A Farewell to Justice

by Joan Mellen

  p. 306: “bunk”: Memorandum, February 21, 1969, From: George Eckert, Re: Interview of Defense Witness, Frank Russo, NODA, NARA.

  p. 306: “the Oswald that showed up”: Perry Russo on tape for Peter Whitmey, September 9, 1990.

  p. 306: Dymond had gotten nowhere: William Alford interviewed on The Garrison Tapes.

  p. 307: clutching his cigarette: “Shaw Stands and Stares as Color Movie Is Shown,” Times- Picayune, February 14, 1969, section 1, p. 14. See also “Shaw Trial Jury Shown Movie of JFK Death Frame by Frame,” section 1, p. 1.

  p. 307: the Zapruder film sent to universities: Jim Garrison to Zach Sklar, August 7, 1988.

  p. 308: Wecht testified: Interview with Dr. Cyril Wecht: September 12, 2002.

  p. 308: Wecht uneasy: Interview with Dr. Cyril Wecht, October 4, 2002.

  p. 308: Nichols is investigated by CIA: 28 February 1969, Memorandum For; Director, FBI, Attention: Mr. S. J. Papich, Subject: Garrison and the Kennedy Assassination, Dr. John M. Nichols, for the Deputy Director for Plans, signed: James J. Angleton. But see also: Att’n: Chief, St. Louis Field Office, Kansas City R. A. (Direct), Director, Domestic Contact Service, OSS, 10 March 1969, Signed: James R. Murphy. Nichols had also written many letters to the FBI: March 7, 1969, To: Director, Central Intelligence Agency, Attention: Deputy Director, Plans, From: John Edgar Hoover. CIA 104-10515-10029, NARA.

  p. 308: “flunked out”: Memorandum for C/CI/R & A, attention: Mr. [03], Subject: John Marshall Nichols, M.D., 18 April 1969, Reference: Memo for DD/MS fr CI/R & A dated 10 April 69, Subject: Garrison and the Kennedy Assassination.

  p. 308: CIA had been watching the Habighorst issue: 104-10189-10190, From: DCS/OSS to: Contacts/New Orleans, Title: TWX: Case 49364/ Suggestions Well Taken, August 13, 1968, NARA.

  p. 308: Hunter Leake drives a truck filled with Oswald documents to CIA headquarters at Langley, Virginia: Michael Kurtz to Gary L. Aguilar, February 6, 2002.

  p. 308: the “Haggerty bomb”: Jim Garrison to Zach Sklar, August 9, 1988, AARC.

  p. 309: “there was no way for Habighorst to come up with that name”: Interview with Louis Ivon, May 27, 2001.

  p. 309: Butzman had not heard: January 30, 1969, Memorandum to: Mr. Edward Wegmann, From: Mr. Salvatore Panzeca, Re: Clay Shaw- Habighorst, Papers of Edward F. Wegmann, NARA.

  p. 310: In Escobedo v. Illinois (1964), accused murderer Danny Escobedo made a damaging statement to the police in the absence of his lawyer, a statement not admitted on the ground that the police had refused to honor his request to talk to the lawyer. Clay Shaw made no such request.

  p. 310: ruling was so capricious: “State Is Stunned by Judge’s Ruling,” Times Picayune, February 20, 1969, section 1, p. 1.

  p. 310: Haggerty doesn’t like the Habighorsts: Jack Dempsey interviewed by Jim DiEugenio, September 2, 1994.

  p. 310: Ralph Whalen wrote a memo: Memorandum, To: Honorable Jim Garrison, From: Ralph Whalen, Re: Admissibility of Booking Document Containing Aliases. Courtesy of Mr. Whalen.

  p. 310: “without having a relationship with the CIA”: Interview with Gordon Novel, January 16, 2000.

  p. 311: Colonel Finck: See Disposition Form, MEDEM-PF, Shaw Trial, New Orleans, 11 March 1969. Finck here traces the sequence of events of his testifying in New Orleans, document courtesy of Dr. Gary Aguilar.

  p. 311: Boswell put on a plane when the Justice Department is “really upset”: Boswell testified, finally, before the ARRB, February 26, 1996.

  p. 312: “burn your notes”: Al Oser cross-examining Dr. Pierre Finck at the trial of State of Louisiana v. Clay Shaw.

