James Files

[Richard J. Smith]

Here is another good look at the James Files story:

Martin Shackelford, Fair Play Magazine, Confessions of an Assassin (November, 1996)

Files said he first met Lee Harvey Oswald in early 1963, in connection with gun-running, in Clinton, Louisiana, via David Atlee Phillips. Both were doing CIA work at the time. There was obviously some government involvement in the assassination, as otherwise they wouldn't have gotten the Secret Service identifications Ruby gave them. Phillips had given him the Remington Fireball for an earlier job.

Files said he saw Frank Sturgis among the crowd of people on Elm Street. He also saw Eugene Brading, whom he had seen at the Cabana with Nicoletti and Rosselli. Files knew Sturgis from anti-Castro activities, as did Rosselli. Files didn't see Oswald at all that day. He and Oswald never discussed the assassination plan.

He would not comment on the murder of J.D. Tippit, except to say that Oswald didn't kill Tippit, and the man who did was still alive at the time of the interview (a later reference possibly referring to the same man indicated he is now in his '80s), and had originally been assigned to kill Oswald. The man came to see Files in Mesquite after the assassination, saying there was a screwup and he had killed a cop...

Problems with the James Files "Confession":

(1) David Atlee Phillips, CIA propaganda expert, would seem an unlikely case officer for a Mob driver and hit man on No Name Key. This seems to be an attempt to tie Files credibly in with Oswald (the Veciana sighting in Dallas of Oswald and Phillips, as Bishop, together), but is doubtful. Also, although John Rosselli was active in Florida preparations for the Bay of Pigs, it is likely that someone other than Phillips introduced him to Files, if Files was at No Name Key. The only thing that sounds much like the real Phillips is the quote near the end about the power of the typewriter.

(2) Lee Harvey Oswald as tour guide.

(3) The plaid reversible coat and the bitten shell casing seem, on the surface, to provide confirmation, but both were details known prior to Files telling his story to anyone. I had heard about the shell well before Files says the fact that it was bitten was discovered (he says 1994). Some people seem to have confused the bitten casing found in the Plaza with the dented casing found in the Depository - these are two separate shell casings.

(4) In connection with Oswald, Clinton and gun-running, David Atlee Phillips again seems inserted artificially into the story here. Oswald and Ruby were both connected to New Orleans people involved in gun-running, but inserting Phillips into the Clinton story is, again, highly doubtful. This is not to say Phillips' role was an innocent one, just that Files seems to be inventing things, or perhaps he was fed inventions.

(5) Files overlooks the fact that the Elm Street crowd was well-photographed. Frank Sturgis was not among the crowd; nor at that point was Eugene Brading in that area; nor was Jack Ruby on the sidewalk below the knoll. None of this is difficult to check. All the relevant photos are in Groden and Trask.

(6) The Secret Service man on the knoll now becomes two men in suits turning people away. There were men turning people away in the area BEFORE the assassination, but not after. It sounds as though Files flubbed some of his borrowed details.

(7) He had documentary evidence, but he destroyed most of it. How convenient.

(8) My guess is that Files was, indeed, Charles Nicoletti's driver, and was involved in the preparations for the Bay of Pigs, but that he is also a good con artist, skillled at blending fact and fiction, which is what I believe he has done here.

John,

You may also want to add this to your list:

Files claimed in his most recent interview that he was assigned to the US Army's 82nd Airborne division, and was sent to Laos as part of Operation White Star in July 1959. Note that the operation in July 1959 was called Ambidexterous, then became Operation Hotfoot. The operation wasn't called White Star until 1961. Also note the 82nd wasn't sent to Laos, it was the 77th Special Forces Group led by LTC Arthur "Bull" Simons. I have information concerning the specialized training the 77th received prior to shipping out in July 1959, which will remain private until such time as someone can ask Files what his "training" consisted of at Fort Bragg in 1959. I'm willing to wait until hell freezes over, which will probably happen before Files or his fans will supply details of said training.

RJS

[John Simkin]

Dear John Simkin,

Is the opinion of John Stockwell the reason why you disbelieve James Files?

John Stockwell is a known former CIA agent. Need any more proof he is a ‘CIA asset’? Try and find him to elaborate on his views! His opinions have not always been the same. In fact I, I have many recorded opinions of him, either in writing or on video, that are actually very supportive of conspiracy and James Files. He made a sudden and unexplained 180 degrees reversal. Who knows who got to him?

I do not base my opinions of any one person. Unlike yourself who uses the same words as Wim did in his email to me that I received yesterday. I might be a good idea if you started thinking for yourself other than just being a mouthpiece for Wim.

Yes, I did know John Stockwell was a CIA agent. See my web page on him:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKstockwellJ.htm

Stockwell was chief of the CIA's Angola Task Force. Unhappy with the way the CIA was targeting the MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) and resigned from the organization in December, 1976.

Three months later Stockwell published an open letter to CIA Director Stansfield Turner in the Washington Post. He claimed that 98% of CIA operations in the field were "fabrications but were papered over and promoted by aware case officers because of the numbers game". This resulted in Turner initiating a "house-cleaning of the clandestine services".

