In the "Shane O'sullivan: his DVD" thread, Dr Bryan was mentioned in passing as a possible candidate for Sirhan's programmer.

I fully understand why, and expected my own research into him to confirm he warranted his "suspect" status.

Such was not the case.

My look into him was part of a larger project on what another writer cleverly and accurately termed the Medico-Military-Occult Complex. This has entailed is putting together a brief outline on individuals and groups who do or may form part of the MMOC and who appear in various assassination literature going back to WWI.

As my obsession with sport has taken over for the duration of the Olympics, progress on the list has ground to a halt, so I thought in the meantime, I would at least share the Dr Bryan entry.

BRYAN, Dr William Joseph:
Bryan was charged in Nevada for furnishing liquor to a minor - an 18 year old girl. It was further alleged that he was discussing the concept of "free love" with her at the time. He was extradited from California in 1961 to face the charges filed by DA William Raggio. Raggio would later become embroiled in the Sinatra, Jr kidnapping on both a personal and professional level (he was a friend of Ol' Blue Eyes). Later still, Raggio would have a major dispute with Jim Garrison over the latter's investigation into the JFK assassination. Bryan claimed the charge was politically motivated (at the time of the incident he was running for local office in Sparks). Convicted and fined $1,000, Bryan later surrendered his license to practice medicine in that state.

During a 1973 Dallas murder trial in which Bryan had been called as an expert witness for the defense, he was forced to admit under cross-examination, that he was currently serving five years probation with the California Board of Medical Examiners after being found guilty of sexual misconduct with four female patients. One of the conditions of his probation was that "whenever respondent shall perform any treatment upon a female patient involving hypnosis or other therapy, he shall have an adult female present as an observer, or such hypnosis or therapy shall be otherwise visually monitored by such adult female."

Some claims both about and by Bryan have proven impossible to verify (including a claim about him that he was, apart from all else, a fundamentalist preacher and another, that he was a Bishop of the Old Catholic Church). One however, made by Bryan himself, can be ticked as true: he was indeed the grandson of multiple presidential candidate and anti-Darwinian crusader, William Jennings Bryan. His father, WJB's only son, William, Jr, made a name for himself as U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona while concurrently serving as Regent of the University of Arizona. In 1921 he moved to Los Angeles and practiced law at the office of Isadore B. Dockweiler. WJB, Jr then served as federal commissioner for the San Francisco Exposition of 1939. This was the year following his appointment by President Roosevelt to Collector of Customs for the port of Los Angeles.

Another claim by Bryan which is almost certainly true is that he was a technical consultant for the movie, The Manchurian Candidate. Whilst it has not been verified as a fact that he worked on this movie, it has been verified he had similar roles in the cult classics, Tales of Terror and Dementia 13.

One more claim was that he was a drummer for a short period in the Tommy Dorset Band. This has not been verified, though if true, gives an earlier acquaintance with Sinatra than does any work on ManCan. If this relationship with Sinatra existed (and on balance, I believe it did), it adds another dimension to his problem with DA William Raggio in Nevada, since Raggio, as mentioned, had a friendship with the singer, as well.

Bryan also stated he had been the one time Air Force Chief of Medical Survival Training. This has been extrapolated by various conspiracy advocates into meaning he worked in "the covert brainwashing unit of the Air Force". For the record, here is what it actually refers to: "medical survival training, including specialized training for one’s specialty as a Special Operations Command Medical Officer (Health Administrator, Physician Assistant or any Specialist under AFSC 48X) to ensure success during an operation while in the field with limited supplies." I suppose that may include mind control techniques… and indeed, he did also claim to be a leading expert on "brainwashing".

Bryan, by now, with a law degree to compliment his medical degree, was author of The Chosen One: The Art of Jury Selection. F, Lee Bailey is credited as "designer" of this book. Additionally, Bailey wrote a foreword to it, as did Melvin Beli.

Another book authored by Bryan had the delicious title of Media Sexploitation: The Hidden Implants in America's Mass Media--And How They Program and Condition Your Subconscious Mind.

Bryan was the hypnotist who helped Albert De Salvo "remember" how he committed the murders associated with the Boston Strangler. Found in the notebook of Sirhan Sirhan? God help me ... please help me. Salvo Salvo / Salvo Di Di Salvo Die S Salvo.

