the assassination with a variety of tales about Dave Ferrie, such as the claim that Ferrie "may have hypnotized Oswald and planted a post-hypnotic suggestion that he kill the President." Martin, born Edward Stewart Suggs, was an admitted alcoholic and he nursed a burning grudge against former pal Dave Ferrie.


] -- former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Guy Banister was a private investigator, ultra right-wing activist, and associate of David Ferrie's, with an office around the corner, but in the same building structure, as 544 Camp Street. 544 Camp Street was curiously stamped by Lee Oswald on a batch of pro-Castro literature that summer. Garrison believed that Oswald and Banister worked together. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100whoban.html</ref> ] -- former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Guy Banister was a private investigator, ultra right-wing activist, and associate of David Ferrie's, with an office around the corner, but in the same building structure, as 544 Camp Street. 544 Camp Street was curiously stamped by Lee Oswald on a batch of pro-Castro literature that summer. Garrison believed that Oswald and Banister worked together. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100whoban.html</ref>
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Aloysius Habighorst-- testified that when he booked Clay Shaw, he asked Shaw if he used any aliases, and Shaw responded, "Clay Bertrand." However, Captain Louis Curole had assigned Sgt. Jonas Butzman to guard Shaw during the procedure, and Sgt. Butzman testified that Habighorst had not questioned Shaw, and that the name "Clay Bertrand" had not been spoken by either man. Habighorst also stated that Shaw had been allowed to have his lawyer present for the procedure, a claim flatly contradicted by several eyewitnesses. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100habig.html</ref> Aloysius Habighorst-- testified that when he booked Clay Shaw, he asked Shaw if he used any aliases, and Shaw responded, "Clay Bertrand." However, Captain Louis Curole had assigned Sgt. Jonas Butzman to guard Shaw during the procedure, and Sgt. Butzman testified that Habighorst had not questioned Shaw, and that the name "Clay Bertrand" had not been spoken by either man. Habighorst also stated that Shaw had been allowed to have his lawyer present for the procedure, a claim flatly contradicted by several eyewitnesses. <ref>http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100habig.html</ref>

Postman James Hardiman testified he had delivered mail addressed to “Clay Bertrand” to Shaw’s address of 1313 Daulphine Street.


Edward O'Donnell-- Russo confessed to O'Donnell that his testimony against Shaw was false. <ref></ref> Edward O'Donnell-- Russo confessed to O'Donnell that his testimony against Shaw was false. <ref></ref>

Jesse Parker, hostess at the New Orleans International Airport testified Shaw had signed the guest book “Clay Bertrand.” Handwriting expert Elizabeth McCarthy testified the signature was indeed Shaw’s handwriting.

Andrew Sciambra-- Assistant DA Andrew "Moo Moo" Sciambra helped develop the testimony of a number of Garrison's witnesses, including Perry Russo. Andrew Sciambra-- Assistant DA Andrew "Moo Moo" Sciambra helped develop the testimony of a number of Garrison's witnesses, including Perry Russo.


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Jim Garrison's key witness in his case against Clay Shaw was Perry Raymond Russo. During the trial, Russo told a story of an "assassination party" in which Shaw, David Ferrie, and Oswald discussed killing Kennedy. Perry’s version of events have been questioned by historians and researchers, such as Patricia Lambert, once it became known that much of his testimony was induced by hypnotism and drugs such as Sodium Pentothal. At the trial, Russo gave the full "hypnosis" version of his testimony, with Ferrie, and "Oswald", and "Clem Bertrand" (who Russo identified in the courtroom as Clay Shaw) talking about killing the President. The conversation included plans for the Dealey Plaza shooting ("triangulation of crossfire") and for alibis for all the participants. Jim Garrison's key witness in his case against Clay Shaw was Perry Raymond Russo. During the trial, Russo told a story of an "assassination party" in which Shaw, David Ferrie, and Oswald discussed killing Kennedy. Perry’s version of events have been questioned by historians and researchers, such as Patricia Lambert, once it became known that much of his testimony was induced by hypnotism and drugs such as Sodium Pentothal. At the trial, Russo gave the full "hypnosis" version of his testimony, with Ferrie, and "Oswald", and "Clem Bertrand" (who Russo identified in the courtroom as Clay Shaw) talking about killing the President. The conversation included plans for the Dealey Plaza shooting ("triangulation of crossfire") and for alibis for all the participants.


