Wecht Center Symposium on JFK Assassination

Wecht Center Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President Kennedy

Bill Kelly Notes:

This might just be the Last Hurrah! for those who have tried to take the investigation of the assassination of President Kennedy seriously, as the still cold case homicide fades slowly from a unsolved murder with unresolved legal issues to an historical anomaly that will be argued about forever. 

While the civic leaders in Dallas have disinvited the world from Dealey Plaza, the scene of the crime, so they can put on their own show, Dr. Cyril Wecht has invited all of his friends and longtime associates to Pittsburgh, where they will hold a symposium "Passing the Torch," with many if not most of the main researchers, writers, doctors, lawyers and journalists who have covered the assassination for much of the past fifty years.

Symposium - actually means "to drink together" - while discussing important matters, and what can be more important an issue than the murder of the president of the United States?

And what better place to do it than Pittsburgh, one of my favorite cities in the world, a city of good friends, nice neighborhoods, great taverns, fine food and spectacular sports.

It's also Cyril Wecht's home and where he spent many years as the official coroner and now has the Cyril Wecht Center for Forensic Sciences at Duquesne University in downtown Pittsburgh, which hosts a conference on various aspects of forensic sciences every year, and this is expected to be the last such event on this topic for quite some time.  So all of those who have been arguing and theorizing about what happened at Dealey Plaza for the past fifty years will have one last chance to make their case, and some good ones have lined up to do so.

Ben Wecht says: As you know, the Wecht Institute will be dedicating its 13th Annual Conference next fall to the JFK assassination, on the occasion of that event's 50th anniversary. The dates are Oct. 17 - 19, a full month ahead of the actual anniversary and all its attendant hype. The location is our Duquesne University campus here in Pittsburgh, though our reach, via streaming video, will be global. 

In keeping with the Institute's mission, the program will address a broad spectrum of scientific, investigative and legal issues in the case, with the overarching goal of enhancing our collective understanding of what happened through interdisciplinary presentations and discussion. The title of the conference, in reference both to the famous line in JFK's inaugural address and to the "new generation of Americans" who must soon assume responsibility for the ongoing study and, perhaps, ultimate resolution of the most infamous of cold cases, is Passing the Torch. Among others, it is our hope to reach and impact thousands of young people, both on-site and via the Internet. 

Passing the Torch
An International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy
October 17-19, 2013

Following up on its world-renowned 40th anniversary conference, the Wecht Institute is pleased to announce its plans to re-convene many of the leading scientific and legal experts on the murder case that has fascinated and perplexed us for decades.  As the JFK assassination and many of its witnesses, investigators and researchers begin to recede into history, this symposium is intended in large part to interest and inform young people from the Pittsburgh region, across the country and beyond about one of the seminal events of 20th century American history, and why it still matters today.

Featuring:

The JFK Assassination and the Media

October 17, 7-9 p.m. — A special panel discussion to be held at the Senator John Heinz History Center. Join moderator Sally Wiggin and panelists Oliver Stone, David Talbot, Jefferson Morley, Russ Baker, Lisa Pease and Jerry Policoff. Learn more and register »

In town for the conference?  Don't miss...

Kennedy Comedy... Too Soon?

Cyril Wecht, Walt Brown and David Talbot keep them laughing -

The John McIntire Dangerously Live Comedy Talk Show
Saturday, Oct. 19
Cabaret at Theater Square
Featuring Dr. Wecht and other Passing the Torch speakers
Click here for more information

Conference Sponsors:

Senator John Heinz History Center (Presenting Sponsor)
American College of Forensic Examiners Institute
NMS Labs
R.J. Lee Group
JFK Lancer
Coalition on Political Assassinations
Mary Ferrell Foundation

http://www.duq.edu/about/centers-and-institutes/wecht-institute-of-forensic-science-and-law/conferences

Map and Directions

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=mm - search/wechtben%40duq.edu/140c609b99f59841

