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Family and government representatives signed an arbitration agreement Friday under which the family will retain ownership of the copyright in addition to receiving compensation for the 26 seconds of footage, said Chris Watney, a Justice Department spokeswoman.
The department and LMH Co., which represents the Zapruder family, each will appoint one person to the panel, she said. The two panel members then will select a third person to be chairman.
"The panel of three arbitrators will decide the amount of just compensation that LMH is owed based on evidence and arguments from both sides," Watney said. "They expect a decision by next June."
Robert Bennett, an attorney for LMH, did not return telephone calls seeking comment.
The original Zapruder film, considered a key piece of evidence in Kennedy's assassination in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, has been stored at the National Archives since the 1970s. The family retained the ownership rights throughout the years, but the Assassination Records Review Board voted last year to declare the Zapruder film the permanent possession of the people of the United States.
Since then, the government and the Zapruder family have tried unsuccessfully to agree on a price. Initially, the Zapruder family requested $18.5 million. The government countered with $750,000, then raised its offer to $3 million.
"Who cares how much it costs?" asked John Newman, a former intelligence officer who now teaches history at the University of Maryland and has written a book about alleged Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald.
"As history, it's like the Enola Gay," Newman said, likening it to the American B-29 bomber that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, during World War II. "A whole generation of people -- their psyche -- has been affected by that film that they've seen over and over."
But Jim Lesar, president of the Assassination Archives and Research Center, which has the nation's largest private collection of Kennedy assassination documents, doesn't think American taxpayers should have to pay at all.
"It's evidence in a criminal case," he said.
October 5, 1998 (LINE) In an exclusive-to-LINE videotaped interview, former Navy laboratory technician James Curtis Jenkins stated that he, along with physicians and others present at the post mortem examination of the body of John Fitzgerald Kennedy conducted at Bethesda Naval Hospital, discovered a large exit wound at the rear of the president's skull. This was a clear indication to all present of a shot that entered at the front of the head --- which is to say, a shot fired by an assassin from a position in front of the limousine, and not from the Texas School Book Depository.
Also noted at the time was a possible wound of entry on the right front of the president's head.
Jenkins first offered his recollections during a 1977 interview with investigators from the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA). The memorandum in which the investigators summarized Jenkins' comments was declassified and released only last month by the Assassinations Record Review Board (ARRB). Also released was Jenkins' drawings of wound locations, as included in the memorandum. Jenkins' story has not changed over time; his contemporary account is therefore buttressed by such consistency.
Jenkins' testimony refutes the Warren Commission/HSCA lone assassin theory as follows:
REAR EXIT HEAD WOUND A CLEAR INDICATION OF SHOOTER POSITIONED IN FRONT OF JFK LOW BACK ENTRY WOUND RENDERS "SINGLE BULLET THEORY" INOPERATIVE
The original HSCA Jenkins memorandum is best appreciated as yet another nail in the coffin of the lone gunman theory. Taken fully in context, and in tandem with over 3,000 pages of medical-related evidence released by the ARRB, it can be viewed as one of many "smoking guns" in ARRB-originating material confirming the historical fact of conspiracy in the death of President Kennedy.
This year's Conference of the Coalition on Political Assassinations will be held in Dallas, Texas on November 20-22, 1998. Accommodations should be arranged in Dallas at the Hyatt Regency Reunion Square Hotel, overlooking Dealey Plaza before October 1. Discount rates apply for COPA registrants. Travel discounts have been arranged with American Airlines, AMTRAK train lines, and Avis Rent-a-Car. The conference site will be at AMTRAK's Union Station in Dallas, 400 South Houston Street, 2nd Floor.
35 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, 30 years since the slaying of Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy. Millions of pages of files released to the public. Yet official stories prove inadequate, new evidence continues to surface, and questions remain. Join dozens of leading researchers and forensic and medical experts who have kept these questions and cases alive.