  p. 312: strongest moments: Jim Garrison to Zach Sklar, August 15, 1988, AARC.

  p. 312: “very very unhappy”: Interview with Dr. Cyril Wecht, October 4, 2002.

  p. 312: Andrews sued Garrison: “DA Is Perjurer, Says Andrews,” Times-Picayune, June 3, 1969, section 4, p. 19.

  p. 312: Charles Appel “proved” that Hauptmann wrote the Lindbergh ransom note: Curt Gentry, J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets (New York: W. W. Norton, 1991), p. 46.

  p. 313: he smiled slightly: “Conspiracy denied by Shaw as Defense Rests Its Case,” Philadelphia Inquirer, February 28, 1969, p. 5.

  p. 313: “not even concocted evidence”: Gurvich conference, August 29, 1967, tape 3, p. 4. Gurvich adds: “But even old man Reily, a 79 year-old man, was a CIA agent, see?” In fact, recent CIA releases indicate that William Reily, too, was a CIA asset. Salvatore Panzeca insists that Shaw told his attorneys “everything.”

  p. 313: Dymond and Wegmann ask Justice for the CIA connections of a long list of people, including themselves: CIA, From: Headquarters, To: New Orleans, Title: Cable Re Clay Shaw Attorneys, September 26, 1967, 104-10189-10373, NARA. The New Orleans resident office of CIA obliged, see Headquarters, Att’n: Office of General Counsel, From: New Orleans, To: Headquarters, September 26, 1967, 104-10189-10372, NARA. See also From: New Orleans, To: Headquarters, Title: Cable Re CIA Connections, November 27, 1967, 104-10189-10374, NARA.

  p. 313: Shaw had not told his lawyers of his Agency affiliation: CIA, From: Headquarters, To: New Orleans, Title: Cable Re Clay Shaw and CIA Connection, September 20, 1967, 104-10189-10369, NARA.

  p. 313: no record of a secrecy agreement: From: New Orleans, To: Headquarters, Title: Cable Re Extent of Contacts by New Orleans Office with Clay Shaw, September 29, 1967, 104-10189-10368, NARA.

  p. 313: “in attendance throughout”: Max Holland, “The Lie That Linked CIA to the Kennedy Assassination,” Studies in Intelligence, CIA Web site: .

  p. 314: “several Agency componants [sic]”: 5 Jan 1968, Contacts Los Angeles From OSS (Musulin), Cable: re case 49, 364—Garrison Investigation of Kennedy Assassination, January 5, 1968, 104-10189-10056, NARA.

  p. 314: William S. Block . . . an undercover agent for the government: Obituary of William S. Block, Federal Prosecutor. Washington Post, April 22, 2004, p. B6.

  p. 314: lacked the resources: He didn’t have the money or the staff, Jim Garrison interviewed by Zachary Sklar; e-mail from Sklar, May 7, 2001.

  p. 314: Garrison “did not appreciate the fullness” of Shaw’s involvement in CMC: “Was Jim Garrison Right After All?” p. 30. New Orleans magazine, June 1976, p. 30.

  p. 314: Garrison had discussed Paese Sera with Dick Billings: Interview with Richard N. Billings, September 24, 2002. Billings suggests too that neither of them registered the importance of the revelation of Shaw’s participation in the Centro Mondiale Commerciale.

  p. 314: we did not have any evidence: Jim Garrison to Zach Sklar, August 9, 1988.

  p. 314: “taking the risk of leaving out motive”: Jim Garrison interviewed by Dick Russell, December 1980, typed notes, courtesy of Dick Russell.

  p. 314: “thanks to Victor Marchetti”: “Was Garrison Right After All?” New Orleans magazine, June 1976, p. 30.

  p. 314: the Tadins were more damaging: Interview with Salvatore Panzeca, June 4, 2000.

  p. 314: they would never have lied: Interview with Frank Meloche, June 11, 2000.

  p. 315: Alcock believed Shaw was guilty: Interview with John Volz, January 15, 2000.

  p. 316: Alcock knew he was going to lose: Interview with Frank Meloche, June 11, 2000.

  p. 317: “Garrison had the right idea”: Interview with George Dureau, February 16, 2003. Dureau was taped for WYES television late in 2002 for a documentary on the history of the French Quarter. The interviewer was Peggy Laborde, courtesy of Steve Tyler.

