Reasonable Doubt: The single bullet theory
Assignment
Select one claim that was discussed in the movie, and analyze that claim using
Toulmin’s framework.
For example:
Identify and discuss the strength or correctness of the claim that:
1. Governor Connolly was shot by a second bullet;
2. The mafia shot JFK;
3. Castro was responsible for JFK’s assassination;
4. The CIA arranged for JFK’s assassination;
5. The Pentagon ordered JFK’s execution;
6. Cuban anti-communists arranged for JFK’s death;
7. The Soviet Union’ KGB engineered JFK’s assassination.
8. Select any other claim from the information provided.
Identify and explain clearly the parts of the argument, and evaluate the strength
of the argument as a whole.
You do not need to believe the argument. You are evaluating its strength.
Your evaluation should be around two pages long, so select a claim that is not so
large as to require a book-length essay to explain.
Include a cover page, outline, body, and a works cited page. Use either MLA or
APA format.
The film is titled Reasonable Doubt: The single bullet theory and the
assassination of John F. Kennedy, written by Chip and Mike Selby, and produced
and directed by Chip Selby. CS Films, Inc., 1988.
THE SAULT STAR
—
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1993 AS
Who shot JFK?
T3UNI)R.EDS OF BOOKS and articles
I lexamining John Kennedy’s assassi
nation have raised doubts about the
Warren Commission’s official version
that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone,
They have put forward numerous the
ories to explain the killing, most of
which have been debunked by various
federal investigations.
Here are the main six conspiracy the
aries and the official response to each:
THE MAFIA
Conspiracy theory: Angry at a
Kennedy administration crackdown on
organized crime after the Mafia helped’
JFK get elected in 1960, mob bosses put
out a contract on the president’s life. A
variation holds that the mob was angry
that JFK did not make a serious effort to
overthrow Fidel Castro and restore their’
lucrative Cuban casino and drug businesses.
Official version: FBI wiretaps of lead-.
ing mobsters uncovered no plot against
JFK. Also, most experts believe Oswald,
too unstable to interest the Mafia as a
hitman.
-,
-
CASTRO
Conspiracy theory: The Cuban leader
had JFK killed to avenge numerous U.S.
attempts to oust him, including the
botched Bay of Pigs invasion.
Official version: Castro had to know
that if he was linked to the assassina
tion, it would be followed by a major
U.S. invasion he could not stop.
The CIA
Conspiracy theory: The CIA, worried
about JFK’s threats to disband the
agency after the Bay of Pigs fiasco,
ordered his death.
Official version: While assassination,
was nothing new for CIA, there is no
solid evidence of any agency treason
against JFK.
-
THE PENTAGON
Conspiracy theory: Concerned that
JFK was ready to end American involv&I
ment in Vieam, the military establIsh-.’
ment had him killed. Some theorists,
including Elm-maker Oliver Stone, also
involve L.vndon Johnson in the plot.
Official version: No concrete evi
dence the president was considering a
Vietham pullout, nor that LilT was
involved in the conspfracy
-
CUBAN ANTI-COMMUNISTS
Conspiracy theory: The Cuban ex
patriates who survived the Bay of Pigs,
invasion, believing JFK et them up and
then abandoned them, joined with ths
affected CIA agents to get revenge.
Official version: The main perpetrator’
of this theon was discredited by a con
gressional investigation.
-.
SOVIET UNION
Conspiracy theory: N&ita
Khrushchev, at the height of the Cold
War and recently humiliated by the
Cuban missile crisis, ordered the KCB’
to kill JFK. The KGB recruited Oswald,
who lived in Russia for several years, to
do the job.