Stockwell has written two books on the CIA: In Search of Enemies (1978) and The Praetorian Guard: The US Role in the New World Order (1991). He has also made several lecture tours where he has spoken on CIA covert operations. He is in fact the direct opposite of being a CIA asset.

Can you explain why you (Wim) concentrate on trying to smear the person rather than addressing the points that Stockwell made? This is a common CIA tactic. Not that Wim is CIA. The CIA is not imaginative enough to have come up with the idea of a rich businessman who is willing to use his money to spread the stories of people such as James Files, Chancey Holt and Judyth Baker.

[Mark Johansson]

Yes, I should have posted the complete email with headers exactly as Wim sent it to you and later to me. I sure realize you would recognize those were Wim's words, as you received his email yourself, but chose not to post it, neither respond to it. Rest assured I can do my own thinking and am in no way a "mouthpiece" of anyone. I do happen to agree with most of what Wim says, yes.

To take away the risk of further confusion, below are Wim's words again:

Mr. Simkin,

I do not smear people, I just point out when they are lying and/or deceiving, like with Richard J. Smith, John Stockwell, Edward Epstein, or anyone else for that matter. If they don't like to see their lies exposed, tough luck.

As you know from the email I sent you, I offered to address Stockwell's lies one by one.

----- Original Message -----

From: Wim Dankbaar

To: John Simkin

Cc: James Richards

Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2006 5:53 PM

Subject: From Wim Dankbaar

Dear John Simkin,

You may post this if you like:

Is the opinion of John Stockwell the reason why you disbelieve James Files?

John Stockwell is a known former CIA agent. Need any more proof he is a ‘CIA asset’? Try and find him to elaborate on his views! His opinions have not always been the same. In fact I, I have many recorded opinions of him, either in writing or on video, that are actually very supportive of conspiracy and James Files. He made a sudden and unexplained 180 degrees reversal. Who knows who got to him?

His reversed opinions are provable lies. The fact that he claims the XP-100 "kicks like mule", is just one example. Ask any XP-100 owner. You have been researching the assassination yourself for a long time. Can you really not detect the rest of his lies? Would you really like me to address them one by one?

Stockwell gives himself away with trying to discredit the deceased Joe West. All you need to know is this: Joe West is the only American in history who tried to do the one sensible thing to solve this case: Exhume the remains of JFK. What do you think the exhumation would prove? It would not only prove multiple shooters, but also the veracity of James Files. Not only the evidence of his frontal right temple shot, but also traces of his mercury bullet. That's why Joe died and his lawsuit with him. Also, Joe West and his death are the only reason that Files decided to talk! That's why my film will start with the following text:

This film is dedicated to the late Joe West. I never knew Joe West but in my firm opinion he did more to solve the murder of John F. Kennedy than anyone else. I also believe he paid with the highest price.

*****************

Now, if you would (re)activate my account, I will gladly take the challenge to engage in a direct debate with you. Are you up to it? Or would you rather continue quoting other people's deceptions without hearing the other side?

Maybe you could also explain to me why you kicked me off in the first place.

My recollection is this:

John Simkin, who runs the Education forum, doesn't like me either. I was kicked off his forum for critisizing his policies towards two other members. My problem is that I like a good argument and I am good at it. It is only given a few of us to admit they are wrong. Most people, when they lose the debate, dig themselves in and become only more hostile. Not like boxers who can respect their opponents when they are punched within the rules. Once they don't like the messenger, they don't like the message.

If the administrators and a few opinion leaders on such a forum are against the Files story and/or Wim Dankbaar, then few of their members are going against the mainstream. They rather keep their mouth shut or adhere to the advocated concensus. Like I said, most people act like sheep in the herd. Humans genetically want to belong in the group. But if you really scrutinize their arguments, you will find that none of them can disprove the Files story.

You can lead those horses to the water, but they will refuse to drink. Never mind, they are a drop in the ocean. The point is: the resistance to the Files story on these forums is based on emotions or ignorance, rather than facts and content.

Cordially,

Wim Dankbaar

PS: BTW. I think you should make a page for Donald Kendall, as you did for Twombly.

[Mark Knight]

Now, if we can keep Wim speaking through Mr. Johanssen, and Gary Mack speaking through Bill Miller, perhaps the Smithsonian might allow us to borrow Charlie McCarthy so that we might seek out another Edgar Bergen and form a trio of ventriloquists.

Edited June 2, 2006 by Mark Knight

[John Simkin]

David B. Perry, The Top Ten Reasons the Jim Files' Story Needs Help (1997)

1. Files claims he was involved with the mob as part of "The Chicago Family" (by timelines after September 1960). He indicated the mob was headed by Tony Accardo and that "(Sam) Giancana was an underling to Accardo."

Tony Accardo turned control of the Chicago mob over to Sam "Mooney" Gianciana in the summer of 1955.

2. Files claims he served in Laos with the 82nd Airborne conducting training of that countries' soldiers in "mechanical ambushes."

Because of the jungle's "triple tree canopy" airborne operations were futile. Helicopter gun ships were used instead. Additionally, he mispronounces the name given the people of Laos as Latoatians. Something which would give great offense to these proud people.

3. Files claims he was recruited for CIA operations in April 1961 by David Atlee Phillips.

In 1961 Phillips was Chief of Covert Action in Mexico City and additionally ran the CIA's "propaganda shop." He had nothing to do with CIA recruitment.

