Mark Knight

I see that Mr. Purvis has been back to the forum since I initially posted this...but I'll choose to believe that he possibly didn't see this topic, rather than to suggest that he is avoiding further comment on a subject HE brought up. So I'll ask again...with the possibility of multiple C2766 serial-numbered Mannlicher-Carcano rifles...are you suggesting that perhaps the LHO rifle DIDN'T come from Klein's...and the reason the postal money order to Klein's was out of sequence by its serial number is that perhaps LHO didn't really order his rifle there? Or is this just something coincidental that you wanted to "hit-and-run" on, to suggest but never elaborate?

Your final graf says what many of us have thought about the Garrison investigation. While I firmly believe that Garrison was "onto something," the prosecution of Shaw came across as weak, given Garrison's hype about how he was going to break this case wide open. To NOT prosecute SOMEONE, in the face of Garrison's hype, would've damaged Garrison's credibility. But the prosecution of Shaw had exactly the same effect, in the end.

On another thread, which I was a participant in accidentally hijacking, you mentioned in passing something about Empire Wholesale Sporting Goods, Ltd., of Montreal having an invoice that mentions "carvines" and "Carcano"...while we were discussing the S&W Victory pistol that LHO had on his person when apprehended at the Texas Theater. TESTIMONY OF HEINZ W. MICHAELIS Mr. MICHAELIS. No. We bought altogether 500 guns. Mr. BALL. 500? And what is the file, the title, that you are now showing? Mr. MICHAELIS. Empire Wholesale. Mr. BALL. All right. Now, tell me what you found as to the source of this gun; where you bought it and from whom. Mr. MICHAELIS. We bought it from Empire Wholesale Sporting Goods, Ltd., 360 Craig Street West, Montreal 1, Quebec. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "The above list accompanied Empire Wholesale Sporting Goods Limited, Invoice No. 1078. The top of the first page bears notations "Carcano" "case#'s" and "Italian Carvines.". It is noted on paged one through six there are 25 serial numbers listed to each case. On page seven thee are listed 59 serial numbes to each case. In addition, the top of the last page beara a notation "Italian Carbine 46"." CE 2562 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Would you care to elaborate on just what this evidence means...or might mean...or could mean? [There are times when I find your offhand references like this to be nearly as cryptic as Mr. Hemming's.] So were you trying to make a point...or trying to suggest...or...just WHAT does it mean, if anything? I THINK I can make a connection...based upon suspicion and innuendo. Do you have any facts, or is this speculation, or are you just yanking my chain here?

May 17, 2006 EFF Can Use Critical AT&T Documents in Surveillance Lawsuit Evidence For Illegal Spying Case Will Remain Under Seal for Now San Francisco - A federal judge in San Francisco ruled today that the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) can use critical evidence in its class-action lawsuit against AT&T. However, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker said the evidence -- three documents that AT&T alleges are proprietary and contain the company's trade secrets -- will be kept under seal for now. EFF's suit accuses AT&T of illegally handing over its customers' telephone and Internet records and communications to the National Security Agency (NSA). The evidence at issue was filed as support for EFF's motion for a preliminary injunction against AT&T, seeking to stop the company's ongoing violations of the law and the privacy of its customers. AT&T had requested that the evidence be returned to AT&T, and not used in the case. Wednesday, Judge Walker denied that request. Although the allegedly proprietary documents will remain under seal, Judge Walker instructed AT&T to work with EFF to narrowly redact any confidential material from EFF's brief and supporting declarations so that they can be made public as soon as possible. "We're very pleased that the court refused AT&T's unreasonable demand that this critical evidence be returned to AT&T and struck from the record. And, although the evidence itself will stay under seal, the court has asked AT&T to work with us in providing public versions of our legal papers," said EFF Staff Attorney Kevin Bankston. "Taken together with the court's refusal to close the courtroom as AT&T had requested, we think today was a real victory for the public's right to know, and for our ability to litigate this case." The next hearing in this case -- about AT&T and the U.S. government's motions to dismiss the lawsuit -- is set for June 23. For more on the AT&T lawsuit: http://www.eff.org/legal/cases/att/ Contact: Rebecca Jeschke Media Coordinator Electronic Frontier Foundation press@eff.org Posted at 03:56 PM

Hmmmmmm....quite odd. In the past, whenever I've made a statement with which he disagreed, Gary Mack has been awfully quick to PM me with the information to "correct" my perceptions. But in this particular instance, where his expertise could be extremely HELPFUL to me, he's remained oddly silent. Has he suddenly taken ill? Is he out of town? As an ex-radio person myself, I would've thought this line of inquiry would've been right up his alley.

