- 0:00:47 Introduction
- The film begins by showing President Eisenhower’s farewell address to the nation from January 16, 1961. JFK is then introduced through footage of his election victory in November, 1960. The narrator then explains that Kennedy has inherited a “secret war†against Castro’s dictatorship, eventually leading to the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Kennedy was believed to have been in cahoots with communists after Soviet ships carrying missiles turned away from Cuba.
- 0:03:38 A New Peace
- Footage is shown from Kennedy’s speech at American University. According to his speech, he wishes to put a stop to hostile relations with the Soviet Union and ultimately achieve world peace.
- 0:04:05 The Bloodied Informant
- The film suddenly cuts from Kennedy’s speech to a scene of a woman being thrown from a moving car. The footage of Kennedy is juxtaposed between scenes of this strange woman in a hospital bed, rambling that someone is going to Dallas to kill Kennedy. The remainder of the scene is composed of actual footage from the day Kennedy was shot as well as clips from later in the film. At 0:06:40, there is a loud gunshot, and the screen goes black.
- 0:07:18 The Bad News
- The actual plot opens with the first scene occurring at the District Attorney’s office in New Orleans. The DA, Jim Garrison, is working at his desk when one of his assistants, Lou, enters to inform him that the president has been shot.
- 0:08:20 Confirmed Kill
- A large group of men are gathered around a television set at a local bar when Walter Cronkite announces that Kennedy has been pronounced dead. There are mixed reactions among the men in the bar. Garrison laments, “God, I’m ashamed to be an American today.†Various newscasts are describing the incident through civilian interviews.
- 0:10:00 Grumpy Old Men
- Two men are sitting in the back of the bar, one of them clearly pleased with the unfortunate news. He feels sympathy for the Cuban exiles but holds deep contempt for the civil rights movement. The news bulletin then announces that police have arrested their prime suspect in the murder of the president: Lee Harvey Oswald. The two men are shown returning to their office, intoxicated. Guy accuses Jack of being disloyal and then repeatedly pistol whips him for looking at his files.
- 0:13:30 Oswald’s Story
- Jim, his wife, children, and his maid are gathered in the living room watching Oswald’s arrest and statements to the press. It is then explained that Oswald has lived in Russia and is a strong supporter of Castro and Communism. Jim calls Lou and asks him to gather routine information on Oswald.
- 0:15:30 Legal Action
- Garrison’s legal team has assembled at the DA’s office and is watching further coverage on the assassination. Lou mentions that there is a name that continues to come up in his investigation: David Ferrie. The room turns their attention to the television as Oswald is being moved from custody. Jack Ruby lunges from the crowd and shoots Oswald in the abdomen, Garrison immediately orders that David Ferrie be brought in for questioning.
- 0:17:46 Our Nation Mourns
- Footage from Kennedy’s funeral is shown. Bill and Jim are watching LBJ discussing Vietnam when Lou brings in David Ferrie. Garrison begins questioning Ferrie on his whereabouts the day Kennedy was assassinated. Ferrie denies ever knowing Oswald and claims that he was on a goose hunting trip during Kennedy’s parade. Ferrie is twitching and smoking quite a bit and is clearly lying. Jim tells Ferrie that he is going to be detained for further questioning by the FBI.
- 0:22:00 The Cover-Up Begins
- A man is announcing to the press that after a lengthy questioning by the FBI, they have come to the conclusion that David Ferrie had never known Oswald and was not involved with the assassination. Garrison states that there is nothing further for them to do and that they should get on with their lives. The news program then announces that there will be a commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren to investigate the assassination.
- 0:23:14 Three Years Later
- Garrison is sitting next to Senator Long on a plane when the senator begins complaining about the situation in Vietnam. He then starts listing holes the reports regarding the assassination. The senator and Jim agree that there is definitely something more to the story. Garrison is at home in front of a pile of books, telling his wife that there is no recode of Oswald’s interrogation. Garrison is starting to find major faults in the Oswald investigation. Jim’s wife and children go to bed while he continues investigating into the early morning.
- 0:28:12 Mr. Bowers Speaks
- Lee Bowers, a man who witnessed some unusual behavior at a train yard immediately before the assassination, is shown giving a deposition. A police officer claims that several transients aboard a train were brought in for questioning. Bowers describes what he saw in the yard before the assassination: several groups of men circling the area and a strange flash of light and puff of smoke.
- 0:30:43 Was It All A Dream?
- Garrison suddenly wakes up next to his wife claiming that Oswald was oddly given a Russian exam while in the Marines. His wife tells him to go back to sleep, to which he responds, “Goddamnit! I’ve been sleeping for three years.†Garrison meets with Bill and Lou to walk around the French Quarter. They arrive at the former office of Guy Bannister, a private investigator. Garrison explains that Oswald had used his office. Oswald had been working with Bannister to spread pro-Castro propaganda.
- 0:34:44 No Record
- Oswald is shown being interrogated by Agent John Quigley of the FBI after a misdemeanor arrest. Oswald is then shown on a local television debate against an anti-Castro activist. Garrison continues to form logical connections between Oswald and his involvement with Russian intelligence. Garrison tells Bill and Lou that they are going to begin privately investigating the murder of the president.