4. Files claims responsibility for training some of the Bay of Pigs soldiers at the behest of the CIA and David Atlee Phillips. He describes the training as taking place in the Everglades. The preparation of invasion forces for the Bay of Pigs took place in Guatemala.

5. Files indicates training for the Bay of Pigs incursion took place at No Name Key in the Everglades.

No Name Key is located about 25 miles east of Key West and about 50 air miles across Florida Bay from the Everglades. This is a distinction that would surely be known to someone actually involved in those covert operations.

[Mark Johansson]

From Wim:

I repeat:

Now, if you would (re)activate my account, I will gladly take the challenge to engage in a direct debate with you. Are you up to it? Or would you rather continue quoting other people's deceptions without hearing the other side?

Wim

[Guest Stephen Turner]

John, Isn't it a coincidence that days after flouncing out of Lancer Wim is attempting to reactivate his membership here. Must get lonely on JFK murder solved.

[Lance Price]

A friend of mine is researching an article on James Files. Is anyone interested in posting a summary of why they believe/don’t believe James Files?

Let me 'come out' as the person John is referring to. Last year I published 'The Spin Doctor's Diary' in which, among other things, I admitted to lying on behalf of Tony Blair's government. I am now in the planning stage of another book and I am very interested in James Files. I have read many of the claims and counter-claims about him on this forum and others. Unfortunately relatively few are suported by what, as a former BBC journalist, I would call real evidence. That may simply be a product of seeking to investigate claims about a murder committed almost 45 years ago.

However if people had the time to enlighten me on why they believe Files should be taken seriously or not I would be delighted. No more than two or three reasons for or against please. And if you can back up what you say with facts, evidence or (dare I hope) proof so much the better.

For now I have a completely open mind. I have no idea whether he pulled the trigger that fired the fatal shot and maybe we will never know. Even if he did not, however, I suspect his testimony might well shed important light on the involvement of the CIA and the Chicago mob. So perhaps even if not everything he says can be believed it would be irresponsible to reject it all. Am I wrong?

I am relatively new to this debate so bear with me. But for now at least I have the advantage of having nothing to prove myself and merely a desire to be convinced one way or the other.

Private emails also welocme on mrlanceprice@yahoo.co.uk

Lance Price

[Jack White]

A friend of mine is researching an article on James Files. Is anyone interested in posting a summary of why they believe/don’t believe James Files?

Let me 'come out' as the person John is referring to. Last year I published 'The Spin Doctor's Diary' in which, among other things, I admitted to lying on behalf of Tony Blair's government. I am now in the planning stage of another book and I am very interested in James Files. I have read many of the claims and counter-claims about him on this forum and others. Unfortunately relatively few are suported by what, as a former BBC journalist, I would call real evidence. That may simply be a product of seeking to investigate claims about a murder committed almost 45 years ago.

However if people had the time to enlighten me on why they believe Files should be taken seriously or not I would be delighted. No more than two or three reasons for or against please. And if you can back up what you say with facts, evidence or (dare I hope) proof so much the better.

For now I have a completely open mind. I have no idea whether he pulled the trigger that fired the fatal shot and maybe we will never know. Even if he did not, however, I suspect his testimony might well shed important light on the involvement of the CIA and the Chicago mob. So perhaps even if not everything he says can be believed it would be irresponsible to reject it all. Am I wrong?

I am relatively new to this debate so bear with me. But for now at least I have the advantage of having nothing to prove myself and merely a desire to be convinced one way or the other.

Private emails also welocme on mrlanceprice@yahoo.co.uk

Lance Price

Lance...welcome to the JFK discussion. As someone who has studied the

assassination since 1963, I think I am in a very good position to distinguish

between facts and disinformation in the case.

In my opinion, the Files story is so blatantly untrue it is not worthy of your

wasting time on it. There are many more productive areas yet to be uncovered.

The ongoing coverup continues today with dead fish tossed on the trail to

deter the bloodhounds...like Files, Holt, Judyth Baker, the fake tramps, etc.

There are numerous provocateurs, even on the internet (including some

members of this forum) whose sole aim is to promote the official story and

obfuscate real information. The sanctity of the Zapruder Film and the Lone

Nut Assassin must be protected at all costs.

The area with the most potential for study has been shown us by James

Richards of Australia, possibly the best informed of anyone on this forum.

He has inside information on many of the players and excellent sources

for photos and documents. He has shown proof that dozens of recognizable

intelligence operatives WERE PHOTOGRAPHED IN DEALEY PLAZA, not

as participants, but probably as INSIDERS WHO WERE THERE TO WATCH

THE SHOW! As a former newsman, maybe you could help publicize these

Dealey spectators.

I suggest that you not waste your time on Files, but study the work of

Richards on THESE MYSTERY MEN. If we can place all these intelligence

operatives in the Plaza, it will tell us who knew JFK was to die on 11-22.

Jack

[Mark Johansson]

From Wim:

Ah, Lance you did it to yourself. Welcome to the JFK research community.

Now, on Chauncey Holt, you need to gather the opinion of Tosh (William) Plumlee and Jim Fetzer. Both are members on this forum. But I can also bring you in contact with former associates of Chauncey Holt.