Speakers: Dr. Gary Aguilar, Dan Alcorn, Esq., Judge Joe Brown, Walt Brown, Ph.D., Kathleen Cunningham, Jim DiEugenio, Stewart Galanor, Donald Gibson, Ph.D., Dick Gregory, Robert Groden, Steve Jones, Bill Kelly, Brad Kizzia, Esq., Mark Lane, James Lesar, Esq., Dr. David Mantik, Phil Melanson, Joan Mellen, John Newman, Ph.D., Dr. William Pepper, Esq., Vincent Salandria, Esq., Martin Schotz, Ph.D., Chris Sharett, Ph.D., Josiah Thompson, Ph.D., William Turner, Hal Verb, Cyril Wecht, JD, MD, and many others.
Friday, November 20
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Registration, Union Station, 400 South Houston Street, 2nd Floor
Working Panels, evidentiary, outreach, organizational discussion groups
Press Conference
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Featured Speaker
Saturday, November 21
8:00 am - 11:00 p.m.
Registration, Union Station, 400 South Houston Street, 2nd Floor
Speaker Panels on JFK, MLK, RFK
Awards Dinner, Featured Speakers
Video Presentations
Sunday, November 22
9:00 am - 4:00 p.m.
Registration, Union Station, 400 South Houston Street, 2nd Floor
Speaker Panels on ARRB, Investigative LeadsM
Commemorative Event - Grassy Knoll, Dealey Plaza (12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.)
Registration: Current registration rates are $150 for those staying two or more nights at the hotel, until November 1. Send check or money order with hotel reservation number to COPA, P.O. Box 772, Washington, DC 20044. Registration for those not staying at the hotel is $175 until November 1. These rates include all events and the Awards Dinner on Saturday night. Day and session rates will be available on site. Early registration insures discounts, the rates will continue to increase.
Accommodations: Hyatt Regency, Reunion Square overlooks Dealey Plaza. Discount room rates are available in November at $125 single/double, $150 triple, $175 quad. If you are seeking a roommate to reduce costs, call our office to get on the list for referrals. Call the Hyatt at 214-651-1234 for reservations as soon as possible, and mention the COPA conference. Staying at the hotel will assure the success of the conference, since we must use a minimum number of rooms to have free meeting space.
Transportation: Discounts are available on round trip fares and car rentals for the conference participants. Call American Airlines at 1-800-433-1790 and mention COPA and Star File #99N8UM for flights from US, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Caribbean islands and Canada. Call AMTRAK train lines at 1-800-USA-RAIL for a 10% discount on lower round fare rates from US and Canada points. Mention COPA and fare code X-96F-925. Fares are good from November 17-24. For discounts on other carriers, call for best rates from ASAP Travel, 1-800-669-6818 and mention COPA. Discounts are being arranged with Avis Rent-a-Car for the event as well, call COPA for more information.
A DAY WITHOUT THE PENTAGON - OCTOBER 19 NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION DISARMAMENT FAIR - OCTOBER 18 LOCAL CULTURAL/POLITICAL EVENT
LOCAL CONTACT: John Judge
WRL Organizing Office
1247 E Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-544-9355 (voice mail) / 584-1021 (fax)
email: copa@nicom.com
NATIONAL CONTACT: War Resister's League
339 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10012
Chris Ney (212) 228-0450 / 228-6193 (fax)
email: wrl@igc.apc.org
We are proud to announce our updated Speaker list for the 1998 November In Dallas Conference to be held November 19-22, 1998 in Dallas, TX. We're working very hard on the actual schedule and will send an update on that information very soon. We are so very pleased to announce this list of exceptional speakers and their topics. While planning the conference we realized we would need two kinds of presentations: some that progressed the case and some that will inspire us to keep going into the next century. We know from the listing below you will agree we can't miss in either area.
In addition to the speakers and topics listed, we will also be designating "Key People" to contribute to the presentations and panel discussions. Look for more updates and surprises soon.
Please do not wait to make your hotel reservations at the Dallas Grand Hotel as rooms are set aside, but limited. Also, we ask that you please register by September 30th to get the lower conference rate. Call 888-259-6317 toll free.
