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On the Trail of the Assassins: My Investigation and Prosecution of the Murder of President Kennedy

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There was abuse of power involved in this case, but it wasn't by Jim Garrison as some people would have you believe. The government's pursuit of various trumped up charges against Garrison, after the failed Clay Shaw trial, was an egregious abuse of governmental power against its citizens, in this case against Garrison. This occurred under President Nixon and was basically an extension of the abuses associated with Watergate. The discussion in the book of Garrison's experiences in this regard is a reminder of the fragile state of our freedoms. As for the heart of the book, the discussion of the conspiracy to kill Kennedy, Garrison covers a lot of ground. Appropriately, he focuses key parts of the discussion on Guy Banister. It was apparently out of Banister's office that Oswald seems to have been working in August 1963, when the conspirators set Oswald up, such that when a pro-Castro sympathizer (ie. Oswald) would get arrested in the case, they could argue for their long-sought war against Cuba. Garrison may not have been correct in everything he said, but he makes a strong case in this book that he was on the right track. He was undertaking a difficult job in resolving such a complex case, but the job was made much more difficult by the killing of witnesses and the penetration of his investigation by those seeking to obstruct justice. Up until now, the conspirators have won. Maybe if enough people read this book and demand justice, tomorrow will be different.

This is the chronicle of the experiences of his investigation into the murder of President Kennedy. At first, most people believed in a "lone gunman", but too many facts and witnesses changed people's opinions. The revelations created the House Select Committee on Assassinations (1976-79) whose conclusion was more than one shooter, and a conspiracy. There were a number of books written afterwards. But when Jim Garrison began his investigation the US government and the major media came down hard on him (p.xv).

On 11/22/1963 Guy Banister pistol whipped his associate Jack Martin, who then told Assistant DA Herman Kohlman that David Ferrie had made a quick trip to Texas that Friday (p.7). DA Jim Garrison ordered Ferrie jailed for questioning by the FBI. His doubts about the case began after a talk with Senator Russell Long in 1966 (p.13). JG found the Warren Report to be "disorganized and confused" (p.15). Page 25 tells how Lee H Oswald acted as an agent provocateur in New Orleans for Guy Banister.

In 1966 JG started to re-investigate the case (Chapter 3). In Chapter 4, JG compares the real Oswald to the Warren Commission caricature. Oswald had the character for an intelligence recruit: a military family, close-mouthed by nature, above average in intelligence (p.47). All the facts of his life say Oswald worked for a government agency (p.55). Pages 101-3 tell of the original route for the Presidential motorcade, but not who had it changed. Pages 110-2 shows their detective work on a telephone call. Page 115 shows use of the "red book" (lists individuals by addresses). JG tells what he accomplished as DA of New Orleans (p.128).

Chapter 13 tells of "The Assault" on his investigation by the corporate media (p.161). Page 167 tells of the witness tampering by NBC. The criminals who testified for NBC later took the Fifth, and a contempt conviction, rather than repeat their stories under oath (p.170). JG's staff was infiltrated by the CIA (p.179). Extraditions and subpoenas were returned without action. Chapter 15 explains why Oswald did not kill Officer Tippit: he didn't match the description, there was a problem with the shells (pp.198-202). In telling about his appearance on the Johnny Carson show, JG wonders why the NY media industry was "so allergic to the very concept of conspiracy" (p.214).

Chapter 18 has his history of the trial of Clay Shaw. The autopsy testimony is on pages 246-249; were these errors deliberate, or due to incompetence? The jurors agreed that JFK was killed as the result of a conspiracy (p.251). The prosecution of Clay Shaw for perjury was stopped, in violation of Federal law (p.253). Then Jim Garrison won re-election as district attorney. Two years later the IRS arrested him on allegations of gambling pay-offs. One example of the desperate tricks used is on pages 259-260. Pages 265-270 tell how the case against JG was forged. But the trial derailed his re-election campaign, and he lost. Chapter 20 has a retrospection on the history of those times. JG believes the JFK assassination was to continue the Cold War and spending by the military-industrial complex (p.277). He discusses the various theories of who was behind the conspiracy. JG believes it came from within the CIA, with civilian help; just like Contragate (p.290). Page 293 suggests to me that Richard Condon's "Winter Kills" is a symbolic solution to why JFK was killed.

