Shane O'Sullivan's new DVD RFK Must Die

[Michael Hogan]

Shane O'Sullivan's recently released DVD documentary RFK Must Die contains much important information about the murder of President Kennedy. I've taken the liberty of posting Shane's description (and my brief comments) from the Robert Kennedy section of the Forum.

Thanks, Michael. I have just launched the website for the film at http://www.rfkmustdie.com with links to the trailer, a Kennedy campaign ad and a new Facebook discussion group I have started on the case.

RFK Must Die: The Assassination of Bobby Kennedy is released on DVD in the US on Tuesday - Robert Kennedy's 82nd birthday, had he lived. It updates my investigation into the three CIA agents at the Ambassador while revealing who "Gordon Campbell" actually was and containing extended interviews with Wayne Smith, Ruben Carbajal and Robert Walton on David Morales; Bradley Ayers and David Rabern on Morales and Campbell; and Ed Lopez on George Joannides.

The heart of the film is a thorough re-examination of the other controversies in the case. Sandra Serrano is interviewed for the first time since the night of the shooting about the girl in the polka dot dress. We also hear from Vincent Di Pierro, who saw a polka-dot dress girl standing next to Sirhan in the kitchen; eyewitnesses Frank Burns, Paul Schrade and Evan Freed; defense investigators Robert Blair Kaiser and Michael McCowan; Sirhan's brother Munir and late attorney Larry Teeter; Bay of Pigs historian Haynes Johnson; and Dr. Herbert Spiegel of Columbia University, a world authority on hypnosis, who believes Sirhan was hypnotically programmed.

There's rare archive footage from the hotel that night, with more clips of "Morales" and "Campbell" and security guard Thane Eugene Cesar. There's also previously unseen footage of Robert Kennedy and Richard Helms; and film and audio interviews with Sirhan, including the hypnotic sessions in which defense psychiatrist Dr. Diamond tried to re-enact the shooting.

It's been a really fascinating investigation and, with the fortieth anniversary next June and William Pepper on board to represent Sirhan, I hope next year will see major progress in the case. I am now completing a book on the case to be published by Union Square Press next May, which will hopefully help this process.

Thanks to John for such a fantastic resource in developing this research and also to James for photos, Bill for support and Peter Fokes who first pointed out the "Richard Helms lookalike" in the footage.

All the best,

Shane

I just finished watching RFK Must Die and an attempt to review it would not do Shane O'Sullivan's research justice.

In my opinion it is a must own, must watch documentary for anyone with an interest in the assassination of Robert Kennedy, the murder of his brother, or the careers of Joannides, Morales and others.

The production values are excellent and much like the book that can't be put down, I couldn't stop watching this DVD from start to finish. I'll make sure my good friends see it.

Outstanding research Shane. I'm very much looking forward to your book.

The interviews with Bradley Ayers, Ruben Carbajal and Edward Lopez are alone worth the price of the DVD. But there is much, much more.

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Thanks very much, Michael. Great to hear your feedback. I agree that these interviews are important for the JFK case, too. Whatever you feel about the IDs of the men at the Ambassador, they do not affect Morales' statement that he was in Dallas and Los Angeles for both assassinations.

While one of Morales' daughters told me her father was at home in Miami on the evening of Nov. 22, 1963, the family do not know for sure where he was on June 4-5, 1968.

Best,

Shane

[John Simkin]

Thanks very much, Michael. Great to hear your feedback. I agree that these interviews are important for the JFK case, too. Whatever you feel about the IDs of the men at the Ambassador, they do not affect Morales' statement that he was in Dallas and Los Angeles for both assassinations.

While one of Morales' daughters told me her father was at home in Miami on the evening of Nov. 22, 1963, the family do not know for sure where he was on June 4-5, 1968.

Best,

Shane

I am one of those people who believe that Dealey Plaza would have been the last place David Morales would have been on 22nd November, 1963.

According to Amazon the DVD is not yet available in the UK. Any news on that?

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Hi John,

The DVD will be released in the UK by Soda Pictures next May, at the same time as the book.

Shane

[Antti Hynonen]

Peter,

You need a multiregion DVD player to play e.g. US DVD's (region 1) on a european DVD player (region 2 encoding). Multiregion "hacks" are readily available for some/many DVD players, usually available on the internet via a google search. The "hack" encompasses usually one of the following procedures:

* A series of codes to be pressed via the remote control the unit. Tried this, ok.

* the downloading of a software and the "burning" of it onto a CD-rom or DVD-R. Then reading the disc in the player of course. Tried this, ok.

