The definitive book about the Shaw case, and my chief source for this episode, is Patricia Lambert’s excellent False Witness. Also highly useful were Fred Litwin’s On the Trail of Delusion and Edward Epstein’s 1968 book Counterplot, collected in his 3-volume The Assassination Chronicles (1992). And as always, Vincent Bugliosi’s Reclaiming History was endlessly useful: it’s the JFK source that keeps on giving.
" … we all had to queue up and pee before we got down to business …" quoted by Litwin, p. 130.
Shaw’s journal entry (“The psychic pain was so intense …”) is quoted by Lambert, p. 176.
“A kind of parody of conspiracy theories, a can-you-top-this of arbitrarily conjoined possibilities …” the reporter who said this was Hugh Aynesworth, quoted in “Odds Favor Conviction Of Jim Garrison's 'Patsy'", The Pittsburgh Press, February 3, 1969, p. 17.
“What happened to Shaw was the goddamnest thing I have ever seen in what we call the system of justice …” quoted by Lambert, p. 272. In my voiceover I wrongly attributed this quote to Garrison’s chief investigator William Gurvich. Actually it was said by Gurvich’s brother, Leonard.
The quotes from Garrison’s successor as DA, and from the Federal judge, are both cited by Bugliosi, p. 1377.
Oliver Stone’s quote about the “old Capra movie” is cited by Litwin, p. 263.
“I know life is supposed to be full of surprises …” The reporter who said this was Nicholas Lemann, quoted by Bugliosi, p. 1356.
One critic of Stone’s documentary The Putin Interviews pointed out that … The critic was Masha Gessen in this New Yorker article.
“You are all trying to get Trump every day but there is a bigger problem ….” See this article on Stone.
“With one half of his mind he is able to go out and fabricate evidence …” quoted by Bugliosi, 1378-9.
The info about Garrison’s personal and medical history, and his FBI application, comes from Lambert, pp. 10-11.
The Army’s psychiatric report on Garrison is quoted by Lambert, p. 12.
“A paranoid schizophrenic … obsessed with fear of his own active or latent homosexuality … “ quoted by Litwin, p. 21.
Oswald as a “switch hitter.” Garrison said this to the reporter James Phelan. See Lambert, p. 87.
Ferrie’s “interest in homosexuality led him to shave off all his body hair …” see Epstein, p. 191.
Garrison as “basically a pedophile …” see Lambert, p. 248.
For the history of Jack Martin’s beef with David Ferrie, see Bugliosi, p. 1400.
Martin really “flipped”, as he put it later … Lambert, p. 23.
For Jack Martin’s “telephonitis” see Lambert, p. 27.
For more about the photograph of Ferrie and Oswald together - and to check out the photograph itself - go to this Frontline article.
For Jack Martin telling the FBI the Ferrie story was a “figment of his imagination,” see the Final Report of the HSCA here.
Jack Martin as a “mental case” … see Lambert, p.28.
Ferrie’s “crime against nature” charge … see Lambert, p. 59.
Garrison “I won’t take no for an answer …” quoted by Litwin, p.14.
Garrison “The best way to go from one room to another is through the wall …” quoted by Litwin, p. 7.
“A very unusual type of person who made a very curious trip at a very curious time about the date of the assassination … “ quoted by Epstein, p. 191.
Garrison “The FBI blew the investigation … “ quoted by Epstein.
Garrison “A mare’s nest of anti-Castro activity …” quoted by Epstein, p. 194.
Oswald as right-wing “agent provocateur” quoted by Epstein, p. 195.
To get from one address to the other, you would have had to leave the building, walk round the corner, and go in the other door … See Lambert, p. 210.
“If two people live near one another, say within two or three blocks, it’s suspicious …” quoted by Litwin, p. 23.
The Esso road map and the city directories … see Lambert, 53.
He privately told a reporter that he was well aware that Jack Martin made things up, and that he had a bitter grudge against David Ferrie … See Lambert, p. 57, fn.
Martin was “a screwball who should be locked up …” quoted by Bugliosi, p. 1400.
“Dave, who shot the President?” See Bugliosi, p. 1400.
“Just tell them that the important stuff is kept in a separate [and secret] file …” quoted by Bugliosi, p. 1402.
“It was a homosexual thrill-killing, plus the excitement …” quoted by Litwin, p. 77.
Gordon Novel and the tranquillizer dart story, see Epstein, pp. 197-8.
Novel saw forged letters in Garrison’s office … Gerald Posner, Case Closed, p. 433.
Ferrie’s “steps were feeble …” Litwin, p. 49.
Ferrie said the Press was “hounding him to death …” Bugliosi, p. 1400.
The DA’s men put Ferrie up in a hotel for two nights. Epstein, p. 199, Bugliosi p. 1398.
Garrison pressured the coroner to return a suicide verdict … Lambert, p. 62.
Quotes from Garrison’s press conference come from Bugliosi, p. 1401 and Posner, p. 434.
The coroner told the Press there was “no indication whatsoever of suicide or murder …” Bugliosi, p. 1402, fn.
A widespread sense of relief in Garrison’s office … see Bugliosi, p. 1377.
“The key to the whole case is through the looking glass …” quoted by Posner, p. 435.