JFK

In 1967, New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison began an investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, which shocked the nation and left behind a trail of unanswered questions. Garrison's investigation would become a groundbreaking, yet contentious inquiry that would challenge the official narrative of the Warren Commission and raise suspicions about the possible involvement of powerful forces. Born on September 20, 1921, in Arnaudville, Louisiana, Jim Garrison was a dedicated public servant and advocate for justice. After serving in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II, he attended Tulane Law School and began his career as a prosecutor in New Orleans. Garrison's expertise in handling high-profile cases earned him a reputation as a skilled and determined investigator. On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy, along with Texas Governor John Connally, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in an open-top car in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The events that unfolded that day sent the nation into a state of shock and grief, with Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson quickly ascending to the presidency. In the aftermath, the Warren Commission was established by President Johnson to investigate the assassination and provide a definitive account. The Warren Commission, formally known as the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, was led by Chief Justice Earl Warren and composed of prominent figures such as the CIA's Allen Dulles and the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover. The commission produced a 469-page report in September 1964, concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in shooting the president from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository building. However, doubts had begun to emerge regarding the commission's findings, and many questions remained unanswered. In New Orleans, District Attorney Jim Garrison became increasingly interested in the Kennedy assassination and began his own investigation. He was particularly concerned about a possible conspiracy involving the CIA and other government agencies. Garrison's investigation focused on Clay Shaw, a businessman with alleged ties to the CIA and organized crime. Shaw was accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate President Kennedy, with possible connections to Lee Harvey Oswald. Through extensive research and interviews, Garrison sought to establish a direct link between Shaw and the CIA, which he believed was involved in a larger conspiracy to silence Kennedy. As Garrison's investigation gained momentum, he encountered fierce resistance from government officials, law enforcement agencies, and even the CIA. He faced intense scrutiny and backhanded criticism from the media, which made it increasingly difficult for him to secure the evidence he needed to build a strong case against Shaw and the alleged conspirators. Meanwhile, Oliver Stone, a young and ambitious filmmaker, was also becoming increasingly fascinated with the Kennedy assassination. A graduate of New York University's film school, Stone had long been interested in the subject, and his research had only deepened his conviction that the Warren Commission's findings were incomplete and misleading. Stone was particularly intrigued by Garrison's investigation, which he believed captured the essence of the Kennedy assassination and the enduring doubts about the official narrative. He saw an ideal subject for his next film, a biographical drama that would recreate the events surrounding the Kennedy assassination and raise questions about the roles of key players involved. Filming on the movie "JFK" began in April 1991, starring Kevin Costner in the title role of Jim Garrison and Judy Davis as his wife, Liz Garrison. The cast also included Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw, Greg Gutfeld as Secret Service Agent Richard Ford, and Jay A. Harrison as Father Charles Nolan. Supporting actors included Gary Kroll as D.A. Barry Kramer and Donald Carpenter as D.A. Thomas Stanford. Oliver Stone's film told the story of Garrison's investigation, depicting a larger conspiracy involving government officials, organized crime syndicates, and individuals like Clay Shaw. Stone delved deeper into the backchannels and seedy alleys where cover-ups were allegedly orchestrated to silence a powerful president. Throughout the film, clues, revelations, and suspense lead the viewer to question the legitimacy of the official narrative and share Garrison's conviction that a fuller truth lay hidden. The movie explored themes of loyalty, nation-building, and abuse of power as it laid out a scenario where U.S. intelligence and organized crime syndicates secretly decided to kill Kennedy, an unpredictable leader whose increasing attempts to initiate more aggressive peace diplomacy had endangered their business and empire-building. Garrison described the truth as elusive, describing it in terms of his "whole self-same doubts: just a nagging, gnawing sense of an incredible cover-up." This sense of nagging doubt drove Garrison to uncover everything about the murder, ultimately reaching convictions of guilty pleas for Jim Garrison against the individuals in his probe – all charges of the murder charge against Clay Shaugh they ultimately got later overthrown by the appellate court – with Clayton Oliver as the plaintiff for testimony from the prosecutor’s assistant against New Orleans State Courts showing State witness as likely suspect “Oswald could not kill Kennedy by himself," he declared, adding "It is much, much deeper than Oswald"