Jim Garrison's powerful book, "On the Trail of the Assassins," is important reading. In it, Garrison recounts his investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and a possible cover-up of the real facts of the case. It questions the validity of the Warren Commission Report, and provides startling evidence that the Central Intelligence Agency may have been involved, and that Kennedy's assassination was a coup d'etat. The evidence Garrison presents leaves little room for doubt.
If there wasn't a conspiracy involved to assassinate Kennedy, then why does the U.S. government, OUR government, withold information in connection to the assassination? I think that we have a right to know who killed Kennedy, why he was killed, and who benefitted.
"On the Trail of the Assassins" is a superb book. A great resource for those new to the conspiracy theories, and a great companion piece to Oliver Stone's "JFK." Grade: A+

Jim Garrison presents a very readable, seemingly well-documented and familiar story (to any that have seen the movie JFK) about the conspiracy that assassinated JFK. This story is very tragic, and quite depressing to contemplate as being true. Many readers will be so outraged by Garrison's conclusions, that they will deny the possibility that it could be true. They will accept a common perception that Garrison is a somewhat deranged, publicity-seeking nut, and refuse to look further into what might the real story of this book, one that has significant relevance today.

After reading On the Trail of the Assassins--and, at about the same time, the excellent, perhaps even more depressing Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam and the Pentagon Papers by Daniel Ellsberg--I decided I had to read the other side's story about JFK's assassination. The best choice seemed to be Case Closed by Gerald Posner.

Three important issue rose out of the muddy waters of these readings.

1) I came away very confused about the assassination of JFK: the physical evidence in this monumental turning point in American politics was so poorly documented and so grossly mismanaged that we may never really find out what happened.

2) Worries about our government were revived, specifically our ability to control our federal agencies like the CIA and FBI. Memories of Watergate and the Nixon presidency came back, and all the revelations that arose from that debacle in our not-too-distant past.

3) A realization crystallized, especially from reading Garrison's and Posner's books, that it may have become impossible for the average person (one not willing to spent a fraction of one's lifetime looking in detail into this issue) to judge whom to believe, and what is credible. Posner's book, in particular, appears to be very well documented, but has significant omissions in a number of areas that one presumes must not have supported Posner's thesis.

The truth about JFK's assassination, forty years after the fact, seems to becoming a historical essay in confusion: either serious blundering by a large number of people occurred, or a conspiracy killed the president and worked to cover-up the truth. The truth here is important. But is it attainable?

The apparent inability for average people to determine the truth and relevance of major book, media and internet offerings is very significant in today's society. Garrison's and Posner's books only clarify how big the problem is, but do not offer assistance otherwise in resolving this new, 21st century problem.

The most relevant issue that we can do something about, with the understanding that comes from JFK's assassination, is the concern about our government and proper oversight and control of it's agencies. This concern is ever so important right now, with the current degradation of our personal freedoms, and the great strengthening of the agencies that were (hopefully) better controlled following Watergate.

Garrison presents a very readable and compelling story. No doubt, it is one that is hard to accept from many points of view. The conspiracy he suggests would have had to be quite large. Are the public and media at the mercy of their inner desires to just not believe it to be possible? Could local police agencies and the FBI get caught up in a cover-up for reasons other than the murder of a popular, bright, revolutionary, and, in important circles, hated president? Perhaps.

The truth of JFK's assassination seems secondary at this time. The possibilities Garrison and other conspiracy "buffs" (as Posner coins them) suggest, and that Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers clearly show, are the true story worth reading. The public's desire for the good ending, the honorable society, and the hindrance of dissenting opinions requires balance: Garrison provides some here.

Although there have been many accounts of the murder of John F. Kennedy, this book really starts a person to wondering. Just who really in the government was actually involved. I think that this book tells America want they didn't want to know. After reading this book and watch the movie several times, I don't think that Jim Garrison was a crazy madman bent on revenge for Kennedy's assassination. Here was a man for some unknown reason, maybe just fate, who decided to take on everyone. He risk his family and career.
Jim Garrison's ascertainment, the CIA, Military Intelligence, the FBI, the Mafia and the Secret Service all had a hand in this murder. While I don't believe that all of these were involved, I do believe after reading this book and seeing the movie that there were some areas of the Government that were involved. This book goes in to great detail about certain events that happened before, during and after the assassination that just can't be ignored.
While Kennedy might not have been the greatest President, he at least understood what a war with Russia, Cuba or North Vietnam would have done to this country. It seems that the Military leaders and the Vice-President had other thoughts in mind...This book paints a picture from the beginning stages to the final closing of the Warren Commission's findings.
In closing it seems that when Kennedy made that trip to Dallas all of the plans that the rebel factions of the government had laid out were going to be played out. This would prove who ran this country at that time in history. This book is a good one. Every American should read it.