Sounds like you're connecting both the Mannlicher-Carcano and the revolver to Empire...?...apparently, Empire also had a stock of Carcanos, if the invoice you mention is taken at face value...which might mean that the Klein's story is a total fabrication, and would therefore explain the serial number of the postal money order to Klein's being far out of sequence...if it was manufactured after the fact, to support the Klein's story. Hmmm....Do da name "Ruby Begonia" ring a bell? Ok, how about the name Thomas Dodds? I'm a bit confused that you should mention a left-handed shooting of the Mannlicher-Carcano. While a left-handed shooting of the rifle might solve the problems relating to the pipes adjacent to the southeast window on the 6th floor of the TSBD, a left-handed operation of a rifle with a right-handed bolt would be QUITE awkward, and would INCREASE the difficulty of accurately making the shots within the required time frame. But it would also eliminate the use of the non-zeroed scope, as a left-handed shooter would almost certainly be required to use the iron sights, due to the peculiar positioning of the scope on the rifle.

SOMEONE knew that a .38 Special, bored out to accept .38 S&W cartridges, would leave an uncertain fingerprint with non-lead [i.e., copper jacketed] bullets, and there surely HAD to be a purpose in Ozzie having a handgun of that particular type...and it damn sure wasn't to incriminate him! Too bad he ended up with some NON-jacketed rounds to tie him to the Tippitt killing...wonder whether Ozzie knew the non-jacketed rounds were in the gun, or whether someone set him up to be caught? I mean, let's project this scenario out. If LHO is smart enough to use a gun that doesn't leave a traceable signature with jacketed rounds, why would he use anything BUT jacketed rounds...unless he either a) wanted to be caught; or didn't know the non-jacketed bullets were in the cylinder; or c) was totally unaware of any of this, and was just the unlucky schmuck that the WC said he was, with no plan except the one that worked flawlessly in the killing of the president. Personally, I have a hard time buying what's behind door number 3...which makes door number one doubtful, too...so it appears that door number two is our winner, and THAT spells conspiracy and doublecross. So let's "suppose" option b all the way out. Of course, there was no guarantee that Tippitt would be shot; but that was a chance the co-conspirators were probably willing to take. If Ozzie got to the theater with no problems, he got a free pass out of the country; if he had a problem and had to shoot someone, he was hung out to dry and no ride materialized at the theater. Simple plan.

Tom, I didn't "cut class" on your explanation as to how three shots from the 6th floor of the TSBD could account for all the wounds...and I think that your scenario is possible. But I'm not 100% convinced that all the shots came from the same window on the 6th floor, or that they were fired from the same weapon. Too much evidence points to the Mannlicher-Carcano being a "plant," especially the location of the spent shell casings. But I DO believe that there may have been just three shots from the 6th floor of the TSBD. I'm NOT convinced that LHO was anything MORE than "Ozzie Rabbit," meant to run, meant to be chased, while others escaped. I believe that LHO has SOME sort of knowledge of the plot, though he may not have known even who the target was. But SOMEONE knew that a .38 Special, bored out to accept .38 S&W cartridges, would leave an uncertain fingerprint with non-lead [i.e., copper jacketed] bullets, and there surely HAD to be a purpose in Ozzie having a handgun of that particular type...and it damn sure wasn't to incriminate him! Too bad he ended up with some NON-jacketed rounds to tie him to the Tippitt killing...wonder whether he knew they were in the gun, or whether someone set him up to be caught?

