Assassination reports: are they fact or fiction?

IN your feature headlined “In the line of fire?” (March 1) some statements were made as fact that should have been qualified as “the official story”.

Firstly, on the assassination of Martin Luther King, the article says “James Earl Ray shot him.” Certainly that is the official story.

However, there have been arguments that Ray was just the patsy.

In December 1999, a Memphis “wrongful death” suit determined there was indeed a conspiracy to kill King by a man named Loyd Jowers and “other unknown conspirators”.

The King family have said they believe the civil rights leader was killed in a larger conspiracy involving the CIA and FBI, with King’s son, Dexter, believing Ray is innocent.

Secondly, on the assassination of Robert Kennedy, it was stated Sirhan Sirhan shot him in the head. Again, this is the official story. But the coroner stated the fatal shot was fired from a .22 pistol at a distance of around three inches from the back of the head. Every witness put Sirhan several feet in front of Kennedy and no one said Kennedy had turned away.

Security guard Thane Cesar, however, was standing right behind Kennedy and was described as having drawn a gun. It transpired he owned a .22 pistol that he sold after the incident, despite saying he had sold it beforehand.

Aidan O’Keeffe

‘Purple Haze’

Lehehaghmore

Co Cork