Photographic Evidence

[Tim Gratz]

It makes logical sense that Connally assumed there was more than one shooter because of the proximity of the shots. Had Connally said, "My God, he's going to kill us all", one could make a conspiratorial argument that he knew in advance of the lone nut scenario. To read anything into Connally's excited utterance is really stretching thins, IMO.

If, however, Connally said this after hearing TWO shots, does it not follow he was hit by the THIRD shot?

What makes no sense at all is that Connally would risk his life and that of his wife if he had advance knowledge of the assassination.

In fact, because LBJ and Connally were so close, I have argued that Connally's presence in the motorcade also argues against LBJ's participation in the assassination. If the assassination had to occur in Texas, there were times to do it that would not risk Connally's life.

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Once again, I respectfully disagree with your theory that no one in the car could have been a conspirator because they'd be risking their own life. Conspiracy to assassinate a President is treason and punishable by death. Everyone involved had put their life on the line. Sitting in the car was no more risky than being a shooter, and there were at least two of them. As I said, I doubt Connally knew the exact plan. Look at the Zapruder film and tell me if you don't think Connally looks worried from the moment they make the turn. His being in the car, in effect, cleared him of involvement in the eyes of the public. This might have been part of the plan from the get-go.

As to his words, he yelled them AFTER the second shot but before the third. He heard the first, was hit by but did not hear the second, yelled, and was pulled down onto Nellie as the third shot or shots struck Kennedy in the head.

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I submit it is riskier to be in the line of fire than be a shooter who MIGHT be caught and if so MIGHT be successfully prosecuted and if so MIGHT be sentenced to death.

No sane man would ride in an open limousine that he knew was going to be shot at from two or three directions. It's preposterous to think any sane man would do so.

By the way, if my understanding is correct, in 1963 it was not a prosecutable federal offense to shoot a presisdent. I do not recall the exact language of the treason statute but I know that it was as a result of the JFK assassination that it was made a federal crime to shoot the president. The crime of murder occured in Texas. The Jim Garrison Shaw prosecution was, i believe, based on a conspiracy in Louisiana to commit a murder. Which is why, arguably, the CIA people who plotted the murder of Castro could be charged in DC with conspiracy to commit murder even if the murder was to occur on foreign soil.

Edited January 9, 2005 by Tim Gratz