James Files Without Bob Vernon?
Dave Perry: My comments will appear in blue to differentiate between the remarks of Mr.
Vernon, Mr. Shelton and other participants.
Wim Dankbaar: My comments will appear in red between the blue remarks of Mr. Perry.
Originally, this was to be an article about Bob Vernon’s unsuccessful efforts to have Federal and
Texas authorities reopen the John F. Kennedy case. For over ten years Mr. Vernon has been
advancing the two pronged theory that James Files, currently imprisoned at Illinois’ Stateville
Correction Center in Joliet, had significant ties to organized crime in the Chicago area and was
the long sought Grassy Knoll assassin.
So far Federal and Texas authorities have indeed not responded in a meaningful way to our
request to reopen the John F. Kennedy case. The House Select Committee on Assassinations
concluded that JFK ‘s murder was a conspiracy and recommended the Justice Department to
follow up on their findings. They did NOT. So what’s new?
However, within the past few months it would appear Mr. Vernon has divested himself of
involvement in the story. Over the years Mr. Vernon has failed to address the historically
inaccurate and serious flaws in pronouncements made by both himself and Mr. Files. It would
appear Mr. Vernon has passed the torch to Mr. Wim Dankbaar who I now consider responsible
for resolving the many faults in this tale.
I have been the lead investor since June 2002. No need for me to place myself in the spotlight.
Mr. Vernon has recently experienced a private family tragedy, of which the details are none of
Mr. Perry’s business, but one that saw him forced to lay down his commitments to this project. It
was not his wish, nor was it mine, but we found the best solution in my taking over his share in
the project. Mr. Vernon remains as convinced as ever about the veracity of our evidence.
Hence Mr. Perry is jumping to specious and false conclusions, without knowing the facts.
Since the day of that tragic event we have been bombarded with allegations that over sixty-five
individuals were in or around Dealey Plaza for the expressed purpose of seeing that bodily harm
came to the President. The extraordinary claim that Files was a presidential assassin requires
extraordinary proof. If historical evidence contradicts this claim then the legal logic is even
weaker. If you find any errors, please correct me with facts as opposed to opinion.
I believe there are a lot of facts, documents and testimonies presented in Mr. Shelton’s report,
as well as on our website www.jfkmurdersolved.com.
To prove his contention that Files was Kennedy’s assassin Bob Vernon a.k.a. Dr. Truth offered,
via his web site, a cover letter and investigative findings. The letter was addressed to United
States Attorney General John Ashcroft with copies to the Texas Attorney General, Dallas
District Attorney, Houston attorney Don Ervin and Mr. Vernon’s lead investigator retired FBI
agent Zechariah Shelton.
Over the years I came to believe that Mr. Vernon and his first lead investigator the late Joe West
had little understanding of Federal and Texas criminal law. I now believe the current
investigator, retired FBI Special Agent Zechariah Shelton, has similar deficiencies. Additionally, I
intend to show that Mr. Vernon using his self-professed promotional skills consistently omitted
facts detrimental to the case and attempted to put a positive spin on investigative blunders.
Mr. Perry is entitled to believe all he wants, even to put his beliefs in print. I and others believe
that Mr. Shelton’s integrity and investigative skills are beyond question. And so believe his
collegues and his former employers.
Therefore, unless Mr. Perry can demonstrate he has the requisite decades-long experience that
Mr. Shelton clearly possess, he is speaking far beyond his level of expertise.
Before we begin I have some words of caution for Mr. Vernon and his colleagues. On February
17, 1998 you wrote me through one of the Kennedy assassination public web forums. You and
your team member John Rademacher were “disturbed” over certain copyright issues you had
concerning my scan of John’s “archeological dig map” of Dealey Plaza. I had placed a scan of
the map on my web page where it still appears. You threatened me with a lawsuit and claimed
you intended to inform the Library of Congress and my Internet Service Provider of what you
perceived as a criminal act on my part. In one of you typically childish and overblown
statements you concluded:
Does Mr. Perry want me to respond on Mr. Vernon’s behalf? I believe all the beef that Mr.
Vernon and Mr Perry had, was documented on our website (and I will put it back on as soon as I
get to it). Mr. Perry also conveniently omits the fact that Mr. Shelton received several awards
during his 28 years of serving his country, as did many of his fellow retired FBI colleagues who
assisted him in his investigation.
“Warm regards to all your friends at Langley. Please remind them that they are
NOT EXEMPT from copyright infringement, as you are not. Take heed. Good
luck, agent Perry.”
In the end you had to admit your allegations were groundless,
I am not aware of any such admission by Mr. Vernon. I think it’s more likely he wasn’t bothered
enough by Mr. Perry’s copyright infringement to pursue the issue.
proving once again you have little if any understanding of the law. In order to prevent similar
accusations, I wish to remind you and your associates that you have made your letter and
Special Agent Shelton’s investigation available to the general public via the Internet. Those two
documents and other records referenced in this report were provided by you and/or members of
your team through Internet forums. Therefore that material resides within the public domain.
Other reports referenced including FBI records are also in the public domain.
Mr. Perry is absolutely correct here (for a change). We have no problems with Mr. Perry
publishing these documents on his website.
Robert G. Vernon
2609 Coffee Tree Court
Antioch, California 94509
925.754.8833
Hon. John Ashcroft
Attorney General of the United States
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
April 28, 2003
VIA CERTIFIED MAIL
RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Dear Attorney General Ashcroft,
Since 1992, I have been actively involved in a privately funded legal investigation into the
murder of John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States. In 1998, retired FBI Special
Agent Zechariah Shelton joined our team as the lead investigator. Since that time, Mr. Shelton
has sought and has received the input and consultation of nearly a dozen retired FBI Special
Agents including Art Pfizenmayer, Pete Wacks, Michael Wacks, Jack O’Rourk, Jim Wagner,
Dick Stillings, James W. Sibert, Robert Hartz and others.
Let’s review how this all started and how Mr. Vernon and SA Shelton became involved in the
case.
First we need to go back a few years before Mr. Vernon became captivated by the Jim Files’
story. In 1989 Joe West formed a non-profit Texas private investigative corporation called Truth,
Truth, Truth, Inc. By 1990 he was working for a Midland, Texas company called Matsu. Matsu
was incorporated in Texas on January 25, 1989 “for the express purpose of creating (emphasis
mine) a story centering around” the fact that deceased former Dallas police officer Roscoe
Anthony White was the Grassy Knoll assassin. (Excerpted from Matsu’s letter of agreement
dated January 25, 1989). West was also assisting the JFK Assassination Information Center
located in Dallas, Texas. The members of that group, J. Gary Shaw, Larry Howard, and Larry
Ray Harris, also believed Roscoe White was the Grassy Knoll assassin. Joe West appeared at
the JFK Assassination Information Center’s press conference held on August 6, 1990 and made
the following statement:
Before we go into Mr. West and his probing the Roscoe White story, I would like to say that Mr.
West passed away in 1993 and cannot defend himself. I never had the pleasure to know Mr.
West but based on his legacy, I consider him a great American. He was actively pursuing a
lawsuit to exhume the body of JFK. This alone tells me enough about the honor and integrity of
Mr. West, for I too believe that a new autopsy would conclusively verify that JFK was hit from
the right front and that the skull would have an entrance wound in the right temple and a large
gaping defect in the back. I also believe that the skull would contain traces of mercury from the
explosive bullet that Mr. Files claims to have shot from the grassy knoll. In short, Mr. West was
the only American citizen in history who tried to prove there was a conspiracy in this most
convincing and sensible way, and our team also believes that Mr. West paid with his life for his
attempts, a belief, by the way, that in large part prompted Mr. Files to give his videotaped
confession to Mr. Vernon.
Therefore I reinforce and repeat my opinion that Mr Perry’s attempts to discredit Mr. West is
offensive. Mr Perry wants to tell me that the Kennedy family might be disenchanted with an
exhumation of the 35th president of the United States, but I happen to believe that the truth
about the coup d’etat that occurred on 11/22/1963 is of greater importance to the american
public and their democratic values, than the possible grief of the Kennedy family.
I came on board of this project in the summer of 2002, so I do not know much of the details
about the Roscoe White story and Mr. West’s involvement, nor have they ever played a role in
my decision to become involved. My decision was based on the findings as presented at
www.jfkmurdersolved.com and additional information that is not (yet) published there. My
decision was NOT based on a lead that the deceased Mr. West pursued more than a decade
ago which proved to be inconclusive. In that light, I find Mr Perry’s statement “8. The fact that
Joe West attempted to "pursue exhumation of JFK's remains" is not relevant to the
James Files' story. “ most remarkable!
In my view it would be highly relevant in proving the wounds as having been inflicted by
multiple gunmen from multiple directions, and more specifically as Mr. Files says he inflicted
them. But more importantly: if Mr. Perry wants to show that past conduct of Mr. West is not
relevant to the James Files story - which by the way is also corroborated by the Chauncey Holt
and Tosh Plumlee story - why does he make such an issue about Mr. West investigating the
Roscoe White story?
Although I am not able to comment in detail about an episode “before my time”, I already know
that Mr. Perry is making many false statements about it. To discover the pattern, you only have
to see the false claims about the episode I DO know about.
Anyway, Mr Vernon does know a lot more than I do about the distant past and he has offered
me a statement . He did so, after Mr. Perry’s allegations had created some turmoil on the
JFKLancer forum. Mr. Perry’s allegations were specifically promoted by a fellow by the name of
Richard J. Smith.
Untill now I have declined to post Mr. Vernon;s statement, for I think he could have used a little
less blunt language. But Mr. Vernon is Mr Vernon, he is very firm on his rights of free speech
and would not allow any form of censorship. Meanwhile, and contrary to Mr. Shelton;s opinion, I
think Mr. Perry’s accusations deserve a direct response. So here is Mr. Vernon’s statement in
italics:
Wim Dankbaar has asked me to respond to Dave Perry and RJS regarding their post below:
POST: As promised in a previous thread, I contacted Dave Perry concerning his comments about James
Files and the promulgation of the Files story by, among others Wim Dankbaar. I asked in particular to
address the Malcolm Summers/Roscoe White situation, as well as his comment that Houston orthodontist
Dr Paul Stimson had changed his story regarding the "bitemarks" on the .222 shell found by John
Rademacher. It's also obvious from Mr Perry's statement that he knows Mr Dankbaar all too well, as we
have seen here.
VERNON: The last person anyone serious thinker would want to contact regarding the JFK assassination
is Dave Perry. He has a long history of sticking his nose in other people’s business and fabricating things
that didn’t happen and twisting the truth to meet his personal agenda whatever that may be. He has
exhibited behavior like this since I learned who he was and after he lied to me twice, I’ve never paid any
further attention to him. No one else should either.
Email from Dave Perry to RJS 9/22/03:
PERRY: I have seen this pattern many times before and you too will find yourself in a no win situation.
Dankbaar is already convinced the Files' story is true and as a result he has spent money to "take over"
the case. Therefore no matter what proof is given it will not be substantial enough. Dankbaar will only ask
for more. However, when someone such as myself asks for answers to our questions, people such as
Vernon and/or Mr. Dankbaar will never reply in a straightforward manner. They will dodge the issues and
issue epithets.
VERNON: This is an outright lie. Dave Perry does not know hardly anything at all about our investigation
and every question or disinfo piece that he has ever published has been answered many times over. I’ve
even posted the answers on my old web site www.jfkmurdersolved.com for Dave would NEVER publish
my answers where anyone could see them.
