Dick Russell claims that Richard Case Nagell went to Cuba in 1963. He wasn't sure when, but it was before September. Here is what he wrote: (page 429 in the first edition of The Man Who Knew Too Much)
"It appears that Nagell then made a journey from Mexico to Cuba. Except to admit having made what he calls an "unauthorized trip," Nagell has said only that it took place before September 1963. Ricard von Kleist's correspondence with attorney Fensterwald told of Nagell having traveled to Cuba from Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, in the fishing boat partially owned by the Hotel Luma's bartender, Franz Waehuf. "This is and was known by J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI," von Kleist reported.
Nagell indicated to me that he met personally with Fidel Castro, apparently to inform the Cuban premier of what was transpiring -- a "domestic-inspired, domestic-formulated, and domestic-sponsored" plot to assassinate Kennedy, where the intent was to make it look like Castro had engineered it. "Cuban authorities had been informed of his [Oswald's] association with anti-Castro elements (posing as pro-Castro agents) in the USA before September 1963," Nagell has written. During one interview, when I asked him whether Castro ever knew what was going on, Nagell replied: "That's a loaded question."
In a footnote on page 773 Russell noted:
"RCN on Castro: At our May 19, 1978, interview, RCN mentioned that should I ever go to Cuba, Castro was an excellent Ping-Pong player -- "and he'll play you, too." He added that I ought to brush up on my game."
I don't know whether Dick Russell took Richard Nagell's advise to "brush up" his game.
Previous Richard Case Nagell Blog Posts
The Importance of Richard Case Nagell to Some Conspiracy Theorists
Jim Garrison and a few conspiracy theorists think Nagell is a very important witness. But is he really?
Genesis of the Richard Case Nagell story
David Kroman met Richard Case Nagell at the Springfield Medical Center for Federal Prisoners. Stephen Jaffe, a Garrison volunteer, wrote a memo, relating Nagell's story through the eyes and ears of David Kroman.
Nagell was convicted of armed robbery and was sentenced to ten years, but his conviction was overturned because of startling new evidence.
Richard Case Nagell and the JFK Assassination
There is no credible evidence that Nagell had any foreknowledge of either Lee Harvey Oswald or the JFK assassination.
Nagell claims he met Oswald in Japan, Texas, Mexico City, and New Orleans. There is no credible evidence that he ever met Oswald.
Nagell went to Cuba and met with Fidel Castro and even played ping-pong with the man.
Insane Conspiracy Theories about Richard Case Nagell
Richard Case Nagell said that he knew the two Oswalds - Lee Harvey and Leon. Some conspiracy theorists believe this madness.
Combine one part crazy and one part ridiculous and what do you come up with? An early attempt at a unified conspiracy theory of the JFK assassination.
Two Smoking Guns of the Richard Case Nagell Story
Nagell sent conspiracy theorist Dick Russell one page of a military intelligence file which seemed to indicate that he was monitoring Oswald and his wife on behalf of the CIA. But does the whole document really show that?
Did Richard Case Nagell had an Oswald Military ID in his possession when he was arrested in September 1963?
Richard Case Nagell and Jim Garrison
Richard Case Nagell believes that he wasn't called to testify at Clay Shaw's trial because his testimony would have blown up Jim Garrison's case.
At a conference in September 1968, Garrison and his investigators discuss his face-to-face meeting with Nagell in New York City.
William Martin, an Assistant District Attorney working for Jim Garrison, tried to retrieve a tape that Nagell said contained the voices of three JFK assassination conspirators.
Richard Popkin, author of "The Second Oswald," writes Jim Garrison about Richard Case Nagell. Garrison staffer Tom Bethell thought the Nagell lead was useless.
Richard Case Nagell's Mental Health
Nagell won a full disability pension in 1982 and the 60+ page court case provides complete details on his mental problems.
Richard Case Nagell told a psychiatrist why he shot up the bank in El Paso in 1963.
The FBI spoke to Nagell's ex-wife, his mother, his sister, and one of his friends. They all agreed that Nagell had significant mental health problems.
Nagell visited the American consulates in Zurich and Barcelona in 1969. He was a deeply disturbed man.
Richard Case Nagell's Evidence
None of the so-called evidence that Nagell promised would materialize on his death has shown up. Did this evidence ever exist?