The Men Who Killed Kennedy
Encyclopedia
The Men Who Killed Kennedy is a 9-part video documentary series by Nigel Turner about the John F. Kennedy assassination
. The series, which related various conspiracy theories
, was extensively challenged on factual grounds.
network and were immediately followed by a studio discussion on the issues titled The Story Continues, chaired by broadcaster Peter Sissons
. The United States corporation, Arts & Entertainment Company, purchased the rights to the original two segments. In 1989, the series was nominated for a Flaherty Documentary Award. In 1991, the series was re-edited with additional material and divided into three 50 minute programmes, which were also shown by ITV. A sixth episode appeared in 1995. The series typically aired in November every year and from time to time during the year. But in November 2003, when three additional segments ("The Final Chapter") were added by the History Channel, but the series is no longer aired.
The ninth documentary in the series, titled "The Guilty Men," directly implicates former U. S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
and created an outcry among Johnson's surviving associates, including Johnson's widow, Lady Bird Johnson
, journalist Bill Moyers
, ex-President Jimmy Carter
, Jack Valenti
(longtime president of the Motion Picture Association of America
), and the last-living (at the time of the outcry) Warren Commission
commissioner and ex-President Gerald R. Ford. These Johnson supporters lodged complaints of libel with the History Channel. They subsequently threatened legal action against Arts & Entertainment Company, owner of the History Channel.
The History Channel responded by assembling a panel of three historians, Robert Dallek
, Stanley Kutler
, and Thomas Sugrue
. On a program aired April 7, 2004 called "The Guilty Man: A Historical Review," the panel agreed that the documentary was not credible and should not have aired. The History Channel issued a statement saying, in part, "The History Channel recognizes that 'The Guilty Men' failed to offer viewers context and perspective, and fell short of the high standards that the network sets for itself. The History Channel apologizes to its viewers and to Mrs. Johnson and her family for airing the show." Conspiracy author Barr McClellan
, interviewed in the documentary, complained that although the historians examined the evidence, they did not interview him or Turner.
All three new documentaries by Turner ("The Guilty Men," "The Smoking Gun" and "The Love Affair") were then permanently withdrawn by the History Channel, though they were originally slated to be viewed at least annually on the History Channel until the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination (November, 2013).
In another episode that has warranted discussion, French prisoner Christian David was interviewed by author Anthony Summers. In the interview, David says he was approached to become one of three French criminals hired to carry out the assassination of Kennedy, but that he refused. David acknowledges that deceased French mobster Lucien Sarti was one of the men who carried out the assassination.
E. Howard Hunt
placed LBJ at the top of a conspiracy list connected to Cord Meyer, Bill Harvey, David Morales and "French Gunman Grassy Knoll" in his death bed confession to his son.
Malcolm Liggett, a retired economics professor, sued A&E regarding the episode "The Smoking Guns," which claimed Liggett was involved in a conspiracy to kill Kennedy. Liggett and A&E reached a settlement, which required that a letter by Liggett be read on the show History Center.
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
. The series, which related various conspiracy theories
John F. Kennedy assassination conspiracy theories
There has long been suspicion of a government cover-up of information about the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. There are also numerous conspiracy theories regarding the assassination that arose soon after his death and continue to be promoted today...
, was extensively challenged on factual grounds.
Broadcast History and Critical Response
The Men Who Killed Kennedy began with two 50 minutes segments originally aired on 25 October 1988 in the United Kingdom, titled simply Part One and Part Two. The programmes were produced by Central Television for the ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network and were immediately followed by a studio discussion on the issues titled The Story Continues, chaired by broadcaster Peter Sissons
Peter Sissons
Peter George Sissons is a broadcast journalist in the United Kingdom. He was the presenter of the BBC Nine O'Clock News and the BBC News at Ten between 1993 and 2003, as earlier a newscaster for ITN, providing bulletins on ITV and Channel 4. He is also a former presenter of the BBC's Question Time...
