“Analyze the most prominent conspiracy theories surrounding

the JFK assassination.”

Ashley Westmanand

Chris Masi

John F. Kennedy, Gov. Connelly, and their wives driving down Dealey Plaza minutes before the assassination.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Kennedyb.jpg

Background Info• Friday, November 22nd, 1963 in Dallas, Texas at

12:30 in the afternoon• Being driven in a limo down Dealey Plaza with

his wife, Jackie, and Governor Connelly and his wife

• Kennedy was assassinated when 3 shots were suddenly fired

• Rushed to Parkland hospital and pronounced dead at 1:00 p.m

John F. Kennedy is pronounced dead on Nov. 22nd, 1963 at Parkland Hospital at 1:00pm.http://listverse.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/jfk2.gif

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-cri43ttTo

Zapruder Film.

The Zapruder Film

Shot by Abraham Zapruder, a womans clothes manufacerer who was shooting a home video of JFK’s motorcade passing through Daeley plaza, and as a result captured JFK’s assassination on tape, on what became known as the “Zapruder Film”, which is regarded as “the most complete” video of the Kennedy assassination.

Notable Theories

• Lone Gunman Theory

• Multiple Gunman Theory

• USSR/Cuba

Lone Gunman Theory

• Shot and killed by Lee Harvey Oswald• Shot 3 times: 1st missed, 2nd through back

of his neck, 3rd back of his head• Also hit governor Connelly with second

shot• Oswald was the only person involved in

this assassination with this theory

Strengths / Weaknesses

• Strengths: • Bullet that was fired matched the rifle that

was found where Oswald was hiding• Witnesses claimed to have seen him• Weaknesses:• Impossible to fire the three shots as fast as

he did• Wouldn’t admit to it, and was shot himself

2 days later

Multiple Gunman Theory

• More than one man shot at Kennedy• Said to be hiding under the underpass or

in a grassy knoll• Some claim Zapruder film shows at least

one bullet being shot from the front• Windshield cracked in a way that some

claim proves a bullet was shot from the front

Strengths / Weaknesses• Strengths:• No time for Oswald to shoot 3 bullets and aim that well• From his position, could not have hit Kennedy’s neck

and governor Connelly• Shot from the front, not where Oswald was• Weaknesses:• Many witnesses that claimed to have seen 2 revoked

their statements• No recordings of second gunman, no proof besides

window shield cracks and head explosion patterns

USSR/Cuba

• Communists fed up with Kennedy’s approach to communism

• One says KGB recruited Oswald to their cause while he was in the USSR and used him to kill Kennedy

• Castro wanted revenge for the assassination attempt on his life. Was made aware of Oswald by an unknown source and hired him to kill Kennedy

Strength / Weaknesses

• Strengths:• Document received by FBI shows from

KGB that USSR had plans to kill numerous political leaders, including JFK

• Oswald was in the Soviet for awhile• Weaknesses:• No proof at scene of crime or in later

reviewed videos

Final Thoughts• Lone gunman theory was most likely to

happen• Multiple gunman is also very likely and has

too many coincidences• Diagrams show evidence: lines of sight,

smoke, cracked windshield, explosion pattern of head

• All would have only been possible with 2 or more gunmen

Bibliography• Assassination, 1963 (the. "Who Killed Kennedy And Why? - CoverUps.com."

CoverUps.com - Great CoverUps, Silly CoverUps, Media CoverUps, and Movie CoverUps. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.coverups.com/jfk/who.htm>.

• "The Conspiracy Theories." Kenneth A. Rahn's Home Page. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.kenrahn.com/jfk/conspiracy_theories/Texas_Monthly/Texas_Monthly_The_Consp_Theories.html

• "JFK Assassination." MFF. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/JFK_Assassination>.

• "JFK Assassination Research Materials." JFK Assassination Research Materials; K6LCS Amateur Radio. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.jfk-info.com/index2.html>.

• "JFK Conspiracy Theories." Ibiblio.org - Art. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/electronic-publications/stay-free/4/jfk.htm>.

• "Conspiration Theories on the Assassination of John F. Kennedy." SZTE STUD - Hallgatói Szerver. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://www.stud.u-szeged.hu/Stenczer.Peter.Pal/Essay.htm>.

• McAdams, John. "JFK / The Kennedy Assassination Home Page." Kennedy Assassination Home Page Index. Web. 09 June 2010. <http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/home.htm>.