Jump to content
The Education Forum

Joan Mellen: A Farewell to Justice


Recommended Posts

Joan Mellen has agreed to discuss her new book, A Farewell to Justice, on the Forum (due to be published on 16th November).

This is what Joan's website says about the book:

From the new evidence in the National Archives' JFK Assassination Records Collection and interviews with over one thousand people, author Joan Mellen in her comprehensive new book A FAREWELL TO JUSTICE demonstrates how the cover-up began in Louisiana months before President Kennedy was shot in Dallas.

Biographer Joan Mellen met New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison in 1969. His relentless search for the truth about what happened to President Kennedy made a deep impression upon her. In 1997, Mellen started to work on the story of Garrison's life.

Her biography turned into the story of Garrison's investigation and then into a new investigation of the assassination itself.

Working with thousands of previously unreleased documents and drawing on more than one thousand interviews, with many witnesses speaking out for the first time, Joan Mellen revisits the investigation of New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison, the only public official to have indicted, in 1969, a suspect in President John F. Kennedy’s murder.

Garrison began by exposing the contradictions in the Warren Report, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was an unstable pro-Castro Marxist who acted alone in killing President Kennedy. A FAREWELL TO JUSTICE reveals that Oswald was no Marxist and was in fact working with both the FBI and the CIA, as well as with U.S. Customs, and that the attempts to sabotage Garrison’s investigation reached the highest levels of the U.S. government.

Garrison interviewed various individuals involved in the assassination, ranging from Clay Shaw and CIA contract employee David Ferrie to a Marine cohort of Oswald named Kerry Thornley, who was also a Defense Intelligence asset. Garrison’s suspects included CIA-sponsored soldiers of fortune enlisted in assassination attempts against Fidel Castro, an anti-Castro Cuban asset, and a young runner for the conspirators, who speaks openly here for the first time.

Building upon Garrison’s effort, Mellen uncovers decisive new evidence and clearly establishes the intelligence agencies’ roles in both a president’s assassination and its cover-up, set in motion well before the actual events of November 22, 1963.

This book will become a landmark. As Mellen explains in the Preface, on the 40th Anniversary of President Kennedy's death in 2003, a Gallup Poll verified that twice as many people believed that the CIA was responsible for the assassination as believed that Oswald, a man without a motive, acted alone.

New Evidence

Robert Kennedy was aware of Oswald and his connection to the FBI before the assassination. RFK put Oswald under surveillance and had his Cuban associates tracking Oswald's movements during the summer of 1963.

Lee Oswald was not a loner but a government agent who worked not only for the New Orleans FBI office, but for U.S. Customs. Oswald was closely connected to CIA-sponsored anti-Castro figures in New Orleans at the International Trade Mart, that included Clay Shaw, David Ferrie and a Cuban associate of Shaw's named Juan Valdes.

Government documents reveal that the FBI and CIA actively worked with a number of journalists who “covered” the Garrison investigation, including reporters with Newsweek and The Saturday Evening Post, as well as a government operative ostensibly employed by NBC television. An FBI document reveals J. Edgar Hoover directing his field offices to “Give Garrison nothing!”

The massive cover-up began north of Baton Rouge when Oswald, in the company of Shaw and Ferrie, applied for a job at the mental hospital in Jackson, LA. Mellen has the only known interview with the director of the hospital at that time, Dr. Frank Silva.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 203
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

John,

It it possible for you to describe a summary of the opinions about the JFK assination? Like a general summary of what the general beliefs are and why.

It might be impossible, but as someone who has only a superficial knowledge of the events, I'd appreciate it in order to put the various publications into perspective.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Joan knows that I disagree with certain things in her book but the research that went into is clearly phenomenal and having seen an advance copy of it I would encourage all members to purchase it. A lot of interesting information, much of which is new.

Of course, I think her interview with Angel Murgado and his confirmation that he was at Odio's door with Lee Oswald is of great significance. I do not necessarily agree with her about what that was all about. She thinks it was to link Oswald with Murgado, a friend of the Kennedys, as part of the conspiracy, to ensure Bobby Kennedy's silence. That is certainly a reasonable interpretation.

I think Oswald may have been playing the role of an agent provocateur, trying to draw people out who might be ready to do violence to the president.

If indeed Oswald went to Mexico City and talked of shooting the President on behalf of the Cubans, those actions would also be consistent with his possible role as an agent provocateur.

Since I understand there will be some changes to the published book from the one I have in hand, I think it best to reserve any public questions for Joan until the book itself is released.