  CHAPTER 20

  p. 318, Epigraph: Clarence Darrow: Jim Garrison to Zach Sklar, January 22, 1988, AARC.

  p. 318: “Now everyone will know who I am”: Interview with Vincent Salandria, April 30, 1999. Roger Craig had heard Oswald say, “Everyone will know who I am now.”

  p. 318: not emotional: Interview with Louis Ivon, January 8, 1998.

  p. 318: $99,488.96: Brown manuscript, p. 219.

  p. 318: Mark Lane talked to the jurors: Interview with Mark Lan
e, February 6, 1998.

  p. 318: “rudely interrupted”: “State AFL-CIO Retains Bussie: JFK Fight Just Begun, DA Tells Convention,” Times-Picayune, April 4, 1969, section 1, p. 6; Jim Garrison to the Editor, Times-Picayune, April 7, 1969, NOPL.

  p. 318: Garrison writes to each member of the jury: See, for example, Jim Garrison to Herbert John Kenison, April 7, 1968, NOPL.

  p. 319: Shaw’s rights: Jim Garrison to Eberhard Deutsch, April 9, 1969, NOPL.

  p. 319: “we lose one case”: Jim Garrison interviewed on WVUETV, March 13, 1969.

  p. 319: “unfit for public office”: “Justice in New Orleans” (Editorial). New York Times, Sunday, March 2, 1969, p. E12.

  p. 319: the wife of Judge Christenberry sends Shaw a letter of “our most sincere congratulations”: Caroline Christenberry to Dear Mr. Shaw, March 9, 1969, NARA.

  p. 319: Herbert Christenberry is an FBI informant on the Shaw case: See FBI, To: Director, From: New Orleans, March 22, 1967, 124-10237-10268, 89-69-1791, NARA.

  p. 319: Haggerty says Shaw put on a con job: “Beyond JFK,” Video by Barbara Kopple and Danny Schechter.

  p. 319: Shaw visits Lacour and the FBI: FBI, From: SAC, New Orleans, To: Director, FBI, 124-10089-10001, 44-41824-2, NARA.

  p. 319: the bête noir has become a phoenix: CIA routing slip: To: Director, DCS Att’n: OSS (Musulin), March 4, 1969, HCLEAKE. no. NO-69-69, NARA, courtesy of Malcolm Blunt. The covering note was appended to a copy of the Times- Picayune of March 4, 1969, with its lead story, “Garrison Charges Shaw with Lying During Trial.” p. 319: “communications installation”: Memorandum from John L. Schubert. No—120—69. 23 May 1969, To: Director, Domestic Contact Service, Att’n: Operational Support Staff (Musulin), Info: Executive Office, From: Chief, St. Louis Office. 104-10170-10449, 80T01357A, NARA.

  p. 319: monitoring”: March 4, 1970, New Orleans (Resident Agent), Director, Domestic Contact Service, New Case 54325 Clay Shaw/ Jim Garrison—Lawsuit for Damages, Reference: Leake/Musulin Telecom 2 March 1970, NARA.