PERRY: Long before Vernon became involved back in 1990 the Roscoe White story was the big news.
Early on Joe West was working with the JFK Assassination Information Center. West made the following
statement at the JFK Assassination Information Center PRESS CONFERENCE on August 6, 1990:
"Seventeen months of searching for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The evidence
that I've gathered concludes beyond any reasonable doubt that there was a firing squad in Dealey Plaza
on November the 22nd, 1963. Beyond a reasonable doubt that Roscoe Anthony White was one of the
members of that firing squad."
By May of 1991 most local researchers knew I was working on an article and that it answered point by
point the questions posed by those who still clung to the belief that White was the shooter. Six months
later in November of 1991 The Third Decade published my article "Who Speaks For Roscoe White."
As late as February 1992 West was quoted in the Houston Post (02/16/03) as still believing in the White
story. West claimed that even though some of the White evidence was faked he ". . . still believes the
essence of Geneva White Galle's story." Her story was that her husband Roscoe shot Kennedy.
This should certainly refute Vernon's claim that Joe West, based upon a forensic report stating a diary
West obtained from Ricky White was a hoax, exposed the entire Roscoe White story as a fraud.
VERNON: Joe West was hired by the Matsu Corporation to determine whether or not Roscoe White was
real or not. At first, various pieces of evidence led Joe to believe White might have been involved. In
1992, West no longer believed in Roscoe for testimony from Rev. Jack Shaw, the handwriting analysis,
and evidence brought forth by former CIA case officer John R. Stockwell convinced Joe that White’s story
was not true. He told Matsu that. We have the phone tapes. He told reporter Steve Brewer that. We have
a signed statement from Brewer to that effect. Joe never depended on Dave Perry for anything. Joe
arrived at his conclusions on his own.
PERRY: During this period West had taken John Rademacher (the finder of the shells) under his wing.
They appeared at a Jim Marrs meeting at the University of Texas at Arlington on October 6, 1992. During
the meeting both were still putting a positive spin on the White story. John reiterated what he had stated
in a letter to several TV networks dated May 22, 1990. ". . . and through an eye witness who saw the
strange gun under the mans (sic) arm. Malcolm Sommers (sic) said the gun looked very strange and
different looking."
What happened was this, West was still looking for proof that White was the shooter, Rademacher had
found some strange shell casings. At the Marrs' meeting they put it together for the audience.
Dankbaar probably has no idea of how much documentation some Kennedy researchers have on both
stories. The first person to hear about Files was John Bolt of the Associated Press. Vernon wrote him to
tell how West had debunked the White story and oh by the way solved the case again! He mentions an
FBI agent putting West on to "a known Mafia hit man" West and Vernon "located this man in prison and
on August 17, 1992 the investigator (West) visited the prisoner for the first time. During this meeting the
prisoner confessed to his participation in the assassination of JFK . . ."
So how did Vernon manage to spin the story? In 1992 he simply claimed it was West who debunked the
White story. No mention was made of my PUBLISHED article that appeared almost a year before.
Roscoe White was conveniently removed from the Grassy Knoll and replaced with James Files. Some
alleged co-conspirators such as Plumlee and "Hugh" changed from White as the shooter to Files. West,
who died on or about February 13, 1993, was elevated to sainthood and Rademacher stopped using
Summers as a White witness and changed him to a Files witness. This was done for the TV show
Hardcopy. I appeared on the show opposite Marrs who claimed he was still keeping an open mind. At the
time none of us knew Marrs was trying to work out his own book deal with Files. Open mind my foot.
VERNON: Joe West and Rademacher interviewed Summers in 1991. He signed a sworn affidavit that the
man he saw looked like Roscoe White. Joe West never heard Files confess that he was a shooter. Joe
was dead over a year before Files confessed. This is a lie from Dave Perry. It did not happen. Hugh and
Tosh have NEVER said that Files was a shooter. Hugh does not know Files and vice-versa. Tosh and
Files saw each other when Tosh was picking up Nicoletti for a flight in the early 60s….once. Tosh has
NEVER said that Files was a shooter. This is a lie from Dave Perry. Rademacher did not stop using
Summers and change to Files as Perry lies once again. Rademacher had NO KNOWLEDGE OF FILES
until the summer of 1994. The Hardcopy show was a cheap, unorganized press move made by MPI in
Chicago in association with a San Antonio TV station. It was the biggest bunch of bullshit I have ever
seen. Rademacher had nothing to do with it.
PERRY: So the only corroboration that Summers saw Roscoe White came from West and Rademacher.
Actually I would like to see the affidavit of fact that Summers saw Files.
VERNON: Wim Dankbaar has it in the files.
(Note from Wim: I am aware of Summers’ videotaped statement that it COULD have been Files. I am
convinced that Summers did NOT see Files, but another unidentified man. This is based on the testimony
of James Files, who did not have an overcoat and had his gun in a briefcase, as well as on Summers’
recollection that the man he saw was “well in his forties”)
PERRY: BTW a few months after the Hardcopy show I ran into Malcolm Summers in Dealey Plaza. He
was not too happy with my on camera comment that "He is elderly and looking back though 33 years." He
was upset about my use of the word elderly, not that I questioned he saw Files.
VERNON: The only thing Summers said on HardCopy was that it “could well be” that the man he saw was
Files. Summers made no positive ID at all. Of course, Dave Perry is getting a little old and senile now and
it is certainly understandable that his sporadic memory and pathological lies get crossed in his head. Doo
doo occurs.
PERRY: I have a different answer concerning Stimson.
I spoke with Stimson and corresponded with him back in 1996. I have the report that was used on
Hardcopy. Since Dankbaar is interested in getting to the bottom of things he should do as I did. Place a
call to Stimson, review the report with him, ask Stimson his opinion as to how the report was developed,
were portions taken out of context, and what Stimson thought of Vernon's actions with respect to the
report. If I were developing a documentary I would sure want to get Stimson's consent before I went
forward.
VERNON: This is very interesting here. Dr. Stimson is a highly respected forensic odontologist who had
NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANYTHING TO DO WITH JFK ASSASSINATION when I asked him to examine
the casing. Repeat: there was no mention to him about JFK with regard to the casing. Dr. Stimson was
told ONLY that the casing was supposed to have been involved in a murder and that it was believed that
the dents in the casing MAY have been caused by teeth marks. Dr. Stimson was asked BY ME to tell me
(1) Are the dents made by human teeth; (2) Are the dents NOT made by human teeth; and/or (3) if the
dents are NOT made by human teeth, what caused the dents. Dr. Stimson’s letter, posted on
www.jfkmurdersolved.com since 1996 is VERY CLEAR AND STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. Stimson says
the dents are : “consistent with being made by human dentition (sic).” He even goes on to say that he
could not match the teeth with any particular person for he did not have teeth molds or dental records to
compare with. Stimson even listed the measurements and stated with what teeth the marks were made.
AFTER, repeat, AFTER Stimson’s lab study was published, Dave Perry called him and talked to him. I
remember it well. Stimson became “funny.” Twisting words, recanting, sputtering, etc. I confronted him
and we had a rather heated discussion back and forth for a few days. I also learned that Stimson does/did
a LOT of work for the FBI and that the FBI had become a little disgruntled with one of “their” experts
making a statement such as Stimson had made.
BUT, here’s what’s REALLY IMPORTANT and old Dave REALLY misses the boat here: When Stimson
started to crawfish (walk backwards or at least try to) I TOOK THE CASING TO FOUR MORE
FORENSIC ODONTOLOGISTS INCLUDING THE US ARMY forensic odontologist. ALL FOUR AGREED
IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT TEETH COULD HAVE MADE THE DENTS. And they ALL KNEW DR.
STIMSON and how “eccentric” (their words) he was/is. The truth is a bitch, Dave. Someday maybe you’ll
learn that.
PERRY: Why doesn't Dankbaar answer some of the important questions I pose on my web page? One is
the absolute fact there was no last minute change in the motorcade route. This was purely an invention
by Jim Garrison. For years all of us who get involved in helping the media with their stories know this is a
sure sign of someone perpetrating a fraud.
VERNON: Jim Marrs explained the whole thing to me and I could never repeat it verbatim. Anyone can
write to Jim and I’m sure he can set you and Dave straight. Do it.
PERRY: When you see the finished article I intend to post in a few weeks, you will see Mr. Dankbaar has
a lot more problems with this story than I have covered here.
VERNON: Oh good…another bunch of lies and disinfo based on Dave’s personal opinion, conjecture and
hearsay. Nobody reads his site anyway, at least not anyone with any sense or real knowledge of the JFK
case.
Dave
Needless to say, I'm looking forward to Dave's new article.
RJS
VERNON: Look forward to it all you want RJS or whatever your name is. I still think you are really JRS
(John R. Stockwell) but you might not be. You could be just another dummy with a computer. That’s fairly
common in forums and newsgroups.
But what matters is not Dave Perry or RJS/JRS or Bob Vernon. What matters is the truth, something
Dave Perry has never approached nor is he near now. His limited knowledge of insurance investigations
are no comparison to the over 250 years of combined FBI professional investigative expertise assembled
by retired agent Shelton and his associates. Dave can’t carry their shoelaces, let alone walk on the same
street with them.
The new evidence Zack and his pals have uncovered is earth-shattering….for America, for the CIA, for
the FBI, for the evil minions like Dave Perry and his pal, Gary Mack. After all, they both WANTED White
to be real so their “Badgeman” find would be supported. Joe West never put any faith in shadows, Dave.
Nor did he put any faith in spooks. So that leaves you out on both counts. Sorry.
But what really interested me here is the line where PERRY said: “For years all of us who get involved in
helping the media with their stories know this is a sure sign of someone perpetrating a fraud.”
You see, that is one of the main problems. The media comes to the likes of Perry and Mack for they
DON’T KNOW ANY BETTER. The last thing in the world that any SERIOUS reporter or investigative
journalist should do is contact either of these men about JFK. It’s a joke.
For when it’s all said and done and Zack Shelton has completed his task, there will be no more need for
lies and disinfo like Dave and his buds peddle. And they will be standing in a field, looking out at the
sunset of their life….alone. But, that’s the path they chose. Or the agenda they are following. It matters
not for it all boils down to they are wasting your/our/my and their time.
There has been no fraud perpetrated here, Dave. The only fraud is you.
Goodnight, Dave.
P.S. To RJS or whatever your name is…..by posting things for Dave Perry and depending on what he
says to be true, you are making a bigger fool out of yourself than you have already exhibited on the
Lancer forum. Take heed.
Mr. Vernon volunteered an additional comment to me in a later email:
Subject: Dave Perry BOLD FACED LIAR
You're doing good with Perry...now you need to put the last nails in his coffin.
First of all...NEVER...I repeat...NEVER did Perry ask me to pay for his investigator's license. That's an
outright lie. Didn't happen. He's grasping for straws and now he's lying through his asshole and his teeth
at the same time.
Second...Kathy Marvin Vernon is my wife! She is an officer of the court and a MUCH stronger legal mind
than most lawyers AND judges, particularly stronger than a bogus insurance investigator. Whatever she
wrote back in 95 on a forum, she wrote on her own.
Dave Perry moved to Texas from Langley, Virginia, home of the CIA. Does that give you any clues?
