Death of JFK assassination researcher J Harrison

[Dawn Meredith]

Today at 3 a.m a much loved and admired "deep cover" researcher passed away. J Harrison- and this is the first time I have ever publicly said his name- had been suffering from cancer since 2000, but in spite of this this never gave up his 42 year search for "who killed JFK". J focussed on the "Tx. connection" during the past 8 years that I have been privileged to be his friend.

When the Mac Wallace story first broke in 5/1998 it was associated with a "Tx. research group". Very few people knew that this "group" was primarily J.

I am told that some knew him on the net as "Silver Glasses".

J never wanted his name associated with any of his work, helped many others along the way, taking no credit for himself. Tho he was behind the scenes in many a project.

Since 5/19/ 05, J had been with his good friend and work partner, Walt Brown, who will be "outing" J as the hero and brilliant researcher that he was in Walt's magazine Deep Politics Quarterly. (J's friend Lynn Gipson was also with him this past week, never leaving his side until the end).

J' s voice and work will be sorely missed. I will miss his humor and mind and most of all his friendship.

Dawn

[Shanet Clark]

Dear Dawn:

I remember now your cryptic references to this unnamed researcher.

We all share your grief and are sorry for his passing.

When you have recovered emotionally, perhaps you can share some details of this individuals pursuit of truth, and carry on J Harrison's quest by giving out some of the explosive information he must have uncovered over the years.

When you are ready, of course.

Best Wishes,

Shanet in Atlanta

[Larry Hancock]

Dawn, thanks for sharing the news. J was part of a private email group I operated a number of years back and we spoke many times before meeting in Dallas once. He gave me a fascinating tour that weekend and I think I met Lynn at that time as well. Later I had a chance to introduce him to Madeleine Brown.

I recall seeing him at a distance once at a DP memorial ceremony in latter years and I had known he was heavily involved in the Wallace work. I think the only time he really was visible to the public was in his relatively recent appearance in William Remond's video.

I'm sorry to hear of his passing but glad I had the chance to ride with him when he recreated his race down Elm the afternoon of November 22 - from his surveillance assignment. It was interesting to hear him describe all the problems they had with the DPD comm gear of the time.

I sure wish J had been the first one on the Sixth Floor though! We would have at least know one way or the other about the rifle, Fritz picking up the shells and that darn paper bag.

[John Simkin]

Walt Brown, who was with him when he died, tells me that Jay has left him his prodigious archive. It is hoped that Walt will be able to establish a "Jay Harrison Research Center" either at the college where he works or in some similar venue.

[Dawn Meredith]

Friends,

Long-time JFK researcher John F. Harrison ("Jay" to those who knew him) died in his sleep this morning at approximately 1:30 a.m. at his home in Austin, Texas. He had been fighting battles with cancer since 1998, and the most recent battle was one that simply was not winnable.

For those of you who had the good fortune to have met Jay at a COPA event, or at Pittsburgh, (the last conference he attended), you know that he possessed a wealth of data that went back well before November 22, 1963. He was extremely careful about his materials, as he was well acquainted with people who met odd/unusual ends.

I flew to Texas some days ago, to be with him one last time. He had his wits about him only days ago, but several of us who gathered watched, with deepest regret, as he passed from the ability to communicate, from the ability to move, and finally, a few hours ago, from the ability to sustain life.

He left to me a prodigious archive (more on it in the upcoming JFK/DPQ), which is being shipped to a storage location not too distant from my home in NJ. It is my hope that his last wishes be met in that I am able to use the vast amount of documents to bring us closer to the ultimate truth which Jay, in my belief system, now knows.

I have written a number of "grant" requests in the hopes that I can establish some kind of "Jay Harrison Research Center" either at the college where I teach or in some similar venue. More about that also--and how I may ask for your help--in the future. Researcher that he was, Jay willed his body to research on the disease which killed him, a rare form of blood cancer which also took the life of Cardinal Cushing of Boston, the Kennedy family religious leader for many years. In a final irony, when a priest was called for the last sacraments of the Roman Catholic church, they were given to Jay at 11:22 p.m.

Fitting.

I will miss my friend for all of my remaining days. My own personal losses since Christmas of 2003 have been many, and hopefully there will be a respite in the near future.

Please remember Jay in your prayers, and let us all rededicate ourselves to getting to the heart of what happened in Dealey Plaza.

I apologize for e mails that may have gone unanswered, but it has been extremely difficult to go from prayers, weeping, and sadness to being my predictably obnoxious self, so I have fallen behind.

Friends, make the most of each and every day. I have spent many days watching what happens when the final grains of sand ebb from the hour glass of life.

Jay, via con Dios, amigo

walt brown jfk/deep politics quarterly

[Dawn Meredith]

Dear Dawn:

I remember now your cryptic references to this unnamed researcher.

We all share your grief and are sorry for his passing.