Official version: Recently declassified
Soviet documents suggest the KGB,
while aware of Oswald, made no effort
to enlist him as an assassin. Indeed,
they indicate he was to be avoided at
all costs.”
o
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
Introduction
hundreds of
rated its own mini-industry
Who killed JFK? The question has gene
r government inquiries, countless
books, innumerable “theories,” two majo
terms and expressions such as ‘grassy knoll,
documentaries, and several films. New
ley Plaza,’ ‘best evidence,” and ‘six seconds
‘magic bullet, “lone nut,” “patsy,” “Dea
e. Evidence has been analysed and reanalysed;
in Dallas” have come into common usag
A consensus on the answer to the question still
witnesses questioned and requestioned.
has yet to emerge, and some say it never will.
evades us. No generally accepted “truth’
d and intensified by Oliver Stone’s S-K) million
And now the debate has been resurrecte
s truth, fiction, fact, and fantasy.
movie JFK, which, many say, deftly mixe
0 p.m. The moment is frozen in time. Any
November 22, 1963, Dallas, Texas, 12:3
remembers not only the shock of hearing of
person who was older than ten at the time
she was doing at the tithe, John F. Kennedy
the assassination but exactly what he or
president born in this century, the embodiment of
was the youngest and first American
and of the New Frontier. He was visiting the
the idealized “Camelot,” of liberalism,
ical fences prior to launching his 1964 re-election
city of Dallas in order to mend polit
Kennedy and injured Texas Governor Jolm
campaign. The rifle shots fatally wounded
ever soon gave way to a multitude of hypotheses,
Connally. This historical certainty how
scenarios purporting to explain the how and why
theories, official reports, and elaborate
of the assassination.
inted a commission of seven credible
Lyndon Johnson, Kennedy’s successor, appo
sination. Unbeknownst to the public at the time,
public figures to delve into the assas
tie vote on the Commission’s findings and the
Chief Justice Earl Warren broke a 3-3
d that one assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, fired
Commission that bears his name conclude
sixth floor of the Texas School Book
three shots from the southeast corner of the
wrote
erald Kennedy. The three dissenters never
Depository Building, killing John Fitzg
a minority report.
famous eight-millimetre home movie
The strongest visual evidence is the now
piece
a man named Abraham Zaprnder. This
footage of the actual assassination taken by
conflicting accounts of what happened after
of evidence, other eyewitness accounts, and
to raise disturbing questions and to propose
the assassination have led many people
ng them, that of Jim Garrison, the District
various “conspiracy theories,’ chief amo
What
the protagonist in Oliver Stone’s movie.
Attorney for the city of New Orleans and
as police officer J. 0. Tippit? How was
was Oswald’s motive? Did Oswald kill Dall
police
gain access to the basement of the Dallas
to
y
able
Rub
Jack
er
own
tclub
nigh
local
ald on live television? What about the alleged
headquarters, where he murdered Osw
which was labelled ‘a humanitarian
n
murder weapon, a forty-year-old Italia rifle,
What about the timing of the shots
weapon” because of its notorious inaccuracy?
fired?
ing target? In fact, how many shots were
mov
at
a
nds
seco
5.6
in
with
s
shot
three
ident’s head backward and to the left?
What about the violent snapping of the Pres
,
have come from the front and to the right
Didn’t the latter indicate that a shot must
by
t the smoke on the knoll reported
t
from the so-called “grassy knoll”? Wha abou
saw
men with rifles some people say they
us
terio
mys
t
the
abou
t
Wha
?
esses
witn
ral
seve
l? What about the unannounced and
behind the picket fence at the top of the knol
—
j
—
March 1992
—
48
—
CBC-W News in Review
the right turn onto Houston
in the motorcade route
unnecessary last second change
ut the questions surrounding the autopsy of the
and the left onto Elm? What abo
g an
lead motorcyclist? What about the man openin
the
to
ed
pen
hap
at
Wh
nt?
Preside
Dorothy
about Lee Bowers, Officer Billy Harkness,
umbrella on a sunny day? What
ence who
witnesses who supposedly had important evid
130
than
re
mo
the
and
en,
Kilgall
other
mingly mysterious circumstances. These and
died or disappeared under see
an
preoccupied numerous individuals and an Americ
ally
ntu
eve
ns
stio
que
ered
nsw
una
inty
ation and its implications. The depth of uncerta
public traumatized by the assassin
tion
and a legitimate need for further explana s.
