The HSCA Investigation: A Major Step Forward in the JFK Case

[Michael T. Griffith]

To  understand the HSCA, you must understand that the HSCA consisted of several panels and teams, such as one panel for the medical evidence, one panel for the photographic evidence, one panel for the firearms evidence, a team for the Oswald-Mexico City evidence, a team for the organized crime evidence, etc., etc.

The forensic pathology panel was a sad joke

The photographic evidence panel was not much better, although the PEP did acknowledge the photographic evidence that someone was moving boxes in the sixth-floor window less than two minutes after the shooting--obviously, this could not have been Oswald.

The organized crime team did a great job, absolutely outstanding work. They destroyed the WC's portrait of Jack Ruby and the commission's myths about Ruby's shooting of Oswald.

The Oswald-Mexico City team did a fantastic job. They found clear evidence that someone was impersonating Oswald in Mexico City.

The HSCA's review of Jack Ruby's polygraph was crucial because it showed the the FBI examiner rigged to help Ruby to avoid failing the test but that even then the test contained indications that Ruby lied.

The HSCA's acoustical guys were superb and discovered scientific evidence that at least four shots were fired during the assassination.

In most cases, the panel chairman/team lead greatly influenced how well the panel/team did. Baden was a train wreck as FPP chairman.

[John Tonkovich]

To  understand the HSCA, you must understand that the HSCA consisted of several panels and teams, such as one panel for the medical evidence, one panel for the photographic evidence, one panel for the firearms evidence, a team for the Oswald-Mexico City evidence, a team for the organized crime evidence, etc., etc.

The forensic pathology panel was a sad joke

The photographic evidence panel was not much better, although the PEP did acknowledge the photographic evidence that someone was moving boxes in the sixth-floor window less than two minutes after the shooting--obviously, this could not have been Oswald.

The organized crime team did a great job, absolutely outstanding work. They destroyed the WC's portrait of Jack Ruby and the commission's myths about Ruby's shooting of Oswald.

The Oswald-Mexico City team did a fantastic job. They found clear evidence that someone was impersonating Oswald in Mexico City.

The HSCA's review of Jack Ruby's polygraph was crucial because it showed the the FBI examiner rigged to help Ruby to avoid failing the test but that even then the test contained indications that Ruby lied.

The HSCA's acoustical guys were superb and discovered scientific evidence that at least four shots were fired during the assassination.

In most cases, the panel chairman/team lead greatly influenced how well the panel/team did. Baden was a train wreck as FPP chairman.

Well, considering Blakey wrote the RICO statute in 1970, you are surprised he focused on organized crime in his conclusions, and blindly trusted the CIA? You are aware Blakey admits Joannides lied to him,and obstructed justice?

[Michael T. Griffith]

Well, considering Blakey wrote the RICO statute in 1970, you are surprised he focused on organized crime in his conclusions, and blindly trusted the CIA? You are aware Blakey admits Joannides lied to him, and obstructed justice?

The more I have studied the HSCA, the more I have come to view Blakey in a more positive light. Blakey did many things that I still find inexcusable. Yet, Blakey let Ed Lopez and Don Hardway conduct a no-holes-barred investigation into Oswald's visit to Mexico City, and they uncovered compelling evidence that someone was impersonating Oswald there.

When Blakey heard back from BBN that the DPD dictabelt had at least four gunshot impulses on it, he ordered follow-up research, and then forced a massive rewrite of the HSCA report when Weiss and Aschkenasy confirmed BBN's findings.

Blakey gathered up the nerve to acknowledge that Silvia Odio's account was solid, and he ensured that the HSCA report contained an excellent section on her story, whereas the WC dismissed her account, saying it was "almost certain" that Odio was wrong.

Some of the HSCA skullduggery that critics attack was most likely done without Blakey's knowledge or consent, such as the HSCA FPP's misrepresentation of the testimony of the autopsy witnesses regarding the large head wound as being in agreement with the autopsy report and in disagreement with the Dallas testimony, when in fact we learned when the ARRB released most of the sealed HSCA files that nearly everyone at the autopsy said the large wound was in the back of the head, just as the Dallas doctors and nurses said it was.

[John Tonkovich]

The more I have studied the HSCA, the more I have come to view Blakey in a more positive light. Blakey did many things that I still find inexcusable. Yet, Blakey let Ed Lopez and Don Hardway conduct a no-holes-barred investigation into Oswald's visit to Mexico City, and they uncovered compelling evidence that someone was impersonating Oswald there.

When Blakey heard back from BBN that the DPD dictabelt had at least four gunshot impulses on it, he ordered follow-up research, and then forced a massive rewrite of the HSCA report when Weiss and Aschkenasy confirmed BBN's findings.

Blakey gathered up the nerve to acknowledge that Silvia Odio's account was solid, and he ensured that the HSCA report contained an excellent section on her story, whereas the WC dismissed her account, saying it was "almost certain" that Odio was wrong.

Some of the HSCA skullduggery that critics attack was most likely done without Blakey's knowledge or consent, such as the HSCA FPP's misrepresentation of the testimony of the autopsy witnesses regarding the large head wound as being in agreement with the autopsy report and in disagreement with the Dallas testimony, when in fact we learned when the ARRB released most of the sealed HSCA files that nearly everyone at the autopsy said the large wound was in the back of the head, just as the Dallas doctors and nurses said it was.

Joannides. Fail.

[Michael Carney]

"* Mafia boss Carlos Marcello was a plausible suspect for having been involved in the assassination conspiracy.

* Oswald associated with David Ferrie, an ultra-right-winger who was involved in the Carlos Marcello Mafia organization. (Very strange company for an alleged Marxist to be keeping.)

* Oswald had ties to the Marcello crime organization.

* The Mafia had the means, motive, and opportunity to assassinate President Kennedy.

* In some Mafia hits, the Mafia hired a gunman through third parties to conceal their involvement and then had a Mafia man kill the gunman."

Has anyone discussed the motive the mafia would have for killing JFK?

[Michael T. Griffith]

When Robert Blakey allowed the HSCA's final report to say that Mafia elements and some anti-Castro Cubans may have been involved in the assassination conspiracy, he was coming dangerously close to the truth, since the anti-Castro Cubans were funded and directed by the CIA, and since the CIA used Mafia men for some domestic operations.

Blakey also allowed the final report to state that the CIA and elements of the military withheld information from and misled the Warren Commission.

For all of Blakey's sins (and there were many), he should be given due credit for allowing these two key conclusions to appear in the committee's final report.

[Jerry Freeman]

When Robert Blakey allowed the HSCA's final report to say that Mafia elements and some anti-Castro Cubans may have been involved in the assassination ... he should be given due credit for allowing these two key conclusions to appear in the committee's final report.

As it did nothing to sway the perception of the general public... any credit [though merited] is therefor moot.

[Gerry Down]

When Robert Blakey allowed the HSCA's final report to say that Mafia elements and some anti-Castro Cubans may have been involved in the assassination conspiracy, he was coming dangerously close to the truth, since the anti-Castro Cubans were funded and directed by the CIA, and since the CIA used Mafia men for some domestic operations.

Blakey also allowed the final report to state that the CIA and elements of the military withheld information from and misled the Warren Commission.

For all of Blakey's sins (and there were many), he should be given due credit for allowing these two key conclusions to appear in the committee's final report.

The problem with the HSCA report is that is says there was probably a conspiracy but couldn't give the actual evidence of it or say who was involved with Oswald (as they did say that Oswald had fired three shots from behind).

You can't say there was a conspiracy and then not say who or what the conspiracy was. That doesn't make any sense.