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The Epileptic Seizure


Tim Gratz

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Sorry Jack, I was referring to the stalled pickup on Elm beyond the overpass and not the ambulance pick-up at the cornor.

I should have been more descriptive, Larry

It's a skill I'm trying to develop Peter...grin.

By the way, I should point out that Gary Mack reminded me that the seizure victim had also been interviewed by Jerry Rose. So he

really is not a mystery man. Still, I doubt that any of his interviews substitute for a solid background investigation so I retain my

right to be suspicious and contrarian. The series of fake ambulance calls to that intersection actually seem a stronger argument for

a developing plot than the seizure....to me...

Gary also pointed out that the pick-up was not literally in the plaza since it was beyond the overpass...a point which I cheerfully concede.

-- Larry

To the contrary, the ambulance pickup was at Houston and Elm, and was filmed

by Charles Bronson. The Bronson film shows the flashing light atop the ambulance.

Jack

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I feel much the same way Gene....not sure on the term "seizure", I do not think the ambulance drivers described it that way.

As to Belnap, apprently he recovered fairly quickly at Parkland without treatment and just got up and walked out some how.

Would have to have been quickly as the emergency area of the hospital was being sealed off.

-- Larry

Larry:

I acknowledge that the episode is highly suggestive (i.e. innocent bystander mysteriously struck ill, with impeccable timing) so it draws us naturally into suspicion. Then we logically must admit there's no factual data to implicate Belknap, so maybe we're simply reading too much into this. But I'm reminded of quotes (by Dulles, Ian Fleming et al) about the role of "coincidence" in intelligence craft. I wonder where Jerry Belknap is today, why no deeper inquiries occurred. So - for me - there's no logical reason other than it just really feels out of balance... just intuitively wrong. My intuition tells me something contrived and insidious occurred with this assumed seizure. I also wonder who christened it as a 'seizure' since he appears to have made a quick recovery. Didn't this ambulance become the same one that took JFK's body to Air Force 1?-- gene

You are correct Gene, that comes from my book and is sourced from one of the ambulance staff who picked him up and took him to

Parkland. He has also mentioned that he thought it was amazing the fellow was able to walk out of Parkland as he himself was prevented

from leaving and he thought the whole area was sealed at the the time. He did relate the FBI inquiry into the fake calls and that does seem

very suspicious. Certainly it adds to the issue of the ideal timing of the incident.

Problem is that it may be totally innocent, there was never any real background investigation of Belnap and we face the issue that a

non conspiratorial person would write it off as closed after the FBI interview while others of us would like to know who his friends, associates,

hang outs etc were and whether someone arranged for him just to pull a minor stunt that day which ended up being a lot more serious than

just that. Of course that could be said for others as well. But without knowing any real background on these folks its a toss of the dice.

For me the pattern of fake ambulance calls to the cornor of Elm and Houston causes me to treat the incident as suspicious.

The same could be said for the stalled pick up down by the overpass which diverted police before the motorcade arrived. There just

seem to be a lot of coincidences in the Plaza that day in the hour or so around the time of the motorcade.

-- Larry

James:

Any background on Jerry Belknap? Was he really epileptic, who did he work for, what ever happened to him? I had read that when he arrived at Parkland Hospital, he refused treatment and then disappeared. I hope he's not another strange, coincidental death in the ensuing years. As I recall (maybe Larry Hancock's book), there were a series of false alarms or calls to the ambulance company in the month prior to the assassination, implying a scheme to time how long an ambulance would respond to Elm and Houston. Perhaps the distraction was also aimed at occupying the ambulance from Parkland, so none would be available in the next half hour. While no investigatory proof is available, this seizure anecdote is another coincidence in this case that just 'feels' sinister. - gene

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Gene,
James:

Any background on Jerry Belknap? Was he really epileptic, who did he work for, what ever happened to him?

On the day of JFK's assassination, Belknap was 23 and working part time in the Dallas Morning News mail room.

He lived on Ross St. in Irving. He rode the bus in to watch the motorcade.

He didn't have epilepsy, but had bee in a car accident and suffered a head injury which caused him to have fainting spells if he didn't take his medication at least three times a day.

Due to the excitement of JFK's visit, he had forgotten to take his medication, and had fainted.

You can read his FBI interview here:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...mp;relPageId=16

It's CD 1245 pp. 8 - 10.

Steve Thomas

"...and working part time in the Dallas Morning News mail room." wha...are you pulling my leg? If not, it's a bit like a jigsaw puzzle with one piece after the other finding a place..

"Due to the excitement of JFK's visit, he had forgotten to take his medication, and had fainted." - having worked in residential care, dispensing medication regularly, daily, it becomes a habit. Like riding a bike or driving a regular route in 'auto mode'.

Still, it's plausible. How old was this accident?

Presumably 3 times a day means with meals, ie morning, lunch and evening...so he was exited enough at breakfast to forget? Fast acting meds? Odd.

Edited by John Dolva
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It would seem that the FBI and/or the DPD should have checked whether he really was in an accident and whether he had received medical attention and whether his pills were by prescription only.

