The goal of this book was to reexamine all the evidence on the JFK assassination. Any of a dozen issues could have been the subject of a separate book, including, among others, Oswald’s time in Russia, Jack Ruby’s story, or the actual assassination. Although I had studied the subject and conducted preliminary research for several years, the last two, after Random House agreed to be the publisher, were particularly hectic. There are nearly a million pages of government documents on the assassination, two thousand books, and hundreds of researchers and original witnesses connected to the investigation. In addition, considerable time was spent obtaining information about files still classified by the U.S., Russian, and Cuban governments. Much of the research would not have been possible without the help of many people and organizations (some of whom preferred not to be named).
In obtaining documents, I was aided by an excellent staff at the National Archives, particularly Michael McReynolds, director of Textual Reference, and Sue McDonough, archivist; Master Sgt. Tom Pennington, historian of the 89th Military Air Wing; Geir Gunderson, archivist, Gerald Ford Presidential Library; June Payne, researcher, John F. Kennedy Library; Mike Simpson, public affairs officer, Secret Service; Alfredo Murphy, U.S. Department of Justice; Gary Boutwell, Freedom of Information and Privacy Office, FBI; and Cindy Smolovik, archivist, City of Dallas. A special thank you to both Cynthia Wegmann, Esq., New Orleans, who allowed me to review her father’s voluminous papers on the Garrison case, and to Peter Earnest, chief of the CIA’s Office of Public and Agency Information, who was always very generous in his assistance.
For help in obtaining information in other countries, I am indebted to Rene Mujica of the Cuban mission to the United States; Yuriy Kobaladze, press bureau chief of the KGB, Moscow; Kravchenko Pyotr Kuzimich, foreign minister, Belorussia; General Dmitri Volkogonov, Moscow; Anatoliy Petrovich Privalov, KGB Veterans of Foreign Espionage, Moscow; Nicholas Vykhodtsev, manager, Alice 24-Hour Information Service, Moscow; Gerald Nadler, The Washington Times, Moscow; and Ambassador Akira Sono, Tokyo.
Almost two hundred people were interviewed for this book. While I am grateful to all of them for the time they took to speak with me, a few made an extra effort. Carlos Bringuier clarified the anti-Castro issues as well as the problems in New Orleans in 1963; Dr. John Lattimer and Dr. Michael Baden resolved many persistent medical discrepancies; and Earl Ruby provided valuable insights into his brother Jack.
Yuriy Nosenko, the 1964 KGB defector, is familiar with the KGB’s handling of Oswald in Russia. He is living under an assumed name in the United States since his life is still at peril because of a standing KGB death warrant. Only twice before had he agreed to private interviews, and they had not been about Oswald. A journalist from one of the earlier meetings had later disclosed the U.S. state in which Nosenko was living, forcing him to move. Despite the risks in granting another interview, he agreed with the argument of my first letter to him, emphasizing his duty to the historical record. The extended time he spent with me, combined with his recall for details, was more than I originally expected.
Bill Alexander, Esq., was the assistant district attorney in Dallas at the time of the assassination. He was an integral part of the investigation after Oswald’s arrest and later prosecuted Jack Ruby for Oswald’s murder. He is a significant source of untapped information about the case but has seldom given interviews. I am grateful for the several days he gave me in Dallas, in addition to the many retired Dallas police sources he led me to. His recollections of the assassination weekend helped me better understand many of those about whom I had to write.
Dallas sheriff Jim Bowles made himself and his staff, particularly Jim Ewell and Wilma Snelen, available for days at a time. Sheriff Bowles’s crusade to uncover the truth in the assassination’s acoustics issues is some of the case’s best private research. He shared his work selflessly with me, and I am indebted for his considerable assistance.
Some private corporations aided my many research requests. I am especially thankful to Mary Latham of Itek Optical Systems and Janet Steele of Bell & Howell.
Dr. Robert Piziali, of Failure Analysis Associates, and Dr. Michael West have done some of the most sophisticated computer-enhancement work on the Zapruder film. They not only gave me access to their enhancements and underlying tests, but also patiently guided me through the intricacies of the ballistics issues.
Steve Goldberg, Esq., Los Angeles, was always available with astute legal advice, and Rev. Dave Murph, Dallas, aided with his expertise on Oswald in New Orleans. Jim Moore gave me a useful tour through the Texas School Book Depository and around Dealey Plaza. David Whipple, president of the association of retired intelligence agents, Hamilton Brown, who holds the same position for retired Secret Service agents, and Les Stanford, for Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, were diligent in finding those long retired from their respective agencies.
