Customer Reviews

Treachery in Dallas

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This is an interesting book, in which the author provides an fresh perspective on what happened in Dealey Plaza, in 1963. Some of the extrapolations fail to recognize the distinction between conspiracy and forensic competence. It is interesting to note that the annual report (not mentioned by the author) of the Dallas Police Department for 1963 makes no mention of one of the most momentous occurrences in history. As a law enforcement officer, I can readily identify short comings, in the way Dallas PD handled the enquiry. It is not every day that officers have to deal with an incident of world interest and prominence. The fact that not everything went according to plan is hardly surprising. Whilst I do not judge the way in which the enquiry was handled, it is not the case that lack of forensic certainty and conspiracy are the same thing. I would have preferred the author to provide more forensic detail about the rifle found in the TSBD and the weapon allegedly used to shoot the President: where they the same; what, forensically, can be shown about the magic bullet and its relationship to the'TSBD' weapon? Similarly, the book would have benefitted from more detail about the weapon with which Tippit was shot. In both cases, a link to Oswald or otherwise would have enhanced the forensic examination provided by the author, which, generally, is of a good standard. Finally, do we ever bottom the Hidell/Oswald dilemma? I am unsure that we do truly unearth the actual relevance. Over all, this is one of the best books that I have read, dealing with the assassination of the President

Walt Brown is a former special agent of the Justice Department, and has a Ph.D. in American History. The 'Acknowledgments' thank the many who helped him. The 'Prologue' summarizes the assassination of JFK. Brown ways this coup d' etat was done by and for the "financial elite and intelligence community" to remove a threat to their interests (p.6). An end to nuclear testing and the Cold War threatened the profits of the military-industrial complex. The intelligence community used their allies in organized crime to effect this murder (p.7). LBJ and J. Edgar Hoover cooperated for their self-interest. Dallas was the perfect location for this operation (p.8). Brown explains who had the motive, means, and opportunity to control and effect this operation: the local police (pp.9-10). The Warren Commission was created and controlled by LBJ, it only saw the evidence that was approved by J. Edgar Hoover (p.10).

This book is divided into five sections. "Theories" will present the major conspiracy theories and analyze them. "Blue Death" will detail the events that point to important Dallas police officials. "Red Patsy" will examine the career of Lee Harvey Oswald. "White Lies" discusses the cover-up of the Warren Commission. "Hypothesis" will try to make sense of it all to the reader. No single book can answer all the unsolved questions and arrive at the ultimate truth (p.14). Future researchers will have their answers. "Table 2" lists the suspects who could plan that assassination, carry it out, then cover it up (p.345). The "Select Bibliography" lists a number of books by authors. There is no rating or summary for any of them. After 44 years public opinion does not believe it was a lone gunman. Do you?

On page 85 Brown mentions some of the people who were in the "pilot car". "Since no innocent explanation has been offered for these presences, one can only place a sinister interpretation on them." This breaks some laws of logic! Book One Chapter 5 has interesting comments on the shooting of policeman J. D. Tippit. (There were 3 Dallas policemen named "Tippit" then.) The stories about a "second Oswald" could be explained by a look-alike (p.243). The "Hypothesis" chapter provides a summary of this book. Its interesting reading even if you don't believe all of it. From the time of the assassination to J. Edgar Hoover's death the Dallas police were banned from FBI training facilities (p.333). Brown contrasts the shots that killed JFK and RFK (p.334). [This 1995 book cannot discuss the accidental death of JFK Jr after he decided to run for the Senate in 1999. The October 2000 issue of 'Flying' magazine discusses the findings.] The 'Epilogue' says this is "the best logical deductions to be made from available source material" (p.337). Brown discusses the "bag pistol" found near the TSBD (p.339). Another plant? The Appendices 1,2,3 analyze the 488 witnesses who gave testimony to the Warren Commission. Brown lists the 200 witnesses who were not called before the Warren Commission (pp.381-389).

I have read many books on the JFK Assassination and this one by Walt Brown is at the top of the list in my favorites!very well written and researched!!

Walt Brown can write rather well. In fact he makes a good story teller ! I soon realised this book was going way off the line when grandiose conspiracy theories started falling off the pages from almost the word go. Its a pity because Brown has a wide knowledge of the subject matter and clearly has a legal flair - see his book "The People versus Lee Harvey Oswald", but this book is so full of conjecture and utter myth it is difficult to recommend. Why do people write books like this when they have clear talent ? I expect it is to make money and get on the conspiracy bandwagon. So, very much a pro conspiracy stance - hugely exaggerated in its conclusions in my opinion and I would suggest Anthony Summers "Not in your lifetime" to be a better work on the conspiracy side of the fence. In my opinion this subject is starting to run its course and may indeed be put to rest by the forthcoming Vincent Bugliosi book "Reclaiming History". Lee Harvey Oswald, with a gun from the Texas School Book Depository after all !