. The United States corporation, Arts & Entertainment Company, purchased the rights to the original two segments. In 1989, the series was nominated for a Flaherty Documentary Award. In 1991, the series was re-edited with additional material and divided into three 50 minute programmes, which were also shown by ITV. A sixth episode appeared in 1995. The series typically aired in November every year and from time to time during the year. But in November 2003, when three additional segments ("The Final Chapter") were added by the History Channel, but the series is no longer aired.
The ninth documentary in the series, titled "The Guilty Men," directly implicates former U. S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
and created an outcry among Johnson's surviving associates, including Johnson's widow, Lady Bird Johnson
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Taylor Johnson was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 during the presidency of her husband Lyndon B. Johnson. Throughout her life, she was an advocate for beautification of the nation's cities and highways and conservation of natural resources and made that...
, journalist Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers is an American journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965 to 1967. He worked as a news commentator on television for ten years. Moyers has had an extensive involvement with public...
, ex-President Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Jack Valenti
Jack Valenti
Jack Joseph Valenti was a long-time president of the Motion Picture Association of America. During his 38-year tenure in the MPAA, he created the MPAA film rating system, and he was generally regarded as one of the most influential pro-copyright lobbyists in the world...
(longtime president of the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
), and the last-living (at the time of the outcry) Warren Commission
Warren Commission
The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, known unofficially as the Warren Commission, was established on November 27, 1963, by Lyndon B. Johnson to investigate the assassination of United States President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963...
commissioner and ex-President Gerald R. Ford. These Johnson supporters lodged complaints of libel with the History Channel. They subsequently threatened legal action against Arts & Entertainment Company, owner of the History Channel.
The History Channel responded by assembling a panel of three historians, Robert Dallek
Robert Dallek
Robert Dallek is an American historian specializing in American presidents. He is a recently retired Professor of History at Boston University and has previously taught at Columbia University, UCLA, and Oxford...
, Stanley Kutler
Stanley Kutler
Stanley Ira Kutler is an American historian best known for his lawsuit against the National Archives and Richard Nixon that won the release of the Watergate tapes....
, and Thomas Sugrue
Thomas Sugrue
Thomas J. Sugrue is an American historian of the twentieth-century United States at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is currently David Boies Professor of History and Sociology. His areas of expertise include American urban history, American political history, and the history of race...
. On a program aired April 7, 2004 called "The Guilty Man: A Historical Review," the panel agreed that the documentary was not credible and should not have aired. The History Channel issued a statement saying, in part, "The History Channel recognizes that 'The Guilty Men' failed to offer viewers context and perspective, and fell short of the high standards that the network sets for itself. The History Channel apologizes to its viewers and to Mrs. Johnson and her family for airing the show." Conspiracy author Barr McClellan
Barr McClellan
Oliver Barr McClellan, entrepreneur, counsel and author, born in 1939 in Cuero , Texas, became widely known by his 2003 book Blood, Money & Power on the Kennedy assassination. He has also written on globalization.-Life & Career:...
, interviewed in the documentary, complained that although the historians examined the evidence, they did not interview him or Turner.
All three new documentaries by Turner ("The Guilty Men," "The Smoking Gun" and "The Love Affair") were then permanently withdrawn by the History Channel, though they were originally slated to be viewed at least annually on the History Channel until the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination (November, 2013).
In another episode that has warranted discussion, French prisoner Christian David was interviewed by author Anthony Summers. In the interview, David says he was approached to become one of three French criminals hired to carry out the assassination of Kennedy, but that he refused. David acknowledges that deceased French mobster Lucien Sarti was one of the men who carried out the assassination.
E. Howard Hunt
E. Howard Hunt
Everette Howard Hunt, Jr. was an American intelligence officer and writer. Hunt served for many years as a CIA officer. Hunt, with G...
placed LBJ at the top of a conspiracy list connected to Cord Meyer, Bill Harvey, David Morales and "French Gunman Grassy Knoll" in his death bed confession to his son.
Malcolm Liggett, a retired economics professor, sued A&E regarding the episode "The Smoking Guns," which claimed Liggett was involved in a conspiracy to kill Kennedy. Liggett and A&E reached a settlement, which required that a letter by Liggett be read on the show History Center.