* a more complex hack is where you are actually required to perform some welding and removing/adding of circuits from inside the player (too complicated for me).

I hacked all my players to play all area codes.

In fact I recently ordered this dvd from the US through amazon.com and should receive the DVD within a week or so.

Antti

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Thanks, Peter and Antti. NTSC DVDs do play in Europe but yes, it depends on the region code of your DVD player. Many are now multiregion or you can find a workaround as Antti suggests.

The book will be published in early May and will have greater space to look in depth at all the controversies I feel are most relevant now in trying to reopen the case. I will detail my conversations with three members of the Morales family; present a new look at the ballistics evidence - which has been misinterpreted in the past by both sides of the conspiracy argument, I think; tell you what the LAPD's Hernandez and Pena were doing in South America for "the State Department"; and really focus on who Sirhan was, his very strange journey to the pantry that night and the struggles to uncover his memory.

Hope you enjoy the film in the meantime.

Best,

Shane

[John Simkin]

Thanks, Peter and Antti. NTSC DVDs do play in Europe but yes, it depends on the region code of your DVD player. Many are now multiregion or you can find a workaround as Antti suggests.

The book will be published in early May and will have greater space to look in depth at all the controversies I feel are most relevant now in trying to reopen the case. I will detail my conversations with three members of the Morales family; present a new look at the ballistics evidence - which has been misinterpreted in the past by both sides of the conspiracy argument, I think; tell you what the LAPD's Hernandez and Pena were doing in South America for "the State Department"; and really focus on who Sirhan was, his very strange journey to the pantry that night and the struggles to uncover his memory.

Hope you enjoy the film in the meantime.

Best,

Shane

I watched Shane’s DVD last night. I was very impressed and in my opinion better than all those “The Men Who Killed Kennedy” programmes that tried too hard to prove the particular theory that each one promoted. Shane takes a much more leisurely approach. I especially liked the long interviews with people like Haynes Johnson, Paul Shrade, Vincent de Piero, Sandra Serrano, Michael McCowan, Robert Blair Kaiser, Bradley Ayers, Ruben Carbajal, Ed Lopez, Wayne Smith, Robert Walton and David Rabern. Shane’s willingness to let the witnesses contradict each other and therefore to undermine any particular theory, was to his great credit. I found the contradictions between the testimony of Walton and Carbajal fascinating. I personality trusted Walton’s account as it was clear Carbajal was protecting Morales, who he clearly was very fond of. The most revealing interview was with McCowan, who came very close to saying he was working on behalf of the CIA. It is a shame there were no interviews with Pena and Hernandez. Are they still alive? Did you try to get an interview with anyone from the Morales family?

[Charles Drago]

Shane,

I second John Simkin's praise of your reasoned, even-handed approach to subject matter that far too often prompts excesses -- rhetorical and otherwise.

The promised interviews with members of the Morales family are eagerly anticipated. Some years ago I was informed that his widow was alive and well and living in Boston.

Hmmm ... From Yaquis to Yankees would be a strange progression (regression?) indeed.

Can you shed light on the existence of any other intel operative who was known as El Indio and/or The Indian? The fact that Morales was referred to as the Big Indian may support stories that a fellow of less imposing stature sported the same appellation.

Best,

Charles Drago

[Myra Bronstein]

Thanks, Michael. I have just launched the website for the film at http://www.rfkmustdie.com with links to the trailer, a Kennedy campaign ad and a new Facebook discussion group I have started on the case.

...

It's been a really fascinating investigation and, with the fortieth anniversary next June and William Pepper on board to represent Sirhan, I hope next year will see major progress in the case. I am now completing a book on the case to be published by Union Square Press next May, which will hopefully help this process.

Thanks to John for such a fantastic resource in developing this research and also to James for photos, Bill for support and Peter Fokes who first pointed out the "Richard Helms lookalike" in the footage.

All the best,

Shane

This is the first I've heard of Wm Pepper being Sirhan's new lawyer. That's great news.

Perhaps we'll be seeing a sequel to "An Act of State."

[John Simkin]

This is the first I've heard of Wm Pepper being Sirhan's new lawyer. That's great news.

Perhaps we'll be seeing a sequel to "An Act of State."

I am in contact with Bill. I will ask him about his plans.

[William F. Pepper]

I am in contact with Bill. I will ask him about his plans.

I have entered an appearance on behalf of Sirhan.