COOK THE LYING BASTARD THEN TURN HIM OVER AND RAISE THE FLAME!!!!!! Then throw him
out in the pasture to die. He's a total piece of shit and GUESS WHAT...he's worse now than he was in
1993....!!!!
From another acquaintance of Joe West I received the following comment:
I can tell you Dave Perry is either unintentionally or intentionally mistaken about dates and
occasions.
I can tell you he is lying or greatly mistaken enough to affect his information that he so
honorably contends is the unvarnished truth.
"Seventeen months of searching for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
The evidence that I've gathered concludes beyond any reasonable doubt that there
was a firing squad in Dealey Plaza on November the 22nd, 1963. Beyond a reasonable
doubt that Roscoe Anthony White was one of the members of that firing squad."
Another person at the press conference head table was retired CIA agent John Stockwell. I am
not sure which but sometime before, during, or shortly after the event he advised West that he
had serious doubts about a diary attributed to Roscoe White. Stockwell thought this item, that
detailed White’s involvement in the assassination and was purported to be in White’s
handwriting, was a potential hoax.
On February 1, 1991 Texas State Attorney General aide Ron Dusek issued a statement
concerning the material provided the Attorney General’s office by West and the JFK
Assassination Information Center:
“So far everything we have looked at has not given any credibility to anything
these people have been trying to say about the documents and that whole affair."
By May of 1991 most local researchers knew I was working on an article about Roscoe White’s
lack of involvement in the Kennedy assassination and that my account answered point by point
many of the questions posed by those who still clung to the belief that White was the shooter. In
November of 1991 The Third Decade published my article "Who Speaks For Roscoe White."
The entire text can be found on my web site.
None of this mattered to West. Even as late as February 16, 1992 West was quoted in the
Houston Post as still believing in the White story. West claimed that even though some of the
White evidence was faked he ". . . still believes the essence of Geneva White Galle’s story." The
widow of Roscoe White, Geneva Galle claimed that her late husband fired the fatal shot from
behind the picket fence near the Grassy Knoll.
Mr. Vernon seems to enter the picture around November 26, 1993. At that time he wrote a letter
to John Bolt of the Associated Press, “In 1992, I met a Certified Legal Investigator who
convinced me to assist him in his personal investigation of the assassination of John F.
Kennedy.” The Certified Legal Investigator turned out to be Joe West.
Next I looked for additional corroboration of Mr. Vernon’s commitment to the project and how SA
Shelton became involved. I found much information on page 1B of the April 11, 1994 Beaumont
Enterprise. The article by Steve Brewer is entitled, “TV producer says P.I. solved Kennedy
killing.”
To paraphrase in part, it appears Houston attorney Don Ervin was looking for an offer of
immunity for a client. The client, claimed by West to live in Austin, TX, “contended he
participated in the Kennedy assassination and some gangland slayings.” West identified this
individual to several researchers, including myself, using the pseudonym “The Black Ace.”
At a later date Kathryn Marvin, a member of Mr. Vernon’s team, expanded upon this
information. Using CompUServe ID # 75771, 3122 she joined the CompUServe JFK debate
forum on May 27, 1995. She indicated this individual was identified in November 18, 1994
testimony by West’s firm Truth, Truth, Truth, Inc. to the Assassination Records Review Board as
a ”male African-American named Q. D. Urdy.”
Brewer’s article continues, “FBI agent Zack Shelton contacts West and requests a meeting at a
rest stop on Interstate 10 between Beaumont and Houston.” Prior to the April 11th article there
had been another. The March 22, 1992 edition of the Beaumont Enterprise had a story about
West and his investigation of Ervin’s client. It appears SA Shelton saw the article and since he
was interested in obtaining information about organized crime in the area, contacted Joe West.
Immunity was to be proffered to Ervin’s client by former US Attorney Bob Wortham. For the April
11th article, Steve Brewer contacted both Wortham, who was by then in private practice, and FBI
Resident Agent in Charge Ron Kelly for comments. Both agreed “It’s routine to check such
contentions out.” Kelly added “. . . the FBI looked into West’s contentions and debunked them.”
(Emphasis mine) Of Joe West’s investigation, Kelly concluded “This is just a classic case of
someone trying to get a little credibility by using the FBI’s name.” I cite this as more proof that
Mr. Vernon does not provide interested parties with the full picture.
So how did Vernon manage to spin the story? In 1992 he simply claimed it was Joe West who
debunked the Roscoe White incident. Mr. Stockwell’s concerns about the diary were attributed
solely to West. Attorney General aide Ron Dusek ‘s statement was never brought up. No
mention was made of my Third Decade article nor the February 16, 1992 West quotes found in
the Houston Post. White was conveniently removed from the Grassy Knoll and replaced with
James Files. We also discovered some alleged verbal statements made by imagined or
supposed real co-conspirators whether living or dead replaced White’s name with that of Files.
West, who died on or about February 13, 1993, was elevated by Bob Vernon to the status of an
American patriot for his efforts to solve the case. Of course this meant anyone who questioned
West’s investigative credentials, abilities or motives was labeled unpatriotic or worse.
To recap, in early 1992 Shelton saw an article about West in the Beaumont Enterprise. In part it
revealed information about Ervin’s client who claimed connections with organized crime.
Shelton contacted West and they met. In the end US Attorney Bob Wortham and FBI Resident
Agent in Charge Ron Kelly found West’s allegations about Ervin’s client groundless.
It does not end there. The article continues, “The producer, Bob Vernon said an FBI agent in
Beaumont (Shelton’s office was located in Beaumont) gave West the name of a prison inmate in
Illinois who is the self-professed hit man who contends he fired the head shot November 22,
1963, that killed Kennedy.”
It would seem that now retired FBI Special Agent Shelton was working with Mr. Vernon’s team
long before he was made lead investigator. In continuing to read Mr. Vernon’s November 26,
1993 letter to John Bolt I found the following
Yes, Mr. Shelton was the FBI agent, at that time still on active duty, who gave Mr. West the lead
on James Files. Given the fact that the FBI, under direction of Mr. Hoover, intentionally
suppressed the truth about JFK’s death, it is clearly understandable that Mr. Shelton preferred
to stay anonymous. He became our lead investigator when I came on board with the finances to
compensate for his services. What is the point here?
“Our most startling discovery occurred in mid-summer of 1992. After receiving a
call from a FBI agent (Shelton), the investigator (West) met with the agent at the
agent’s request (emphasis mine). The FBI agent gave the investigator a lead on
a man that had a long history of organized crime and who was a known driver
and bodyguard to a known Mafia hit man.”
Notice the adjustment of Vernon’s remarks to Bolt when compared to the description found in
the Beaumont Enterprise. Also note Vernon never mentions “self-professed.”
Why should he? What’s the point? And if Mr. Perry really believes that the FBI doesn’t know that
James Files is a mafia hitman, I wish him more sweet dreams.
This individual later became known to researchers as James Files. A few sentences later we
discover that during an August 17, 1992 meeting between the investigator (West) and the
prisoner (Files), “. . the prisoner confessed as to his participation in the assassination of JFK.”
James Files was born James Earl Sutton on January 24, 1942 in Oakman, Alabama and as
mentioned before is incarcerated at the Illinois’ Stateville Correction Center in Joliet. He is
serving a fifty-year sentence for the 1991 attempted murders of two Round Lake Beach police
officers.
What of the input and consultations SA Shelton obtained from almost one dozen retired FBI
Special Agents? It actually means little unless we know what the results were.
As mentioned before, in my opinion, Mr. Vernon is prone to exaggeration. In the past he has
claimed “I’m the guy that busted Jimmy Swaggart.” The extent of Mr. Vernon’s involvement in
the Swaggart saga appears in the July 1988 Penthouse magazine on page 123. TV evangelist
Swaggert got into trouble by involving himself in a tryst with a New Orleans prostitute named
Debra Murphree.
I think Mr. Vernon would have a very different opinion on this and I know he can prove it too. But
I won’t even ask him to respond, since for once I would agree with Mr. Perry that the Jimmy
Swaggart case has no relevance whatsoever to our findings on the JFK assassination.
To quote from the article, “And so it came to pass: A meeting was convened at Don’s Seafood
House in Lafayette early last March with Murphree, flanked by her agent, fast-talking New
Orleans music promoter Bob Vernon.“ This is the only instance I can find where the
representative of a know prostitute is called an “agent.”
Another example of embellishment can be found in his November 26, 1993 letter to John Bolt.
Mr. Vernon claimed that “Our team has now completed over 42,000 combined hours of research
and investigative time.” The statistic looks impressive but the math may not work. Mr. Vernon
states he first heard of Files though Joe West in the summer of 1992. If we start summer on
June 21 - 22, 1992 and count the number of days until we reach November 26, 1993 we have
approximately 533 days. Dividing this into 42,000 hours we come up with undisclosed number
of team members working a collective 78.8 hours a day every day.
“Over the course of the investigation, Mr. Shelton has uncovered a number of actual persons
involved in various capacities in the assassination including James Earl Files, Robert “Tosh”
Plumlee, Chauncey Holt, Charles Nicoletti, John Rosselli, Sam Giancana and Marshall Caifano.
While Holt, Nicoletti, Rosselli and Giancana are all deceased, Files, Plumlee and Caifano are
still alive and reside in the United States.”
This is more puffery. As with West, Mr. Vernon is giving SA Shelton unearned credit for previous
investigations and/or investigators. SA Shelton has not “uncovered” any new persons. With the
exception of James Files all the individuals mentioned including Marshall Cailfano (Mr. Vernon
misspells his name.) have long been claimed or themselves claimed to be involved in some
facet of the assassination. They surfaced before SA Shelton became involved.
Name
Mentioned by:
When
Robert “Tosh” Plumlee
Kathryn Marvin in a 05/27/95 posting to CompUServe
indicated that Plumlee testified before the Church
Committee in 1970 and the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee on 08/02/90. She claimed “His testimony
under oath has been classified as TOP SECRET.”
1970
Chauncey Holt
Self professed to Ken Harrell in The Globe
01/14/92 p. 5
Charles Nicoletti
House Select Committee on Assassinations
1977
John Rosselli
House Select Committee on Assassinations
1977
Sam Giancana
House Select Committee on Assassinations
1977
Marshall Cailfano
David E. Scheim in Contract on America
1988
Of the seven names on the list only three are still living. I’m not sure about Califano but Files
and Plumlee both have self-professed their involvement in the assassination.
One can find details of Plumlee’s association through Kathryn Marvin’s CompUServe postings
to the JFK debate forum. In her message of May 27, 1995 she claims Plumlee was the co-pilot
on a “CIA supported flight.“ She continued “Mr. Plumlee testified that he was informed that the
flight was an ‘abort mission’ and that their mission was to stop the assassination attempt on
Kennedy’s life.” Additionally, he testified according to Marvin that he “was present in Dealey
Plaza on the south knoll at the time of the assassination.” If true I should think his appearance at
that location could easily be confirmed by viewing the Frank Cancellare photographs showing
the south knoll at the time of the assassination. You may wish to check this out for yourself but I
fail to see Plumlee in any of these photographs.
This is the problem for anyone making allegations without checking the facts. In fact, we have
posted the Cancellare photograph on our website and make a point of showing at least one
human figure in it. Right here:
http://jfkmurdersolved.com/southknoll.htm
All this makes the veracity of the duo’s testimony in court proceedings highly questionable. If
this is the best sort of “witnesses” Mr. Vernon can come up with, it would surely make the
holding of the trial he so desperately wanted doubtful if not impossible.