In 1974, David Rendin, Science Editor for the National Education Association, did a four part series exposing The American Institute of Hypnosis run by Bryan. The AIH had been operating since 1956 teaching hypnosis and acupuncture. Rendin exposed it by simply forking over the dollars for a four day course on Medical, Dental and Surgical Acupuncture. At the end of the course, he not only received a certificate for acupuncture, but also a certificate stating he had "satisfactorily completed prescribed courses of study, and having presented proper credentials, and having demonstrated thorough knowledge and proficiency in the use of hypnosis" and was "hereby elected to membership in the professional association division of the American Institute of Hypnosis." Trouble was, not once during the course did he, or any other participant, receive any training whatsoever in hypnosis or its use. Then again, nor did any of them actually administer acupuncture needles to themselves or others with or without guidance. In short, the AIH was a diploma mill. And to add a touch of audacity, it also offered courses in the "Successful Treatment of Sexual Disorders". This was run by the sexual predator himself, Dr Bryan. Brochures for this course advise participants to "wear comfortable clothing", that many "new and unusual teaching methods" will be employed including "three laboratory sessions, a special demonstration session of artificial aids, a film on frigidity and a 3-1/2 hour workshop." The best part? He referred to himself in these brochures as "Big Daddy"!

Not even the details of his death are clear cut. Some have it that he died of a heart atttack while others say he was found shot to death in Las Vegas. The year is variously given as 1977 or 1978. The confusion may stem from the fact that he, at some point, started using his father's name of William Jennings Bryan, Jr. I have been able to verify his father died on March 27, 1978 - though the place and cause remain unknown.

Related Entries: Boyne, Gil; Fairchild, Hortense; von Koss, Xavier
Associations: Gil Boyne; F. Lee Bailey; Frank Sinatra; American Institute of Hypnosis
Assassinations linked to: RFK & MLK
Assessment: Bryan has been fingered as turning Sirhan Sirhan into a "Manchurian Candidate". I rate this as a low probability given his lack of success at being undetected using hypnosis to sexually prey on female patients. If he was unable to induce memory erasure in them, it is difficult to believe he succeeded with Sirhan.

Greg:
Any truth to the rumors that he told prostitutes that the CIA had him brainwash Sirhan? Interesting that both he and David Ferrie had a 'fetish' for the Old Roman priesthood role. And didn't the late Phil Melanson confirm with some credible (and more professional) psychiatrists that mind control was at play in the Sirhan case, although Bryan's role was diminished in that regard? What about that anecdote that -after Arthur Bremer shot Gov. Wallace - Bryan's secretary said he got a frantic call from Maryland? While somewhat loose, there's an awful lot of dots being connected with Bryan. Great work here, on a fascinating and roguish character. Given the litany of crimes, fraud, and illicit behavior he portrayed, it says volumes about his lack of character... so, I could easily envision him adding CIA MKULTRA controller to that list of 'skills' for hire. One last interesting thought... it seems the Sinatra Jr. kidnapping occurred right after JFK's murder, and served as a potential distraction for the Warren proceedings and investigation.

Gene

It's good to see Greg's work here at least getting some views. I agree entirely with his conclusion: "Sirhan, in my opinion, was a willing participant in his own manipulation, and the right area to look into is a particular occult group." Whether that group is "all there was to it" is left to be determined, but some of the evidence seems to at least point in that direction for further leads.

Daniel,

The OTO and Sirhan

Great work as always, Greg (and liked the "with sex being the carrot (so to speak)" at the end there). I agree on the phonetic spelling implications -- makes the most sense that there's something verbally transmitted by others. On the OTO, that leaves a wide area for groups/persons who were into that sort of thing.......I had a more specific group in mind, and assume you probably do too.

Take care,
Dan

Thanks Dan.

I've picked up the whiff of a specific group... but need to clear enough time to look deeper. In the end, it may be a Beast of a different Ordo.

Greg:
Any further insights on that cult group?

Gene,

I have been trying to find out the circumstances of a death. A guy named Herb Elfman died May 1970 in Atlanta, Georgia -- allegedly a suicide only a couple of months after securing his dream job as a radio talk show host and moving from Van Nuys.

If there were any suspicious circumstances involved in his death, then I think we have some good clues as to why he had to be silenced, and by whom.

In the event of any suspicion over his death; among the groups whose membership would need further scrutiny would be the Theosophical Society, and a number of right wing groups starting with the Americanism Educational League.

Greg:
If the OTO is the 'vehicle' for Sirhan's programming (and the sex as carrot theme is their specialty), then that seems to point towards good old Dr Bryan... "Big daddy" himself. I assume the DJ who was murdered knew something dangerous, that got him silenced. Sirhan was running with an odd and dangerous crowd... but one presumably that he was introduced into (not that he sought on his own). But who really pulled the strings? Who was Bryan's puppet master?