Like many possible leads, it's probably nothing but water over the darn now. But if Belknap's d/o/b was 1940, he is probably still alive.

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Larry,

As to Belnap, apprently he recovered fairly quickly at Parkland without treatment and just got up and walked out some how.

Would have to have been quickly as the emergency area of the hospital was being sealed off.

He told the FBI that he left Parkland around 2:00 PM and that his car accident was "several years ago".

Steve Thomas

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Steve, that is very interesting information. He is claiming fainting spells from a car accident that occured several years earlier? That seems a tad suspicious to me, certainly worthy of more investigation at the time.

Has anyone tried to locate him recently?

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Tim,

Steve, that is very interesting information. He is claiming fainting spells from a car accident that occured several years earlier? That seems a tad suspicious to me, certainly worthy of more investigation at the time.

Oh, I don't know. He's 23, only has a part time job and living at home with his parents.

I'd be interested to know what kind of medication he was taking that would forestall fainting spells.

Steve Thomas

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Its also interesting that - given the scrutiny of so many different aspects of this case, including a multitude of subjects and endless leads - Jerry Belknap has never been interviewed or investigated. Perhaps James can come up with a picture. Wasn't he reported to have been dressed in military fatigues? I wonder if he was ever in the service... did he stay at the YMCA, or spend a lot of time in the library? Did he continue to work (part-time) in the Dallas News mail room? Did he leave town that same year?

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Tim,
Steve, that is very interesting information. He is claiming fainting spells from a car accident that occured several years earlier? That seems a tad suspicious to me, certainly worthy of more investigation at the time.

Oh, I don't know. He's 23, only has a part time job and living at home with his parents.

I'd be interested to know what kind of medication he was taking that would forestall fainting spells.

Steve Thomas

All, Its quite possible he had seizures from an accident. A friend of mine was in a head on accident on a motorcycle, and got messed up pretty bad. It took ten years, but he started having seizures [i cant remeber the technical term for it] but they were similar to epileptic siezures. He would have violent fits where he would actually hurt himself severely from the seizure. [from hitting himself on things etc...and he had no recollection of what happened during the fit] I beleive it got to the point he had to move in with his daughter, as he couldnt live by himself anymore because of the fear of really hurting himself. The Dr.s told him it was not uncommon for this to happen years after an accident involving a head injury. He was on all kinds of meds. Pain medication, seizure meds, anxiety meds, it went on. If he stayed in a controlled enviorment [hospital] and took his meds regularly, he was ok. But if not, and was at home, I dont believe he took his meds as he was supposed to, he had these fits. So it doesnt sound too far out to me for him to have these fits. Seems quite possible for that to happen with that type of injury if it involved the head. FWIW MS

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Tim,
Steve, that is very interesting information. He is claiming fainting spells from a car accident that occured several years earlier? That seems a tad suspicious to me, certainly worthy of more investigation at the time.

Oh, I don't know. He's 23, only has a part time job and living at home with his parents.

I'd be interested to know what kind of medication he was taking that would forestall fainting spells.

Steve Thomas

All, Its quite possible he had seizures from an accident. A friend of mine was in a head on accident on a motorcycle, and got messed up pretty bad. It took ten years, but he started having seizures [i cant remeber the technical term for it] but they were similar to epileptic siezures. He would have violent fits where he would actually hurt himself severely from the seizure. [from hitting himself on things etc...and he had no recollection of what happened during the fit] I beleive it got to the point he had to move in with his daughter, as he couldnt live by himself anymore because of the fear of really hurting himself. The Dr.s told him it was not uncommon for this to happen years after an accident involving a head injury. He was on all kinds of meds. Pain medication, seizure meds, anxiety meds, it went on. If he stayed in a controlled enviorment [hospital] and took his meds regularly, he was ok. But if not, and was at home, I dont believe he took his meds as he was supposed to, he had these fits. So it doesnt sound too far out to me for him to have these fits. Seems quite possible for that to happen with that type of injury if it involved the head. FWIW MS

Good points (IMO), Michael,

Sometimes the side effects of a range of medications acts as an 'incentive' to not be diligent in taking the medication.

Sometimes also, (from the years of working and observing with people who fitted and did need medication, (albeit significantly mentally and physically handicapped)) it sometimes does not work. 'Immunities' develop and switches to other medicatons are needed.

As well, the fit itself appears to have a 'resolution' effect. IE the build up leading to the fit is uncomfortable and the aftermath a relief. IOW there is a sometimes subconcious 'desire' to not be bound to the medication, and a controlled environment is needed. This applies in many situations where the person is otherwise totally compus.

So, ultimately perhaps this. while curious in aspects. and possibly significant, there is also the possibility that it's an issue that cannot be satisfactorily resolved absent further, perhaps impossible, research.

Edited by John Dolva
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  • 3 months later...
I feel much the same way Gene....not sure on the term "seizure", I do not think the ambulance drivers described it that way.

As to Belnap, apprently he recovered fairly quickly at Parkland without treatment and just got up and walked out some how.