“I am hereby submitting to you and the United States Department of Justice, retired FBI Special
Agent Zechariah Shelton’s written report of his findings in his JFK investigation (See attached).
In addition, copies of this letter to you and Mr. Shelton’s report are being sent to the District
Attorney of Dallas, Texas (Mr. Bill Hill) and to the Attorney General of Texas (Greg Abbott).”
Since Mr. Vernon has sent copies of SA Shelton’s investigation in the hopes of reopening the
case we will review the report in due course.
“Commencing on April 29, 2003, we will be broadcasting these findings to the world via the
Internet through a subscription only broadcast available for review at www.jfkmurdersolved.com.
I believe you may find our presentation of great value and we hope you and members of your
team tune in.”
Mr. Vernon claims he with the aid of his team have solved the crime of the last century. Mr.
Vernon wants government officials to take him seriously. However, he requires these
government administrators and their respective staffs to tune in to the web site. I guess it is
more important to have these officials pony up $10.95 a month than have them get to the truth.
I agree that Mr. Vernon could have formulated this differently. Nevertheless, the relevant
information is in Mr. Shelton’s report and our FREE website. Mr. Vernon would have been
happy to provide any of these government officials with the special video presentation, either by
sending them a tape or providing them with a free password. What Mr. Perry wants to ignore is
that this is a PRIVATE investigation involving many man hours and expenses that is not paid for
by the tax payer, who wasted enough involuntary money on government investigations,
designed to cover up the truth.
For years Mr. Vernon has been trying to get someone, anyone to invest in this failed project.
The advertisement reproduced below now over eight years old shows the extent of his attempts
to make a profit. The text appears below the actual advertisement.
Cattle Call
ATTENTION: INVESTORS INTERESTED IN JFK MURDER SOLVED
HEAD’M UP MOVE’M OUT! JFK: MURDER SOLVED is headed for
production and broadcast on Pay-per-view television in November of 1995.
We’ve had over 150 inquiries into our television program of the century and we
are sending this note to all of the interested parties to let you know:
IT’S SHOWTIME!
There are 30 shares available at $20,000 per share. The investment
shall be recouped from the first proceeds realized from the broadcast revenue, IN
PERPETUITY. The 30 shares will divide 40% of the profits equally per share.
Please fax your intent to participate to INVESTIGATIVE CONCEPTS
UNLIMITED. Phone and Fax: (510) 228-3858.
The final broadcast agreement is near completion. A production escrow
account is being established at a California bank and escrow information will
be provided to all active participants.
SOPHISTICATED QUALIFED INVESTORS ONLY!
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: BOB VERNON (510) 228-3858
NOTICE: This document is not to be construed as any type of financial offering nor is any such
offering being made. This document is for informational purposes only. No one has been authorized
to represent this information to anyone with the exception of Investigative Concepts Unlimited
___________________________________
Back to Mr. Vernon’s letter:
“I trust that you and the United States Department of Justice and the officials of the State of
Texas will act accordingly on retired Special Agent Shelton’s findings.”
Respectfully yours,
Robert G. Vernon
Attachment: Report of retired FBI Special Agent Zechariah Shelton
cc:
Bill Hill, Dallas District Attorney
Greg Abbott, Texas Attorney General
Zechariah Shelton, Licensed Texas Private Investigator
Don Ervin, Esq.
To sum up again for years Vernon’s goal has been to get his “evidence” of Files’ guilt before a
Grand Jury. With this in mind and before we get into the details of the Shelton report let’s review
some basics of the legal system in the United States pertaining to criminal activity.
Generally under our legal system the police conduct an investigation of a crime. The police may
already have a suspect or suspects under arrest, under surveillance through court order, out on
bail, etc. The police provide their evidence to the District Attorney. The District Attorney presents
the evidence provided by the police to the Grand Jury. If the Grand Jury feels there is sufficient
evidence the case goes to trial. This scenario is played out almost weekly on TV’s Law & Order.
In all instances the person charged is entitled to legal representation. If the accused cannot
afford an attorney one will be appointed by the courts for him or her. The purpose is for the
accused to present a defense. The rule is the individual is innocent until proved guilty.
The attorney representing the accused will attempt to discredit the police investigation, provide
witnesses supporting the persons’ innocence, and attempt to prove the local, state, or Federal
government’s attorneys have a flawed investigation and therefore no case.
The problem with the James Files’ incident is that Files has already confessed to the crime. He
does not want anybody to prove him innocence. He has managed to surround himself with
people who furnish his or their evidence, some of it fictitious, about his alleged crime.
I believe Mr. Shelton and Mr. Vernon know very well how the US legal system works, Mr
Shelton was a 28 year career law enforcement officer, so I will refrain from commenting on Mr.
Perry’s lecture., but I have to correct him here again on a blatant mistake. Mr. Files has never
managed to surround himself with people “who furnish his evidence”. In fact, Mr. Files has
never asked for them, Mr. Files was located by Mr. West based on a lead from FBI agent Zack
Shelton. Mr. Files told Mr. West that Mr. West was mistaken and that he had the wrong person.
Mr. West has never heard the full confession of James Files, which Mr. West was trying to get
under the CONDITION that he could arrange immunity for James Files.
The people corroborating the confession of James Files, like Chauncey Holt and Tosh Plumlee,
had come forward INDEPENDENTLY from James Files and BEFORE James Files made his
confession. As a matter of fact, they had never heard of James Files. The alledged
management skills that Mr. Perry attributes to James Files (to surround himself with these
people), are truly remarkable !! Mr. Granata corroborates his confession after the fact, to my
knowledge Mr. Files does not even know who he is, but he has a reputation of a reliable witness
for the FBI., but we’ll get to that in dealing with yet another false claim of Mr. Perry.
Anyone wishing to take on the role of investigating Files’ truthfulness or comparing his claims to
historical reality is immediately castigated by his group of supporters. Additionally, some of
these patrons, including Mr. Vernon, would reap a financial reward if they can provide a positive
result.
Our basic goal is uncovering the truth, which unfortunately does not come without a financial
sacrifice. I am not sure if I will recoup my investment, but if I will, I will certainly not be ashamed
of it, for I believe it is for a noble cause. If Oliver Stone can make a fortune from a movie that
offers a more plausible alternative for the still official – and now disproved - version about Lee
Harvey Oswald, yet is still a mixture of facts and FICTION, but mobilized the public opinion into
pressure to form the Assassinations Records Review Board, then why should I be ashamed for
recovering my investment by uncovering the TRUTH? I thought this is the american way!
Apparently fiction can be charged, but the truth must be for free! That’s what the american
taxpayers thought of the Warren Commission, yet it turned out they paid for a LIE.
In reality, Files and Vernon are trying to turn the legal system on its head. In this case Files is
guilty and no one should check the facts for authenticity.
If that were true, then why have we presented our findings to the proper authorities? If only the
legal system WOULD check the facts ! Let us come to that later on when addressing the FBI
interview with James Files,
The need to succeed is so pervasive that Mr. Vernon has developed a reputation for the use of
profanity in his correspondence when dealing with those opposed to his or his team’s views.
I guess Mr. Perry has just solved his “problem” in dealing with me.
In my view, Files’ assertions are somewhat similar to those of Lloyd Jowers. For years Jowers
professed involvement in the Martin Luther King assassination. A chronic alcoholic, he
constantly embellished his non-existent role in King’s death telling his friends he “was going to
have a movie made about the King assassination.”
Funny, how I come to learn that Mr. Files is suggested to be a chronic alcoholic and wanting to
make a movie about an assassination. I guess I need to check my records again.
In the end Jowers’ statements did not withstand the scrutiny of investigators let alone history.
He was eventually dismissed as a crank.
I don’t know about Jowers, I thought Mr. Perry wanted to discuss James Files, Chauncey Holt,
Tosh Plumlee and the rest of our evidence?
We should actually be happy that most facets of law enforcement are skeptical when it comes to
this type of high profile crime and the lack of any real proof. Public policy requires elected
officials to prevent the waste of taxpayer’s dollars on frivolous projects.
We should probably be happy about law enforcement being skeptical about obvious cranks and
hoaxes that cannot withstand the scrutiny of investigators. But we should be greatly concerned
about unwillingness to check on evidence and people that CAN withstand such scrutiny of
investigators, who in this case are EX LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS !
From the onset and continuing there seems to have been problems with the lead investigators.
The first, Joe West was dismissed by FBI Agent Ron Kelly with the comment that “This is just a
classic case of someone trying to get a little credibility by using the FBI’s name.”
I have never heard about Ron Kelly and I don’t think his conjecture is relevant, but the reader is
now familiar with my thoughts about Mr. Perry trying to discredit the deceased Joe West.
I assumed Mr. Shelton would be one person who could investigate the case impartially.
However, during his 1992 tenure as a Special Agent in Beaumont he provided a private citizen
(Joe West) having no official ties to law enforcement with information on James Files. Although
Files is in prison he is also a private citizen. A question - do FBI agents have the legal right to
channel unconfirmed intelligence about US civilians living outside the agent’s jurisdiction to the
general public?
As a dutch citizen I would not know the answer, but I fail to see the relevance of the question.
And besides, whatever information Zack Shelton gave to Joe West, was not classified and he
didn’t give it to the general public. I wonder what Mr. Perry wants to say. That Mr. Shelton
should have kept his mouth shut, so that the world would never have learned about James
Files? I can see his wish. I guess it wasn’t too late to shut up Mr. West, but it’s too late to shut
up Mr. Shelton now….. although Mr. Perry is still giving it his best shot.
Six years later in 1999 SA Shelton became the “lead investigator” for Mr. Vernon’s group who
sponsored a for profit web site. I feel Shelton’s findings should be scrutinized carefully for bias
and lack of objectivity.
No problem. Mr. Sheton has gathered his findings from public records, exchanges with
witnesses and other impecable law enforcement officers. Mr. Perry ‘s displays a classic rule in
disinfo that Jim Garrison taught us: If you can’t discredit the message, discredit the messenger.
Some may not be aware that the FBI already looked into Files’ story and dismissed it. An
investigation was conducted on or about August 8, 1993 at Stateville Correction Center in Joliet.
I was able to obtain a copy of the nine page report under P.L. 102-536 (The JFK Act). You can
obtain a copy of this report by writing the National Archives and requesting the FBI investigative
report of James Files. Prepared by Special Agents Robert C. Deodano and Wayne F. Zydronik
and transcribed on August 16, 1993 it is filed under number 89A-DL-60/65J. If you send me a
self-addressed stamped envelope with two first class stamps affixed I will be happy to provide a
copy.
Actually, I am glad Mr. Perry brings this report up. I doubt if wasting postage on an envelope to
Mr. Perry is necessary, because his partner in disinfo (and probably his source for the report)
John Mcadams, was kind enough to post the FBI interview with James Files on his own
newsgroup, right here:
http://groups.google.nl/groups?q=James+Files+Kenny+Larry&hl=nl&lr=&ie=UTF8&selm=3b8714f2.9052466%40mcadams.posc.mu.edu&rnum=1
I encourage everyone to read it, for it is actually quite supportive of James Files.
Mr Perry fails to mention the grounds on which the FBI dismissed the confession of James Files
as non credible. There is good reason for this: THERE ARE NONE!