Thursday, October 17

The Evidence

7:30 a.m.	Registration
8:30 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions	Benjamin E. Wecht, M.A.  Frederick W. Fochtman, Ph.D. Cyril H. Wecht, M.D., J.D. Andrew E. Masich President and CEO, Senator John Heinz History Center
9:00 a.m.	Why the Study of the JFK Assassination Continues …  and Should	Larry J. Sabato, Ph.D.
10:00 a.m.	Last Second in Dallas: A Micro-Study of the Assassination	Josiah Thompson, Ph.D. Keith Fitzgerald
11:00 a.m.	Break Displays and Vendors
11:15 a.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	Absolute Proof: A Photographic Analysis of the JFK Assassination An Acoustic Analysis of Witness Reports in the JFK Assassination (A Gunman Near JFK?)	Robert J. Groden Tim Nicholson
12:15 p.m.	Lunch Displays and Vendors
1:30 p.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	Double Talk: Synchronization of the Acoustical Evidence and the JFK Assassination Imaging Properties of the Bell & Howell 414PD Camera  and Implications for Authenticity of the Zapruder Film	Donald Thomas, Ph.D. Jeffrey Sundberg, MSEE, M.S.
2:30 p.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	The President's Autopsy: A Forensic Pathological  and Medical-Legal Critique The Harper Fragment Redux: A Panel Discussion	Cyril H. Wecht, M.D., J.D. David W. Mantik, M.D., Ph.D. Pat Speer
3:30 p.m.	Break Displays and Vendors
3:45 p.m.	The View From Trauma Room One	Robert N. McClelland, M.D. (by videoconference)
4:45 p.m.	Adjournment

http://www.duq.edu/events/jfk/agenda/friday

Friday, October 18

The Investigations

7:30 a.m.	Registration
8:45 a.m.	Welcome and Introductions	Benjamin E. Wecht, M.A.
9:00 a.m.	The Secret Service and the Assassination of JFK	Mark Lane, Esq.
10:00 a.m.	Clay Shaw Unmasked: The Garrison Case Corroborated	Joan Mellen, Ph.D.
11:00 a.m.	Break Displays and Vendors
11:15 a.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	Political Assassinations Revealed: The Church Committee JFK's Medical Evidence: You Don't Need to be a Physician to Understand How Wrong the Official Conclusions Are	Rex Bradford Gary L. Aguilar, M.D.
12:15 p.m.	Lunch Displays and Vendors
1:30 p.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	An Analysis of Government Misconduct: The House Select Committee on Assassinations Forensic Analysis of the Air Force One Tapes	Robert K. Tanenbaum, J.D. William Kelly
2:30 p.m. Concurrent (Africa Room)	Reviewing the Assassination Records Review Board:  An Uncertain Legacy A View From the Trenches: The HSCA and the CIA	James H. Lesar, Esq. Dan Hardway, Esq.
3:30 p.m.	Break Displays and Vendors
3:45 p.m.	Panel Discussion: From the WC to the ARRB: What Have We Learned?	Moderator: Daniel S. Alcorn, Esq. Panelists: Friday Power Center Speakers; Jerry Policoff Others TBA
4:45 p.m.	Break
5:30 p.m.	Untold History	Oliver Stone
6:30pm	Adjournment

Bill Kelly Notes: Then Saturday night, just to make sure they don't take everything too seriously - Dr. Wecht, Walt Brown and David Talbot will participate in a political satire talk show with John McIntire - Dangerously Live Comedy Talk Show - at the Cabaret Theater at Theater Square (10pm).  

NEWS ITEM:
Passing the Torch - An International Symposium

By Duquesne University

Published: Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013 - 9:05 am

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/10/03/5791170/experts-gathering-to-mark-historic.html

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 3, 2013 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite that it happened a half-century ago, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy remains so relevant today that it has drawn together 30 scientific, legal and investigative experts as well as scholars, journalists and authors to discuss and explore this historical event's continued significance.

Reporters are invited to take advantage of this rare gathering of experts and authorities on the subject, who will be in Pittsburgh Thursday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Oct. 19, for Passing the Torch: An International Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy at Duquesne University.