When you have recovered emotionally, perhaps you can share some details of this individuals pursuit of truth, and carry on J Harrison's quest by giving out some of the explosive information he must have uncovered over the years.

When you are ready, of course.

Best Wishes,

Shanet in Atlanta

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

___________________________________

Thanks Shanet, Larry and John.

In the days ahead I will learn more and more of projects J was involved in. Tho in the last 8 years the Wallace and related story was at the heart of his work, tho it spanned past Tx. too. Whenever we talked of "Did LBJ kill JFK?" J was fond of saying "yes, but he was not at the top of the pyramid".

He sent me his obit back in January that is still on my computer...says very little about his JFK research, only that he began while a reserve cop for DPD. He was proud of his work in Dallas and solving this crime would become his life's work.

Yes any trip to Dallas with J would be complete with a tour of the relevent spots.

Last time we were there together we were all to meet that Friday evening at some restaurant. My husband Erick and I arrived but could not find J anywhere. We went to the conference then returned to our room, where J had an adjoining room. Hours passed that night, still no J. I was quite worried, it was not like him to say he'd be someplace and just not show. At bedtime he still had not shown up. When we got up that morning his car was there, so I called the room. He'd been out dancing with Judge Joe Brown the night before! Much of the rest of that conference we all were treated to the stories that the good Judge was famed for telling.

I have not seen the Remond video, wonder if it will ever be shown in the US.

He is also mentioned in Barr McClellan's book twice, p xv1,

one of J's fondest truisms:

"There are people...that have answers to questions and don't even know the questions exist"

J. Harrison,

researcher, former Dallas police officer, genealogist.

And 338 where Barr writes:

"Through these contacts I was put in touch with outstanding deep researchers on the assassination including J Harrison of Austin, who owns one of the most complete liabraries on the assassination. He enlisted Nathan Darby, a certified latent print examiner, who made the important match. He also introduced me to other key researchers, many with works in progress."

J was very involved in assisting Nigel turner in the last two segments of TMWKK, two of the three cencored hours.

Dawn

[Nancy Eldreth]

J was very involved in assisting Nigel turner in the last two segments of TMWKK, two of the three cencored hours.

Dawn,

Sorry to hear this of his goings and sufferings prior. Sounds like a wonderful person.

What was J's feelings towards the cover up that was done on this Nigel's film and also the lack of information on Judyth's part in the film?

[Dawn Meredith]

J was very involved in assisting Nigel turner in the last two segments of TMWKK, two of the three cencored hours.

Dawn,

Sorry to hear this of his goings and sufferings prior.  Sounds like a wonderful person.

What was J's feelings towards the cover up that was done on this Nigel's film and also the lack of information on Judyth's part in the film?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

______________________

J had nothing to do with the Judyth episode, it was the other two he was involved with, the Texas stuff. We have not ever discussed her, so I have no idea what he thought of her relevations.

Dawn

[Nancy Eldreth]

Dawn,

The last two topics of Turners films was Johnson story and Judyth the love story. Johnson's was put under a complete cover up and Judyth's story was so much tried to be silenced, they didn't even want it aired.

So it must mean other topics prior than that, Mr. Harrison was involved with. Which ones?

I bet they were good ones than. Good for him. I know you are making me feel like I want to watch them again. The Texas parts and see what he was about and what he may know. Thank you.

Edited May 28, 2005 by Nancy Eldreth

[David Yarnell]

Dawn,

  The last two topics of Turners films was Johnson story and Judyth the love story.  Johnson's was put under a complete cover up and Judyth's story was so much tried to be silenced, they didn't even want it aired. 

But History Channel did air the Judyth episode twice on the same night.  They advertised it in advance on their web site and in many Sunday newspaper TV guides.  That gave millions of people the chance to Tivo it.  So what if the History Channel decided a few months later to bury it?  They can't invade people's homes and confiscate DVD's, cassettes and Tivo.

  So it must mean other topics prior than that, Mr. Harrison was involved with.  Which ones?

I bet they were good ones than.  Good for him.  I know you are making me feel like I want to watch them again.  The Texas parts and see what he was about and what he may know.  Thank you.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Thomas Graves]

Friends,

Long-time JFK researcher John F. Harrison ("Jay" to those who knew him) died in his sleep this morning at approximately 1:30 a.m. at his home in Austin, Texas. He had been fighting battles with cancer since 1998, and the most recent battle was one that simply was not winnable.

For those of you who had the good fortune to have met Jay at a COPA event, or at Pittsburgh, (the last conference he attended), you know that he possessed a wealth of data that went back well before November 22, 1963. He was extremely careful about his materials, as he was well acquainted with people who met odd/unusual ends.

I flew to Texas some days ago, to be with him one last time. He had his wits about him only days ago, but several of us who gathered watched, with deepest regret, as he passed from the ability to communicate, from the ability to move, and finally, a few hours ago, from the ability to sustain life.