Would have to have been quickly as the emergency area of the hospital was being sealed off.

-- Larry

Larry:

I acknowledge that the episode is highly suggestive (i.e. innocent bystander mysteriously struck ill, with impeccable timing) so it draws us naturally into suspicion. Then we logically must admit there's no factual data to implicate Belknap, so maybe we're simply reading too much into this. But I'm reminded of quotes (by Dulles, Ian Fleming et al) about the role of "coincidence" in intelligence craft. I wonder where Jerry Belknap is today, why no deeper inquiries occurred. So - for me - there's no logical reason other than it just really feels out of balance... just intuitively wrong. My intuition tells me something contrived and insidious occurred with this assumed seizure. I also wonder who christened it as a 'seizure' since he appears to have made a quick recovery. Didn't this ambulance become the same one that took JFK's body to Air Force 1?-- gene

You are correct Gene, that comes from my book and is sourced from one of the ambulance staff who picked him up and took him to

Parkland. He has also mentioned that he thought it was amazing the fellow was able to walk out of Parkland as he himself was prevented

from leaving and he thought the whole area was sealed at the the time. He did relate the FBI inquiry into the fake calls and that does seem

very suspicious. Certainly it adds to the issue of the ideal timing of the incident.

Problem is that it may be totally innocent, there was never any real background investigation of Belnap and we face the issue that a

non conspiratorial person would write it off as closed after the FBI interview while others of us would like to know who his friends, associates,

hang outs etc were and whether someone arranged for him just to pull a minor stunt that day which ended up being a lot more serious than

just that. Of course that could be said for others as well. But without knowing any real background on these folks its a toss of the dice.

For me the pattern of fake ambulance calls to the cornor of Elm and Houston causes me to treat the incident as suspicious.

The same could be said for the stalled pick up down by the overpass which diverted police before the motorcade arrived. There just

seem to be a lot of coincidences in the Plaza that day in the hour or so around the time of the motorcade.

-- Larry

James:

Any background on Jerry Belknap? Was he really epileptic, who did he work for, what ever happened to him? I had read that when he arrived at Parkland Hospital, he refused treatment and then disappeared. I hope he's not another strange, coincidental death in the ensuing years. As I recall (maybe Larry Hancock's book), there were a series of false alarms or calls to the ambulance company in the month prior to the assassination, implying a scheme to time how long an ambulance would respond to Elm and Houston. Perhaps the distraction was also aimed at occupying the ambulance from Parkland, so none would be available in the next half hour. While no investigatory proof is available, this seizure anecdote is another coincidence in this case that just 'feels' sinister. - gene

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James/Larry:

Sorry for the delay of a few months. The Belknap incident seems worthy of more investigation. Are you aware of anyone who's pushed further into this? I repeat some of my earlier questions and comments:

- where is he today

- was he truly seizure-prone

- the ambulance at that location and time is a huge coincidence

- he (and his records) seem to have too easily 'escaped' Parkland Hosp.

- would the ambulance driver have any strange insight

- are there pictures of the pickup (many cameras were poised, 2-3 minutes before JFK arrived)

- why was he dressed in fatigues

- any FOIA/AARB records from FBI inquiries into fake calls

I could add a hundred additional questions... this just seems an amazing coincidence, and painfully interesting.

Gene

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Gene,
James:

Any background on Jerry Belknap? Was he really epileptic, who did he work for, what ever happened to him?

On the day of JFK's assassination, Belknap was 23 andworking part time in the Dallas Morning News mail room.

He lived on Ross St. in Irving. He rode the bus in to watch the motorcade.

He didn't have epilepsy, but had bee in a car accident and suffered a head injury which caused him to have fainting spells if he didn't take his medication at least three times a day.

Due to the excitement of JFK's visit, he had forgotten to take his medication, and had fainted.

You can read his FBI interview here:

http://www.maryferrell.org/mffweb/archive/...mp;relPageId=16

It's CD 1245 pp. 8 - 10.

Steve Thomas

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Steve:

Sorry for the few months of delay, but I'm back into the Belknap episode. As with other posts, I feel this event is highly coincidental and worthy of deeper research. I appreciate your information from the Mary Ferrell records. It seems the ambulance arrived very quickly in this instance... having had a daughter who is prone to seizures and had a few (where we needed 911 EMT response), an ambulance arriving within 5 minutes seems like a world record. I wonder who called it, and how it arrived so promptly? Would the driver be known, on the record, and have some insights to share?

Mr. Belknap could still be alive (at 67) today... I wonder if anyone's ever followed through on interviewing him, or getting additional information. Other Forum readers have offered that the distraction theory is analogous to a magician's slight of hand technique. Couple this with the reports of false alarm calls to the same ambulance company for this location in the week prior(ref. L. Hancock book and response), and i think you have a sinister anecdote beyond mere coincidence. One could speculate/challenge the seemingly straightforward story of a prior car accident, head injury, medication etc. All facts easily corroborated, albeit 50 years later.

Do you have any additional thoughts or information relative to Belknap?

Gene

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