Among the featured conference presenters are:

• Oliver Stone, director of the Academy-Award winning film JFK and director/narrator ofUntold History of the United States
• Dr. Robert N. McClelland, professor emeritus at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, who served as one of Kennedy's attending physicians at Parkland Hospital
• David Talbot, author of the provocative 2007 book, Brothers: The Hidden History of the Kennedy Years, and founder and former editor in chief of Salon.com
• Dr. Cyril H. Wecht, testified in 1978 before the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations, during which he was the only one of a 9-member panel of forensic pathologists re-examining the JFK assassination to disagree with the single-bullet theory; served as a consultant on JFK
• Mark Lane, a criminal defense attorney and author of the pioneering 1966 work, Rush to Judgment, among other books on the subject
• Dr. Josiah Thompson, a private investigator and author of the influential 1967 micro-study of the assassination, Six Seconds in Dallas
• Robert K. Tanenbaum, an attorney and expert legal commentator who served as deputy chief counsel to the U.S. House Select Committee on Assassinations.

Hosted by Duquesne University's Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law, the conference will delve into existing evidence and examine new insights and theories on the president's assassination.

Cyril Wecht believes that public interest in the case continues to be high and that further study is essential. "We, as Americans, need to know the truth," he said. "We need to be aware of historical matters, such as the Kennedy assassination, that are important to all of us and that, if ignored, have a very dangerous potential of breeding further secrecy, complacency and lies."

For more information on Passing the Torch, visit www.duq.edu/jfk, contact wechtinstitute@duq.edu or call 412.396.1330

http.www.dug.edu/events/jfk/registration 

Duquesne University Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and tradition of academic excellence. Duquesne, a campus of more than 10,000 graduate and undergraduate students, has been nationally recognized for its academic programs, community service and commitment to sustainability.

www.duq.edu.

COMMENTS:

This will be a great conference.  I was at Duquesne for the 40th anniversary conference of Kennedy's murder.  No other conference in the world could top the speakers they had.  I'm a student of the assassination and I'm spending dollars I don't have to get to it.  If you can attend even one day of the conference you will be a changed person.  It's almost a spiritual experience.- R. Truitt

The Kennedy Suite - Cowboy Junkies at the Winter Garden

Toronto roots band Cowboy Junkies will release on November 12 a concept album The Kennedy Suite – which according to the Junkies themselves will “tell the story of the JFK assassination through the fragmented narratives of a series of characters, each of whom experiences the tragedy from their own intensely personal perspective.”

A collaborative work, it will be produced by Toronto composer Scott Garbe and include special guests Hawksley Workman, Sarah Harmer, Jason Collett, Harlan Pepper, Lee Harvey Osmond, The Good Family and Doug Paisley.

For more on this see:

The Kennedy suite  performance at the Winter Garden Theater

Friday, November 22, 2013 and Saturday November 23, 2013 8 pm

This show is created and designed by Benedict Hillard (associate designer for Les Miserables, Miss Saigon), Stephen Pollard (Lighting director for U2, Adele, Simple Minds) and Geoff Burpee, with the Cowboy Junkies making the stage debut of The Kennedy Suite.

Set around the assassination of John F. Kennedy,  this ambitious stage production will include special guests Sarah Harmer, The Good Family, Jason Collett and others, and afterwards include a special jam session with the Cowboy Junkies and their friends.

http://latentrecordings.com/cowboy junkies/

The Kennedy Suite – Origins by Scott Garbe

By Mike Timmins Oct 2, 2013

(We will be releasing The Kennedy Suite on Latent Recordings on November 12th. Pre-orders will start on October 15th. The debut performance of The Kennedy Suite will be on November 22nd and 23rd at The Winter Garden Theater in Toronto. Please visit The Kennedy Suite website and Facebook page)

Scott Garbe is the writer of The Kennedy Suite. He will be posting a series of blogs about the writing of the Suite, it is a fascinating journey and definitely worth following along…make sure that you check back in every now and then.

 

**********

“Whatever became of the moment when one first knew about death? There must have been one. A moment. In childhood. When it first occurred to you that you don’t go on forever. It must have been shattering, stamped into one’s memory. And yet, I can’t remember it.”

·         Tom Stoppard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.

When I think about the origins of The Kennedy Suite it really began when I was in the third grade. I didn’t start writing the songs at that time, of course, I had a formative experience that was to change my perception of the world.

President Kennedy was a hero in our home. The image attached here is of a vinyl record of his most famous speeches that used to lean against our family’s old cabinet stereo in perpetual view. Maybe your family had the same record.