For those of you going to the Lancer conference, bring the book with you and I know Joan would be glad to autograph it. (I assume you will get the book by then if you order it now.)

Edited by Tim Gratz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Stephen Turner
John,

It it possible for you to describe a summary of the opinions about the JFK assination?  Like a general summary of what the general beliefs are and why.

It might be impossible, but as someone who has only a superficial knowledge of the events, I'd appreciate it in order to put the various publications into perspective.

Evan, purchase "The Kennedy conspiracy" by Anthony Summers, agood all round account from the C/T perspective, without going over the edge. and as a counter ballance, "Case Closed" by Gerald Posner. These will just about begin to bring you up to speed. Oh and give a wide birth to any one who claims that 1,They killed Kennedy, and 2, Anyone who claims that they know, without a shadow of a doubt, who killed Kennedy..This will help keep your sanity. Steve.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Evan:

Stephen's advice is excellent.

I would also recommend Larry Hancock's book "Someone Would Have Talked" and Gus Russo's book: "Live By the Sword." And Trento's "The Secret History of the CIA" (a better title would be: "The Once Secret History of the CIA"--once it has been published in book form it is hardly a secret anymore, is it?).

One minor "quibble" with Stephen's post. I believe there are still some people who do indeed really know who killed Kennedy. They should be tried in Texas and electrocuted.

Edited by Tim Gratz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Stephen Turner
Evan:

Stephen's advice is excellent.

I would also recommend Larry Hancock's book "Someone Would Have Talked" and Gus Russo's book: "Live By the Sword."  And Trento's "The Secret History of the CIA" (a better title would be: "The Once Secret History of the CIA"--once it has been published in book form it is hardly a secret anymore, is it?).

One minor "quibble" with Stephen's post.  I believe there are still some people who do indeed really know who killed Kennedy.  They should be tried in Texas and electrocuted.

Thanks Tim, as regards your "Quibble"(what a wonderful word!)Your right, but they sure aint gonna talk about it B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Evan:

Stephen's advice is excellent.

I would also recommend Larry Hancock's book "Someone Would Have Talked" and Gus Russo's book: "Live By the Sword."  And Trento's "The Secret History of the CIA" (a better title would be: "The Once Secret History of the CIA"--once it has been published in book form it is hardly a secret anymore, is it?).

One minor "quibble" with Stephen's post.  I believe there are still some people who do indeed really know who killed Kennedy.  They should be tried in Texas and electrocuted.

Thanks Tim, as regards your "Quibble"(what a wonderful word!)Your right, but they sure aint gonna talk about it B)

My question to Joan concerns whether she has explored the research indicating that when Oswald was in Mexico City that he was in the company of an individual named Steve or Larry Kennan, a Philadelphia Quaker whom Oswald allegedly met and associated with at Sanborns Restaurant next to the American Embassy in Mexico. It has been suggested by a JFK researcher named Bill Kelly that Keenan may be referred to in CIA documents as LICOZY-3 who is thought to have been a Philadelphia student who was recruited by the Soviets while in Mexico City. It is also speculated that the Quaker connection may tie in with Ruth Avery Paine and 5 listings in Oswalds notebook with Philadelphia addresses, which happens to be the headquarters for the Quaker community and which has ties to colleges such as the one's attended by Michael Paine and Priscilla MacMillan, whom also had ties to the World Federalists an organization founded by Cord Meyer- CIA/IO/DCD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A question for Joan:

Joan,

I was wondering if during your research on Angel Murgado aka Angelo Kennedy, you got the chance to speak with fellow travellers like Jose Luis Hernandez and in particular Luis Bandrich? It appears possible that some JFK assassination peripherals and even direct participants may have been sourced from the ranks of Brigade 2506.

Given that many of these guys stayed in close contact over the last 44 years, there may have been some chatter regarding this.

Also, do you know if Jim Garrison had ever considered Nestor 'Tony' Izquierdo as a suspect?

Cheers,

James

Edited by James Richards
Link to comment
Share on other sites

John,

It it possible for you to describe a summary of the opinions about the JFK assination?  Like a general summary of what the general beliefs are and why.

It might be impossible, but as someone who has only a superficial knowledge of the events, I'd appreciate it in order to put the various publications into perspective.

