Legal Committee Conference call Meeting Minutes
Friday July 24, 2015
Present: Dr. Cyril Wecht, Ben Wecht, Bill Simpich, Larry Schnapf, Andrew Kreig, James Lesar, Dan Hardway, Dennis Bartholomew, Glenda Devary, Bill Kelly.
Dr. Wecht opened the meeting with a brief introduction and the anticipation that some new legal avenues can still be pursued.
Bill Simpich then laid out the possibility of getting a seldom used Texas Court of Inquiry to take up the case against Oswald with the ability to exonerate him.
It would require a petition to the court and there are multiple District Courts that can be considered. We can go court shopping for a sympathetic judge is the way Simpich put it, and if one court declines we can submit it to a different court.
Simpich said he could see no downside to it.
It would not require the participation of the Kennedy or Oswald families but they should be kept appraised of it.
It would require expert witness to be paid - Dr. Wecht said we have plenty of expert witnesses, but Jim Lesar cautioned that expert witnesses must be certified and be objective in their interpretation of the evidence and not a crusading conspiracy theorist.
Bill Simpich and Larry Schnapf are to connect with Texas attorneys Dawn Meredith and Brad Kizza and confer with them before reporting back on the feasibility of opening a Texas Court of Inquiry case.
Two other groups were mentioned - The Innocence Project - and the Texas Legal Integrity Unit both of whose support should be sought.
Jim Lesar was optimistic that good things will soon happen to alter the political landscape - of which the publication of David Talbot's book on Allan Dulles was one.
On the FOIA front he said there were a number of outstanding cases three of which he mentioned - 1) the three year old FOIA for the documents on the study of the Valkyrie plot to kill Hitler that was being adapted to be used against Castro; 2) FBI 109 undercover informant reports regarding Cuba; 3) the Blakey, Lopez, Hardway case that involves surveillance and CIA psychological profiles, and will help prove the HSCA was intentionally compromised, one section of which has 52 itemized paragraphs, so these cases can get very complicated.
Lesar said he has filed these motions under the AARC and needs to continue to build support for his organization.
Bill Kelly said that CAPA will not compete with the AARC but support it in every way possible.
Larry said that we need to assemble a team of attorneys or law school students to assist Lesar and others who have on going cases that sometimes last years.
That's why it is important to file FOIA requests and appeals under an individual's name as well as an organization - just as Lesar files under AARC, National Security Archive, Madison Center, Max Holland and x, - because the responding agencies know that such organizations can keep appeals going for years while individuals often cannot.
As for getting the Kennedys and Oswald families involved - we have connections to both - D. Wecht said we should keep them appraised of our actions and welcome their support but it's not necessary. It was decided to try to get the Oswalds support and keep the Kennedys appraised.
It was agreed to meet in conference call again after the Texas Court of Inquiry prospect was reviewed with Texas attorneys.
While Bill Simpich and Larry Schnapf pursue the Texas Court of Inquiry, Bill Kelly is coordinating the FOIA efforts with the assistance of Dennis Bartholomew, and advice of Jim Lesar.
Dan Hardway said he is learning about FOIA but not proficient, while Glinda DeVary has some experience with it. Anthony Bothwell, who has a lot of experience will also be consulted.
Ben Wecht said that he would like to plan a small conference or symposium at the Wecht Institute on the growing use of acoustical evidence in high profile cases - including JFK, RFK, Kent State and Trayvon Martin, but he is busy this fall but 2016 is a possibility.
Also agreed at Ben's request that the next conference call have a more set lead time.
Friday July 24, 2015
Present: Dr. Cyril Wecht, Ben Wecht, Bill Simpich, Larry Schnapf, Andrew Kreig, James Lesar, Dan Hardway, Dennis Bartholomew, Glenda Devary, Bill Kelly.
Dr. Wecht opened the meeting with a brief introduction and the anticipation that some new legal avenues can still be pursued.
Bill Simpich then laid out the possibility of getting a seldom used Texas Court of Inquiry to take up the case against Oswald with the ability to exonerate him.
It would require a petition to the court and there are multiple District Courts that can be considered. We can go court shopping for a sympathetic judge is the way Simpich put it, and if one court declines we can submit it to a different court.
Simpich said he could see no downside to it.
It would not require the participation of the Kennedy or Oswald families but they should be kept appraised of it.
It would require expert witness to be paid - Dr. Wecht said we have plenty of expert witnesses, but Jim Lesar cautioned that expert witnesses must be certified and be objective in their interpretation of the evidence and not a crusading conspiracy theorist.
Bill Simpich and Larry Schnapf are to connect with Texas attorneys Dawn Meredith and Brad Kizza and confer with them before reporting back on the feasibility of opening a Texas Court of Inquiry case.
Two other groups were mentioned - The Innocence Project - and the Texas Legal Integrity Unit both of whose support should be sought.
Jim Lesar was optimistic that good things will soon happen to alter the political landscape - of which the publication of David Talbot's book on Allan Dulles was one.
On the FOIA front he said there were a number of outstanding cases three of which he mentioned - 1) the three year old FOIA for the documents on the study of the Valkyrie plot to kill Hitler that was being adapted to be used against Castro; 2) FBI 109 undercover informant reports regarding Cuba; 3) the Blakey, Lopez, Hardway case that involves surveillance and CIA psychological profiles, and will help prove the HSCA was intentionally compromised, one section of which has 52 itemized paragraphs, so these cases can get very complicated.
Lesar said he has filed these motions under the AARC and needs to continue to build support for his organization.
Bill Kelly said that CAPA will not compete with the AARC but support it in every way possible.
Larry said that we need to assemble a team of attorneys or law school students to assist Lesar and others who have on going cases that sometimes last years.
That's why it is important to file FOIA requests and appeals under an individual's name as well as an organization - just as Lesar files under AARC, National Security Archive, Madison Center, Max Holland and x, - because the responding agencies know that such organizations can keep appeals going for years while individuals often cannot.
As for getting the Kennedys and Oswald families involved - we have connections to both - D. Wecht said we should keep them appraised of our actions and welcome their support but it's not necessary. It was decided to try to get the Oswalds support and keep the Kennedys appraised.
It was agreed to meet in conference call again after the Texas Court of Inquiry prospect was reviewed with Texas attorneys.
While Bill Simpich and Larry Schnapf pursue the Texas Court of Inquiry, Bill Kelly is coordinating the FOIA efforts with the assistance of Dennis Bartholomew, and advice of Jim Lesar.
Dan Hardway said he is learning about FOIA but not proficient, while Glinda DeVary has some experience with it. Anthony Bothwell, who has a lot of experience will also be consulted.
Ben Wecht said that he would like to plan a small conference or symposium at the Wecht Institute on the growing use of acoustical evidence in high profile cases - including JFK, RFK, Kent State and Trayvon Martin, but he is busy this fall but 2016 is a possibility.
Also agreed at Ben's request that the next conference call have a more set lead time.
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