  p. 319: they summarized the list of undeveloped leads: Confidential Memorandum, March 20, 1969, To: James L. Alcock, Andrew J. Sciambra and Louis Ivon, From: Jim Garrison, Re: Shaw: Lead Summary. See, for example, Elmwood Plantation lead: Mr. Wence C. Cerne to William L. R. Alford Jr., June 17, 1969; Confidential Memorandum, June 20, 1969; To: Jim Garrison, From: William R. Alford Jr., Re: Lease of Elmwood Plantation Lead, NODA, NARA; To: Mr. Jim Alcock, From: Capt. F. A. Soule Sr., Subject: Names & Addresses given by arrested homosexuals who were attending a party for perverts on 2/25/62 at 3000 Edenborn Street, located in Jefferson Parish, April 7, 1969, NODA, NARA; Shaw in Clinton: Confidential Memorandum, April 3, 1969—dictated and transcribed, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw in St. Francisville and Clinton, NODA, NARA; Lynn Loisel to Captain Alvin Rankin, April 30, 1969; “Bayou Flying Club”: Memorandum, March 25, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Numa V. Bertel Jr., NODA, NARA; Memorandum, April 17, 1969, To: Sgt. Louis Ivon, From: Sgt. Fred Williams, Re: Golden Lantern Bar, NODA, NARA; Confidential Memorandum, March 31, 1969, Re: Shaw Leads Number II, To: Andrew J. Sciambra, William R. Alford, Louis Ivon and Garrison-Alcock, NODA, NARA; Jeanne Kelton: Confidential Memorandum, April 11, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II, NODA, NARA; “Bill Gaudet Lead”: Memorandum, April 22, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: The New Shaw Lead File, NODA, NARA; To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (Lakefront Airport), NODA, NARA. See also Memorandum, April 18, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (Lakefront Airport). See also Memorandum, April 28, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads—2 (Lakefront Airport Lead), interview with Albert (Jeff) Jefferson; Memorandum, April 28, 1969, To: William R. Alford Jr. and Andrew Sciambra, From: Captain Fred A. Soule, Officer Kent A. Simms, Re: Shaw Leads II (Lakefront Airport); Memo, May 8, 1969, To: Mr. James Alcock, From: Mr. A. Sciambra & Capt. F. Soule, Subject: Shaw Case—Interviewing Witnesses that have frequented N.O. Airport, Lakefront; pool hall lead: To: Mr. James Alcock, From: Capt. Frederick Soule Sr., May 1, 1969, Item #13—Pool Hall, NODA, NARA. Kloepfer and Shaw: To: Mr. James Alcock, From: Capt. F. A. Soule Sr., Subject: Point of Information in Re: Item 4 Fag Ball, May 2, 1969, NODA, NARA. Oswald lies on one more job application: Memorandum, May 5, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II File (Max Hill Lead), NODA, NARA. “Oswald’s alleged presence on the sixth floor”: Jim Garrison to Mr. David Mills, May 9, 1969, NOPL. See also “SHAW LEADS -2”: Confidential Memorandum, March 20, 1969, To: James L. Alcock, Andrew J. Sciambra and Lou Ivon, From: Jim Garrison, Re: NEW SHAW LEAD FILE, NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: red and yellow files: Confidential Memorandum, To: Messrs. Alcock, Sciambra, Alford and Ivon, From: Jim Garrison, Re: New File: Shaw II—Statements and Memos, NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: Mrs. Murret identi- fied one of them as Clay Shaw: March 25, 1969, Confidential. Shaw Leads II, To: Messrs. Alcock, Sciambra and Ivon, From: Jim Garrison, NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: Guzmán . . . Al Clark . . . James Lawrence: Confidential Memorandum, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: The New Shaw Lead File, March 27, 1969, March 28, 1969 (transcribed), NODA, NARA. Finally, Guzmán put them off: Memorandum, May 16, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II, NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: Al Clark is subpoenaed: Memorandum, April 15, 1969, To: Andrew J. Sciambra, From: Capt. F. A. Soule, Sr., Subject: Progress Report, NODA, NARA. Fred Soule interviews Al Clark, Memorandum, April 22, 1969, To: James L. Alcock, From: Captain Fred A. Soule, Senior, Re: Interview with Al Clark Item #2, NODA, NARA. Clark remains uncertain about whether Andrews introduced him to Oswald at Preservation Hall. Bootsie Gay talks to Frederick A. Soule, Memorandum, April 24, 1969, To: James L. Alcock, From: Capt. Frederick A. Soule, Re: Interview with Clara Flournoy “Bootsie” Gay under Item # 2, Al Clark Interview, NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: George Clark confirms he saw Oswald playing cards in Shaw’s apartment: Confidential Memorandum, April 3, 1969—Dictated and transcribed, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads Number II (Mrs. Esther Stein Lead).

  p. 320: Eames talks about Ferrie’s visit about the library card: Confidential Memorandum, To: Jim Garrison, From: William R. Alford and Kent Simms, Re: Shaw Leads Number II (“4900 Magazine Street Lead”), (Mr. Jesse Garner), NODA, NARA.

  p. 320: Earl Colomb: Confidential. Shaw Leads II To: Messrs. Alcock, Sciambra and Ivon, From: Jim Garrison. Additional Leads, March 25, 1969.