OPEN WORKSHOPS
(Thursday, Nov. 19) 8:30 - 12:00 noon
Glen Vasbinder-Jamie Sawa-Newcomers and Students
Ed Hoffman-with translator, Ron Friedrich
others TBA
(Speakers begin at 1:00pm Thursday)
Panels:
GUEST SPEAKERS:
T. Jeremy Gunn, former Executive Director and General Counsel, JFK
Assassination Records Review Board-- Awards Banquet
Mary Ferrell, researcher, archivist and contributor to many, many books
on
the assassination; most recently donated her database and chronology to
the
Mary Ferrell Legacy Project-- Awards Banquet
Gaeton Fonzi, author of book "The Last Investigation" and former
investigator for the House Select Committee On Assassinations-- Updates
on
his research, Awards Banquet
Kerry McCarthy, John Kennedy's cousin and family historian -- The
Meaning
of His Memory
Paul O'Connor and Dennis David, Bethesda Hospital Autopsy witnesses
Howard Moytl, with MPI Productions, producer of the new Zapruder Film
Documentary
RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS:
John Armstrong -- Lee Harvey Oswald
Joe Backes -- Assassination Records Review Board
Madeleine Brown, author of "Texas In The Morning," with Jim Fetzer,
editor
of "Assassination Science" -- Dallas Remembrances
Angus Crane-- Defining Assassins and the Oswald Exception
Bill Drenas-- Bus Tour Narration
Charles Drago-- Lancer Independent News Exchange; The Continuing
Relevance
George Michael Evica, author of "And We Are All Mortal"-- Beyond the 81
Promises; Intercept II:the CIA Agent Who Controlled Oswald's Mail
Stewart Galanor, author of the upcoming book "Cover-Up"-- The Grassy
Knoll
Witnesses and Secret Service Agents
Ian Griggs, editor of United Kingdom's "The Dealey Plaza Echo" journal--
Railroaded: Lee Oswald and Identification Lineups
Larry Hancock and Glen Cressy-- The Crisman Enigma
Carol Hewitt, Steve Jones, Barbara LaMonica, Nancy Wertz-- Another Look
At
the Paines
Connie Kritzberg, author of "Secrets From The Sixth Floor"-- Remembering
11-22-63
William M. Law, JFK Lancer's Bethesda Witnesses' Oral History Project--
Witness Interviews
David Lifton, author of "Best Evidence"-- Medical Panel; Tippit Panel
David Mantik, co-author of "Assassination Science" -- Medical Panel and
Zapruder Panel
Jim Marrs, author of "Crossfire: The Plot To Kill President Kennedy"--
The
New Order
Dale Myers, author of "With Malice"-- Tippit Panel
Wallace Milam -- Assassination Methods: Vince Foster and JFK; Medical
Evidence Panel
Martha Moyer -- Jack Ruby's Busy Day
Roger Peterson -- Dealey Plaza Ceremony
Jerry Rose, editor and publisher of "The Fourth Decade" journal
E. Martin Schotz, author of book "History Will Not Absolve Us"
Peter Dale Scott, author of "Deep Politics I & II"- More Deep Politics
Art and Margaret Snyder -- Reconstructing Z-313, Zapruder Panel
Sherry Sullivan -- The CIA's Forgotten Families
Josiah Thompson, author of book"Six Seconds In Dallas" -- Zapruder Film
Panel
William Turner, author of "Hoover's FBI," reseacher in both JFK and RFK
assassinations and former FBI Agent
Noel Twyman, author of "Bloody Treason"-- More Bloody Treason; Medical
Panel; Zapruder Panel
Hal Verb, long time researcher--Zapruder Panel
Lamar Waldron--Operation Freedom
Anna Marie Kuhns-Walko, researcher and archivist
Jack White, co-author of "Assassination Science," former consultant to
the
House Select Committee On Assassinations -- Photography
Doug Weldon -- The Windshield and the Coverup
William Xanttopoulis, former Justice Department attorney -- A Legal View
of
the Warren Report
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