Dallas police confidently solve JFK assassination but eccentric nightclub owner Jack Ruby has other ideas. The podcast traces the footsteps of Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby, leading up to their fateful meeting. It discusses the tense situation involving Jack Ruby's attempt to reach the police station and the aftermath of Oswald's shooting. It also explores the Catholic service at the White House, international dignitaries' attendance, and funeral processions following the assassination.
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Quick takeaways
Lee Harvey Oswald was identified as the primary suspect in Kennedy's murder due to evidence such as his movements before and after the shooting, his presence in the Texas Book Depository, and the fatal shooting of Officer Tippit.
Jack Ruby shot Oswald in the stomach in an attempt to spare Jackie Kennedy from the trauma of a trial and to show the world that a Jew has guts, resulting in unanswered questions about potential conspiracies.
Deep dives
The Assumption of Oswald's Guilt
The police quickly gather evidence against Lee Harvey Oswald after President Kennedy's assassination, including his movements before and after the shooting. They discover that Oswald had visited his wife in Irving, left his wedding ring behind, and traveled to the Texas Book Depository on the morning of the shooting. He was seen on the sixth floor shortly before the assassination and left the building afterwards. Oswald was later arrested after fatally shooting Officer Tippit and was identified as the primary suspect in Kennedy's murder.
Jack Ruby's Motivation
Jack Ruby, feeling deeply disturbed by Kennedy's assassination, sees a newspaper article suggesting that Jackie Kennedy might have to testify at Oswald's trial. Out of concern for her emotional well-being, Ruby decides to take matters into his own hands. In the basement of the Dallas police headquarters, while Oswald is being transferred, Ruby lunges from the crowd, shoots Oswald in the stomach, and is immediately apprehended by police. Ruby later explains that he wanted to show the world that a Jew has guts and wanted to spare Jackie from the trauma of a trial.
Funerals and Mourning
President Kennedy's funeral is held in Washington, D.C., with international leaders in attendance. Jacqueline Kennedy and her two children also mourn privately in the White House. Lee Harvey Oswald, on the other hand, is buried in a small funeral in the Rose Hill Cemetery outside of Fort Worth. Oswald's funeral is quietly held after struggling to find a place that would accept his body. Additionally, the funeral of Officer Tippit, the policeman Oswald fatally shot, takes place in Dallas with extensive contributions from sympathetic individuals to support his family. The funerals of these three figures reflect the events' lasting impact.
The Aftermath and Unanswered Questions
Following Oswald's arrest and Ruby's shooting, Oswald is quickly declared dead at the hospital. Ruby's actions further complicate the investigation, leaving unanswered questions about potential conspiracies. The Dallas police department faces significant public scrutiny, both for the failures surrounding Kennedy's assassination and the murder of Oswald in their custody. The grieving process continues with the Kennedy family mourning privately and the nation reflecting on the lasting impact of this tragic event.
Just hours after President Kennedy’s assassination, in the full glare of the world’s media, the Dallas police are confident they have solved the case. They have found the murder weapon, and are poised to charge their chief suspect, a strange loner called Lee Harvey Oswald. But as they prepare to move him to the county jail, one local businessman has other ideas. As they are leading Oswald into the station garage, an eccentric nightclub owner Jack Ruby steps forward. And as he aims his pistol at Oswald’s chest, the course of American history is about to take another dizzying turn …
Join Dominic and Tom as they trace the footsteps of two erratic nobodies, Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby, in the days before Kennedy’s assassination, leading up to the critical moment on 24th November when the two men finally came face to face, changing both of their lives and the course of the investigation forever…
*Dominic’s book The Fall of the Aztecs is available now from bookshops across the UK - the perfect Christmas present!*