A few sentences back Mr. Perry was preaching about bias and objectivity. Let’s have a look at
how the FBI agents, marvelled by Mr. Perry, start out their interview with James Files (quotes in
italics):
Investigation on 8/9/93 at Joliet, Illinois File # 62-0 by SAs Robert C. PECORARO & WAYNE F.
ZYDRON:kf Date dictated 8/9/93 62-0 Continuation of FD-302 of JAMES FILES, On 8/9/93,
Page 2 Agents then told FILES that Agents further understood from IRVIN that he (FILES) was
cognizant of his contradictions with the WARREN COMMISSION findings and that he (FILES)
wanted to make available the "true story" of the JFK assassination out of respect to the
deceased JOE WEST. Agents told FILES that in view of his obvious conflicts with the WARREN
COMMISSION findings, he would unlikely be afforded subsequent opportunities for interview by
the FBI or the U.S. Attorney in regard to the JFK assassination unless he established his
credibility with the government. FILES was told that credibility could sometimes be established
through corroboration of facts furnished by an individual during an interview. Agents told FILES
that the purpose of the interview was to obtain additional information from him in an effort to
establish him as a credible person rather than to build a murder case on him. FILES was told
that the JFK assassination took place almost 30 years ago and it would take extraordinary
corroboration to make recollections credible in view of the WARREN COMMISSION findings.
Basically, what the FBI agents say here to James Files: “We have a problem with your story
because it contradicts the Warren Commission“ !! This is before they even begin discussing any
substance of Mr. Files’ information ! Only an uninformed 10 % of the American people still
accept the clearly ludicrous and demonstrably false conclusions of the Warren Report. It’s
conclusions were also easily refuted in a less publicized government investigation in 1977/78.
The House Select Committee on Assassinations, DID conclude that JFK was killed as a result
of a conspiracy which included more than one gunman.
I think Mr. Perry could not have done a better job on showing the kind of bias and lack of
objectivity, he demands for this investigation.
Now let’s have a look at the fragments that Mr. Perry picked out:
Actual FBI comments are in GREEN.
“At the onset of the interview, FILES stated that through conversation with
Attorney DON IRVIN, he understood that he was to be interviewed by the FBI but
that the interview would be conducted in the presence of IRVIN. FILES was told
that Agents were unaware of any arrangements made in that regard.”
“Files expressed his desire to talk to the FBI but stated his reluctance to submit
to an interview without IRVIN being present. FILES also advised that he wanted
a grant of immunity before submitting to an interview. FILES advised that in the
unlikely event he won his appeal, he did not want exposure to additional
charges.”
“Agents told FILES that Agents were not authorized to grant him immunity and
that such a procedure was the responsibility of the U.S. Attorney. Agents further
told FILES that the U.S. Attorney does not extend immunity grants to individuals
without some logical foundation.”
Does this theme have a familiar ring? You may remember Mr. Ervin also represented the
Austin man, West’s “Black Ace”, who sought immunity because he “contended he participated in
the Kennedy assassination and some gangland slayings.”
Don Ervin is a reputable criminal attorney of Houston, Texas. Mr. Ervin has done high profile
cases and represented Charles Harrelson at one time. Mr. Perry’s futile attempt to discredit the
man is truly laughable and he needs false statements to even try: The “black ace”, or better Mr.
Urdy, NEVER, repeat NEVER, contended that he participated in the Kennedy assassination. He
contended that obtained knowledge about the Kennedy assassination from a third party, which
knowledge was most likely reliable, because it is from Mr. Urdy that Joe West learned about the
involvement of John Roselli and Charles Nicoletti, which eventually led him to James Files. This
was after Zack Shelton had learned about the possible involvement of Nicoletti and Roselli, both
crime figures that Zack knew from his duty on the Organized Crime Task Force in Chicago.
Zack Shelton also knew that James Files had been an associate of Charles Nicoletti and had
made an off hand remark to a an FBI informant, while driving over Dealey Plaza to the effect
that If the american people would know what really happened here, they wouldn’t be able to
handle it.
As you will see below although the FBI agents were unable to grant immunity and even though
Attorney Don Irvin was not present, Files decided to babble on concerning his involvement with
organized crime.
The qualification “babble” is completely subjective on Mr. Perry’s part and illustrative of the so
called “lack of bias” that he promotes so much. .
“Agents then furnished FILES with a handwritten list of names. FILES was
told that this list contained names of Chicago mobsters known to have
been associated with NICOLETTI. It is noted that unbeknownst t o FILES,
some of the names were derivative names of FBI employees. FILES was
asked if he had known LEE FABRIZIO (FBI employee). Agents represented
FABRIZIO as a close associate of NICOLETTI. FILES stated that he had
heard of FABRIZIO but never met him. FILES also stated vague familiarity
with individuals known as JOE GIARRUSSO, MIKE PAVIA, PATRICK
SCALZETTI and DOMINICK PEZOLI (all FBI derivative names) but could
not recall ever meeting them.”
Mr Perry tries to show the reader that James Files failed the test, put forward by the FBI agents,
of trying to catch him in corfirming fake names as real persons. The alert reader can see that
Files NOWHERE and NEVER fails that test. He states that some of the names sound vaguely
familiar to him, but he states HE HAS NEVER MET THEM. It is of course very logical that
some of those fictitious names sounded familiar to him, given the preponderance of Italian
names that Files knew as associates of the Chicago crime family. Scalzetti for example is the
real name of notorious mobster Richard Cain.
In the end the FBI discounted Files’ claims. Why? Because Files professed he new of various
mob figures when the reality was those individuals were fictitious made up derivative names of
FBI agents.
As we have seen repeatedly, we now know that Mr. Perry’s conclusion is wishful thinking or
better yet: simply FALSE. His conclusion would make a better read as follows:
In the end the FBI discounted Files’ claims. Why? I have no idea, because when the FBI tried to
catch Files in a lie, to confirm his affiliation with fictitiuous individuals, they were NOT succesful.
Additionally the report states:
“FILES denied that he was interviewed and/or sought interview with the media in
an effort to publicize his recollections of the KENNEDY assassination.”
An absolutely truthful statement of James Files, like we have always seen from
him.
However:
“It was noted that when FILES was made available for interview, he carried
several items of written material. A quick review of this material revealed it to be
correspondence between FILES and JOE WEST and written material in regard to
the Kennedy assassination.”
Aside from the fact that Mr. Files gave his video-confession to Bob Vernon, in
march 1994, almost 8 months later than this interview with the FBI, HOW on
earth does a “quick review” of “correspondence between FILES and JOE WEST
and written material in regard to the Kennedy assassination”, show that “he was
interviewed and/or sought interview with the media in an effort to publicize his
recollections of the KENNEDY assassination.”??
And even if it would show that (which it does NOT of course), SO WHAT?
Maybe the FBI didn’t know that by 1992 Mr. Vernon had already injected himself into the case
and had big plans no matter what the reality. By late 1993 and on through 1997 he was pitching
the story to any media outlet that would listen. Mr. Vernon when asked about the Files’ case
could be counted on to claim as he did for Michael Sneed’s August 17, 1994 Chicago SunTimes column:
I thought good researchers try to stay away from “maybe’s” and speculations. This must have
been a one-time slip of Mr. Perry. Unless you believe what I believe: That Mr. Perry is not a
good researcher.
Now, let me choose a fragment of the report that Mr. Perry chose to ignore:
Agents asked FILES to name persons who could verify his relationship with NICOLETTI. FILES
named JERRY ESPOSITO, COSMO IASCO, DOMINICK CIMINO, RONNIE BELL, RUPI
REGO, KENNY LARRY, STEVE ANSELMO, JOE BUA and MARSHAL CAIFANO as some of
the individuals who could verify his relationship with NICOLETTI.
Please, let’s make sure we understand this: The agents ask Files for corroboration of his
association with Nicoletti. Files gives them a flurry of names, almost a dozen. He could have
named many more, like Zack Shelton for one, but the thought ten were enough. What Mr. Perry
does not know, but we do, is that at least half of these individuals were POLICE OFFICERS ! If
this were a newsgroup or forum I would add FCOL (For Crying Out Loud). In addition, most of
these people would confirm that Files was a mafia hitman, as will many others, but Mr. Perry
prefers the word “self professed” mafia hitman.
Now, perhaps Mr. Perry would like to answer the question why the FBI did not check with ANY
of these persons that Files GAVE them? Instead they chose to declare him “non-credible”.
As for the willingness to check evidence not pointing to Oswald, it appears that like little has
changed within the FBI since Mr. Hoover “solved’ the case on the day of the assassination,
when he wrote “Not necessary to cover as true subject located”. See document hereunder.
“It’s the story of the century.”
Review Of The Shelton Report
Z. SHELTON & ASSOCIATES, INC.
851-10 NORTH, SUITE 207 • BEAUMONT, TEXAS 77707 • (409) 212-9131
February 22, 2003
Mr. Robert Vernon
JFK MURDERED SOLVED - THE PROOF
2609 Coffee Tree Ct.
Antioch, CA 94509
RE:
JFK Assassination
Dear Mr. Vernon:
In my investigation of the JFK assassination, I evaluated the facts and not theories. I would like
to point out the irrefutable facts that have surfaced in my investigation that show that there was
a conspiracy to kill the president. I have addressed the events that led to the assassination, the
events of the day and the cover-up.
April - November 21, 1963
Chauncey Holt
(CIA Operative)
Approximately April of 1963 — Holt begins to produce ID’s for Lee Harvey
Oswald including all of his aliases.
June - Travels to New Orleans, LA to deliver the ID to Guy Bannister. He
is photographed by news reporters in the same picture with Oswald.
September - October - He is instructed by his handler to prepare Secret
Service Pins for the President’s trip to Dallas.
November 16 - He receives a letter from Peter Licavoli stating that Chuck
Nicoletti is at the Grace Ranch in Arizona and for him to come and drive
Nicoletti to Dallas.
November 21 - Drives Nicoletti to Dallas.
For someone claiming to have facts and not theories this has little value. Holt was the one
providing the information. There is no proof he was a “CIA operative.” Not only is Holt deceased
but his story cannot be corroborated by factual evidence.
Mr. Perry knows so little! For now, it is probably best to keep Mr. Perry reaching and producing
these grave errors like “his story cannot be corroborated by factual evidence”. That’s the risk if
you want to write a story about something you have no knowledge of.
What proof is there that Holt EVER produced ID's for anyone or that he had the ability to do so?
If Holt made fake pins, how could he know in advance which color-coded pin the Secret Service
would choose to use that day in Dallas?
We had hoped – but not expected - that the authorities receiving Mr. Shelton’s report, would
have asked us exactly the same questions, so we would get an opportunity to answer them. I
have said before that I do not believe Mr. Perry intends to engage into a constructive debate
over our evidence. Therefore I will not answer his questions here.
The photograph “by news reporters” is actually a frame blowup of WDSU-TV (New Orleans)
news footage of men handing out Oswald's leaflets WITH Oswald. All but one man was
identified. Oswald had hired them off the street. There is no evidence Holt happened to be on
the street and happened to have been hired. Incidentally, Holt bore little resemblance to the
unidentified man.
Obviously, Mr. Perry hopes that the reader will not bother to ask for his sources to base his
statement on. He hopes that it goes undetected that Mr. Holt himself was the source for this
information. Even more Mr. Perry hopes the reader will not ask him to post the said picture on
his website, along with one of Holt of 1963. He doesn’t want us to see the remarkable
resemblance. Maybe, just maybe, Mr. Perry does not even have them. What I am sure of he
does not have, is the presentation of Lois Gibson, probably the most respected forensic artist in
the world, working for the Houston Police Department and just awarded for her work by the
Guinness book of records.