However, a memo detailing a pre-hypnosis interview with Russo in Baton Rouge, and the two hypnosis session transcripts had been given to journalist James Phelan by Garrison. The were striking differences between the two accounts.<ref></ref> Both Russo and Sciambra testified under cross examination that much more was said at the interview, but omitted from the pre-hypnosis memorandum. However, James Phelan testified that Russo had admitted to him in March 1967 that the ] memorandum of the interview, which contained no recollection of an assassination party, was accurate. <ref>James Phelan, "Rush to Judgment in New Orleans", ''Saturday Evening Post'', ], ]</ref> However, a memo detailing a pre-hypnosis interview with Russo in Baton Rouge, and the two hypnosis session transcripts had been given to journalist James Phelan by Garrison. The were striking differences between the two accounts. Both Russo and Sciambra testified under cross examination that much more was said at the interview, but omitted from the pre-hypnosis memorandum. However, James Phelan testified that Russo had admitted to him in March 1967 that the ] memorandum of the interview, which contained no recollection of an assassination party, was accurate. <ref>James Phelan, "Rush to Judgment in New Orleans", ''Saturday Evening Post'', ], ]</ref>

In addition to the credibility issues of Russo, Garrison's case also included unreliable witnesses such as Charles Spiesel, who believed he had been repeatedly hypnotized by government agencies.

The address of “Lee Odum PO Box 19106 Dallas Texas” was found in Shaw and Lee Harvey Oswald’s notebooks. Garrison charged it was code for Oswald’s name. Dallas citizen Lee Odum came forward and explained to the press he had met with Shaw in 1966. However the PO box did not exist in 1963 when it was found in Oswald’s notebook.


Witnesses from the small town of Clinton Louisiana testified to seeing Shaw and Oswald together in the summer of 1963. The ], later questioned the Clinton witnesses and found their testimony “credible and significant.”
In addition to the credibility issues of Russo, Garrison's case also included unreliable witnesses such as Charles Spiesel, who believed he had been repeatedly hypnotized by government agencies. In addition, the testimony of Vernon Bundy, and other witnesses, placing Shaw, Ferrie and Oswald together in Clinton, Louisiana the summer before the assassination has been questioned by the ], and researchers, such as Gerald Posner, and Patricia Lambert as being non-credible.<ref></ref>


After both sides presented their cases, the jury took less than one hour to find Shaw not guilty. After both sides presented their cases, the jury took less than one hour to find Shaw not guilty.

Revision as of 18:46, 6 June 2007

Jim Garrison is the only prosecutor to bring a trial for the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

On March 1, 1967, New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison arrested and charged New Orleans businessman Clay Shaw with conspiring to assassinate President Kennedy, with the help of Lee Harvey Oswald, David Ferrie, and others. On January 29, 1969, Clay Shaw was brought to trial on these charges. A jury took less than an hour to find Clay Shaw not guilty. To date, it is the only trial to be brought for the assassination of President Kennedy.

Evidence

To support his prosecution of Shaw, Garrison attempted to prove the following:

  • Clay Shaw was the Clay Bertrand who purportedly contacted New Orleans attorney Dean Andrews, to see whether Andrews would be interested in representing Oswald at trial.
  • Vernon Bundy testified that he saw Lee Oswald and Clay Shaw together on the seawall along Lake Pontchartrain, in New Orleans during July 1963. He said Shaw spoke with Oswald and gave Oswald some money.
  • Perry Russo testified that Clay Shaw, Oswald, and David Ferrie were present at a party at Ferrie's New Orleans apartment, in September 1963, at which they discussed the assassination of JFK, including the use of crossfire and the need to have an alibi for that day.

Key persons and witnesses

Jim Garrison -- believed, at various points, that the John F. Kennedy assassination had been the work of CIA personnel, anti-Castro Cuban exiles, "a homosexual thrill killing" , ultra right-wing activists and a variety of other suspects. "My staff and I solved the case weeks ago", Garrison announced in February 1967. "I wouldn't say this if we didn't have evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Clay Shaw was acquitted in less than an hour.

Clay Shaw -- a successful businessman, playwright, and pioneer of restoration in New Orleans' French Quarter, Jim Garrison believed Shaw was the elusive "Clay Bertrand."

Perry Russo -- Following the death of David Ferrie, Perry Raymond Russo contacted the DA's Office to say he'd known Ferrie in the early Sixties and that Ferrie had spoken about assassinating the President. He became Jim Garrison's star witness when he claimed to have overheard Ferrie plotting the assassination with a white-haired man named "Clem Bertrand", whom he identified as Clay Shaw.