He left to me a prodigious archive (more on it in the upcoming JFK/DPQ), which is being shipped to a storage location not too distant from my home in NJ. It is my hope that his last wishes be met in that I am able to use the vast amount of documents to bring us closer to the ultimate truth which Jay, in my belief system, now knows.

I have written a number of "grant" requests in the hopes that I can establish some kind of "Jay Harrison Research Center" either at the college where I teach or in some similar venue. More about that also--and how I may ask for your help--in the future. Researcher that he was, Jay willed his body to research on the disease which killed him, a rare form of blood cancer which also took the life of Cardinal Cushing of Boston, the Kennedy family religious leader for many years. In a final irony, when a priest was called for the last sacraments of the Roman Catholic church, they were given to Jay at 11:22 p.m.

Fitting.

I will miss my friend for all of my remaining days. My own personal losses since Christmas of 2003 have been many, and hopefully there will be a respite in the near future.

Please remember Jay in your prayers, and let us all rededicate ourselves to getting to the heart of what happened in Dealey Plaza.

I apologize for e mails that may have gone unanswered, but it has been extremely difficult to go from prayers, weeping, and sadness to being my predictably obnoxious self, so I have fallen behind.

Friends, make the most of each and every day. I have spent many days watching what happens when the final grains of sand ebb from the hour glass of life.

Jay, via con Dios, amigo

walt brown jfk/deep politics quarterly

Does anyone know if Walt Brown was ever able to start a Jay Harrison Research Center?

Thanks,

--Tommy

[William Kelly]

Friends,

Long-time JFK researcher John F. Harrison ("Jay" to those who knew him) died in his sleep this morning at approximately 1:30 a.m. at his home in Austin, Texas. He had been fighting battles with cancer since 1998, and the most recent battle was one that simply was not winnable.

For those of you who had the good fortune to have met Jay at a COPA event, or at Pittsburgh, (the last conference he attended), you know that he possessed a wealth of data that went back well before November 22, 1963. He was extremely careful about his materials, as he was well acquainted with people who met odd/unusual ends.

I flew to Texas some days ago, to be with him one last time. He had his wits about him only days ago, but several of us who gathered watched, with deepest regret, as he passed from the ability to communicate, from the ability to move, and finally, a few hours ago, from the ability to sustain life.

He left to me a prodigious archive (more on it in the upcoming JFK/DPQ), which is being shipped to a storage location not too distant from my home in NJ. It is my hope that his last wishes be met in that I am able to use the vast amount of documents to bring us closer to the ultimate truth which Jay, in my belief system, now knows.

I have written a number of "grant" requests in the hopes that I can establish some kind of "Jay Harrison Research Center" either at the college where I teach or in some similar venue. More about that also--and how I may ask for your help--in the future. Researcher that he was, Jay willed his body to research on the disease which killed him, a rare form of blood cancer which also took the life of Cardinal Cushing of Boston, the Kennedy family religious leader for many years. In a final irony, when a priest was called for the last sacraments of the Roman Catholic church, they were given to Jay at 11:22 p.m.

Fitting.

I will miss my friend for all of my remaining days. My own personal losses since Christmas of 2003 have been many, and hopefully there will be a respite in the near future.

Please remember Jay in your prayers, and let us all rededicate ourselves to getting to the heart of what happened in Dealey Plaza.

I apologize for e mails that may have gone unanswered, but it has been extremely difficult to go from prayers, weeping, and sadness to being my predictably obnoxious self, so I have fallen behind.

Friends, make the most of each and every day. I have spent many days watching what happens when the final grains of sand ebb from the hour glass of life.

Jay, via con Dios, amigo

walt brown jfk/deep politics quarterly

Does anyone know if Walt Brown was ever able to start a Jay Harrison Research Center?

Thanks,

--Tommy

Walt Brown has all of Jay's files and is using them in to compile a Master Chronology of events related to the assassination.

BK

[Dawn Meredith]

Walt also gave Joan Mellen access to the files. She is writing a book that will include some of Jay's research.

Dawn

[Douglas Caddy]

It was my privilege to meet Jay in Austin not long after I had met Barr McClellan, who lived in Houston at that time. This was over 15 years ago. Barr asked me to visit with Jay about JFK's assassination and I found him to be a prodigious investigator. At the time he had a young man who was assisting him but whose name I have forgotten. The latter was also extremely knowledgeable.

[Dawn Meredith]

It was my privilege to meet Jay in Austin not long after I had met Barr McClellan, who lived in Houston at that time. This was over 15 years ago. Barr asked me to visit with Jay about JFK's assassination and I found him to be a prodigious investigator. At the time he had a young man who was assisting him but whose name I have forgotten. The latter was also extremely knowledgeable.

Doug: The researcher was Richard Bartholomew.

BK: I am unsure of how Jay will fit into a Chronology. And few will own it, so little will ever be known of all of Jay's life's work.

Except how it will be spun by a woman who did not know him.

Those who knew and loved him will just have to wait and see.

Dawn