Gene

Gene,

I have nothing on any Bryan-OTO connection. If it existed, I'd definitely be inclined to reconsider my take Bryan. What's your source on this?

Greg:
It's simply speculation. I know little about these occult groups. Bryant is a tantalizing character... one that links all of the popular 'boogie men' (CIA, MKULTRA, Birch right-wing extremists, the David ferries of the world). So, like many readers, I'm drawn to his legend and all the possible links. Your comment that you had picked up on the 'whiff of a specific group' had my interest. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful (with leads or sources).

Gene

While there is no doubt that Dr William Joseph Bryan is more than an interesting character, I tend to agree with Greg, that Dr Bryan seems more bark than bite as a doctor, whom ostensibly put Sirhan into MKULTRA land; although it appears that William Turner at one time was very intruiged by him, if I understand correctly, and still may be for all I know.

I read somewhere, forgive me for not recalling where, that Sirhan's daily living patterns started changing dramatically about eight months prior to RFK's assassination.
For those who use maryferrell.org as a research source, I would point out that there this, in my opinion, material pertinent to the RFK Assassination in the JFK section.....Onassis is an example.
I am not a RFK Researcher, but I have read Peter Evans book, and whether one subscribes to his theory that Aristotle Onassis,
Hamshari, Karr and Dr. Bryan were the prime candidates for the RFK hit, the background information alone, is indispensable
again, in my opinion, to understanding the intertwining relationships and chronology of events that led up to June 4, 1968.

Gene and Robert,

thanks for the replies...

I have been admonished not to write Bryan off to quickly. Sage words, and I agree I may have been premature.

My point is though, that I can't find anything concrete which convinces me that Bryan was anything more than a sleazebag and conman with an ego the size of Texas.

This excerpt from a '94 Phil Melanson succinctly underlines my concerns:

Was Dr. William Joseph Bryan, Jr. really Sirhan's manipulator? What evidence is there?

The evidence is varied. There are a couple of points to make, though. Firstly I should mention something which has relevance to this case, namely the US Government's research into mind control, hypnosis and LSD, which was completely contrary to the Constitution, and therefore illegal, and took place during the Sixties and Seventies. I believe that the Sirhan case was an off-shoot from that. The Government was researching ways of programming spies, assassins and saboteurs. A few members of this Government programme, such as Dr. Bryan, got out of control. Bryan's relationship to Sirhan came out because he was such a "pompous ass". He told several colleagues, and other people, that he had hypnotised Sirhan. That's hardly concrete evidence, but it's all we have; it would be very doubtful that an official file exists. Since publication of my book, I've met two of Bryan's former colleagues, whom I know now to have been much more vital to the Government's mind control research than Dr. Bryan. Bryan was simply the biggest show-off out of all of them. I can't reveal the names of these two doctors at this time, but they worked closely with Bryan on these things and are still alive. I have a great deal of evidence which I would be happy to give to the authorities if they wish to have it. Bryan and these two doctors worked on the same things in the CIA's mind control research. Bryan is dead, but the other two are still alive. I would really like to see them questioned about this most bizarre piece of the puzzle. These were people, who, like Sirhan, were in the right place at the right time, as Southern California was a hotbed of mind control research. Bryan and his colleagues worked in clinics there. Sirhan was looking for help at that time to combat a mysterious ailment. He readily agreed to be hypnotised. He was a perfect subject, because he was very easy to influence. After the assassination, when the authorities hypnotised him on many occasions, attempting to determine his mental state, they found that he was easy to hypnotise, and so on. That's very circumstantial, and the public often finds it difficult to understand. I would also prefer to be discussing the number of bullets in Sirhan's gun than discussing the possibility of "Manchurian Candidates". There's less of a leap into the realm of the mind. But I seriously believe that Sirhan's manipulation through hypnosis played a really important role in this case."

It all comes down to Bryan's bragging to women he was clearly trying to impress. Melanson's matter-of-fact assertion that Bryan was involved in MKULTRA is not supported by anything other the word of a lying braggart and other un-named self-described former colleagues - who I rather gather have never been named, let alone questioned, despite Melanson's offer to give all his evidence to the authorities.

I believe the target of inquiries should be the various occult groups known to be operating in areas frequented by Sirhan. Of course, it would not surprise in the least to find that one or more of these had Byzantine links to the CIA and or foreign agencies.