Episode list
- "The Coup D'Etat" (1988)
- "The Forces Of Darkness" (1988)
- "The Cover-Up" (1991)
- "The Patsy" (1991)
- "The Witnesses" (1991)
- "The Truth Shall Set You Free" (1995)
- "The Smoking Guns" (2003)
- "The Love Affair" (2003)
- "The Guilty Men" (2003)
Episode 7 - The Smoking Guns
Summary: This segment examines Secret Service security of President Kennedy's motorcade, the ordered stand-down of some Secret Service agents during the motorcade, the decision not to have police motorcycle outriders alongside the presidential limo, wounds to JFK's body, damage to the limousine, forgery of photographic evidence from JFK's autopsy, lack of proper autopsy and evidence preservation procedures, and physical alterations to JFK's corpse within 24 hours of death.On camera
- Connie Kritzberg, reporter in Dallas in 1963, interviewed doctors about JFK's wounds;
- Dr. Charles Crenshaw, Parkland Hospital surgeon who worked on JFK in ER;
- Vince Palamara, researcher;
- Prof. James Fetzer, researcher;
- Dr. Robert Livingstone, told Dr. Humes about entrance wound in the throat before the autopsy;
- Dr. Evalea Glanges, saw a bullet hole from the front in the windshield of the JFK limousine;
- Doug Weldon, Professor of Criminal Justice, expert on JFK limousine;
- Dr. David Mantik, photographic forgery of JFK autopsy photos;
- Joe O'Donnell, photographer in JFK White House;
- Dr. Gary Aguilar;
- G. Robert Blakey, Chief Counsel and Staff Director of HSCA;
- Charles Smith, mortician;
- Lois, John Liggett's former wife;
- Debra Godwin, John Liggett's step-daughter.
Subjects or people referenced
- ARRB, JFK Assassination Records Review Board;
- Henry Roberts, Secret Service Agent in car behind JFK;
- JFK motorcade security in Dallas, Nov. 22, 1963;
- U.S. Secret Service destroys their records of Nov. 22 motorcade;
- Wounds to JFK body;
- press conference at Parkland Hospital;
- Dallas Times Herald;
- Dr. Kemp Clark, Parkland Hospital, gaping wound in the back of the head;
- Dr. Malcolm Perry, Parkland Hospital, entrance wound in front of throat;
- FBI censored and edited news reports from Dallas about JFK assassination;
- Secret Service removed limousine before any examination by Dallas police;
- Bullet hole in windshield observed in Dallas and at White House;
- Ford Motor Company replaced damaged windshield in late Nov.1963;
- Charles Taylor, Jr. Secret Service, described hole in windshield;
- George Whittaker, Sr., manager at Ford Plant, Rouge, Michigan;
- JFK autopsy photos disputed by Parkland doctors;
- Robert Knudsen, photographer in White House;
- Secret Service controlled autopsy photos;
- HSCA, House Select Committee on Assassinations;
- John Liggett, mortician and embalmer in Dallas;
- Restland Funeral Home, Dallas, Texas;
- Malcolm Liggett, John Liggett's brother;
- David Ferrie visits John Liggett after JFK assassination;
- Body tampering;
- 1974 Liggett arrested for attempted murder;
- Dorothy Peck survived John Liggett murder attempt;
- Iris Campbell, friend of Lois;
- Photo of John and Malcolm Liggett with Jack Ruby
Episode 8 - The Love Affair
Summary: Judyth Vary Baker tells the details of her relationship with Lee Harvey Oswald from April to November 1963. She claims they met in New Orleans while she was working on a secret, fast-growing cancer that was intended to be used to kill Fidel Castro, that this bioweapon was tested on unwitting prisoners in Louisiana, and that it worked. Oswald tried to deliver the substance to a contact in Mexico City, who would forward it to Cuba, but the contact didn't show up. He then tried to get a visa to Cuba himself at the Soviet and Cuban Embassies, but was unsuccessful. Oswald is then assigned to a new project in Dallas. She claims Oswald told her he was involved in a conspiracy to kill President Kennedy, but that he was only pretending to support it, and he was hoping he could somehow stop it. In their last phone conversation, just before the assassination, Oswald gave her names of people who are somehow involved - two are business associates of Lyndon Johnson and one is a high-ranking CIA official. Oswald predicted he would probably die the next day. He told her that at the very least, there would be one less person shooting at the President.Subjects or people referenced
