The Clay Shaw jury.
Paul Bleau's first chokehold is that "the official record impeaches the Warren Commission." He believes that: (page 38 in the Kindle edition of his book Chokeholds)
U.S. investigations into the assassination, statements made by investigation insiders and foreign government conclusions about the assassination prove that there is a strong consensus by the independent investigative authorities that there was a conspiracy in the murder of President John F. Kennedy.
Bleau's chapter then lists out a variety of statements that seemingly prove conspiracy. Of course, Bleau doesn't tell readers the full truth about these viewpoints.
The Jim Garrison Investigation
Bleau Assertion: (page 17)
Starting in 1966, New Orleans DA Jim Garrison investigated the assassination. This led to the 1969 trial of Clay Shaw, a well-known local businessman, who was accused of being part of a conspiracy. While the jury found Shaw not guilty, according to Mark Lane—who had advised Garrison—most jurors felt there had nevertheless been a conspiracy.
What Bleau Doesn't Tell You:
Mark Lane promised that he would write an article about his discussions with the jurors in the Shaw case. He never did. However, James Kirkwood, author of American Grotesque, did speak to most of the jurors and many were not convinced of a conspiracy.
Here is what Sidney Hebert, the jury foreman, told Kirkwood (page 511)
Mr. Hebert folded up his souvenirs with great care and replaced them in their envelope. He spoke again of his fondness for his fellow jurors, especially for Larry Morgan, one of his roommates and a boy the same age as his son. He also passed a remark that would not have pleased Mr. Garrison, who, despite the adverse verdict, claimed he had proven the Warren Report to be a pack of lies. Said Hebert, "In fact, I didn't think too much of the Warren Report either until the trial. Now I think a lot more of it than I did before the trial."
Of course, the jury's job was to determine whether Clay Shaw was guilty of the charge of conspiracy; not whether there was a conspiracy in the JFK assassination.
Here is a relevant paragraph from James Kirkwood's American Grotesque: (page 466)
Later, in the massive post-verdict confusion, after the courtroom had been hastily cleared and the defendant, oddly enough, had been spirited down the back passageways to the Parish Prison one last time, the courthouse steps were flooded with lights while cameras whirred away. TV reporters grabbed at any and every principal emerging. As we walked down the steps Judge Haggerty appeared with his kewpie-doll wife, Yolande, blond hair done up in intricate ringlets. He was besieged. He looked happy and tired, and proudly told the newsmen -- with five or six microphones jammed into his face -- that he'd predicted Mr. Hebert would be the foreman and that he'd had an idea the verdict would not take long. Asked if he was surprised at the verdict itself, he said, "No," but would not elaborate. When a reporters questioned him about what effect the trial might have upon the Warren Report, the judge replied he had no idea, adding, "The Warren Report was not on trial, Clay Shaw was."
Previous Relevant Blog Posts on Paul Bleau
Bleau doesn't tell you everything about Lyndon Johnson's feelings towards the Warren Report.
Bleau leaves out some important details about the beliefs of Burt Griffin.
Bleau leaves out an important paragraph from Alfredda Scobey's article on the Warren Commission.
Bleau misleads readers on the testimony of John Moss Whitten.
Bleau gets it all wrong on Dr. George Burkley.
Bleau doesn't tell the whole story about John Sherman Cooper.
Bleau claims that J. Lee Rankin questioned the findings of the Warren Report. This is just not true.
Bleau tries to make it appear that Dallas policeman James Leavelle had doubts that Oswald could be found guilty at a trial.
Bleau gets it all wrong on the FBI Summary Report.
Bleau discusses the conclusions of the HSCA but leaves out it most important finding.
Bleau leaves out some important details about a Warren Commission staffer.
Was Oswald a loner? Bleau says no, and then says yes.
Bleau leaves out some important details about Malcolm Kilduff.
An introduction to Paul Bleau's new book, Chokeholds.
Was David Ferrie Clay Shaw's pimp?
Did Lee Harvey Oswald have an escort?
Edward Girnus was in prison for forgery, and he told a fanciful story about Clay Shaw and Lee Harvey Oswald.
Leander D'Avy told the HSCA he saw Oswald and Ferrie with the three tramps.
Bleau's analysis of Garrison's files is full of errors.
Bleau believes there were seven plots against JFK before Dallas.
Bolden's allegation that there was a plot against JFK in Chicago has changed over the years.
There is no evidence that there was a plot against JFK in Tampa.
There is no evidence that there was a plot against JFK in Chicago.