Was there more than one shooter?: Now John F. Kennedy’s bodyguard is unpacking

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The recordings burned themselves into US memory: President John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) collapsed while driving an open convertible in Dallas, Texas. His wife Jacqueline ‘Jackie’ (1929–1994) still bent over her fatally wounded husband in despair. Shortly afterwards he was dead.

Paul Landis (88) cannot forget the day. He was only a few feet away from Kennedy when the shots were fired. Landis worked for the Secret Service at the time and was responsible for the security of the American president. The day haunted him. After six months he left the secret service, withdrew several times and supported himself with various jobs. He kept quiet about what he had experienced.

‘I didn’t want to talk about it. I was scared. “I was afraid that maybe I had done something wrong and that I shouldn’t talk about it,” Landis told the New York Times. But now he has written down everything he experienced that day. His book ‘The Final Witness’, which will be published on October 10, offers new fodder for conspiracy theories. There are numerous theories surrounding the attack.

Theory of the “magic ball”

After Kennedy’s death, an official investigation concluded that he was shot by lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald (1939-1963), who was in turn murdered two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby (1911-1967). The version was repeatedly questioned, especially by conspiracy theorists.

There is speculation that communist sympathizer Oswald was hired by Cuba or the Soviet Union to assassinate Kennedy – or by anti-Cuban groups with help from the FBI. Others believe political rivals could be behind the president’s assassination.

In his book, Landis focuses in particular on one aspect that still poses puzzles today. It’s about the “magic” ball. According to the official report, Kennedy was hit by a bullet that exited the neck and then struck then-Governor of Texas John Connally (1917-1993), who was also in the car. He was hit in the back, chest and leg. It seemed incredible that a single bullet could do all this, which is why skeptics put forward the “magic bullet” theory.

The bullet was lodged in the seat back

Investigators came to this conclusion in part because the bullet was found on a gurney where Connally would have been lying at Parkland Memorial Hospital, so they assumed the bullet had apparently fallen from the body while doctors looked around and cared for the wounded. The ex-bodyguard now explains in his book where the bullet actually suddenly came from.

Landis claims he found the bullet in the car. This was stuck in the backrest. He took it and placed it on John F. Kennedy’s stretcher so it wouldn’t be lost as evidence. He cannot explain how the bullet ended up on Connally’s stretcher. Possibly when they were pressed together.

“At this point I’m starting to doubt myself.”

“There was no one to secure the crime scene and that really bothered me,” Landis said. “All the officers that were there were focused on the president.” A crowd had gathered. “It all happened so quickly. And I was just scared – it was evidence, I realized that straight away. Very important. And I didn’t want it to disappear or be lost. So it said, ‘Paul, you have to make a decision,’ and I took it.”

This means: The ‘magic ball’ theory could be wrong. Landis believes another bullet was fired, wounding Connally. He always believed that Oswald was the only shooter. Now he’s not so sure anymore. “At this point I’m starting to doubt myself,” he said. “Now I’m starting to wonder.” (ymh)

Source: Blick