- Lee Harvey Oswald;
- Dr. Mary Sherman;
- David Ferrie;
- David Lewis;
- Guy Banister;
- Clay Shaw;
- Angola Prison and the use of prisoners from Angola at the Jackson hospital;
- Clinton, Louisiana;
- Jackson, Louisiana and the Southeast Louisiana Mental Hospital at Jackson;
- Reily Coffee Company;
- Dr. Alton Ochsner, Sr.;
- Baker's husband, Robert
Episode 9 - The Guilty Men
Summary: Barr McClellan, author of Blood, Money & Power: How LBJ Killed JFK, accuses LBJ of being behind the JFK assassination. Implicates others of fore-knowledge of the plot, including Texas Oilmen Clint Murchison and H.L. Hunt, and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Mystery fingerprint found on sixth floor of the School Book Depository matches prints of Johnson aide taken in connection with a prior murder conviction.On camera
- Barr McClellan, an attorney who worked at Clark, Thomas and Winters, based in Austin, Texas with LBJ's personal attorneys;
- Ed Tatro, researcher;
- Madeline Brown, LBJ's longtime girlfriend;
- Glen Samples, researcher;
- Don Marshall, Henry Marshall's son;
- Gregory Burnham, researcher;
- May Newman, employee of Murchison family;
- Dr. Charles Crenshaw, doctor at Parkland Hospital ER, worked on Kennedy and Oswald in emergency rooms;
- Phyllis Bartlett, Parkland switchboard operator;
- Walt Brown, researcher;
- Nathan Darby, finger print expert.
Subjects or people referenced
- Billie Sol Estes, business associate of LBJ;
- Malcolm Wallace, LBJ's alleged hit man, henchman for LBJ, convicted murderer, fingerprint on box in TSBD (sniper's nest);
- Bobby Baker, Secretary to U.S. Senate and business associate of LBJ;
- Box 13 scandal, 1948 senatorial election in Texas which Johnson won by 91 votes in a questionable election;
- Cliff Carter, aide to LBJ;
- Clint Murchison, wealthy Texas oil man;
- D.H. Byrd, owned Texas School Book Depository(TSBD) where Lee Harvey Oswald worked, founded the Civil Air Patrol;
- Don Thomas, business attorney for LBJ during his Presidency;
- Douglas Kinser, golf pro murdered in 1951, had affairs with LBJ's sister and Malcolm Wallace's wife;
- Edward Clark, political boss of Texas, attorney for LBJ, arrange assassination of JFK;
- Billy Celestes, LBJ henchmen, testified before Gran Jury in Franklin, Texas in 1984, identified Malcolm Wallace as Henry Marshall's killer;
- Henry Marshall, investigated LBJ corruption, murdered;
- Henry Wade, Dallas County District Attorney;
- Ms. Hollman, cook at Murchison house;
- Hotel del Charro, La Jolla, CA;
- J. Edgar Hoover, Director of FBI;
- Jules Pfieffer, chauffeur for Murchison;
- JFK = John F. Kennedy;
- John Coates;
- John Connally, Governor of Texas, invited JFK to Texas;
- LBJ = Lyndon Baines Johnson;
- LBJ psychiatrist;
- Oil Depletion Allowance, JFK wanted to decrease this allowance;
- Richard M. Nixon, former Vice-President under Eisenhower, was a guest at the Murchison House on Nov. 21, 1963;
- J. Edgar Hoover, FBI director, guest of honor at the Murchison House on Nov. 21, 1963;
- Steven Brown, son of Madeline Brown and love-child of LBJ;
- Vietnam;
- Virginia Murchison, Second wife of Clint Murchison;
- Waggoner Carr, Attorney General of Texas in 1963;
- Will Fritz, Chief of Homicide, Dallas Police Dept.