David Ferrie -- a highly eccentric pilot and scholar who drove from New Orleans to Houston the night of the assassination, on vacation with two friends. Though the trip was thoroughly investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, the Houston Police, the FBI, and even the Texas Rangers, Garrison was convinced it had something to do with JFK's death. When Ferrie died on February 22, 1967, Garrison quickly labeled him "one of history's most important individuals."

Jack Martin -- came forward the day after the assassination with a variety of tales about Dave Ferrie, such as the claim that Ferrie "may have hypnotized Oswald and planted a post-hypnotic suggestion that he kill the President." Martin, born Edward Stewart Suggs, was an admitted alcoholic and he nursed a burning grudge against former pal Dave Ferrie.

Guy Banister -- former FBI Special Agent in Charge, Guy Banister was a private investigator, ultra right-wing activist, and associate of David Ferrie's, with an office around the corner, but in the same building structure, as 544 Camp Street. 544 Camp Street was curiously stamped by Lee Oswald on a batch of pro-Castro literature that summer. Garrison believed that Oswald and Banister worked together.

Dean Andrews-- attorney who told the Warren Commission that he'd been asked by a "Clay Bertrand" to represent Lee Oswald in Dallas. He described "Bertrand" as a "swinging cat" who occasionally guaranteed fees for some of his homosexual clients. Neither federal nor local authorities were able to locate any trace of a "Clay Bertrand" in New Orleans.

Eugence C. Davis-- when Dean Andrews refused to name Clay Shaw as "Clay Bertrand" to the Orleans Parish Grand Jury, he was charged with perjury. He then confessed that he had used the phony "Bertrand" name as a cover for his friend and client, Gene Davis, operator of a gay bar in the French Quarter. Davis didn't know Oswald, Andrews explained, but a phone conversation with him had given him the idea to represent the accused assassin.

Aloysius Habighorst-- testified that when he booked Clay Shaw, he asked Shaw if he used any aliases, and Shaw responded, "Clay Bertrand." However, Captain Louis Curole had assigned Sgt. Jonas Butzman to guard Shaw during the procedure, and Sgt. Butzman testified that Habighorst had not questioned Shaw, and that the name "Clay Bertrand" had not been spoken by either man. Habighorst also stated that Shaw had been allowed to have his lawyer present for the procedure, a claim flatly contradicted by several eyewitnesses.

Postman James Hardiman testified he had delivered mail addressed to “Clay Bertrand” to Shaw’s address of 1313 Daulphine Street.

Edward O'Donnell-- Russo confessed to O'Donnell that his testimony against Shaw was false.

Jesse Parker, hostess at the New Orleans International Airport testified Shaw had signed the guest book “Clay Bertrand.” Handwriting expert Elizabeth McCarthy testified the signature was indeed Shaw’s handwriting.

Andrew Sciambra-- Assistant DA Andrew "Moo Moo" Sciambra helped develop the testimony of a number of Garrison's witnesses, including Perry Russo.

Judge Edward Haggerty-- presided over the trial of Clay Shaw.

F. Irvin Dymond-- was the lead defense counsel representing Shaw.

Alvin Oser-- lead prosecutor in the trial of Clay Shaw.

Trial

According to Garrison, Shaw was the mysterious Clay Bertrand of the Warren Commission. In the Warren Commission, New Orleans attorney Dean Andrews claimed he was contacted by a Clay Bertrand to find an attorney for Lee Harvey Oswald. At the trial, the prosecution sought to have entered into evidence a fingerprint card containing the signature of Clay Shaw that admitted that Shaw had used the alias Clay Bertrand. After a day long hearing, outside the presence of the jury, Judge Edward Haggerty ruled that the fingerprint card could not be brought into evidence because two policemen had violated Shaw's constitutional rights, by not permitting the defendant to have his lawyer with him during the fingerprinting. Judge Haggerty also announced that Officer *Habighorst* had violated in spirit the effect of the Miranda decision by not forewarning Clay Shaw of his right to remain silent. The judge went on to say Habighorst also violated Shaw's rights by asking him the alleged question about an alias, adding, "Even if he did it is not admissible". Judge Haggerty finished his ruling by proclaiming, "If Officer Habighorst is telling the truth-- I seriously doubt it!" .