On Jack White, you need to know that he believes the "old tramp" is E. Howard Hunt (in fact it is Chauncey Holt) and that the tall tramp is Charles Harrelson. This is the weirdest combination to imagine, for all those people that claim the old tramp is Hunt, claim that the tall tramp is Frank Sturgis. Moreover , nobody has ever been able to put Hunt and Harrelson together. But the weirdest thing of all is that Holt himself identified the tall tramp as Harrelson. He delivered him fake ID's that day in the name of Calvin Harper. I guess Jack White is supporting Holt after all

From me, you need to know that I get pissed when people try to discredit James Files, but I get even more pissed when people try to discredit Chauncey Holt. This man has the strongest story ever, including all the evidence. The trouble is, only very few people know the full extent of his story, and that certainly excludes Jack White. Chauncey's story is actually more explosive and even more provable than the confession of James Files. Why? Because he lays out the height of the conspiracy, that Files knew nothing about. This inncludes high and powerfull people, still living today.

And he can (could) prove it too. Finally, please know that Chauncey drove Charles Nicoletti to Dallas. Charles Nicoletti was James Files' direct (and proven) boss.

PS: This discussion is obviously going to be heated and exciting, but unfortunately I am leaving for a week vacation with my family tomorrow. Have fun in the meantime

With greetings from Turkey.

Wim

PS2: The tramp photo that Jack White likes to avoid is this one:

http://jfkmurdersolved.com/images/trampear.JPG

Oh, and Jack White is not part of this crowd either:

http://jfkmurdersolved.com/researchers.htm

[Blair Dobson]

Now, if we can keep Wim speaking through Mr. Johanssen, and Gary Mack speaking through Bill Miller, perhaps the Smithsonian might allow us to borrow Charlie McCarthy so that we might seek out another Edgar Bergen and form a trio of ventriloquists.

HAHAHAHAHAHA

again Mark , brilliant....

Both Chauncey Holt and James Files are deserved members of The ROSCOE WHITE THREAD AWARD for their uselessness in conjuction to the JFK case.

I'm going to write a tell all book about how I shot the president five years before I was born and see how many dogmatic people overlook that fact and go for the juicier psuedo facts (regardless again of any proof) and write a book, make a film no one wants to see and then ends up shucking them in the Plaza.

Oh here's a juicy one!

JOHN GLEN SHOT KENNEDY FROM SPACE! Now that would sell dvds, small press books and a few tee shirts with some kitch graphix on the front I bet.

It's one thing to make a work available to INFORM people, it's quite another to make a work of FICTION TO PROFIT from and in my eyes, Roscoe, Files and Holt seem to fit into the latter.

And that is just bad business.

Files = Loser

White = Loser

Holt = Unreliable Hobo, Sterno king.

This is where I leave this thread for more productive ones.

Posner did it... Buy my book at Amazon

Cheers,

Dobson

Edited June 2, 2006 by Blair Dobson

[Mark Johansson]

JF – I’m looking for security people, cops, undercover, security, off-duty, whoever might be carrying a weapon. Bulge along their hip, behind their back, like under the arm in a shoulderholster. I’m looking for these little bulges, most people don’t pay no attention to that, but this is what I’m looking for. But then I was amazed when I recognized several people out of the past that were in Dealey Plaza. Did I go talk to them? No, but I recognized them and see them there.

J – Who was that?

JF – I remember Aldo Vera, remember seeing him there. Aah, a lot of people say Jack Ruby was never there, but he was there before the motorcade got there, I know that for a fact, and even though I never knew Jack Ruby, but I was as close to him as I was to you in the coffeeshop but I never spoke to him, I was never introduced to him. Never said a word to Jack Ruby. But I was that close, I’m looking at the backside of him and I’m pretty sure that was him. Aah …. Diaz was there, I believe his name was Tony, Tony Diaz is what I knew him as, ….aah … Richard Cain, he was on scene, he was in the crowd, he had been there, he was leaving, he was like walking away, …aah … Felix Alderisio, I know he was there that day, where he went I have no idea. But there is several people that I saw.

J – How about Frank Sturgis?

JF – Frank Sturgis, he was there.

J – How did you know Frank Sturgis?

JF - I knew Frank Sturgis from the Bay of Pigs and from the SAO. I also knew Orlando Bosch. He was on scene. Orlando Bosch, I don’t know if you are familiar with his name or not, but he was also present. Ah … there was a few other faces I recognized, I just don’t remember the names for them, because it’s so long ago.

J – How do you figure all those people were in Dealey Plaza?

JF – You know, I couldn’t figure that one out when I was there myself, but it’s like anything else, it’s like everybody … they know something is going to happen. Maybe they know a building is going on fire or something. You know, you ‘ve got a building burning and it may collapse, everybody runs to see the fire, they should be going the other way. About the only time I have ever seen a lot of confusion was where people where trying to get away, it was a racetrack or some crowded place and somebody yelled “gun”, everybody broke and stampeded. We had a few people out of the racetrack that got hurt that way, they were out of Maywood Park, they got hurt in a stampede like that. But basically speaking, if somebody knows something is going to happen, they have a tendency to go see it. Most people are curious. You know when you ever drive down the highway and you see a wreck, you’re probably guilty of it. You slow the car down and look out the window. Everybody does it. So a lot of people had come there for that reason, probably because they had heard these rumors and stuff that he was going to be assassinated in Dallas. That was no secret. Even the National Security Agency knew that.