created fertile ground for speculation
ns,
se mandate was to investigate assassinatio
A 1979 House subcommittee, who
ts
and
oun
Kennedy assassination, eye-witness acc
reviewed all the evidence of the
fourth shot had
facts. The subcommittee concluded that a
ballistic, acoustic, and medical
r
knoll. The conclusion that there had been fou
indeed come from behind the grassy
s a
more than one person was involved, and thu
that
nt
mea
them
of
ing
tim
the
shots and
released
sequent studies, however, using evidence
conspiracy was highly likely. Sub
e, have
tion Act and computer-enhanced evidenc
through the Freedom of Informa
d the subcommittee’s finding.
confirmed as well as contradicte
theories based on circumstantial
spiracy theories
con
of
ents
pon
pro
to
ing
ord
Acc
ators. Motivation is an important
there are a number of possible perpetr
evidence
es required to engineer the original
component of the hypotheses, as are the resourc
gested: the
n
cover-up. Numerous candidates have bee sug
assassination and the presumed
tagon, and
includes the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pen
ch
whi
,
plex
com
l
tria
dus
y-in
militar
flict. Also
foreign policy supporting international con
big business, which profits from a
Mafia,
-Castro Cubans, anti-Castro Cubans, the
pro
,
CIA
the
,
FBI
the
e
wer
ted
sugges
and even other politicians.
nedy was
we still know for sure is that John F. Ken
all
r,
eve
how
r,
late
rs
yea
rty
Thi
th” persists.
Texas. And yet a desire for greater “tru
assassinated by gunfire in Dallas,
nspiracy
s need to know more are numerous ‘co
lic’
pub
the
ing
hten
heig
and
g
Fuellin
s JFK. But
erful and controversial film, Oliver Stone’
book? and most recently a pow
nce and
do we draw the line between dramatic lice
ere
Wh
?
not
t’s
wha
and
fact
what’s
believing
ory? How might the viewer be seduced into
the erroneous interpretation of hist
vincing
ven true, by a powerful and artistically con
as true something that is not pro
truth, the
for
ire
Hollywood movie JFK? Does the des
medium such as the big budget
role
or need for well-defined beliefs and the
ism
ptic
ske
for
sity
pen
pro
’s
son
average per
JFK? Is the film a legitimate
of art in revealing universal truth validate a film such as
h
in the “American Dream,” the loss of fait
ies
tenc
nsis
inco
the
out
g
kin
wor
medium for
average person
lic, and their passion for truth? Can the
pub
an
eric
Am
the
of
pan
the
on
pan of a
e it deserves? Do young people who are
put such a film in the perspectiv
we teach
skills to separate fact from fiction? Can
the
e
hav
ion
erat
gen
se
nten
ia-i
med
them not to leap to conclusions?
—
fl I
—
—
A Special Note to Teachers
nature of
from the Zapmder mm. The graphic
The video contains actual footage
ised to
e students. Teachers are strongly adv
som
to
ng
etti
ups
be
ld
cou
tage
this foo
ch it is
r carefully the age group for whi
preview the video and to conside
ap prbpdate.
CBC-W News in Review
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March 1992
4...
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
This, That, and the Other Thing: Determining Facts
Divide a sheet of paper into the following three columns:
a
What really happened.
•
What may have happened.
•
What positively did not happen.
Then carefully view “JFK: What’s Fact, What’s Not?” You may do this several times if
necessary. After viewing, list in the appropriate columns the significant information that
you have seen and heard. Finally, compare your lists with those of other members of
the class. Assess the differences, if any, and account for them.
March 1992
.
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CBC-7V News in Review
DUPUCATIBLE
EXAMINING CLAIMS OF EVIDENCE
Blacks Lait’ Dictionan: a basic reference for attorneys, has a definition for the term evidence. Part of
it reads as follows: “That which.., makes clear, or ascertains the truth of the point in issue, either on
one side or the other.” Evidence may be offered in the form of othcial records, maps. drawings.
objects. or testimony by witnesses,
Items A and B on this page are forms of evidence. They deal with questions surrounding President
Kennedy’s assassination. Examine both careftill Then answer the questions at the bottom of the page.
..
ITEM A. Shortly after noon on November 22, 1963. a
procession of carp entered Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas.