Either Holt is inaccurate about the pins or SA Shelton has misreported what Holt said. If the
former is true Holt’s involvement falls into question. If the latter SA Shelton is in my opinion
guilty of sloppy work which Mr. Vernon has turned over to the authorities as factual evidence.
At this stage, I prefer to have Mr. Perry reaching with his “eithers” and “if’s “
Why not provide law enforcement with Holt’s letter from Peter Licavoli stating that Chuck
Nicoletti is in Arizona and for Holt to come and drive Nicoletti to Dallas?
Yes, why not? We are happy to do so, if the authorities would show a genuine willingness to
CHECK further on our evidence. By the way, the letter does not state that Holt should drive
Nicoletti to Dallas. The original plan was to FLY Nicoletti to Dallas, Mr. Nicoletti’s heavy
baggage prevented that. But then again, Mr. Perry has no way of knowing that, so we’ll forgive
him for that one. But Mr. Perry undoubtly knows that we have ample additional materials to back
up our evidence and that we intend to bring it to the world. The question that arises then is: Why
must Mr Perry make such a big effort of discrediting it before he has seen it all? A derivative
question is: Why does he need so many LIES to discredit the evidence that IS available to him?
Many who have reviewed the myriad interviews, memos, letters, press releases,
advertisements, and e-mails spewed forth by Mr. Vernon and his staff have noticed how the plot
changes when outside sources provide historically accurate facts that contradict the story.
I am not aware of these “many” persons. Unless you would want to call persons like Mr. Perry
“many”. Indeed and unfortunately, there are a few more persons like Mr. Perry, intentionally
polluting and obscuring the path to the truth.
Jack Ruby
(David Scheim)
September through November - Numerous out of state telephone calls are
placed by Ruby to well known Mafia figures. These calls are twenty-five
the times of the amount of calls the rest of 1963. The last week before the
assassination, he is visited by numerous well-known Mafia figures in
Dallas.
Are there telephone records that support this claim?
The unwitting reader would tend to think this question is asked with a sincere motive. However, I
think it is asked to leave the impression there are no such records. There are of course ! There
is a slight chance Mr Perry doesn’t know that, but let’s not demolish his aura of a “good
researcher”
The statistics look inflated and the language “the rest of 1963.” convoluted. Since Ruby was in
jail for the rest of 1963 he was placing little if any calls to anyone let alone “well known Mafia
figures.” For a minute let’s suppose SA Shelton meant from the beginning of the year. If Ruby
placed at total of let’s say two calls per month from January through August we have a total of
18 calls. Therefore in the three months mentioned Ruby placed 25 times 18 or 450 calls. This
averages to 150 calls per month!
Contrary to Mr. Perry, Mr Shelton stays away from “let’s suppose” .
I challenge SA Shelton to provide the names of the “numerous well-known Mafia figures” who
visited Ruby ”in Dallas” between Wednesday, November 13th and Thursday, November 21st.
Mr. Shelton advised me not to waste my time on Mr. Perry, so I’m pretty sure he will not
respond to Mr. Perry’s challenge. But maybe Mr. Perry would write about his urge to the
Attorney General of the United States or the director of the FBI, because I know for a fact that if
the challenge would come from either of these men, Mr. Shelton would be glad and honored to
respond!
Carlos Marcello
Jimmy Hoffa
Santo Traficante
(David Scheim)
Note that SA Shelton references David Scheim. Scheim is the author of the 1988 Kennedy
assassination book Contract on America. Outside of Scheim all persons mentioned so far are
deceased. There exists no official transcript of these individuals testimony confirming their
involvement in the assassination.
It is stunning to note time and again the aura authority and certainty that Mr. Perry puts in his
false statements. The greater his certainty, the greater his unpleasant surprise will be.
The “reliable Federal Sources” remain anonymous.
In the report, and for Mr. Perry at this point, they do!
Anything Scheim states even under oath can be dismissed as hearsay. Hopefully he can
produce his taped conversations if such tapes exist.
Hopefully? It is hard to believe that Mr Perry’s HOPES that our story is true. I see this as just
another sarcastic remark. In fact, I believe he KNOWS it is true.
It is true Scheim quoted from government documents. Several mob figures told of how they
would dispose of Kennedy - actually, Robert Kennedy - but we need to see Scheim’s evidence
that Mob figures were plotting to kill either Robert or John F. Kennedy.
We hoped the Justice Department would want to see the evidence too. It appears we need to
direct our hopes to the public.
James Files
Approximately six months before the assassination, Files receives word
from Chuck Nicoletti that they have a contract to kill President Kennedy.
There was a meeting at Tony Accardo’s house and present were Accardo,
Giacanna and Nicoletti. Nicoletti left the meeting and informed Files.
I have already mentioned the FBI report showing the agency believes Files is neither reliable
nor truthful.
The reader who has read that report will now know this is yet again, another shamefully FALSE
statement.
Jim Wagner
In September of 1963, a reliable informant stated that Tony Accardo sent
$100,000.00 to Mexico City to finance an operation. This comes from the
files of the FBI. Jim Wagner is a retired FBI Organized Crime Supervisor
from Chicago.
Unless Shelton can produce a sworn affidavit or testimony under oath the “reliable informant’s”
information is useless. "An" operation is not "the" operation unless there is some corroboration.
Can retired agent Wagner provide the provable link between Tony Accardo, the $100,000.00
and the John F. Kennedy assassination?
Mr. Perry is reaching again. All I will say, is that Mr. Shelton does not make a habit of making
claims he can’t backup.
November 22. 1963
Chauncey Holt
Drove Chuck Nicoletti into Dallas. According to Files, Nicoletti was one of
the three on the hit team. Holt delivers the Secret Service Pins. He drives
into the railroad yard in a white 1959 Oldsmobile Station Wagon. This is
corroborated by the testimony of Bowers. Holt was instructed to go into
Dealey Plaza and participate in an anti-Castro Demonstration and if there
was a problem, he was to report to a designated boxcar. He stated that
Dealey Plaza looked like “Old Home Week”. This meant that there was a
lot of CIA Operatives in Dealey Plaza. Files also mentioned some of the
names that he mentioned. When the shots rang out, he reported to the
boxcar as instructed and meet with Charles Harrelson and Montoya aka
Rogers. All three of these individuals were detained by the Dallas Police
Department and later released. Several photographs were taken of these
three men and they are known as the three tramps. Lois Gibson verifies
the three.
SA Shelton’s research is flawed. Bower’s testified about three cars in the area, none of them a
station wagon. The first, which he could not identify by make or model arrived at “approximately
12:10.” Bowers testified “The car proceeded in front of the School Book Depository down across
2 or 3 tracks and circled the area in front of the tower, and to the west of the tower, and, as if he
was searching for a way out, or was checking the area, and then proceeded back through the
only way he could, the same outlet he came into.” Next was “a 1957 black Ford” and finally “a
1961 or 1962 Chevrolet, four door Impala, white.” (6H 285 – 286)
Mmm, “none of them a station wagon”? Some researchers believe and caution others that you
can’t trust Warren Commission testimony transcripts. Maybe Mr. Perry just proved them right:
Mr. BALL. What was the description of that car?
Mr. BOWERS. The first car was a 1959 Oldsmobile, blue and white station wagon with out-ofState license.
Mr. BALL. Do you know what State?
Mr. BOWERS. No; I do not. I would know it, I could identify it, I think, if I looked at a list.
Mr. BALL. And, it had something else, some bumper stickers?
Mr. BOWERS. Had a bumper sticker, one of which was a Goldwater sticker, and the other of
which was of some scenic location, I think.
From: http://www.jmasland.com/testimony/dealey/bowers.htm
However, there is of course another possibillity other than this transcript being false. And that is
that NOT Mr. Shelton’s research is “flawed”, but Mr. Perry’s ! I put my bet on the last option.
Note that Chauncey Holt and Charles Nicolletti had driven the car from Arizona and that Barry
Goldwater, a senator from that state, was running for President. By the way, it’s remarkable
that Mr. Ball asks that question about the bumber sticker since Mr. Ball was one of Mr. Holt’s
CIA handlers.
At the time of the assassination, Harrelson was in a Houston restaurant with his girlfriend.
Harrelson and his brother provided this information.
Ah, Interesting ! Sources are his girlfriend and brother? Are they still alive? Maybe Mr. Shelton
could interview them.
In a May 1990 Reader’s Digest article entitled “I Just Want to Catch Crooks” Lois Gibson is
featured. “Her pictures are successful in leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects about
40% of the time – good by most estimates.” Does this mean they are unproductive 60% of the
time?
At any rate, Lois Gibson’s verification of the “three tramps” was discounted in February 1992
when Mary LaFontaine discovered the arrest records of the actual three individuals. The tramps
were Harold Doyle, John Gedney, and Gus Abrams.
Oh yes ! There they are: The famous arrest records that were “produced” in 1992, almost 30
years later, and without finger prints and mugshots of these three men. Note this was an “arrest”
in connection with the murder of the President of the United States. Maybe Mr. Perry could do
something what nobody else could untill now: Provide the public with contemporary photos from
the sixties of these three men, in order to compare them with the photos of the tramps.
At least one tabloid television show featured an interview with Dolye and Doyle, as well as, the
show’s investigators verified all three appeared in the “tramp” photographs.
Interesting again! Was the host clever enough to ask Mr. Doyle to bring a few pictures of himself
from the 1963 timeframe?
Tosh Plumlee
He states that he was a CIA pilot and flew John Roselli into Dallas on the
morning of the assassination. This flight was a military flight. Files
corroborates this when he says that Roselli arrived in Dallas on a military
aircraft.
Remember Kathryn Marvin’s May 27, 1995 posting to CompUServe’s JFK Debate forum? She
indicated that Robert “Tosh” Plumlee testified that he was the co-pilot on a “CIA supported flight
(that) was an ‘abort mission’ and that their mission was to stop the assassination attempt on
Kennedy’s life.” Shelton claims Plumlee flew Roselli into Dallas to participate in the
assassination. We now have two versions of this flight both attributed to Plumlee. One to kill the
President and one to save his life!
Where does Mr. Shelton state that Plumlee flew Roselli into Dallas “to participate in the
assassination”? Perhaps Mr. Perry sees things that I don’t?
Early on Shelton intimated he investigated this case thoroughly. If accurate, his study should
have led him to Kathryn Marvin’s CompUServe document. That document indicated that
Plumlee originally testified under oath that he was the co-pilot for a team sent to save the
President’s life. It would now appear from Shelton’s remarks that Plumlee’s story has changed.
If Shelton’s assertions are correct, Plumlee, at some point in time, knew he provided
transportation on November 22nd for at least one member of the assassination team. I can reach
but two conclusions:

Plumlee’s original statement is accurate and he lied to Shelton.

Plumlee told Shelton the truth and his testimony to the government was a lie.
Since Shelton developed evidence only supporting my second conclusion I submit it was his
duty as an FBI agent, retired or not, to arrest Plumlee for suborning perjury.