  p. 321: Ryder Coffee House . . . : Confidential Memorandum, March 31, 1969, From: Andrew J. Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads Number II, NODA, NARA.

  p. 321: Garrison wants to talk to Henry Lesnick: Confidential Memorandum, To: Messrs. Sciambra, Alford, Ivon and Garrison-Alcock, Re: Shaw Leads II, April 1, 1969, NODA, NARA.

  p. 321: forty-one-page report: General Wade promises to get a copy: Memorandum, April 18, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (41-page report), NODA, NARA.

  p. 321: classified pages: Confidential Memorandum, April 23, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (41-page Report Lead), NODA, NARA.

  p. 321: Campbell brothers: Memorandum, May 14, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (Al Campbell), NODA, NARA. Allen Campbell’s revelations: Interview with Allen Campbell, June 10, 2002; interview with Dan Campbell, June 8, 2002. See also Memorandum, May 14, 1969, To: Jim Garrison, From: Andrew Sciambra, Re: Shaw Leads II (Interview with Dan Campbell), NODA, NARA.

  p. 321: “letters in care of Judge Matthew Braniff”: Jim Garrison to Vincent Salandria, handwritten, undated.

  p. 321: “big right paw”: Jack Dempsey to Joan Mellen, March 27, 1998.

  p. 321: “I did not fight”: New York Times, March 15, 1969.

  p. 321: “mistake”: “Ga. Firm’s Bonds to Be Rejected,” Times- Picayune, August 2, 1969; for “one serious mistake”: see “DA, Ward Views Differ on Bail B
onds Collection,” Times- Picayune, August 6, 1969, section 1, p. 10. The city was out $317,412.50, see “Jim Garrison’s Costly Mistake,” Times-Picayune editorial, July 23, 1970, section 1, p. 8.

  p. 321: “in modern times”: “Augustine, Oser New N.O. Judges—McKeithen,” Times-Picayune, June 18, 1969, section 1, p. 1. There is no doubt that this was Garrison’s decision. Volz, who was present, says Garrison offered McKeithen two names, Oser’s and Augustine’s: Interview with John Volz, April 18, 2001; interview with Louis Ivon, January 12, 2000.

  p. 322: Ward as Garrison’s opponent: See “Ward Criticizes Two Opponents,” Times-Picayune, October 1, 1969, section 4, p. 2; “Probe Blocked, Ward Charges,” Times- Picayune, September 16, 1969, section 2, p. 2; Memorandum, July 30, 1969, To: William J. Stevens, Assistant Superintendent, From: Captain Frederick A. Soule, Re: Investigation into allegations made by Mr. Charles Ward, NODA, NARA. See also “Garrison Linked with ‘New Left.’” Times- Picayune, September 30, 1969.

  p. 322: Garrison had refused to allow Ward to prosecute the students: Investigative Report, July 21, 1969, Reported by Aaron M. Kohn, MCC.

  p. 322: a Confederate flag: “Garrison Gives Ruling on Flag,” Times-Picayune, May 16, 1969, section 1, p. 12.

  p. 322: “fair with Negroes”: Rosemary James, “The Dark Side of ‘Not Guilty,’” New Orleans magazine, March 1971, p. 60.

  p. 322: “in cities where I’m not district attorney”: “Three Candidates for DA Again Attack Garrison,” States-Item, August 1, 1969.

  p. 322: “history will show we were not wrong”: “Garrison Says Third Term Aim,” Times-Picayune, May 15, 1969, section 1, p. 24.

  p. 322: “you’ll be proud”: “DA Candidates Present Cases,” Times-Picayune, October 8, 1969, section 1, p. 6.

  p. 322: Carona delivers a check: Jim Garrison to Mr. Buck Kreihs, June 13, 1969, NOPL.

  p. 322: a bar owner tries to give Jim Garrison a contribution: Andrew J. Sciambra interview with Zachary Sklar. E-mail from Sklar, April 10, 2001.

  p. 322: “the Howard Hughes of New Orleans”: “Garrison Image: Mystery Man,” States-Item, November 1, 1969, p. 13. See also, with respect to the fraudulent poll, Jane Garrison Gardiner writes to the FCC, November 19, 1969.