Even at a young age, I was struck by JFK’s beautiful family and the ideas he had left for the world to consider, the stories of his courage during the Second World War (PT 109), of his longing to reach the moon, of his love for poetry. In a sense, I had all the romantic notions of President Kennedy as a young boy that many citizens of the world must have had in the early sixties, that of a man of great dreams and grace – almost invincible.

In the fall of that third-grade year, I was digging through my parent’s bookshelf when I came across a commemorative book published by the Associated Press entitled The Torch Has Passed… Unsuspecting, I flipped through to a sequence of pictures of the assassination in Dallas. I hadn’t known the President had been murdered. In a double page fold of stark, black and white photos I saw for the first time that the world was not what I thought it was. It was a dangerous, frightening place where no one was safe, not even Presidents.

Especially striking was an image taken shortly after the shooting. Kennedy had fallen forward, unconscious, onto the floor of his limousine. The life of the bold leader of the New Frontier had been ruthlessly taken before my eyes – Secret Service Agent Clint Hill’s foot dangling hopelessly over the rear side of the car in a desperate attempt to steady himself as the Presidential party rushed in a violent blur to Parkland Hospital.
That’s when I realized, for the first time, that I wouldn’t go on forever.

And that’s why I had to write these songs.

Talk to you soon,

Scott

- See more at: http://latentrecordings.com/cowboyjunkies/#sthash.TLJZdeyx.dpuf

 The Kennedy Suite – Origins by Scott Garbe

Other Suspects

Vincent Bugliosi and others have made the claim that there were no other suspects than Lee Harvey Oswald.

Well that's certainly not true, as there were and are a number of other suspects in the assassination of President Kennedy.

Just off the top of my head I can come up with a half quick half-dozen:

1) John Martin. Not "Jack Martin" of New Orleans, or the Martin who took the film, this John Martin was from Northern Louisiana, a young guy who was part of a religious cult and was wanted by Secret Service agents at the Trade Mart in the immediate aftermath of the assassination. The SS at the Trade Mart contacted the Special Agent in Charge of the New Orleans SS office - John W. Rice, who was in the office of special investigations at the Air Force base near Schrieveport at the time of the assassination. Rice was ordered to do a quick background check in the hometown of John Martin, which effectively sent him on a wild goose chase for the rest of the afternoon. When Rice got back to New Orleans, they didn't need his info on Martin any more but wanted to know all about Lee Harvey Oswald. Who was and what happened to this John Martin?

2) Joe Molina - Worked in the credit department - a white collar job at the TSBD. Dallas Police Special Service Unit - Jack Revel, Ganaway, et al., raided his home at 2 o'clock in the morning to question him about his membership in subversive leftist organizations and take any literature and correspondence he had. Molina was the only TSBD worker fired because of the assassination.

3) The three or four North Texas State college students who were identified by news photos of them attacking UN Ambassador Adlai Stevenson when he was in Dallas for UN Day a few weeks before the assassination. An undercover Denton, Texas policeman tried to "infiltrate" this group who were also associated with Gen. Walker, their photos were circulated to all SS agents at the Trade Mart and they may have been arrested if they planned a demonstration. One or two of these radical right wing students was belatedly arrested for attacking Stevenson and was in court over it.

4) James Parrott. On the afternoon of the assassination, George H.W. Bush dropped a dime on one James Parrott, saying that Parrott threatened the president and he considered him suspect. Parrott is still a Republican party official in Texas.

5) Ed Lansdale, the former CIA - USAF PsyOps General, one time head of Mongoose, possibly registered at the Fort Worth hotel and photographed with the Tramps at Dealey Plaza a few hours after the assassination.

6) William Harvey, CIA official, America's James Bond, former head of Task Force W and Johnny Rosselli's CIA case officer, CIA COS Rome and legal counsel to Bobbs-Merrell publishers (who maintained an office in the TSBD), Harvey packed a .38, suspected Kim Philby a KGB agent and hated RFK.

7) James Jesus Angleton, CIA counter-intelligence official, office of Security, manned the Israel/MOSSAD desk, friend and mentor of Kim Philby, maintained separate files on Oswald since 1950s and was privy to Oswald's Shennagans in Mexico City, which effectively blackballed if not blackmailed all of the intelligence agencies when the assassination went down and Oswald associated with it, regardless of his role.