Within seconds, two occupants in one of these cars—
U.S. President John Kenneth’ and Texas Governor John
Connally—were shot. The map below shows the route
of the motorcade. The Warren Commission. which
investigated the attack, concluded that all shots came
from Point I on this map.
Scñool
O Texas
Book Deaositcry
County
O Dallas
criminal count
building
0 Grassy knoll
of
O Site
president’s car
time of
01
Ossossir.a:ion
Railroad
0 tracks
fl Railroad
averDass tripIe
underpass)
enters
O Bullet
upper right part
of JFK’s back
Motorcade
route
Bullet hale on
O JFK’s
tie knot
entry hole
G Bullet
near Connally’s
right ormpit
Bullet exit wound
0 through
Connally’s finn
rib
Bullet entry and
O exit
wounds on
ITEM B. In Dealev PIna, President Kennedy was
Connally’s right
wrist
murdered, and Governor Connally was wounded. The
Warren Commission concluded that only one shooter
was involved. To reach that conclusion, members had
to accept that one of the bullets, which was found almost
intact, tore through both Kennedy and Connally in the
manner shown in this drawing. The drawing is an
artist’s version of the Commission’s finding, which
did not include a diagram.
Bullet entry on
O Connally’s
left
thigh
THINK IT THROUGH
1. Put yourself in the place of an offIcial whose task is to
identify and bring JFK’s assassin(s) to justice. Look at Items
A and Band decide: (a) What questions would you start
with? (h) What problems might either piece of evidence
offer you? (c) What kinds of additional evidence would you
look Rn’? State your answers briefly.
2. In 1964. the Warren Commission concluded that only
one assassin. Lee Harvey Oswald, was responsible for the
death of President Kennedy. In 1979. the House Select
Committee on Assassinations concluded that JFK “was
probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy’ Reflect or
these two findings. Then write a brief essay on whether or
not the U.S. government should open the investigation again
JFK
ThE Sfl)Ri mw tnVI an .w w
•
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
Fact or Fiction?
In historical terms, a “fact’ has been defined as “a piece of information that is
commonly accepted as true, in and of itself, requiring no flwther evidence to make it
true.” With this definition in mind and working with a partner, formulate answers to the
following questions:
1.
What determines that one piece of information is factual and another is not?
2.
At what point does a piece of information become a fact?
3.
Is a fact always true? Do facts change over time?
4.
Are there differences between facts and evidence? If so, what are they? Which
has greater credibility, facts or evidence? Why?
-
5.
Why is there disagreement over facts?
6.
Arrange the following into what, in your opinion, is the correct order. Justi’
I
your decision.
-.
I conclude.
I look for evidence.
I notice.
I observe.
I wonder.
I generalize.
I evaluate.
I store knowledge.
CBC-W News in Review
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March 1992
WHAT’S NOT?
,
T
C
A
F
’S
T
A
H
JFK: W
Fact or Theory?
had
ed; something that has or
en
pp
ha
ly
al
re
ve
ha
to
own to be thie or
Fact: anything kn
an Dictionary)
di
na
Gage Ca
he
(T
.
es
nc
te
is
ex
achial
sed dn
ation, an explanatioh ba
ul
ec
sp
or
t
gh
ou
th
ation based on
nary)
Theory: an explan
Gage Canadian Dictio
he
(T
g.
in
on
as
re
observation and
ch
sassination. Identi& ea
as
dy
ne
en
K
e
th
t
ou
ab
ts
re your list
of twenty statemen
d, after doing so, compa
an
se
el
ng
Below are a series
hi
et
m
so
u
fact, a theory, or
for any discrepancies yo
t
un
co
ac
d
an
e
ot
as being either a
N
s.
clas
ned on the
r member of the
cise that are not contai
er
ex
is
th
with that of anothe
in
ils
ta
de
that there are
find. (Please note
video.)
, 1963.
y Plaza on November 22
le
ea
D
in
ed
fir
s
ot
three sh
1. There were
w
th floor southeast windo
six
e
th
m
fro
t
en
id
es
Pr
Oswald fired at the
2. Lee Haney
itory.
os
ep
D
ol Book
of the Texas Scho
ted
and returned to the Uni
on
ni
U
et
vi
So
e
th
to
Oswald defected
.
