In December 1967, Jim Garrison issued a series of press releases about a supposed shot from the sewer on Elm Street.
I have previously blogged about a shot from the sewer here, and here. I found Garrison's press releases in the Al Chapman folder in the Harold Weisberg Archive. Chapman was a researcher who supplied Jim Garrison with photographs.
Here is his first press release:
Jim Garrison writes that "the bullet has been identified -- by a comparison study of bullets -- as being a .45 caliber, apparently steel jacketed." Where on earth is that study? Was the study conducted from photo #2 below? Really?
Here is photo #1:
Here is photo #2:
Here is photo #3
Here is the coverage of the press release in the New Orleans Times-Picayune from December 13, 1967:
Buddy Walthers denied it was a bullet:
Dallas Morning News, December 14, 1967
A few more quotes from Walthers in the El Paso Herald-Post:
El Paso Herald-Post, December 13, 1967
Here is an article from the Waco News-Tribune of December 14, 1967:
The Washington Evening Star ran an editorial about Garrison:
Washington Evening Star, December 14, 1967
Two days later Garrison issued another press release:
From the press release it appears that Garrison believes there were five assassins - one from a building on Houston, from the Texas School Bool Depository, two points on the grassy knoll, and the sewer.
You got to love this sentence from page five of the press release:
"The knowledge that this underground complex of inter-connecting tunnels existed was withheld from the people of this country -- just as the .45 caliber bullet (which was found by law enforcement agents ten minutes after the shooting was withheld."
Here are the pictures that are mentioned in the article:
Photo #1.
Photos 2 & 3.
This is all quite insane - a person standing in the sewer would only have two seconds to shoot. In addition, the sewer opening is further down Elm Street from where JFK was actually shot. You can read more here.
Jim Garrison wasn't finished. Another press release on the same day:
I wonder who Garrison was referring to when he writes:
"Our office has located at least one participant in the assassination of President Kennedy who now works at a military base for the United States Government."
Here is the letter from Norman Redlich to Wesley Liebeler, which Garrison quoted on page two of the above press release:
The rumor about Walthers finding a bullet originated in Nerin Gun's book, Red Roses from Texas, which was published in mid-1964.
Here is an article from the Dallas Morning News from December 13, 1963:
The rumor was dealt with in the Warren Commission Report and in Volume XXV:
Walthers testified before the Warren Commission on July 23, 1964, and was asked about the rumors that he found a bullet:
By the way, Nerin Gun met with Jim Garrison in February of 1967 to discuss the case. Did they talk about Buddy Walthers?
In response to all of this nonsense, the Miami Herald ran a front-page editorial on Jim Garrison:
Miami Herald, December 20, 1967
Previous Relevant Blog Posts
Garrison sent Stephen Jaffe to investigate the feasibility of a shot from the sewer on Elm Street. He reported that that it was a strong possibility that a shot was fired from the sewer.
Did Sergio Arcacha Smith have the plans of the Dallas sewer system in his apartment?
When Jim Hicks testified before the grand jury, Garrison also discussed the shot from the sewer.
Garrison discussed the shot from the sewer with the press.
Sylvia Meagher comments on the supposed shot from the sewer.