J – What about Eugene Brading?

JF – Eugene Braden? He was there that day. He was the …. Eugene Braden was there for a specific reason: He had the contacts inside the Daltex building. And he was the one that Charles Nicoletti and Johnny Roselli needed to get them into the private office, some way or another, I have no idea where that office was, I was never in the Daltex building myself, I can’t even describe anything in there.

[John Simkin]

However if people had the time to enlighten me on why they believe Files should be taken seriously or not I would be delighted. No more than two or three reasons for or against please. And if you can back up what you say with facts, evidence or (dare I hope) proof so much the better.

For now I have a completely open mind. I have no idea whether he pulled the trigger that fired the fatal shot and maybe we will never know. Even if he did not, however, I suspect his testimony might well shed important light on the involvement of the CIA and the Chicago mob. So perhaps even if not everything he says can be believed it would be irresponsible to reject it all. Am I wrong?

I will do this tomorrow. However, in the meantime, here is James Files’ confession that he made to Robert G. Vernon on 22nd March, 1994:

Q: Were you ever in the armed services?

A: I was in the 82nd Airborne. I went in '59...1959, date of entry... January and in July 10 of 1959, I believe it was July 10, we shipped out to Laos. I was 82nd Airborne.

Q: What were some of your duties?

A: My duties at that time... we were working a special operations group to work with the Laotian Army in Laos at that time. I was there strictly as an advisor on training... with small automatic weapons... setting detonators, explosives, mechanical ambushes. There was just a handful of Americans working with the Laotians at that time...

Q: Could you tell me how you first became involved in organized crime activities?

A: Well, I first became.. it''s a strange way to start out... but I was racing stock cars and driving at a local track and Mr. Nicoletti had taken a shine to my driving and he'd watched me on several occasions and he had asked me once if I would drive him one evening. I took him out and test drove his car that we'd just picked up a brand new Ford... and he was pretty well pleased with my driving and from then on I became more like an assigned driver to him and I did several drivings for him on different jobs that he did.

Q: Who was Charles Nicoletti?

A: Charles Nicoletti, at that time, he was an up and coming figure with organized crime and he was known as one of the local hitman. As far as I'm concerned he was the best that ever lived, as far as I'm concerned.

Q: What Mafia family did he work for?

A: He was out of the Chicago family.

Q: Who would have been the boss of the Chicago family?

A: At that time, Tony Accardo.

Q: That's before Giancana or after Giancana?

A: Tony Accardo handed it up... headed it up... then Giancana came after that. Giancana at that time was one of the underlings, I guess you might say he was the... one of the top lieutenants at that point. Things were handed out in different branches in organized crime such as someone might handle the liquor license, someone would handle the loan sharking and booking, someone would handle the contracts for murder for hire and anything like that...

Q: How did you meet him (John Rosselli)?

A: I had met John Rosselli in Miami and discussed a few things with him and he... I had met him through David Atlee Phillips... David Atlee Phillips was an operative for the CIA. Through time everybody got to be fairly well good friends but I grew up basically under Chuck's wing... Mr. Nicoletti's wing. Chuck had told me we were going to do it. We'd first originally planned to do the assassination in Chicago but a lot of people didn't like that idea so then it was moved to another location.

Q: When you say "we planned it" could you clarify "we"?

A: Well when I say we... I was just with Mr. Nicoletti. Whatever he said do, I would do. When I say we, I'm referring like... the only thing I did was just drive the car or whatever that they needed me for. Mr. Nicoletti had asked me then at that point when we'd decided not to do it in Chicago and it was going to be moved to Dallas... when John F. Kennedy had decided to go to Dallas... a week in advance, I took the '63 Chevrolet that we had at that time.. I left and I went down a week earlier. I picked up the weapons from the storage bin that we had and loaded them in the car with everything that I thought we might need.. with a various assortment... and I left and I drove to Dallas. I stayed out at a place in Mesquite, Texas. Once I got there, I called back and notified Mr. Nicoletti that I was there and on the scene. The following day, Lee Harvey Oswald came by the motel where I was at... they had given him my location... and he took me out to a place somewhere southeast of Mesquite where I test fired the weapons and calibrated the scopes on anything that might be needed. Then he was with me for a few days in town there... we drove around... so I would know all the streets and not run into any dead ends streets if anything went wrong and we had to flee from the area...

Q: Could you give me the exact chronology of what happened from the time you arrived in Dallas...? You've already said that you went out and test fired some guns and things... take me back to maybe November 21, the day before, and in your own words, tell me what happened from November 21, 1963 until the night of November 22, 1963...

