TNT Documentary
For the project examining various conspiracy theories with forensic and ballistic experts, laser technology will be used to trace bullet trajectories.
According to location manager Kim Davis, working with Senior Cpl. Pat Cheshier of the city's Special Events Office, the intersection at Elm and Houston streets will be closed (and traffic re-routed) on the evening of the shoot.
Michael Jordan and Me
I was on the campus of UC-Santa Barbara during the first week of August. So was NBA legend Michael Jordan, for some basketball camp. There was an evening shindig open to the public. I attempted to find this event, walking all the way around what turned out to be the wrong building, pulling on locked doors.
To make a long story as short as possible, I found myself in a loading dock area when a white Land Rover whizzed by, driven by a lone fellow. He was headed in the direction I was walking. I rounded a corner, saw this tall fellow emerge from his now-parked vehicle, and walk toward a door. It was the great MJ, a man worth megatons, who to my surprise was not escorted by armed bullyboys.
He, too, began pulling on what turned out to be a locked door. Knocked on the glass. I thought, "Now's my chance," and walked over to him: "I think you're the guy I came here to see."
He was surprised to see me and his demeanor was one of caution. I might have been a kidnapper, after all. He said, "I think you're supposed to go around to the front."
"Where's that?" I replied. He waved his right hand in a circular motion above his head, like a ref calling a foul, and said, "Around that way..."
For a moment I thought about taking a pen from my backpack and asking for an autograph. I'd brought a copy of Spike Lee's Best Seat in the House, with a great picture of a Jordan slam, just in case. I also thought about taking out the camcorder I had brought along. But I didn't; he might have shit his pants, because I really think he was a tad worried --- not sure who the hell I was, and I sort of had him cornered.
So I just said, "Thanks," and he replied, "Thank you, sir." I left, found the right entrance. End of story.
End of story, except to note that seeing Jordan in this unusual situation forced me to recognize he is a mere mortal after all. Which makes his on-court achievements all the more impressive.
Radio Daze
Excerpt from the two reels of tape covering the Contact program of February 18, 1964, over radio station WINS, New York, New York, being the contents of the telephone conversation between Murray Burnett, Mark Lane, and Bernard Weissman.
Bernard Weissman (left) and Mark Lane
Mr. Burnett: Good evening here on "Contact".
The Caller: Oh. Hello.
Mr. Burnett: Yes.
The Caller: I'd like to ask Mr. Lane if he doesn't think it's strange that, since the Ruby trial --- since the Kennedy case was so well covered that no pictures of Officer Tippit appear, even a high school picture. I mean, I got about three newspapers and I didn't see any picture in the papers.
Mr. Lane: That was an interesting point. I will tell ou this. There was a conference which took place just a week before the assassination. Present at that conference was Bernard Weissman, the gentleman who placed the full page ad in the Dallas Morning News that practically accused the President of treason. Also present at that conference was Officer Tippit, and there was a third person whose name I will not mention although I have his name now, but there are reasons for which I cannot reveal it now.
Mr. Burnett: Fascinating.
Mr. Lane: And this conference took place in a strip joint called the Carousel, in Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Burnett: A strip joint called the Carousel?
Mr. Lane: Yes.
...And I'm Murray Burnett on "Contact" WINS. Tonight we're talking to Mark Lane, who's the attorney for the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald, the accused assassin of President Kennedy, and also to William H. Kuntsler, who's written a fantastic book called "The Minister and the Choir Singer" which is the story of the Hall Mills murder case and which, at the start of the program is not only a fascinating book but is also going to be turned into a fantastic motion picture, but also has some astonishing similarities at least in press coverage and in confusion to the assassination of the late President Kennedy. And now we'll get back to our phones here at JUdson 2-7000.
Mr. Burnett: Good evening here at "Contact."
Mr. Weissman: Hello, is Mr. Lane present? This is Bernie Weissman.
Mr. Burnett: Yes. Bernard Weissman of Dallas?
Mr. Weissman: Yes. That's right.
Mr. Lane: Yes. Hello.
Mr. Weissman: Mr. Lane?
