Subject: Vernon's Idiotic Files Story Date: 9 Jan 1999 15:10:23 GMT From: ERXF03A@prodigy.com (Marc Reitzes) Organization: Prodigy Services Company 1-800-PRODIGY Newsgroups: alt.conspiracy.jfk Just in case anyone's wondering who the guy calling himself "Dr. Truth" is . . . -------------------- Vernon's idiotic Files' story -------------------- by Gary Aguilar That Mr. Robert Vernon finally put out for sale his interview of a mafia-connected man, James Files, confessing to the murder of JFK was no surprise to the few of us who had heard of the controversial Vernon. In a way, the relatively meager manner of its appearance as a for-sale video item is testament to the good judgment of wary and knowledgeable Warren critics. If Vernon had had his way, the story would have showcased in a Pay-per- view television program of the century, to borrow from Vernons understated aspiration, featuring luminaries such as Cyril Wecht, MD, JD, Peter Dale Scott, Ph.D., David Scheim, Ph.D., John Stockwell, David Mantik, MD, Ph.D, J. Gary Shaw, yours truly, and perhaps others sitting like "Gong Show" contestants awaiting generous helpings of egg facials from Vernon. Even the Pay-per-view idea was apparently a step down for Vernon, for he had contacted Dick Clark productions at one time, with the goal of a putting on a $2 million deal with NBC - a show nixed after NBC consulted other assassination experts, according to journalist Michael Hytha who wrote perhaps the most withering appraisal of Vernons project for the Contra Costa Times on 2/20/96. Finally, hilariously, Vernon had to settle for putting a video out for sale, and crossing his fingers. The story itself is rather simple, but it is not one Vernon discovered. It was unearthed by another controversial investigator, Joe West, who died in 1993. Files, who is doing 50 years in an Illinois prison for attempted murder, claims he was mafioso Charles Nicolettis, driver. Nicoletti invited Files to be JFKs back-up assassin, despite the fact Files was then just 21 years old, not himself in the Mafia, but was merely a driver. Files claims the other shooters missed JFKs skull, and so Files delivered the final, fatal head shot from his position behind the grassy knoll. Files then claims that after firing, he idiotically took the .222 caliber bullet casing from the weapon, bit down on it, and left it atop the fence on the grassy knoll, as though leaving such incriminating evidence at the scene of the crime wasnt risky. As the story goes, it wasnt; the dented bullet casing wasnt found until 1987, and by a man who found another identical bullet casing, sans teeth marks, 150 feet away. There are other problems with Files, as well as with his story. The archeological report that indicated the bullet casing could have been left there in 1963 was written by a man with an undergraduate degree in anthropology, not an archeologist. Files alleged military record is in doubt - the military serial number that Vernon said is Files, belonged to a James Edward Files who served in World War II, when Files was a toddler. The only reporter who has spoken with Files is Associated Press Mike Cochran, who opined, The chances of this guy telling the truth are about one in a billion. Files did not respond to requests from Contra Costa Times journalist, Mike Hytha, for an interview. Hytha reported, As for his place in history as the man who, he claims, fired at least one of the shots that killed Kennedy, Files said he wants no part of it. I dont even want to be remembered in history. Im nobody., Files stated in his interview with Vernon, suggesting he never chose to target Kennedy or anybody else. I just followed the orders. To me it was like taking out the garbage. Vernon is not like Files at all - he wants very much to be remembered, if perhaps only financially, for solving the crime of the century. My first contact with him occurred when Vernon called me, apparently on the recommendation of Gary Shaw, to appear with him on his live Pay-per-view show. But Id first heard of Vernon before that from Cyril Wecht who asked me if I knew anything about him, for Vernon lived not far from me in the bay area. At that time I had not, but with my curiosity, and Wechts, both Wecht and I agreed on the value of my checking him out before either of us agreed to appear publicly with him. The experience, and its aftermath, would prove illuminating to say the least. The first order of business Vernon insisted upon was that I sign a confidentiality agreement before visiting his home to see his evidence on June 3, 1995. While I did so, the request seemed peculiar. Vernon had already publicly spilled his guts on Files to the Assassinations Records Review Board on 11/18/94, and public, official transcripts of his remarks were circulating widely. Moreover, Vernon had largely detailed the entire story on a public Compuserve bulletin board. The story was, thus, not exactly a secret. Being unfamiliar with the details of the mafia aspect of the JFK case, however, I asked Vernon via phone message if I could invite two friends to act as consultants, Hal Verb and Doug DeSalles, MD. Vernon faxed me, You are welcome to bring your friends on Saturday. I will have confidentiality agreements for them when they arrive with you. Neither DeSalles, Verb nor I found Vernons evidence persuasive, and yet the full picture of the man did not emerge until we were walking out the door. Vernon said, We could make a little money. The alarm bells went off. I called him a couple of days leter to advise him I was disinclined to appear, and yet he still had the chutzpah to fax me perhaps the most astounding, CATTLE CALL solicitation I have ever seen. He was looking for qualified investors willing to shell out $20,000.00 each to invest in his program, with the promise of profits with its success. I contacted Wecht to advise him nothing about the Files story, but to advise him about Vernon personally. I also advised others, including Shaw, and the negative reaction was unanimous. There were no takers. I also contacted John Stockwell, a Vernon investor, via Compuserve email to express my doubts about Vernon. Stockwell sent my private email to Vernon, and Vernon and Stockwell began a barrage of attacks on me via Compuserve which culminated in a false charge Id been powdering my nose in Vernons bathroom! Though Vernon may have been a coward, he was no fool - he refused my offer of a $10,000.00 wager that I would test negative for all drugs in blood and urine tests I would immediately undergo in his county of residence - a test which I took anyway of my own volition to put the rumor to rest, and which I passed with an entirely clean result. He further declined my offer to wager $20,000.00 that I, Hal Verb and Doug DeSalles would all pass polygraph tests denying Vernons preposterous smear. Vernon quickly disappeared, and the last time I spoke with him, he declined to speak with me when I asked me if I could record the call. Stockwell, mysteriously, kept up the attack, prompting David Scheim, who admitted sympathy for some aspects of Vernons story, to publicly rebuke Stockwell via multirecipient email. Stockwells stout, electronic defense of Vernon seemed to lack conviction. He declined an open invitation from me and Scheim to a three-way, recorded discussion of the matter between the three of us. To me, Stockwell seems to have lost what readers of his In Search of Enemies believed was courage. It is unlikely Vernon will be very successful with his video, though he will certainly sell a few copies. His best hope is that P. T. Barnum was right, and that suckers are born every day. ------------------------- end ------------------------------------------- From Deanie Richards' JFK Place: gopher://freenet.akron.oh.us:70/11/SIGS/JFK -Dave Reitzes gopher://freenet.akron.oh.us:70/11/SIGS/JFK/Only/JA/DR http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/shaw1.htm