A: We go back... November 21, I had everything pretty well set up on my end of it as far as knowing the area, knowing the streets, memorizing a lot of the major points there and intersections... crossing railroad tracks and trestles and things... I had the weapons prepared and ready to go, I had those installed in the car where I wanted them. Everything had been calibrated all ammunition had been set and ready to use. I got a good nights sleep that night, the following morning I got up early and I went to the Dallas Cabana Hotel to pick up John Rosselli... I'm going to say somewhere shortly around 7:00 that morning, maybe a few minutes past seven... and I picked up Johnny Rosselli and we drove from the Dallas Cabana to Ft. Worth, Texas to a pancake house they had there just off the major highway. We went there to meet someone... I did not know who we was meeting.. .But he had already told me... Johnny Rosselli said we was going to meet a man by the name of Jack Ruby... that he had some things that we had to pick up. When we got there, Johnny Rosselli told me he said... I'm going to go in and sit in a booth... he says you wait and come in later... he said sit somewhere else where you can keep an eye on me... in case something goes wrong, I want you to cover my backside. So I positioned myself... after Johnny Rosselli went in... I sit at the counter... ordered a cup of coffee and sit there and waited.

This real heavy set gentlemen came in and he went over and he knew Johnny Rosselli I assume cause they shook hands, they talked for a minute and they sit down in the booth together. They passed over, I'm gonna say probably a 5 x 9 envelope... manilla envelope that had some material in it, at that point. After a couple of minutes, he got up, they shook hands, he left. I went out into the parking lot, made sure the air was clear, started the car up, pulled up by the door, Johnny Rosselli come out and got in the car. I never met Jack Ruby, never said hello or anything.

Johnny Rosselli got in the car with me and we started back to Dallas. He opened the envelope up and there was identification in there for Secret Service people and we had a map in there of the exact motorcade route that would take it through Dealey Plaza. Johnny Rosselli said well they only made one change. That was when he informed me they was coming off of Main Street on to Elm or on to Houston there... they made the zig-zag, the little turn that they should have never made. But when they made that, it was the only change in it.

I drove him back to the Dallas Cabana, he went upstairs and I waited for Mr. Nicoletti to come down. Mr. Nicoletti came down and got in the car with me and we drove to Dealey Plaza. We got to Dealey Plaza shortly before ten o'clock. From there we parked the car... it had been drizzling rain that morning... kind of a cool morning out... I had parked the car beside the Dal-Tex building, Mr. Nicoletti and I got out and we walked up and down the complete area of Dealey Plaza, we covered every corner, walked by the buildings, looked over several different things. We were just talking, having casual talk about the weather and everything.

At about 10:30, Mr. Nicoletti asked me how would I feel in supporting him... in backing him up on this... and he told me I wouldn't fire unless it became extremely necessary. I told Mr. Nicoletti, Jesus, I'd be honored to do anything to back you up. He asked me if you was to be outside here, where would you position yourself at in Dealey Plaza? I told him, I said well, from looking everything over and from walking it in the week I've been down here, I think I would choose up there behind the tree behind the stockade fence on the high ridge by the knoll up there. He says why there? I says well I've got the railroad yard in back of me, we've got a parking lot there and I've got a place to where I could stash whatever I would need. I said I can pass myself off as a railroad worker in the railroad yard for the time being until that time comes and nobody would really pay any attention to me. He asked me then where do you think would be the best place for me? I said well, I think the Dal-Tex building... with the new change in it... I say I think the Dal-Tex building over there... that building would give you the best advantage point there. He said I think so too. So we took a walk over, went through the parking lot over by the tracks, walked around through there and he seemed pretty well pleased with that. Then at that point, oh it was about 11:10, he asked me what weapon would I choose to use over there. I told him I would like to use the Fireball. He said why that one? He said you've only got one shot. I said one shot's all I'm gonna get anyway if I wait until the last moment of fire and I may not fire, I said, and it's easy to conceal and I carry it in a briefcase and nobody will pay any attention to me and it's easier to walk away from there. And that's exactly what we did at that point.

Shortly before noon, we went back to the vehicle, I took the briefcase out and turned my jacket inside out, I went back into the yard... the railroad yard there... I secured the briefcase, then I hung out back there and I walked down on the grassy knoll, no one paid any attention... people were gathering. Shortly before the motorcade came, I went back up there and started securing myself in a better position so I'd be able to reach the attache case at that point... the briefcase... I knew once that I opened the briefcase up and pulled the weapon out, nobody's gonna be looking at me, the motorcade would be coming... making its first time... and I wouldn't have to remove the Fireball from the briefcase until approximately... they made the first turn on Elm Street there and I would have plenty of time at that point.