- 0:36:29 Why Did Guy Beat Jack?
- Jim and Bill are at a horse racing track to ask Guy’s former partner, Jack, about the night he was beaten with a pistol. After a few questions, Jack begins telling Jim about the people who came into the office during that summer. He claims he had nothing to do with Guy’s side operation. The scene cuts to the office where there are several armed Cuban exiles with Ferrie and Guy. Jack mentions it was called “Operation Mongoose†and that Guy headed military training camps and ran weapons. Jack claims that Guy had his camps shut down by the FBI to avoid arousing suspicions. Jack also says that Oswald was involved, along with a high-society character named Clay Bertrand. Jack realizes that he has said too much and leaves the track.
- 0:42:20 Dinner with A Friend
- Garrison is at a restaurant with his jive-talking lawyer friend, Dean. He asks Dean about his statements in the Warren Commission about being Oswald’s lawyer. Dean is lying to Jim about not knowing Clay Bertrand or Oswald. Jim threatens to charge Dean with perjury. Dean warns that if he keeps talking, then he will probably be killed. Jim asks again for the real identity of Clay Bertrand. Dean suddenly stands up, tells Jim that he’s in over his head, and storms out of the restaurant.
- 0:45:10 Enter Willie O’ Keefe
- Bill and Jim drive through the gates of a local prison. One of the guards takes them to the recreation room. The guard shouts, “Willie O’ Keefe!†An effeminate prisoner approaches them and is taken outside to a tree among the other prisoners working in a field. Bill asks Willie about Clay Bertrand. Willie says that he met Clay through Ferrie and that he performed sexual favors for Clay in exchange for money.
- 0:47:02 A Party At David Ferrie’s
- Willie remembers being at Ferrie’s during the summer of ’63, and the scene cuts to Ferrie’s house. The house is filled with Cubans, Clay, Ferrie, Willie, and several cages of mice. Ferrie introduced Willie to Oswald at the party, but Oswald was less than receptive. Ferrie is shown ranting about killing Castro to the rest of the people at his house. Ferrie, intoxicated, is then shown discussing killing Kennedy. Ferrie describes exactly how the plot to kill Kennedy would be executed. Clay politely tells Ferrie to stop discussing the matter.
- 0:50:21 “This is about order!â€
- The scene cuts back to Willie being questioned. He explains that he was put into prison when Kennedy was shot. Jim tells Willie that his story is going to be attacked, to which Willie replies he has nothing to hide. Willie then explains that he is giving this information because he believes that the election was rigged. He is happy that the allegedly communist president was killed. Willie agrees to testify in court. Jim thanks Willie for his time and leaves the yard with Bill.
- 0:52:15 Searching the Quarter
- Jim and Bill are driving thought the quarter. They stop and get out of the car. The legal team is meeting at a local restaurant. Lou presents Jim with some unpublished photos of the vagrants found on the train and says that there is no record of them ever being questioned. Suzie arrives with a stack of folders. Jim asks about Lee Bowers. Lou tells him that he was killed in an automotive accident on an empty road. Lou mentions Rose Charmie, the woman from the opening scene of the film. He says that she was a potential witness who was also killed. Rose had stated that Jack Ruby had known Oswald for years. Bill suggests that they question Ruby in jail.
- 0:55:00 What about Oswald?
- Jim asks Susie what information she found on Oswald. Apparently, she couldn’t obtain any of his classified records. Jim is cutting a piece of manila envelope with an exacto knife. Susie tells of Oswald’s background in the marines and his recent stay in Moscow. Footage is shown of his luxurious stay in Minsk, where he meets his wife, Marina. Oswald is under suspicion that he has given the Russians radar data. Susie explains to the team that Oswald had no difficulty getting back into the country. Jim has traced an outline of a rifleman out of the envelope.
- 0:58:08 Oswald at Work
- Oswald is shown working in Fort Worth, Texas, at a photographic firm making maps for the U.S. Army. Oswald is hosting a social gathering at his house, where he seems to be a strong supporter of Kennedy. Oswald meets with a couple, Janet and Bill Williams, who get him a job at the book depository. The next three clips show Oswald stacking boxes at the depository, arguing with Marina, and in hiding at a motel room in Dallas. Footage is shown of Marina telling the press that Oswald was a psychotic man.
- 1:01:26 “I’ll go you one betterâ€
- The scene focuses on Jim deducing that Marina was told what to say to the press. Bill asks just what Jim is trying to say. Jim says that Oswald was and remained an intelligence agent for our government. Jim states facts that could disprove Oswald as the shooter. The topic of conversation turns to Oswald’s rifle. Jim then suggests that maybe Oswald was just a patsy. The scene then cuts to Oswald on the cover of Life magazine. The screen goes black for just a moment.