No need to address Mr. Perry’s speculation, that is based on a false statement to begin with
James Files
He states that he drove into Dealey Plaza in Nicoletti’s vehicle, a 1963
Chevy Impala Super Sport, white over maroon. He drove Roselli and
Nicoletti and parked face in, on the side of the Dal Tex Building. The
Beztner film shows the vehicle parked where Files says. Files stated he
took the head shot from the grassy knoll behind the picket fence. Where
he says he stood, the House Select Committee puts a shooter by means
of an acoustic test. Files smoked Pall Mall Cigarettes and there were the
same brand found where he says he was standing. Bowers saw an
individual by the picket fence. Files says Dealey Plaza looked like “Old
Home Week” and mentions three or four names, as did Chauncey Holt.
Files states he shot with a XP 100 Fireball with .222 Cartridges. He bit into
a .222 casing and left it at the scene. John Rademacher found a .222
casing in 1987 that had a tooth mark in it. Files stated that it was he,
Roselli, Nicoletti were the hit team that day.
James Files now contradicts his own videotaped “confession” by claiming he “parked face in, on
the side of the Dal Tex Building.”
Mr. Perry has a problem with the definition of the word quoting. Quoting means using
someone’s EXACT words, like this:
“We got to Dealey Plaza shortly before ten o'clock. From there we parked the car...it had been
drizzling rain that morning...kind of a cool morning out...I had parked the car beside the Dal-Tex
building”
To quote from MPI Home Video’s Confession of an Assassin:
“When I exited the plaza, I walked to the edge of the stockade fence, I did not walk down the
steps, I walked back over, crossed the grass to the dead end street that ends there by the
parking lot and I proceeded to, I believe that's Houston, crossed Houston, went into the DalTex parking lot (Emphasis mine). When I got into the car, Mr. Nicoletti was already in the car
and so was Johnny Roselli. I got in the car and drove away.”
Why has the story changed?
The story never changed. Files said he parked the car BESIDE the Dal-Tex buidling in a parking
lot they had there.
Because Mr. Files and Mr. Vernon know there is a Dallas Times Herald aerial photograph taken
December 4, 1963 by Squire Haskins. The photo clearly shows there was no parking lot
associated with the DAL-TEX building.
If Mr. Perry would post a bigger photo than the one he is referring to, so that we can actually
SEE there was no parking lot, then maybe he could start making a point.
And if Mr. Perry wants to point out that the story changed OVER TIME, based on new
information that Mr. Vernon supposedly learned, why does he use two quotes (one of them is
not even accurate) from ONE AND THE SAME confession, to alledgedly prove that the story
has “changed”?
In yet a third version of this episode Mr. Vernon indicated that Files parked on the East Side of
the building, but there was never a parking lot there at any time!
The Beztner film may show A vehicle, but where is the proof it is Files’ vehicle?
There is none, nor does Mr. Shelton say there is.
We now know Files smoked Pall Mall cigarettes. However, we also need to know the type of
crime scene dynamic that was used to identify the brand. Additionally, why would a twenty-one
year old professional assassin call any attention to himself by smoking and blowing smoke prior
to the assassination?
Let’s clear something else up. Holt claims he drove “a white 1959 Oldsmobile Station Wagon”
into the parking lot near Bowers’ observation point,
Wasn’t that the exact car as Bowers describes in his Warren testimony? Oh, I forgot, he did not
describe it, according to Mr. Perry.
while Files drove “a 1963 Chevy Impala Super Sport, white over maroon” near the DAL-TEX
Building. Bowers testified he saw “a 1961 or 1962 Chevrolet, four door Impala, white.” Bowers
never mentioned the color maroon so I submit that when this charade was being developed
someone mixed up the story of who drove what vehicle.
No, Bowers never mentioned a color maroon, because Bowers could never have seen the car
of Files, since it never entered the parking lot behind the picket fence. Mr. Perry is the one who
mixes up the story.
There is even more embellishment. SA Shelton claims Lee Bowers “saw an individual by the
picket fence.” That statement is incorrect. Bowers said he saw TWO GROUPS OF TWO people.
The first group was “Directly in line, towards the mouth of the underpass, (and) there were two
men.” Closer to the picket fence “There were one or two people in the area. Not in this same
vicinity. One of them was a parking lot attendant that operates a parking lot there. One or two.
Each had uniforms similar to those custodians at the courthouse. But they were some distance
back, just a slight distance back." (6H 287)
Let’s just review what Mr. Bowers said exactly, so the reader does not have to rely on Mr.
Perry’s distortions, but can decide for himself on accurate information:
Mr. BOWERS. Directly in line, towards the mouth of the underpass, there were two men. One
man, middle-aged, or slightly older, fairly heavy-set, in a white shirt, fairly dark trousers.
Another younger man, about midtwenties, in either a plaid shirt or plaid coat or jacket.
Mr. BALL.. Were they standing together or standing separately?
Mr. BOWERS. They were standing within 10 or 15 feet of each other, and gave no appearance
of being together, as far as I knew
The tests DID NOT show the shot came from Files’ purported position. The HSCA placed at
least one shot within 10 feet to the WEST of the picket fence corner. Files’ purported position is
at least 10 feet away from the HSCA’s proposed site.
The acoustics tests show the shot came EXACTLY from Files’ purported position, no matter
how badly Mr. Perry wants us to believe otherwise.
It is true that John Rademacher, a protégé of Joe West, found a .222 shell casing in 1987. What
is not mentioned is the fact that he found two .222 casings. The second casing was found in a
location where Files denied he had been. Rademacher claimed he found the shells during a
1987 “archaeological” dig in Dealey Plaza. His excavation did not use appropriate
archaeological techniques. Mr. Rademacher never used the conventional grid system to
document artifact locations. Although photographs of the dig exist they too do not follow
archaeological conventions. There is no evidence that the .222 casing with the tooth mark was
found at Files’ purported location.
It’s a relief to see Mr. Perry make a correct statement for a change: The .222 shell casing was
NOT found at Files’ purported location, but a few a yards away from it. There can be several
reasons for this discrepancy. An interesting question would be: If this were just a concocted
hoax story and Mr, Rademacher is complicit in it, as Mr. Perry seems to suggest, why did Mr.
Rademacher not locate the casing in the exact same spot where Files left it? Whether Mr.
Vernon never mentioned the second shell casing or not, I do not know. I do know there were
more shooters than Mr. Files And Mr. Nicoletti and I do know that thusfar we could not give the
second shell casing any meaning, relevance or significance in connection with the evidence
available to us. It may have been left there by another unidentified gunman, it may have been
planted at a later date for reasons unknown to us. Whatever the case, it would be speculation,
something we avoid.
Mr. Rademacher tried on several occasions to sell HIS story of the discovery of the shells to
several media outlets via “To whom it may concern letters.” Those markets were justifiably
skeptical.
To the best of my knowledge, Mr Rademacher never tried to “SELL” his “story“, and certainly
not for money. He may have tried to arouse an interest for his exiting discoveries. The word
“justifiably” is suggestive conjecture, as we are accustomed to by now from Mr. Perry.
Mr. Rademacher is a yardman, not a ballistics or photographic expert. Whatever claims he may
or may not have made in those fields of expertise (you never know with Mr. Perry) are irrelevant
to the case. All that’s matters are his discoveries of the two shell casings.
In a May 22, 1990 letter Mr. Rademacher claimed:
“I matched the head wound to the Remington 222 calibur (sic) bullet through a test done by a
law student named Howard Roffman in 1975.” Later Mr. Rademacher claims for what must be
the additional casing, “I have also matched the neck wound on JFK’s body as first seen by the
Dallas doctors to the Remington 222 bullet.” This is quite an investigative leap from someone
who did not find any bullets but only the shell casings.
He also “. . .discovered an assassin in a photo that has not been seen by any other expert.”
Coincidentally he claimed this assassin was holding a “Remington XP 100 long range target
pistol.”
It should be remembered that West had the Rademacher material available to him well before
he first met James Files in August of 1992. Additionally, the FBI during their August 8, 1993
interview of Files discovered “correspondence between FILES and JOE WEST and written
material in regard to the Kennedy assassination.”
In general experts and/or owners such as John Ritchson, Gary Younkin,
BLKCAT__X@aol.com, bill@voyager.net, and Hal Dougherty along with Remington Arms
representative Jack Heath expressed varying degrees of skepticism concerning Files’ use of the
XP-100.
Some pertinent quotes:
John Ritchson
SSGT, 499th TC USATC HG US army Class of 1969
GunSmith/Ballistician, Black eagle Gun Works
“I wish to point out that such a weapon, even with a mercury-loaded bullet does
not possess the energy sufficient to blow-out a human cranium to any degree,
much less the degree known to have occurred in the JFK kill-shot.”
That’s funny ! Because Mr. Ritchson also wrote this:
Greetings, don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying the File's scenerio is not without merit.
However, with that in mind, I have a real problem reconciling the violence of JFK's head-snap
with an impact from a bullet possessed of 540 ft/lbs of energy which is,as you are probably
aware, a fairly paltry figure compared to the larger calibers
Mr. Perry doesn’t name his source either. Could it be that he is concerned that the reader will
discover that over the course of the discussion, Mr. Ritchson’s opinion developed to this:
I found the .222 version to be quite manageable with one hand, having no more recoil than my
.44 magnum, and in a 2 handed combat stance it can thread a needle at 150 yards. Up to those
ranges, the Fireball would by a perfect choice for an assassination weapon if portability and
concealability were at issue. With Regard, John Ritchson(SSGT. 499th TC USATC HG US
Army Class of 69) (GunSmith/Ballistician,Black Eagle Gun Works) (Survivor, SE Asian Games,
11BRAVO7,Tet 1970)
And, unlike Mr. Perry, I quote my source as well:
http://groups.google.nl/groups?q=the+Fireball+would+by+a+perfect+choice++group:alt.conspira
cy.jfk.*&hl=nl&lr=&ie=UTF8&group=alt.conspiracy.jfk.*&selm=3638E749.3D3E%40worldnet.att.net&rnum=1
Gary Younkin
“The .221 Fireball is not a .222 Remington. Although it does have the same bullet
diameter as the 222, which is caliber .224. The case design and dimensions of
the 221 Fireball are far different than the 222. Therefore if Rademacher found
222 Remington shell casings they had nothing to do with a Remington 221
Fireball.”
Mr. Perry is of course well aware of the detailed explanation of James Files:
Q: What type of shell was in that Fireball that you fired...and could you tell me about the Fireball? (33)
A: The Fireball was designed basically in early '61...manufactured and produced...a few production models came
out in '61 and '62...but the barrel was too thin and they kept exploding on us...and finally they got the barrel redone, rebored to heavier...the material...and originally it went from a .221 to a .222 calibre which is nothing but a
.22 shell over exaggerated and expanded for higher velocity...what it fired was a .221 and its called the XP-100
Fireball but it took a .222 casing. Its a single shot, bolt action pistol...scope mounted on it. It's a pistol that was
actually way ahead of its time. If you was to see one, I don't know if they're going to show you a picture of one or
not, but it is a very beautiful handgun and one of the most elite pistols I believe ever manufactured...although a
lot of your people like .44 magnums and everything else.....and 357s....at this point I prefer a smaller calibre for
something like that because at 100 yards the gun is very effective. 'Cause most people take a pistol to be only good
for 30-40 feet and something you would use in a room but a Remington Fireball is more of a modified cutdown
rifle.
Q: It shoots a regular shell...?
A: .222, it's a lot longer than your average .22 round that you put into a .22 rifle...and it's a special casing and
you can not fire this through a .22 rifle...through a .22 calibre.
Q: .Now correct me if I'm wrong...the Remington Fireball XP-100 will fire both .221s and .222s?