At that point when they started proceeding down Elm Street, shots started being fired from behind. I assumed that it was Mr. Nicoletti because he was the one that was in the building and I knew that Johnny Rosselli was there. I remember the shots ringing out and even though the President was being hit with the rounds, I was considering it a miss because I knew that we were going for a head shot on the President. I had known that he had been hit in the body but I didn't know what part at that time. I seen the body lurch and I saw the body lurch again, I heard another shot that missed. We were supposed to hit no one but Connally, I mean no one but Mr. Kennedy. I guess Governor Connally got hit with one of the rounds at that point. I wasn't even sure of that because I was keeping Kennedy as best I could in the scope on the Fireball. When I got to the point where I thought it would be the last field of fire, I had zeroed in to the left side of the head there that I had because if I wait any longer then Jacqueline Kennedy would have been in the line of fire and I had been instructed for nothing to happen to her and at that moment I figured this is my last chance for a shot and he had still not been hit in the head. So, as I fired that round, Mr. Nicoletti and I fired approximately at the same time as the head started forward then it went backward. I would have to say that his shell struck approximately 1000th of a second ahead of mine maybe but that what's started pushing the head forward which caused me to miss from the left eye and I came in on the left side of the temple. At that point, through the scope, I witnessed everything, matter and skull bring blown out to the back on the limousine and everyone on television watching saw Jackie Kennedy crawl out there to get it. I watched her hold it in her hand, crawl back on to the car, I put the Fireball back into the briefcase, and closed it up, I pulled my jacket off, reversed my jacket so I would have, instead of the plaid side out, I would have the gray like a dress jacket more or less and I put a cap on my head, my hat, to walk away, carrying a briefcase.

[John Simkin]

As requested I will give three reasons why I do not believe the confessions of James Files.

(1) A few years ago I was reading John Gilmore’s great book, Severed. It is an account of the famous “Black Dahlia” case that took place in 1947. Gilmore points out that in the first few weeks after the murder of Elizabeth Short, thirty different people confessed to the crime. The detectives knew that this sort of thing always happened in high-profile cases. Therefore, they did not make public certain aspects of the murder. In this way they were able to dismiss these thirty people from their investigation.

It is therefore no surprise that several people like James Files have confessed to the killing of JFK. It seems that in any high-profile case, people will always come forward and confess to the crime. These people clearly have personality disorders and are willing to risk imprisonment and even execution in order to get their names in the papers.

Does James Files suffer from a personality disorder? Maybe, but what other reason could he have for confessing? More importantly, what is he risking? What could he gain from such a confession?

In 1991 Files was arrested and charged with attempting to kill a policeman called David Ostertag. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Therefore, the loss of liberty is not one of those things that Files is risking. It seems that Files was a career criminal who liked to boast of his links to Mafia bosses. It must have been a blow to his ego to have been convicted for only “attempted murder”. One possible gain from this confession is increased status amongst the criminal fraternity. Although he would have to be satisfied in having an influence on only the less intelligent members of this group.

Maybe, he believes he could make some financial gain from this confession. Clearly, Wim Dankbaar has made a serious financial investment in the case. Wim cannot expect a return in this investment unless he can convince the public that James Files is telling the truth. That does not mean Files is not telling the truth. But it does provide motivation for both Wim to spend so much time and effort in trying to persuade serious researchers that Files is the killer of JFK. This he has failed to do. As far as I can see, only Jim Marrs is willing to say that Files is possibly telling the truth about what happened in Dallas in 1963. Even Judyth Baker can claim to have more supporters than James Files.

I am not saying that I reject all confessions. It depends very much on the circumstances and context of the confession. For example, I am willing to believe deathbed confessions when they are made to close friends and relatives (John Martino). I am willing to believe confessions when they are made it a fit of anger (David Morales). I am also willing to believe confessions when they are made in confidence to people who share their extremist political views (Carl Jenkins and Chi Chi Quintero). However, I find it extremely difficult to believe a man who is unlikely to leave prison. Especially, when he is part of some “business package”.

(2) The second reason I don’t believe James Files is that I completely reject the idea that the Mafia (organized crime) ordered the execution of JFK. The main reason for this position concerns a man called Arthur Flegenheimer (Dutch Schultz). In 1933 Schultz was a Mafia boss in New York. Fiorello La Guardia, the mayor of New York, instructed the city’s special prosecutor, Thomas Dewey, to investigate Schultz's business interests. When Schultz heard the news, he began making plans to have Dewey assassinated. Other gang leaders warned Schultz not to carry on with his murder plan. When he refused to take note of this demand, Louis Lepke Buchalter, one of New York's main gang leaders, paid Charlie Workman and Emmanuel Weiss to kill Schultz. On 23rd October, 1935, Dutch Schultz and three of his bodyguards, were killed while they were eating in a Newark restaurant.

Mafia bosses in the United States bribe politicians, they did not kill them. They know that politicians have the power to destroy them. They have to make it in the interests of politicians to protect them. The Mafia knew that if Schultz murdered Dewey, Fiorello La Guardia would have been forced to take all necessary action to wipe out the Mafia in New York.

There has never been an example of a high profile politician in the US being assassinated by the Mafia. This is a shrewd assessment of the political situation they found themselves in. All-out war on the Mafia would have followed if they had really been responsible for the assassination of JFK.

The one question that the “Mafia did it” group did it cannot explain is the cover-up. How did the Mafia manage that?

What we now know is that the original plan was to blame Castro for the assassination of JFK. It was hoped that this would trigger a US invasion of Cuba and the overthrow of Castro. LBJ refused to go along with this plan and instead J. Edgar Hoover, William Sullivan (head of the FBI investigation) and James Jesus Angleton (head of the CIA investigation) had to come up with the lone gunman theory.

