General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Who was responsible for the JFK conspiracy theories? [View all]thucythucy
(8,559 posts)If it had done its job and protected Oswald, there presumably would have been a trial, with competent defense counsel, able to cross-examine witnesses and question any and all evidence presented by the prosecution.
In such a case, the world's media would have covered the trial from beginning to end. A jury of twelve responsible citizens would have judged the evidence, and a verdict would have been rendered. If Oswald was indeed the lone shooter (which I believe was the case) the evidence presented would have been convincing, and most conspiracy theories would have been laid to rest (in an event like this there will always but a few conspiracy fanatics--FDR bombed Pearl Harbor, Obama is Muslim etc.).
Instead, the handling of Oswald during the time he was in custody was calculated to provide the Dallas chief of police with maximum publicity (for instance, press conferences at which Oswald was paraded to the media and security was practically nil). Instead of moving him in the early morning--as was recommended by the FBI--the DPD decided to move him during Sunday late morning--with all the cameras rolling--one last chance to strut their stuff before the world. As a result, an unhinged person with a gun was able to slip into the crowd, kill the suspect, and throw the whole process into chaos.
Props should also go to the CIA and FBI for concealing pertinent information--for instance the details of CIA plots to kill Castro, the destruction of a note Oswald wrote to the FBI threatening retribution for harassing his wife. This wouldn't have changed the conclusions, and I think it was mostly an exercise in CYA by the various entities, but when it was revealed that SOME evidence was concealed, it threw the entire investigation into question.
Sad sad time for this nation.