I owe a special thanks to David Perry, an insurance investigator who has studied the assassination for nearly two decades. He is one of a small number of researchers who approaches the subject in a scholarly manner, attempting to debunk the more outlandish stories while simultaneously seeking the truth in the case. While he may disagree with the conclusions I have reached in this book, he will recognize the benefit of purging many falsehoods that clutter the field. He was unstinting in his assistance, often spending hours on the most arcane requests, ranging from the mystery deaths to the height of the fence on the grassy knoll to 1963 Dallas street maps and the like. He has a fine eye for credible sources and solid information.
Harold Weisberg was one of the earliest critics of the Warren Report. Using the Freedom of Information Act in many lawsuits, he has obtained thousands of government documents on the case. He told me, “I feel that just because I fought to get these documents released, that is no reason I should not share them with others.” He allowed me full run of his basement, filled with file cabinets, and he and his wife, Lil, graciously received both me and my wife, Trisha, at their home for several days. His attitude toward the sharing of information is refreshing, and although I disagree with him about almost every aspect of the case, I thank him for his generosity in the use of his papers and his time.
The same applies to Mary Ferrell, a retired legal secretary in Dallas who has one of the largest private archives on the assassination. She also gave advice and allowed me to review some of her extensive collection when I visited Dallas. Paul Hoch, in Berkeley, California, is the unofficial archivist for the conspiracy press. An academic, with a thorough understanding of the documents in the case, Hoch provided insights that helped me avoid pitfalls in the research. Gus Russo, in Baltimore, Maryland, is a private researcher who was kind to provide many telephone numbers and addresses from his extensive database.
The Assassination Archives and Research Center (AARC) in Washington, D.C., directed by attorney James Lesar, has all the documentation available at the National Archives, but instead of microfilm, everything at the AARC is in an easier format for research—paper copies. There is also an extensive video and photographic library. Members have unlimited use of the center. With annual dues of $25 and a high-speed photocopy machine on the premises, there is no better place for anyone interested in researching the subject.
Charles Schwartz saved me after several computer crashes, as I made the mistake of trying to learn new software while I wrote the first draft of the manuscript. His patience in taking panicked telephone calls at all hours of the night is greatly appreciated. John and Catherine Martin were kind enough to allow my wife and me to be their houseguests on our often unplanned and lengthy research trips to Washington. They always found room for us, and their home was an oasis of peace and quiet.
Pam Bernstein, my agent and friend, has left William Morris to establish her own agency. I miss her sage advice. She helped place this project and negotiate a contract that allowed me to undertake the extensive research. Since her departure, I have been fortunate to be represented by one of the best agents in the business, Owen Laster. His encouragement and guidance were always appreciated.
At Random House, Beth Pearson oversaw the editorial production of the book. Her great enthusiasm for the subject, combined with her keen eye for detail, greatly helped maintain the accuracy of the text. Her efforts and long hours ensured the project met a tight deadline.
Harold Evans, editor in chief of Random House, is a former editor of The Sunday Times of London and has a “nose for news.” He recognized this was a good story and gave me free rein to do the research and come up with the answers. It is rare that a publisher will commit to a project without specific guarantees from the author about the book’s conclusions and the ability of the writer to gather the data. My charge from Random House? Reexamine the evidence and find the truth—a task facilitated by the fact that they did not care if I came back with a book that concluded the Kennedy assassination was a conspiracy or the result of a lone assassin, so long as my work was supported by credible evidence. I am indebted to Harold Evans for that vote of confidence.
My editor, Robert Loomis, has forever spoiled me for any future book because his effort on this one was beyond the ordinary assistance that can be expected from someone who must attend to a dozen manuscripts at a time. He believed in this book from the beginning and championed it at Random House. Our extensive discussions fundamentally affected its organization and tone several times, each for the better. His imprint is evident throughout, and the book’s quality is due largely to his commitment and support. There would be no book without his early confidence.
My wife, Trisha, is truly my muse. She is my inspiration at every stage of my work, even enduring my frequent self-doubt when I constantly tormented her with my worries about organizing the masses of information into a solid manuscript by the deadline. She invaluably assists me on each of my projects. Depending on the subject, she endures the daily invasion of figures and trappings from another period. I know she will be happy to no longer live with the shadow of Lee Oswald. There would be no book without her.