3. Lee Haney
rious circumstances
States under myste
I). Tippit.
allas police officer J.
D
ot
sh
d
al
sw
O
4. Lee Haney
m the
, must have come fro
ad
he
’s
dy
ne
en
K
of
t
en
ot, given the movem
5; The fatal sh
assy knoll.
gr
e
that is, from th
right front
was 2.3
rifle used by Oswald
e
th
r
fo
s
ot
sh
n
ee
tw
time required be
6. The minimum
seconds per shot.
ots within the
as able to fire three sh
w
en
m
ks
ar
m
I
FB
let
p
of the five to
hit a stationary target,
to
le
ab
un
as
7. Only one out
w
he
d,
s. When he di
required 5.6 second
et.
alone a moving targ
e as it
the motorcade’s rout
in
ge
an
ch
d
ce
un
no
ad motorcycle
last-second, unan
to Elm Street. The le
on
8. There was a
ft
le
d
an
et
re
St
n
Housto
tified.
turned right onto
ge has never been iden
an
ch
e
th
d
se
au
policeman who
laoll
the area of the grassy
in
s
le
rif
ith
w
en
m
d
ses saw smoke an
9. Several witnes
shooting.
at the time of the
e location at the
e from more than on
m
ca
s
ot
sh
at
th
ts
es
nce sugg
10. Acoustical evid
time of the shooting.
back,
ht pan of the President’s
rig
r
pe
up
e
th
d
‘magic bulletTM entere
H. The so-called
—
•
•.
•
.
.
.
.
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March 1992
•
52
CBC-fl News in Review
.
h the
exited through his neck, entered Governor Connally’s armpit, exited throug
was
and
Governor’s fifth rib, smashed his right wrist, entered his left thigh1
al.
found in almost pristine condition on a stretcher in Parkiand Hospit
12.
ngton, D.C., was
in
At the time of the assassination, the telephone system Washi
hocked out.
13.
was able to
Because of his connections with the Dallas police force, Jack Ruby
arters.
kill Lie Haney Oswald in the basement of the police headqu
14.
the case hive either died
Over 130 people with sirificant information bearing on
under mysterious circumstances or disappeared.
15.
s concluded that there
The 1979 House subcommittee investigating assassination
was a conspiracy.
16.
is the twenty-two-second
The single most important document of the assassination
home movie taken by Abraham Zapmder.
17.
Jack Ruby hew Lee Haney Oswald.
18.
doctored.
The picture of Lee Haney Oswald holding his rifle was
19.
the theory of a lone assassin.
The autopsy results were rigged to conform with
20.
for a conspiracy behind the
Although considerable circumstantial evidence exists
t it.
assassination, there is as yet no hard evidence to suppor
CBCW News in Review
•.
.
—53.—
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Marc½j9fl
C
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
Processing Facts
the historical concept of
The Kennedy assassination provides an intriguing case for
e the same event and
causation. According to this concept, even when people observ
cantly different
examine the same set of presumed facts, they may arrive at signifi
ing question involves
conclusions. How can this happen? The answer to this perplex
looking at how people process facts.
For each, explain the
Below are a series of ways in which observers process fcts.
nation.
process by giving a specific example from the Kennedy assassi
•
classify
•
organize
•
emphasize
•
select
•
reject
•
draw inferences
•
manipulate
•
distort
•
create
•
analyse
March 1992
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CBC-W News in Review
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
A Frame of Reference
Individuals have perceived the facts of the Kennedy assassination differently because
they observe or have observed the events from a different position or vantage point,
whether it be the actual killing or the subsequent investigations.
In observing and analysing historical facts, each of us brings with us a particular “frame
of reference.’
Working in groups of three, suggest ways in which an individual might have observed
or might recall the events of the Kennedy assassination from a different frame of
reference. In your discussion, consider elements such as the following:
•
age of the observer
•
occupation of the observer
•
previous experience of the observer
•
emotional state of the observer
•
nationality of the observer
•
physical location of the observer
•
political affiliation of the observer
•
television coverage
•
radio coverage
•
newspaper or magazine coverage
•
source and reliability of information
•
-
—
other
CBC-W News in Review
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March 1992
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JFK: WHAT’S FACT,
WHAT’S NOT?