Following up to David Kaiser's reply, we must also understand that most of the documents related to Oswald were rendered inaccessible...by the FBI, by the CIA, by the military, and most importantly, by the Warren Commission. Historians simply didn't have access to documents; so we are left with journalists, who had access to witnesses, alleged witnesses, and possible witnesses, the credibility of all having been brought into question by someone or another at one time or another over the past 43 years. So the journalists have done the bulk of the writing on the assassination. In a murder case, or at least one in which there is a trial, the prosecution WANTS the public to have all the evidence, so that they can convince the general populace that the defendant is, indeed, guilty, and that justice is served by his conviction. Yet in the case of the JFK assassination, the exact OPPOSITE approach is taken. The prosecution states the case that we have evidence that the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, but we want the evidence sealed away from public view for 70 years. And the Zapruder film is bought by LIFE Magazine, and is dribbled out before the public a few still images at a time, never intending for this, the most dramatic piece of evidence, to be made public. How utterly bizarre is THAT set of events? Is it any wonder that the world remains skeptical--"we have the evidence that this lone nut killed the president singlehandedly, but we won't show it to you; you'll just have to trust us"--after such a performance? If ever there was a more fertile piece of ground prepared as a seedbed for conspiracy theories, I have yet to find it in my lifetime.

One item I might remind you...the references to "Clean, Texas" and the "clean truck" might be more correctly referred to as KILLEEN, Tx and KILLEEN truck, in reference to the Army intelligence unit located at Fort Hood there.

Thanks for the info. The best I can determine, these are the cuts that are available on the McAdams site. Total run time, 19:14, is identical. Apparently, whoever put this together as a single piece lost the chronology by recording ALL of Channel 1 first, then ALL of Channel 2, and not identifying what was what on the recording. By having it all run as if it was one continuous tape, it simply didn't make any sense. One thing I noticed is that the dispatcher gave a LOT more time checks on the tape than are recorded in the transcripts...might therefore be more help to listen to the tapes than to read the transcripts. Also, only certain parts are available on the tape(s)...makes me wonder why only selected portions are available. Anyone know where, this side of the National Archives, a more complete recording might be located?

Since the response to this topic has been so underwhelming, let me express my questions in another way. Does anyone know of a source--website or otherwise--with the DPD radio transmissions of 11/22/63 that INCLUDE the transmissions relating to the Tippitt murder? I don't want transcripts, if they can be avoided...but I suppose they would be better than nothing. The reason I ask this is: the dispatcher periodically gave time checks after many of the transmissions. If we could establish an ACTUAL timeframe for the Tippitt killing, and the subsequent radio traffic, perhaps we could better understand Oswald's involvement--or lack thereof. The reports of the witnesses are conflicting at best in regards to timing...but a recording of the actual police calls, which might include a dispatcher's time check, would help to clear up a lot of doubts. So...does anyone have an idea where my friend may have sourced this material, and whether additional material might exist?

Perhaps BECAUSE of all the namecalling, I am to the point where the only examination of the Z-film that I am currently taking seriously is that of John Dolva...because I honestly believe he has no axe to grind, and is sincere about seeking the truth. And he often does so in unconventional ways. But John is quick to admit errors, and not so closed-minded as to exclude other possible conclusions out-of-hand, as many of the others do. Will John ultimately arrive at the undisputed truth, beyond even the shadow of a reasonable doubt? That remains to be seen. But I wish him Godspeed in his work, even if it DOES venture into areas of technology with which I'm so unfamiliar as to be completely lost. Now contrast that with the Lamson/Healy/Miller/Colby et al insult-fest. Give me honest research over one-upsmanship and namecalling ANY day. Just MY opinion...void where prohibited, YOUR mileage may vary, and alcohol may intensify side effects, if any.

Why must these threads nearly always deteriorate into a micturating contest between and among the photo and film folks? The namecalling does nothing to advance the research, and a lot at blackening the image of everyone on both sides of the assassination debate. If you've got issues with someone's methodology, can the debate at least be civil? A simple "I believe you're wrong, and here's why", or "I don't believe you've proved your case, and here's why" would be SO much more productive...in my humble opinion. It's hard to take EITHER position seriously when the primary product becomes insults rather than information.

Hmmmm...that one struck me in exactly the same way, Stephen. Mark, are you in direct sales, perchance? [i've got a TON of "traveling salesman" jokes...most too bawdy for THIS forum.]