Mr. Lane: Yes. I saw your ad down there. Very impressed by it.
Mr. Weissman: Yeah, so I understand. You know that there has been several statements you've made this evening, as a matter of fact the newspapers have been bothering me somewhat also about them.
Mr. Lane: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: That in your capacity in representing the assassin Oswald and his mother Marguerite--
Mr. Lane: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: --and you're saying that you have evidence that I knew this Patrolman Tippit and that I was in the Carousel bar and so on and so forth.
Mr. Lane: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: Yes, you're being very mysterious. You know I--
Mr. Lane: Well, did you know Patrolman Tippit?
Mr. Weissman: No, frankly.
Mr. Lane: Never saw him?
Mr. Weissman: I don't have the faintest idea of what he even looks like.
Mr. Lane: Were you ever in the Carousel?
Mr. Weissman: I was never in the Carousel bar, and I don't know Oswald--
Mr. Lane: Never? In your life?
Mr. Weissman: And I don't know Oswald, or Ruby, or anybody else involved in this thing.
Mr. Lane: I see.
Mr. Weissman: And, this leads me to believe, you know, that it seems to me--
Mr. Lane: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: --that you're grabbing at straws somehow. That you're looking to throw the case.
Mr. Lane: Well, let me tell you this, Mr. Weissman. Some very, very respectable citizen in Dallas--
Mr. Weissman: Uh-huh.
Mr. Lane: --who gave me this information, says you were there. I'd like to see you confront him, and I'd like to see you two discuss this together. Do you think we can arrange that?
Mr. Weissman: Well, I'll tell you something, Mr. Lane--
Mr. Lane: Can we arrange that?
Mr. Weissman: This is something I'd like to get straight with you first, you know, because obviously you're hearing one side of the story here, and it's very erroneous.
Mr. Lane: Well, all right. Now, I'm sure you know my address.
Mr. Weissman: I don't know your address. But perhaps you can give it to me now.
Mr. Burnett: You can give your address on the telephone, sir, it's all right.
Mr. Weissman: Can I?
Mr. Burnett: He can. Yes.
Mr. Lane: What is your address, sir?
Mr. Weissman: (Chuckle-chuckle) I'm sure you know where to find me.
Mr. Lane: I don't know where to find you. I just read your ad. That's all I know about you.
Mr. Weissman: The fact is, if you're going to make statements like this--
Mr. Lane: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: --and more or less --- not libel me --- but to give a very very poor impression and wrong impression, I would certainly wish that when you do something like this, where a man's entire future is at stake, that you contact them first and try to find out the facts--
Mr. Lane: I told you, I'd like very much to talk with you, I think--
Mr. Burnett: Wait a minute. I may have a suggestion here. Mr. Weissman, if you --- if this program --- I'm not cutting you off, but this program runs until one a.m., and if you would care to call back privately, after one a.m. --- Mr. Lane, would you talk with him?
Mr. Lane: Yes. I'd like to get your address, and I'd like to meet with you, and I would like--
Mr. Weissman: That's up to you, sir?
Mr. Lane: Can we arrange that, Mr. Weissman?
Mr. Weissman: Yes. In fact, let's see. I'll call you back at 1:05, how's that?
Mr. Lane: Excellent. I'll be here waiting for your call, very anxiously I assure you.
Mr. Burnett: Mr. Weissman, I'll give you a private number to call. Yes --- I'll --- I'll give you a number to call. Judson 2 - 7051.
Mr. Weissman: 2-7-0-1-5.
Mr. Burnett: Yes.
Mr. Weissman: All right, fine.
Mr. Burnett: Do you have anything else that you want to say on the air?
Mr. Weissman: Frankly, no. That's all.
Mr. Burnett: Thank you for calling. Good-bye now.
This is Murray Burnewtt on "Contact" WINS, the show that puts you in touch and on the air with the most interesting people in the world. And I would like to also to remind you that this is a group W station, Westinghouse Broadcasting in New York. WINS, 1010 on your dial. And I see that I have made a mistake by giving out a telephone number. And I wish people would forget it. All right, let's go and take our next call. Judson 2-7000.
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