Despite the best efforts of the Warren Commission, the American public refused to buy this story and by the time of the Jim Garrison investigation, the cover-up was in serious trouble. Therefore, it was decided to develop a new strategy, Oswald was part of a Mafia conspiracy to kill JFK. Dick Billings was dispatched to New Orleans to direct Garrison towards the new target (at the time Garrison was finding evidence of CIA agents and assets being involved in the conspiracy). Information was leaked to Jack Anderson implicating the Mafia in the killing of JFK. Anderson’s articles also helped to explain the CIA connection to the assassination via the original plan to murder Fidel Castro.

To his credit, Garrison refused to accept Billings redirection of the investigation. With this, Billings withdrew from New Orleans and began his smear campaign that Garrison was himself under the control of the Mafia.

The establishment of the House Senate Committee on Assassinations in 1976 created another crisis for those behind the conspiracy. Especially when the incorruptible, Richard Sprague was appointed as chief counsel of the HSCA. Sprague was eventually removed and replaced by G. Robert Blakey, who had a background in fighting the Mafia. It was not therefore too difficult to persuade Blakey that the “Mafia did it”. However, just to make sure, Dick Billings was dispatched to the HSAC to help Blakey write his report. Later Blakey and Billings were to co-author the book, Fatal Hour: The Assassination of President Kennedy by Organized Crime.

The dominant ideology provides a choice: If you’re a lone-nutter person, you can believe in the findings of the Warren Commission, or if you are bright enough to work out that it was a conspiracy, organized crime was responsible.

(3) The final reason why I don’t believe James Files is the confession itself. Let us assume for a moment that Files is telling the truth that organized crime did kill JFK. According to Files confession, he arrived in Dallas with Charles Nicoletti at “shortly before ten o'clock” on the morning of the assassination. At “about 10:30, Mr. Nicoletti asked me how would I feel in supporting him... in backing him up on this... and he told me I wouldn't fire unless it became extremely necessary.” Files agrees and then Nicoletti asks “where would you position yourself at in Dealey Plaza?” Files replies “behind the tree behind the stockade fence on the high ridge by the knoll”. Surprisingly, Nicoletti appears a little bit shocked by this suggestion but is eventually convinced by the arguments put forward by Files. Nicoletti is so impressed by Files answer that the following exchange takes place: “He asked me then where do you think would be the best place for me? I said well, I think the Dal-Tex building... with the new change in it... I say I think the Dal-Tex building over there... that building would give you the best advantage point there. He said I think so too.”

If we accept Files confession to be true, we have to believe that Nicoletti arrives in Dallas on the morning of the assassination without considering the places where the gunmen will stand. Nor has he decided who is going to be his gunman. Files recruitment seems to be an afterthought. Without this inspired decision to put Files in charge of the operation, no gunman would have been placed in front of JFK when the firing began. Is there really anyone other than Wim Dankbaar who really believes that this is the way organized crime would have planned the assassination of JFK?

Then there is the issue of James Files being allowed to tell his story that organized crime killed JFK. As we know, Files is not the first “hired killer” to confess to assassinating JFK. In 1979 Charles Harrelson was paid $250,000 by drug dealers to assassinate John H. Wood. On 29th May, 1979, Wood was shot dead as he left his Alamo Heights townhouse. Wood, known as "Maximum John" for his tough sentences of drug traffickers, was the first federal judge to be murdered in the 20th century.

When he was arrested he confessed to being one of the gunman who killed JFK. He later withdrew this confession but he was eventually convicted of the murder of Wood and sentenced to two life sentences.

In 1988 Harrelson told the producer of The Men Who Killed Kennedy, Nigel Turner, that "on November 22, 1963, at 12.30, I was having lunch with a friend in a restaurant in Houston, Texas." He also told Turner that he would not have accepted such a contract as he knew that if he had, he would have ended up, like Lee Harvey Oswald, being killed by the Mafia.

Exactly, if Files had been daft enough to accept the contract on JFK, he would be dead before he had time to convince the likes of Bob Vernon and Wim Dankbaar that he was involved in the assassination.

As every serious researcher into the JFK case knows, James Files is a fraud. We also know why Dankbaar is so keen for us to believe his story. When we refuse he resorts to verbal abuse and accusations that we are disinformation agents under the control of the CIA.

[Michael Hogan]

John Simkin wrote:

There has never been an example of a high profile politician in the US being assassinated by the Mafia. This is a shrewd assessment of the political situation they found themselves in. All-out war on the Mafia would have followed if they had really been responsible for the assassination of JFK.

The one question that the “Mafia did it” group did it cannot explain is the cover-up. How did the Mafia manage that?

Excellent post on the Files story, John. I would be interested in your thoughts on the following:

1) From Davis, Blakey, Scheim to Waldron and Hartmann, why do you think the "Mafia did it" theory has had

such staying power?

2) Do you think certain elements within Organized Crime had foreknowledge?

3) Generally speaking, do you think Jack Ruby's ties to the Mafia have been overstated or understated?

4) Could elements within the Mafia have been set up to take the fall, if the Warren Commission had not

been able to convince the American public that Oswald was a lone assassin?

5) Beyond the Castro assassination attempts, and drug and weapons running, do you feel there was a

further relationship between the Mafia and the CIA?

6) Do you think the Mafia was in a position to blackmail the CIA, FBI, and/or US Government?

7) Many researchers have speculated that the actual assassination and the coverup were two separate

events. What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks, John.

Mike Hogan