The same friend who, about a year ago, burned for me an MP3 of the KLIF broadcast of 11/22/1963 just last week burned another MP3 for me of the Dallas Police Department's radio transmissions of 11/22/1963. Going by the dispatcher's time checks, the recording is not in chronological order...but it has the request for someone to find the motorcycle "up on Stemmons" that apparently had the mike stuck on, on channel one, but not the channel one transmission with the alleged gunshots...and it has Chief Curry requesting dispatch to "get somebody up there" on the overpass. Total time of the cut is 19:14, so it doesn't get into the Tippitt shooting timeframe, either. It's not the best audio quality, but it's interesting nonetheless. And, based upon the timechecks by dispatch, DPD had a description of a shooter on the radio, allegedly with a 30-caliber rifle, as early as 12:38 pm. I've been advised that the KLIF broadcast was probably sourced from the ReelRadio website, but I have no idea where the DPD radio transmissions may have come from. Anybody found 'em on the internet?

While I have some real reservations about any program that tramples the Fourth Amendment freedoms, I will assure you that despite all the problems, George W. Bush isn't leaving office before noon on January 20, 2009 as long as he stays healthy. I base this conclusion on the distaste Americans have for impeachment--a result of the Nixon and Clinton impeachments--and the apparent fact that Mr. Bush's immense ego won't allow him to resign, no matter what transpires. I realize that Nixon resigned rather than face the articles of impeachment that were drawn up, and I realize that Clinton was impeached but not removed. I know the history. But I really don't think that Americans want to become any further polarized than they currently are, and an impeachment proceeding will surely bring about further polarization. But I think Porter Goss' shove out the door at the CIA indicates that the administration feels Goss is of no further use to them. Whether the NSA phone log information is a retaliatory strike by the CIA is conjecture at best...but is totally in character with past CIA actions. Whether such a pre-emptive strike will derail the new director-designate's confirmation is yet to be seen. But the NSA can play hardball, too...so if the leak is a move by the CIA, look for an NSA counterpunch soon. I predict this battle, if it IS what it appears, could get awfully ugly before it's over.

I hesitate to post this...but... ...had President Kennedy been missed on 11/22/1963, history would read quite differently. And I'd venture to say that we'd not be speaking of Bremer, Segretti, or Ulasewicz at all.

As one who has had his intellignece AND his sanity questioned by Mr. Gratz, based upon my posts on this forum, I must agree with those who express the notion that Mr. Gratz impedes investigation into certain areas which are his "sacred cows." Republicans, if Mr. Gratz's posts are to be swallowed whole, are incapable of deceit and are therefore above suspicion in such matters as assassinations. I have corresponded with Mr. Gratz via email and found him to be less argumentative and more personable away from this forum...which leads me to believe that his reasons for being here have less to do with expanding the general level of knowledge on the forum and much to do with impeding inquiry in certain directions. Having re-entered the classroom for the first time in nearly 30 years in the semester just completed, I encountered time management issues which forced me to choose between the higher education offered on the forum here and the demands of a classroom education...and, fortunately for those financing my education, the classroom won out. With a 3.75 GPA on a 4.0 scale, it appears I've chosen wisely. Summer classes don't begin for me for another month, so I have a little time to try to catch up with what I've missed over the past 4+ months. Mr. Gratz's political views quite obviously color his discussion of the facts...as do everyone else's political views. While I can only speak for myself, my view that corruption is not exclusively the property of one particular political party--a view not shared, apparently, by Mr. Gratz--means that I have NO "sacred cows," and that if the evidence points toward a particular suspect, then by all means let's examine this suspect no matter WHAT his political affiliation. And yes, that INCLUDES Mr. C. Douglas Dillon. Just MY opinion...YOUR mileage may vary, void where prohibited, and alcohol may intensify any side effects.

Correct...and as far as I've been able to discover, no "magazine," "clip," or even a "stripper clip"--and I recently have been told that a MC 6.5 can be fired using a variation of a stripper clip in lieu of a proper "magazine" or "clip"--was ever logged into inventory anywhere...DPD, FBI...anywhere.

Try this link for an explanation of terms: nomenclature Without a magazine/clip, it is impossible to load and fire the MC within any kind of reasonable timeframe, as one would need to manually chamber each cartridge...that is, open the bolt, insert cartridge manually into the bolt, and then close the bolt....THEN reacquire the target and fire. There is NO inventory anywhere that mentions a clip of ANY kind being found, either with the MC or with the spent cartridges, as far as I've seen. Welcome back, Shanet...I've been away for a few months myself.