Jim Garrison is one of the few men with the courage and straightness necessary for telling the truth about a dangerous issue. In this book he gives real , dependable and easily checkable evidence that prooves his case beyond doubt .Indeed ,contrary to common belief ,there are very strict and prooved evidence elements that shows clearly what Mr. garrison tells us to be correct. Like,for exemple, the senate commitee report that says that it has been prooven by expert reports that President Kennedy has been shot from at least two different places by at least two different persons at the same time.Which,of course buried forever the 'theory' that Lee Harvey Osvald was the lone assasin (theory still held strongly by Time magazine). Jim Garrison was a good and methodical D.A. His book is written in a clean and pleasurable technic .Gives better! excitement than most books I read.

I only saw JFK on tv a couple of months ago. I heard that it was controversial and so decided to do some investigation to see if the facts in the film held up. After reading several books from different sides and looking just at the evidence that both sides agree on I can't see how anyone can seriously doubt Jim Garrison's account of the mysterious goings-on surrounding the murder.
But it is amazing than even today there are propagandists who try to perpetrate Jim Garrison as a mentally sick man. It is documented that the CIA/FBI have many links to jounralists/authors with the aim of providing a distorted version of the events.
Read this book for yourself, see if Jim Garrison appears to be a sick, powerhungry self publicist or someone on the wrong end of a well-planned conspiracy by the most powerful organisations in America.

Garrison was on the Right Track. recently declassified documents, reveal alot more to the story than we suspected. now we know that Shaw was a CIA Contract Agent who reported from 1948-56 on the psych profiles of international leaders and business people. in addition, David Ferrie who also worked for the Agency was prepping UDT units all ready for the Bay of Pigs invasion. lastly, the CIA had trained agents posed as Journalists infiltraing Garrison's office stealing files. Walter Sheridan used very questionable tactics to smear Garrison. when Earl Warren was fighting for the case of Brown vs. the Board of Education, Sheridan used those same tactics to smear the witnesses by bribing them etc. in general, Garrison is admired for his Courage and Determination to present the truth to the Amercian Public. dont believe books like "False Witness" because they are just regurgitating the same old bad rumors about the late Jim Garrison that was promoted by the ever Corrupt Media and the Staff Members who betrayed him.

The film JFK was based largely on Jim Garrison's book. Reading the book takes the more sensational elements of the movie out and replaces them with overwhelming evidence (especially as time has gone on) that a government conspiracy involving the CIA and the FBI killed JFK. Kennedy was going to end the war in Vietnam in the very early stages and end the Cold War. The military industrial complex, which Dwight D. Eisenhower warned the country about in his farewell speech to the Union, was going bankrupt and they needed a war. The CIA had lots of experience in assassination in foreign countries and the FBI could cover up the real facts of the asassination. Jim Garrison's book lays out the connections between these organizations. Were it not for the untimely and suspicious demise of David Ferry, Garrison's case against Clay Shaw would have proved the initial connections between the CIA and Jack Ruby, Lee Harvey Oswald and the assassination of JFK. This is a must read. Our government was co-opted and the all the wars and corporate government are the result. What is past is prologue.

This book was as exciting as a book can get. It was full of mystery and intrigue. I couldn't put it down and devoured it with a full schedule of college work to be completed in just a few days. For anyone who doesn't buy the Warren Report's "magic" bullet theory, this is the book to buy!

I've admired Jim Garrison for the majority of my life. He was the only man that ever brought anyone to trial for the murder of JFK. The movie JFK was based on this book primarily. Many of the quotes in the movie are taken from this book verbatim. What I enjoyed most about it is the way that Garrison put the plot together. I often imagine how difficult doing so must have been for him during the time that no one had a clue as to what had really happened to President Kennedy.

I loved Garrison sense of humor. I loved the fact that he spoke very matter-of-factly yet respectfully of the horrific men who were responsible for the murder of JFK and even the FBI that took him to trial on trumped up charges. Though Clay Shaw and Dave Ferry were homosexuals, Garrison never once mentioned this in his book. Though this book is a statement of what he deemed to be true in opposition to the Warren Report, Garrison simply wrote the facts that he'd found for the first dozen or so chapters, allowing the reader to be able to connect the dots as he reads. The book has pictures as well of the "magic" bullet, the "policemen" taking away the "tramps," and, of course, of Mr. Garrison himself.

Get this book if you have any interest in JFK or injustice. Get this book if you want a page-turner. Just get this book!!! :)