A: Yes, they will...
Q: It takes some sort of modification though to fire a .222, what exactly does it take?
A: The barrel had to be reinforced...if you didn't have the barrel reinforced the barrel would....could possibly
blow up in your face...
Q: Did you shoot a regular shell in it or was it some sort of loaded or modified shell...?
A: I shot a .222 with a mercury load in it.(34) We used a mercury load...the .222 was designed to fragmentate...but
what a lot of people didn't realize at that time because the gun was still an early production model and didn't go
on sale to the public until 1963...but the .222 had a habit...it would ricochet if it didn't get a direct hit...and we
couldn't afford for something to ricochet...so that was why I...a friend of mine had made special rounds for me at
that time and I had taken six rounds with me down there...whoever you hit at...if you've got any type of bone
structure, the round would fragmentate and explode and the round would be traveling at approximately about
3100 feet per second...which meant you would get penetration and explosion...but without the mercury load and I
did not get a direct hit...there is a strong possibility it would ricochet and I would not have time to reload and fire
a second shot
BLKCAT__X@aol.com
“Sir, Your observations as to the killing were most interesting. I feel I must point
out that the development and marketing of the Remington handgun xp-100
occurred in 1964. It was chambered in 221 fireball, not the Rem. 222.”
bill@voyager.net
“Hit you site by chance today - I read the information on the XP-100 theory with
great interest. I own, and have since 1963, a REM XP-100 (the first a 221
Fireball and the second a 223 Swift). I can tell you from experience anyone within
20 to 30 feet in front of the XP-100 when it is fired would never forget the event
and would likely be deaf for a few minutes. It surprises me that anyone would
believe this story to begin with.”
Hal Dougherty
“(I believe) the .221 could be the murder weapon. However, it’s so loud, due to
the short barrel that any one shooting one on the knoll would have been spotted
pretty quick.”
The above gentlemen may well be correct about the loudness of the gun:
Dealey Plaza witness Mary Woodward:
"There was a horrible ear-shattering noise, coming from behind us and a little to the right."
Meaning the grassy knoll. Not surpisingly, she was not called to testify before the Warren
Commission.
(Dallas Morning News, Nov. 23, 1963, p. 1, also Mark Lane, RUSH TO JUDGMENT, p. 41)
Hal references the original .221 rather than Files “modified” .222 (see Jack Heath’s note below)
Jack Heath
Remington Arms historian
“No production models of the XP-100 were shipped in 1961/1962. Files may
have gotten some of this information from a gun catalog but the catalogs aren’t
always correct you know. The gun was specifically chambered for the .221
Fireball. You cannot chamber or put a .222 Remington cartridge in a .221
chambered firearm.”
It seems that Jack Heath should be made aware of the above quoted explanation of James
Files , as well as of another statement by Mr. Ritchson:
I can see why the spooks would be interested in this weapon. Portability, accuracy,
concealibility, all would make this a good choice for an assassination weapon under certain
circumstances
Once revealed this may be the reason Vernon claimed Files’ had the XP-100 re-chambered to
accept the .222. However, it does not explain why Rademacher’s documentation was altered.
Note in the Rademacher document shown below my arrow pointing to the modification of the
last number in .221 to .222.
Is Mr. Perry is suggesting that the purported alteration was made by Mr. Rademacher? If he
wants to accuse us of being hoaxes, he sure doesn’t give us any credit for being good ones. Or
is he suggesting that Mr. Vernon coached Files to make his story fit the .222 shell casing found
by Rademacher? Mr. Perry should be more specific.
Additional problems with the story concerning Files’ use of the XP-100 and Mr. Rademacher’s
map showing the location of the second shell can be found at my web site in the article, That
Pesky XP-100.
It has already been pointed out that the shell casing was found a few yards away from the
location where Files says he left it. If Mr. Perry likes to see that as a problem, then why was this
problem “created”? Why did Mr. Vernon not simply “coach” Files to say that he left it where the
casing was found? And why did Mr. Vernon not “coach” Files to invent an explanation for the
second shell casing?
Joe Granata
He states that Chuck Nicoletti told him on two occasions in the early
seventies that he (Nicoletti), John Roselli, Sutton (Files) and Marshall
Caifano were the hit team in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963.
Granata is deceased.
Mr. Perry would like to see that all of our witnesses are deceased. He already offered an
apology if it turned out that Mr. Granata is alive and kicking. Well, I happen to know that Mr.
Granata is probably the last person waiting for such an apology from Mr. Perry. And I am
probably the second last. Mr. Granata has a reputation for being a reliable FBI informant and is
in the witness protection program, usually not a program to protect non credible witnesses. I
don’t see any point in enlightening Mr. Perry any further, but he can put his apology where the
sun doesn’t shine.
Mr. Perry will NEVER make an apology anyway, mark my words. That is not his job. His job is
to surpress and distort any credible evidence that points to any other culprits than Lee Harvey
Oswald, under the disguise that he does not dismiss the possibility of a conspiracy. And if he
DOES make an apology, he will prove me wrong for the first time. It would not surprise me if
his headline would be: “I proved Wim Dankbaar wrong! “ Much in the style of “Only three days
and Wim Dankbaar flees the scene!” Not that I care about any of that, but it is worthwhile to note
that I informed Mr. Perry that I WILL address his false claims, yet he chose to leave the headline
in tact. That is Mr. Perry’s style at its best ! I believe people should ask a highly relevant
question – what IS Mr. Perry’s true agenda here? And if our story is so obviously untrue, why
does he care so much? If he wants to blow the lid off our purported hoax, he could make an
effort of finding the man who according to Files killed officer J..D. Tippit, whose identity is not
disclosed by Files as the man is still alive. But his picture is right here:
http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/tip.htm
If Mr. Perry would be succesful in locating the man, first of all, I will thank Mr. Perry. Secondly, I
think he will be a great ally for Mr. Perry, for if Files is lying he will gladly say so. Frankly, I don’t
see why this man, or anyone close to him, has not come forward to say so.
Bill Bonano
He states in “Bound By Honor” that Roselli confessed to him about killing
Kennedy and there were four people on the hit team.
If Roselli did indeed confess to Bonano, Vernon’s representatives are still faced with hearsay
testimony from Bonano. Who will be willing to accept a deceased individual’s uncorroborated
statement?
Chuck Giancana
He states in “Double Cross” that Roselli was in on the hit of Kennedy and
that some individuals involved in the hit are still “lingering behind bars”.
How does one go about proving “that some individuals involved in the hit are still ‘lingering
behind bars’” is a specific reference to Mr. Files?
Zapruder Film
This film clearly shows Kennedy’s head violently pushed to the left rear
when the headshot occurred. This gives evidence that the shot came from
the right front.
Although the film shows the violent movement of Kennedy’s head there are differing opinions
from qualified experts as to the cause. Therefore the claim that head movement “gives evidence
that the shot came from the right front.” is incorrect.
Oh yes, I forgot the Warren Commission’s flawed explanation of a neuro-spinal reaction does
not contradict the known evidence and is much more acceptable than what common sense and
the laws of physics dictate.
House Select
Committee
The Acoustic Test proved that there was a shot from the grassy knoll and
came from the exact spot where Files says he was standing.
The Acoustics Tests DID NOT show the shot came from Files’ purported position. As stated
above, the HSCA placed at least one shot within 10 feet to the WEST of the picket fence corner.
Files’ purported position is at least 10 feet away from the HSCA’s proposed site.
The acoustics tests show the shot came EXACTLY from Files’ purported position, how badly Mr.
Perry wants us to believe otherwise.
The Irrefutable Testimony of
Holt, Plumlee and Files
This testimony corroborates each individual’s testimony.
There is no way each individual knows what the other person
has said or is going to say and they all say the same thing.
I cannot believe any Special Agent, active or retired, would even consider using the term
“irrefutable.” Why didn’t he provide this documented testimony to the US Attorney General? I for
one don’t believe such testimony exists.
There is so much demonstrable evidence that Mr. Perry “cannot believe” or just refuses to
accept, because he loses himself in his false assumptions. As for the documented testimony,
Mr. Shelton would be glad to make it available to the US Attorney General or any other proper
authority, and part of it is already available at www.jfkmurdersolved.com. Most of the
testimonies are not only documented, but videotaped as well.
Witnesses in Dealey Plaza
The majority of the witnesses in the Plaza say there were
shots from the grassy knoll.
The overwhelming majority of witnesses in Dealey Plaza who expressed an opinion pinpointed
the Texas School Book Depository as the source of the shots. I would like to see the supporting
documentation from a qualified expert as opposed to quotes from Kennedy assassination
books.
Maybe Mr. Perry should finally start reading the Warren Report, the documents of the HSCA,
along with the witness testimonies during the Jim Garrison trial. At least he’s not discounting the
acoustic tests, but then again, that would blow his cover of relying on scientific evidence.
This is a case of providing questionable evidence from the work of carefully selected sources
and/or researchers.
The Mary Moorman
Photograph
At the exact same spot where Files said he shot and the
HSCA said the shooter was, is a figure in the photograph
behind the picket fence.
As stated above, the HSCA placed at least one shot within 10 feet to the WEST of the picket
fence corner. Files’ purported position is at least 10 feet away from the HSCA’s proposed site.
The acoustics tests show the shot came EXACTLY from Files’ purported position, no matter
how badly Mr. Perry wants us to believe otherwise.
The figure referred to is a shape, a real object that is not at that location in later pictures. Until
we see scientific documentation that the shape is a person, this claim remains misleading. Even
if the shape turns out to be a person there is no evidence supporting the contention that the
person is James Files.
Additionally, this figure has been labeled “Badgeman” because it appears the figure is wearing
some form of uniform with a badge. At no time has Files indicated he wore any type of uniform
with an object that looks like a badge affixed.
If this was not a serious issue, it might be almost funny. Instead it is rather sad to see how
many blunders Mr. Perry continues to make. The figure in the Moorman picture has NOTHING
to do with the so called “Badgeman” that many researchers like to see. Nor is it in the same
location. The figure is the shape of a fedora hat, that Files says he was wearing that day.
If Mr. Perry had bothered to study our website, and viewed additional credible sources with an
open mind, he would have learned that here:
http://www.jfkmurdersolved.com/thefedora.htm
As for Mr. Perry’s statement that the figure is not at that location in later pictures, if he thinks a
gunman would calmly stay were he is, we have just discovered Mr. Perry;s sense of logic.
Since we have now seen the loose sands and numerous false claims (others would call it LIES)
that Mr. Perry builds his “case“ on, I won’t bother addressing his so called “conclusion”. It’s the
roof on a house that is going to collapse.
Mr. Perry may believe (or profess to believe while knowing otherwise) that most of our
witnesses and participants are dead. Even if that were the case, it may be too late for justice,
but it’s never too late for the truth. I will yet have to see that Mr. Perry has the courage to post
my response unedited and in full on his website as he indicated.
He will probably wait to invent a hasty and further distortive response. To which I will probably
not react. Mr. Perry was offended by my flawed comparison of him to a stalker. Well, maybe I
should refine it by comparing Mr. Perry with a “terminator”, programmed for a mission. He will
just not stop! No matter what you do to him. In that regard, Mr. Perry is likely to think at this
point: “I’ll be back”.
Anyone who wants a reaction to his nonsense, can reach me at info@jfkmurdersolved.com.
Sincerely,
Wim Dankbaar.