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Many thanks for your kind words, John, Charles and Peter. I also side with Walton and believe Carbajal would say anything to protect Morales. Walton was the one who first told Fonzi about the Dallas comment and Ruben only admitted it later. McCowan is a very interesting thread in this, I'm going to try to speak to him further. I'm glad you like the tone of the film. I feel objectivity is extremely important if this case is to proceed in the courts and build a groundswell of media support.

I did try to contact Manny Pena but he's ailing and too ill to be interviewed, even by phone, unfortunately. I will quote extensively from a very revealing interview he gave Marilyn Barrett in 1992 in my book, though. Pena was close to Byron Engle, ex-CIA and head of the Office of Public Safety, a cover regularly used by Morales and, of course, home to Dan Mitrione.

Hernandez died a few years ago. After the LAPD, he ran a multi-million dollar security company, whose first contract was with NASA. I interviewed Morales' two eldest daughters and a younger son by phone but that came after my film was done. They wouldn't have appeared on camera, anyway. They actually don't recognise "El Indio" as a nickname for their father. "Didi" and "Poncho" are the ones they recall. I don't know of other "El Indios," Charles.

William Pepper seems set to take the case by the scruff of the neck and move all this forward, which is great news. I'm glad to see him on the Forum and look forward to seeing the case active in the courts again.

Best,

Shane

[Shane O'Sullivan]

Many thanks for your kind words, John, Charles and Peter. I also side with Walton and believe Carbajal would say anything to protect Morales. Walton was the one who first told Fonzi about the Dallas comment and Ruben only admitted it later. McCowan is a very interesting thread in this, I'm going to try to speak to him further. I'm glad you like the tone of the film. I feel objectivity is extremely important if this case is to proceed in the courts and build a groundswell of media support.

I did try to contact Manny Pena but he's ailing and too ill to be interviewed, even by phone, unfortunately. I will quote extensively from a very revealing interview he gave Marilyn Barrett in 1992 in my book, though. Pena was close to Byron Engle, ex-CIA and head of the Office of Public Safety, a cover regularly used by Morales and, of course, home to Dan Mitrione.

Hernandez died a few years ago. After the LAPD, he ran a multi-million dollar security company, whose first contract was with NASA. I interviewed Morales' two eldest daughters and a younger son by phone but that came after my film was done. They wouldn't have appeared on camera, anyway. They actually don't recognise "El Indio" as a nickname for their father. "Didi" and "Poncho" are the ones they recall. I don't know of other "El Indios," Charles.

William Pepper seems set to take the case by the scruff of the neck and move all this forward, which is great news. I'm glad to see him on the Forum and look forward to seeing the case active in the courts again.

Best,

Shane

[Charles Drago]

Shane,

I hope I'm not bugging you (as in "annoying") with yet one more seemingly off-the-wall query. But what the hell, I might not get another chance.

The full-faced, robust, square-jawed Morales depicted in the photo released by Cuban security services seems to bear little resemblance to the views of the older, thin man with the wall of graying, wavy hair -- or, for that matter, the high school basketball star.

I may have answered my own question when I noted differences in the subjects' respective ages. Time takes its toll on us all. And I surely don't want to go down the John Armstrong Highway here.

But elsewhere on this Forum, among other venues, we have discussed the doppelganger effect as it is noted in our shared studies in particular (the "two Oswalds" phenomenon is the grandaddy of 'em all) and intel ops in general -- the odd and persistent appearances of multiple characters and events bearing the same name and vital statistics.

Do you have any reason to suspect the existence of two (or more, God save us) DSMs?

Or have I been at this far too long?

Charles Charles

Edited December 17, 2007 by Charles Drago

[Antti Hynonen]

I have been a bit confused by the known David Sanchez Moralez photos. Some show a man of average (or below) in height, average build, some seem to show a different man. Also his description was something like 6'5", muscular dark skinned, indian looking.

Now, the man filmed at the Ambassador hotel (RFK) is clearly taller than 6' (judging from the folks around him) somewhat indian looking, dark complected, muscular or "big". He is identified as David Sanchez Morales by two people he used to work with. The only logical reasoning can be that these two descriptions of David Sanchez Morales are those of 2 different people.

I wonder why the people interviewed in Shane's film were not shown and asked to comment on the other photos of David Sanchez Morales (showing a shorter, older man).

Did both work for the CIA?

In Shane's film the other CIA suspects are examined as well. An explanation is given that there was a convention of sales people at the Hotel (for the Bulova watch company). Some of these persons are named and their photos are shown. Their known photos do not match at all (IMO) those of the suspicious men filmed at the Ambassador.