"Knowing" things and having the proof necessary to convince others is two entirely separate aspects. Personally, I have no doubt that Mr. Hemming now has a much better grasp as to WHO? was actually behind the actions of the assassination. Mr. Hemming personally "lived" much of this, and although he would not have, at the time of the event, fully understood all that was transpiring, now, there can be little doubt that he is much more fully aware of what part he as well as the others were playing in this entire scenario. It is my personal opinion that he may "hold" the keys necessary to now place much of this into it's proper perspective. Tom P.S. Since I received email from him today, I must assume that he is still living. I, too, receive the occasional email from Mr. Hemming. I think he's a valuable resource, in the same way that Mr. Purvis deduces Hemming's level of knowledge about the assassination. Hemming's sixth-floor shooter at the west window with the Mauser would in no way take anything away from Purvis' theory about the shots and their timing. But when you add in the "find" of the Mauser, as it was reported on November 22, 1963, claim of a conspiracy and the claim of all shots coming from the TSBD are rendered NOT mutually exclusive. [sTILL trying to figure how no stripper clip for the MC was found, since the MC won't operate without it...] I think the proper way to express this is that Gerry REALIZES things now, the meaning of which weren't perfectly clear at the time they occurred...if I understand his position correctly. Far be it from me to attempt to put words into his mouth; this is just how I perceive his position. A lot of stuff went down in Dealy Plaza, and Hemming knows a lot of details about such things as "the football" that most didn't before he came here. Maybe he doesn't know the entire playbook, but I'll give him credit for knowing the players without looking at a program.

I, too, share your skepticism of this "official" story.

Kennedy had a pro-civil rights agenda, but he was also a political pragmatist. Kennedy knew--or was advised--that pursuing too much change too quickly would cause a backlash among white southerners, resulting in tremendous losses in '64 in the south. While Brown vs. Board of Education was the law of the land, as the 10th anniversary of the ruling approached, it was painfully obvious--more painfully to those who met "Bull" Connor's dogs and thugs and fire hoses than to many others--that progress in achieving de facto compliance with the Supreme Court ruling was achingly slow in coming. The folks most affected thus found Kennedy's "actions" on civil rights to be closer to "inactions." Pure speculation here, but a second Kennedy term might have accelerated his pace on pursuing a civil rights aenda. After all, because of term limits on the presidency, there would be no more voters for JFK to alienate, with the exception of possible future RFK voters, in the south. And although historians over look it, a case can be made that Nixon's victory in the presidential election of 1968 can be in part attributed to Hubert Humphrey's perceived position as a stand-in candidate for the interests of LBJ, the president who championed and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That probably wasn't the PRIMARY reason for Humphrey's defeat, but in the minds of some Vietnam War "hawks," it was probably a contributing factor.

And I suspect Mr. Gratz knows exactly what I meant. As a former attorney, Mr. Gratz is no doubt familiar with the phrase "probable cause." And from my own experiences with police departments and "probable cause" in regards to misdemeanor traffic charges, if the same standard is applied to Mr. Dillion, there is MORE than sufficient "probable cause" to investigate whether or not he was involved in the JFK assassination. "Probable cause" such as the length of my hair and the fact that I knew certain individuals was sufficient "probable cause" for officers to search my personal vehicle for evidence of drug use [even though those who knew me knew that I avoided illegal drugs and instead "self-medicated" legally with alcohol]. Applying the same standard to Dillon, I contend, is only fair play. Since Dillon was the head of the Cabinet department under which the Secret Service operated, using the same standards of "probable cause" that have been applied towards me would legitimize any investigation into Mr. Dillon. Of course, Mr. Dillon had the werewithal [monetary AND political] to insure that such investigations of him never occurred; I wasn't quite the "Fortunate Son" that Dillon apparently was. Apparently, the rich aren't subject to the same laws as the rest of us. Had Mr. Gratz any personal experiences such as mine, perhaps his views would be different...and perhaps he'd cease and desist in his attempts to obstruct any examination of Mr. Dillon, his background, and his associates.