I have attempted to do that on my website:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKindex.htm

However, although I have tried to be objective, there is no doubt that my own view of the assassination might have got in the way of my interpretation of events. Therefore I thought it might be a good idea if all active members of the JFK Forum posted a brief summary of their theory of the assassination. I have started the thread here:

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=5023

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
My question to Joan concerns whether she has explored the research indicating that when Oswald was in Mexico City that he was in the company of an individual named Steve or Larry Kennan, a Philadelphia Quaker whom Oswald allegedly met and associated with at Sanborns Restaurant next to the American Embassy in Mexico. It has been suggested by a JFK researcher named Bill Kelly that Keenan may be referred to in CIA documents as LICOZY-3 who is thought to have been a Philadelphia student who was recruited by the Soviets while in Mexico City. It is also speculated that the Quaker connection may tie in with Ruth Avery Paine and 5 listings in Oswalds notebook with Philadelphia addresses, which happens to be the headquarters for the Quaker community and which has ties to colleges such as the one's attended by Michael Paine and Priscilla MacMillan, whom also had ties to the World Federalists an organization founded by Cord Meyer- CIA/IO/DCD

Robert, I too, would be interested in anything new on this. Reason being, I believe I have identified a strong suspect. This person is the right age, has a similar name, graduated from a Quaker college in Philadelphia in '59, had a job in 1962/63 that had good potential to place him in Mexico City (the main witness for "Steve Kennan" placed him there in both of those years), and he has worked for a number of CIA sponsored institutions. On finding this person, I contacted Bill Kelly who wrote a terrific article on the subject. Bill contacted him, and though he said some odd things to Bill, denied he was the person being searched for. The denial of course, is meaningless insofar as there is no way to test it without employment and other records and/or witness ID. That's where the matter stands, and obviously I will not name him publicly - not without ironclad proof, anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, I too, would be interested in anything new on this. Reason being, I believe I have identified a strong suspect. This person is the right age, has a similar name, graduated from a Quaker college in Philadelphia in '59, had a job in 1962/63 that had good potential to place him in Mexico City (the main witness for "Steve Kennan" placed him there in both of those years), and he has worked for a number of CIA sponsored institutions. On finding this person, I contacted Bill Kelly who wrote a terrific article on the subject. Bill contacted him, and though he said some odd things to Bill, denied he was the person being searched for. The denial of course, is meaningless insofar as there is no way to test it without employment and other records and/or witness ID. That's where the matter stands, and obviously I will not name him publicly - not without ironclad proof, anyway.

Bill Kelly has just joined this Forum and hopefully he will join in this debate.

By the way, Joan is going to wait until her book is published before she answers these questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, I too, would be interested in anything new on this. Reason being, I believe I have identified a strong suspect. This person is the right age, has a similar name, graduated from a Quaker college in Philadelphia in '59, had a job in 1962/63 that had good potential to place him in Mexico City (the main witness for "Steve Kennan" placed him there in both of those years), and he has worked for a number of CIA sponsored institutions. On finding this person, I contacted Bill Kelly who wrote a terrific article on the subject. Bill contacted him, and though he said some odd things to Bill, denied he was the person being searched for. The denial of course, is meaningless insofar as there is no way to test it without employment and other records and/or witness ID. That's where the matter stands, and obviously I will not name him publicly - not without ironclad proof, anyway.

Bill Kelly has just joined this Forum and hopefully he will join in this debate.

By the way, Joan is going to wait until her book is published before she answers these questions.

Great news on both counts. Thanks John.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robert, I too, would be interested in anything new on this. Reason being, I believe I have identified a strong suspect. This person is the right age, has a similar name, graduated from a Quaker college in Philadelphia in '59, had a job in 1962/63 that had good potential to place him in Mexico City (the main witness for "Steve Kennan" placed him there in both of those years), and he has worked for a number of CIA sponsored institutions. On finding this person, I contacted Bill Kelly who wrote a terrific article on the subject. Bill contacted him, and though he said some odd things to Bill, denied he was the person being searched for. The denial of course, is meaningless insofar as there is no way to test it without employment and other records and/or witness ID. That's where the matter stands, and obviously I will not name him publicly - not without ironclad proof, anyway.

Bill Kelly has just joined this Forum and hopefully he will join in this debate.

By the way, Joan is going to wait until her book is published before she answers these questions.

Great news on both counts. Thanks John.

Greg, Are you familiar with the LI/COZY Program. I read that one of the people used in that program may be "the person in question." Philip Agee's "Inside the Company" states that this program was eventually discontinued. Wish I knew more, maybe Bill Kelly will "enlighten" us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...