Jim Garrison's key witness in his case against Clay Shaw was Perry Raymond Russo. During the trial, Russo told a story of an "assassination party" in which Shaw, David Ferrie, and Oswald discussed killing Kennedy. Perry’s version of events have been questioned by historians and researchers, such as Patricia Lambert, once it became known that much of his testimony was induced by hypnotism and drugs such as Sodium Pentothal. At the trial, Russo gave the full "hypnosis" version of his testimony, with Ferrie, and "Oswald", and "Clem Bertrand" (who Russo identified in the courtroom as Clay Shaw) talking about killing the President. The conversation included plans for the Dealey Plaza shooting ("triangulation of crossfire") and for alibis for all the participants.

However, a memo detailing a pre-hypnosis interview with Russo in Baton Rouge, and the two hypnosis session transcripts had been given to journalist James Phelan by Garrison. The were striking differences between the two accounts. Both Russo and Sciambra testified under cross examination that much more was said at the interview, but omitted from the pre-hypnosis memorandum. However, James Phelan testified that Russo had admitted to him in March 1967 that the February 25 memorandum of the interview, which contained no recollection of an assassination party, was accurate.

In addition to the credibility issues of Russo, Garrison's case also included unreliable witnesses such as Charles Spiesel, who believed he had been repeatedly hypnotized by government agencies.

The address of “Lee Odum PO Box 19106 Dallas Texas” was found in Shaw and Lee Harvey Oswald’s notebooks. Garrison charged it was code for Oswald’s name. Dallas citizen Lee Odum came forward and explained to the press he had met with Shaw in 1966. However the PO box did not exist in 1963 when it was found in Oswald’s notebook.

Witnesses from the small town of Clinton Louisiana testified to seeing Shaw and Oswald together in the summer of 1963. The HSCA, later questioned the Clinton witnesses and found their testimony “credible and significant.”

After both sides presented their cases, the jury took less than one hour to find Shaw not guilty.

Aftermath

Garrison later wrote a book about his investigation of Clay Shaw and the subsequent trial called On the Trail of Assassins. This book served as one of the main sources for Oliver Stone's movie JFK. This trial serves as the backstory for Stone's account of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Further reading

  • Joe Biles, In History's Shadow: Lee Harvey Oswald, Kerry Thornley & the Garrison Investigation. ISBN 0-595-22455-5
  • Milton Brener, The Garrison Case: A Study in the Abuse of Power. ASIN B0006C04I0
  • William Davy, Let Justice Be Done: New Light on the Jim Garrison Investigation. ISBN 0-9669716-0-4
  • James Kirkwood, American Grotesque: An Account of the Clay Shaw-Jim Garrison-Kennedy Assassination Trial in New Orleans. ISBN 0-06-097523-7
  • Patricia Lambert, False Witness: The Real Story of Jim Garrison's Investigation and Oliver Stone's Film JFK. ISBN 0-87131-920-9
  • Joan Mellen, A Farewell to Justice: Jim Garrison, JFK's Assassination, and the Case That Should Have Changed History. ISBN 1-57488-973-7

External links

  1. http://www.goochinfo.homestead.com/shaw.html
  2. http://www.goochinfo.homestead.com/shaw.html
  3. http://www.goochinfo.homestead.com/shaw.html
  4. http://www.goochinfo.homestead.com/shaw.html
  5. James Phelan, Scandals, Scamps, and Scoundrels, (Random House, 1st Edition 1982) pp. 150-151.
  6. Hugh Aynesworth, "The Garrison Goosechase", Dallas Times Herald, November 21, 1982
  7. All Those Assassination Suspects
  8. Milton E. Brener, The Garrison Case (New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1969), p. 84.
  9. Patricia Lambert, False Witness (New York: M. Evans and Co., 1998), p. 304 fn. 4.
  10. http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/session1.htm
  11. http://www.jfk-online.com/dbdfhouston.html
  12. Playboy Interview
  13. http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100whoban.html
  14. http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100andrews.html
  15. Lambert, pp. 116, 312 fn. 24.
  16. Lambert, pp. 120-21
  17. http://www.jfk-online.com/jfk100habig.html
  18. Russo recantation
  19. http://www.jfkassassination.net/andrews.txt
  20. James Kirkwood, American Grotesque (New York: Harper, 1992), pp. 353-59
  21. http://www.jfkassassination.net/shawbook.txt
  22. James Phelan, "Rush to Judgment in New Orleans", Saturday Evening Post, May 6, 1967
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