Jane Porson McMichaels: Difference between revisions

 

Ä{{Infobox person

Brennan identified himself as a 45-year-old [[steamfitter]].<ref>[http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh3/html/WC_Vol3_0075a.htm Testimony of Howard L. Brennan], Warren Commission Hearings, vol. 3, p. 141.</ref> In his testimony, he spoke about how he watched the presidential motorcade from a concrete retaining wall at the southwest corner of Elm and Houston streets in [[Dealey Plaza]], where he had a clear view of the south side of the Texas School Book Depository Building. Brennan arrived at about 12:22&nbsp;p.m.<ref>[http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh3/html/WC_Vol3_0075b.htm Testimony of Howard L. Brennan], Warren Commission Hearings, vol. 3, p. 142.</ref> While he was waiting for the motorcade, he observed the others in the crowd. Brennan watched several people in and around the Texas School Book Depository and made special note of a man he saw appear at an open window at the southeast corner of the sixth floor, which was 120 feet (37 m) from where he was standing.<ref>[http://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh22/html/WH_Vol22_0438b.htm Letter from FBI to Commission dated August 3, 1964, re distance from eyewitness Howard Brennan's location], CE 1437, Warren Commission Hearings, vol. 12, p. 846–847.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Curry |first=Jesse E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iopAAAAAIAAJ&q=brennan |title=Retired Dallas police chief, Jesse Curry reveals his personal JFK assassination file |date=1969 |language=en}}</ref> He observed the man leave the window "a couple of times."<ref name="Testimony of Howard L. Brennan" /> Some critics questioned whether Brennan could have seen clearly and accurately at that distance.<ref>{{cite book |last=Knight |first=Peter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qMIDrggs8TsC&q=howard+brennan&pg=PA391 |title=Conspiracy Theories in American History: An Encyclopedia |date=2003 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=978-1-57607-812-9 |pages=391 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite news |date=1967-06-25 |title=Clipped From The Cincinnati Enquirer |pages=79 |work=The Cincinnati Enquirer |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/53229395/the-cincinnati-enquirer/ |access-date=2020-06-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=1967-06-28 |title=Clipped From Oakland Tribune |pages=8 |work=Oakland Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/53229813/oakland-tribune/ |access-date=2020-06-11}}</ref>

In June 1967, the [[Associated Press]] released a 15-page report, prepared by journalists Bernard Gavzer and Sid Moody, that summarized the news agency's six-month investigation supporting the Warren Commission's findings; the report also addressed some of the allegations of its critics and accused them of building their cases upon deliberate omissions.<ref name="Chicago Tribune; June 25, 1967">{{cite news |last=Thomas |first=Wayne |date=June 25, 1967 |title=AP Completes Study of JFK Death; Backs Warren Findings |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1967/06/25/page/1/article/ap-completes-study-of-jfk-death-backs-warren-findings/index.html |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |access-date=July 2, 2015}}</ref> Gavzer and Moody wrote that Warren Commission critics attempted to weaken the case for a shooter in the Texas School Book Depository by attempting to weaken Brennan's testimony, then discussed specific charges leveled by authors [[Edward Jay Epstein]] and [[Mark Lane (author)|Mark Lane]].<ref name="Eugene Register-Guard; June 25, 1967">{{cite news |last1=Gavzer |first1=Bernard |last2=Moody |first2=Sid |date=June 25, 1967 |title=The Lingering Shadow: Warren Report Critics—Have They Made a Case? |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=w6lVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6440%2C5455217 |department=Section F: Special Report |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |publisher=Eugene, Oregon |agency=AP |page=4F |access-date=July 2, 2015}}</ref> Indicating that Epstein wrote that Warren Commission attorney Joseph Ball told him that he was "extremely dubious" about Brennan's testimony and that Brennan was unable to discern a figure in the building's sixth floor window, Gavzer and Moody quoted Ball denying that he had made those statements about Brennan.<ref name="Eugene Register-Guard; June 25, 1967" /> They also noted that Lane wrote about Brennan's statement to the Commission that he had poor eyesight, but that Lane did not mention that Brennan testified he was farsighted at the time of the assassination nor did he emphasize that the vision loss Brennan sustained occurred two months after the assassination.<ref name="Eugene Register-Guard; June 25, 1967" /><ref name=":0" />