Language as the Indica
tor
Below are a series of
words that are frequen
tly used when disc
assassination. They m
ussing the Kennedy
ay seem very similar
or they may be quite
meaning. Working in
different in actual
small groups, proceed
as follows:
1. As a group, defin
e each word and create
a sentence using the
word.
2. As a group, create
a sentence using each
word with specific re
Kennedy assassination.
ference to the
3.
Choose a spokesperson
to present your finding
s to the rest of the cl
differences or similarit
ass. Observe
ies.
• conjecture
• supposition
• theory
• hypothesis
• inference
• interpretation
(EN
• evidence
• speculation
• proof
• thesis
• belief
• conclusion
• assumption
I
• deduction
• guess
• data
• opinion
March 1992
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view
JFK: WHAT’S FACT, WHAT’S NOT?
Toward Truth
Although they may use different terminology, historians and scientists, essentially use
the same method to attempt to arrive at the answer to a question.
The Historian (or Social Scientist)
Step One: The Question. The historian poses a critical question about why a certain
event occurred.
Step Two: The Hypothesis. The historian formulates a tentative answer to that question
which will serve as a guide to further research.
Step Three: Research. The historian researches the relevant facts from primary and
secondary sources.
—
Step Four: Analysis. The historian processes the facts in a variety of ways. (See the
section “Processing Facts” on page 54.)
Step Five: Interpretation. The historian, after drawing a series of inferences from the
facts, offers a final conclusion or answer to the original question.
The Scientist (or Applied Scientist)
Step One: Observation and the Database. The scientist observes a particular
phenomenon and accesses a database of what is already known about the issue.
Step Two: Hypothesis. From the database, the scientist devises a possible explanation for
the observed phenomenon, essentially asking “What it?”.
Step Three: Prediction. From the hypothesis, the scientist devises an experiment or
series of experiments to test the hypothesis and predicts the outcome.
Step Four: Experimentation. The scientist performs the experiment and measures the
results.
Step Five: Venfication. The scientist verifies if the results of the experiment allows him
or her to conclude that the prediction was valid. If the results prove valid, a scientific
theory is formulated and becomes part of the existing body of knowledge.
Discussion
1.
Suggest how each of the above methods of reasoning could be applied in order to
determine the facts of the Kennedy assassination. In your opinion, is one method
more effective than the other?
CBC-W News in Review
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March 1992
2.
Suggest how either of these two methods could be used to evaluate or critique a
film about the Kennedy assassination such as Oliver Stone’s JFK. In your
opinion, is this a valid way to critique a film?
3.
What is the role of common sense in determining the facts of an event such as the
Kennedy assassination?
4.
Examine the following ten principles of scientific inquiry. How is each relevant
in determining facts? Discuss each in terms of the Kennedy assassination.
Ten Principles of Scientific Inquiry
•
1.
Objectivity. Conclusions are based only on the facts.
2.
Tenra.tiveness. Conclusions are not regarded as final. Rather, they can be
modified or contradicted by the new evidence.
3.
Consistency. The assumption is made that behaviour is describable in terms of
4.
Causality. Every phenomenon results from discoverable causes.
5.
Parsimony. Scientists attempt to reduce their view of the world to the simplest
possible terms.
6.
Materiality. Preference is for material and mechanical explanations, rather than
laws which have always operated in the same way.
those which depend on non-material or supernatural factors.
•
7.
Relativeness. Scientists think of the world, and the phenomena in it, as consisting
of sets of relationships rather than absolutes.
8.
Dynamism. Scientists expect nature to be dynamic rather than static.
9.
Continuous Discovery. Scientists hope that it will be possible to go on learning
10.
about the material world until eventually all may be understood.
Social Limitation. The social framework within which scientists operate may
determine and limit the kinds of problems with which they work, and may also
influence their conclusions.
March 1992
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CBC-W News in Review