- 1:03:16 Vantage Points
- Jim and Lou are high up on a bridge, looking across the overpass near where Kennedy was shot. An older man tells them that he saw a man running into the train yard. They are then across from a picket fence where another old man tells them that he saw smoke come up from behind the fence. A man from the railroad tells them that he saw the same thing. A woman is recollecting seeing the president get shot and a flash of light coming from the grassy knoll. The second old man takes them behind the fence, where he said he had looked for tracks that morning.
- 1:05:01 Time Stands Still
- A woman claims that she saw a lone man running from the book depository towards the parking lot. The scene cuts to Ms. Mercer, a woman speaking to Jim in her home, where she tells him that she pulled alongside a green pick-up truck driven by Jack Ruby. She had identified him as Jack Ruby at the police station. The woman in the red raincoat claims that she chased after Ruby on that day but was immediately detained and unofficially questioned by the secret service. She tells Jim that her statement in the Warren Report was a total fabrication. Mercer shows Jim several false documents that alter her story.
- 1:08:19 The Carousel Club
- Jim and Lou are at a club with a young woman named Beverly to ask her about the Carousel Club. Beverly tells them that a lot of influential people came into the club. She begins telling them about how Ruby ran the club until Lou asks her about Oswald. She remembers being introduced to Oswald and Ferrie but paid them no attention. Beverly says that she is scared to testify because she may be killed. Jim and Lou leave.
- 1:10:41 Wanted Man
- Jack Ruby is in his jail cell with several police officials being interviewed by Chief Justice Earl Warren. He warns that if he testifies, then he will be killed. A clip is shown of a body bag being rolled through a hallway by two men in suits.
- 1:11:38 Field Test
- Jim and Lou are in the book depository at the window from which Oswald supposedly fired his rifle. Lou attempts to fire Oswald’s rifle three times in less that six seconds. Jim and Lou continue to find holes in the Warren Commission’s report. Lou says that it is impossible to hit a target from where Oswald was. Lou hands the rifle to Jim. Lou points to the grassy knoll and explains “triangulated crossfire.†More footage from the Zapruder film is spliced into the scene. Lou suggests that the parade route was changed. Jim hypothesizes that the mayor may have changed the route because his brother asked him to do so. Jim states that he will have to subpoena both suspects.
- 1:16:03 Tell Me about Clay Bertrand
- A festive parade is being held in the French Quarter with music and dancing. Bill is walking with his friend, Joe, asking about Clay Bertrand. Joe tells Bill that Clay Bertrand goes by another name, Clay Shaw, the same man who used to run the International Trade Mart. Joe asks Bill if he can help him out with another case. The scene ends with a man dressed as a skeleton spinning an umbrella.
- 1:17:13 “Your hunch was rightâ€
- Susie and the team are in Jim’s House. She tells the others that Oswald had been spotted all over Dallas before the assassination. A fake Oswald is then shown at a car dealership, telling the salesman that he’ll have to go to Russia to buy a car. He is then shown at a firing range, displaying his contempt for Kennedy. The real Oswald is shown at Sylvia Odio’s house. One of Oswald’s Cuban friends is talking to Sylvia over the phone, giving Sylvia information she never requested. Susie presents a picture of a fake Oswald taken from outside the Cuban Embassy. Susie holds up a copy of Oswald Life magazine cover, suspecting that it is also a fake. Oswald is shown denying that it is actually him in the cover picture. Susie reveals that Guy Bannister has had someone using Oswald’s name to buy trucks for “Operation Mongoose.†Bill walks in to announce that Clay Bertrand is Clay Shaw.
- 1:22:20 Body Count
- There is another grand parade in New Orleans. Jim enters his living room where the news is updating the situation in Vietnam. Jim goes outside to find his wife and children searching for Easter eggs. Jim tells his wife that he has scheduled to talk with Clay Shaw on Easter. The two argue for a moment and Jim promises to return by 2:00. Clay Shaw enters Jim’s office with Susie present. Jim mentions several names of witnesses. Clay denies knowing any of them. Willie O’Keefe is shown arriving at Clay’s for dinner. Clay continues to deny knowing Willie and tries to change the subject. David Ferrie is shown arriving at Clay’s house with another young man. A bizarre, drug-induced sex party ensues. Clay denies ever knowing Ferrie or Oswald.
- 1:27:39 Easter Sunday
- Liz and the children are having brunch at a nice restaurant. The children ask when daddy’s coming. The scene returns to Jim’s office later than night, where Clay is still being interrogated. Jim continues to throw several accusations at Clay, all of which he denies. Clay asks to leave and is let out. Before he goes, Jim outright accuses him of killing the president.
- 1:30:27 Honey, I’m Home
- Jim is walking up to his front door after the questioning. He enters his house to find that Liz is upset with him. She is worried about his obsession with Kennedy. She storms upstairs. Jim and Bill are walking to the main office only to find a large group of press at the entrance. Lou presents Jim with a headline exploiting his private investigation. The team retreats to the conference room. Jim asks his assistants whether or not they wish to leave the investigation. No one wishes to leave.
- 1:33:40 Protect Ferrie
- A news anchor is reporting Jim’s investigation. Lou is in a hotel room when his phone rings. Ferrie asks Lou if he planted the story in the paper. He then tells him that he can’t go home or else he will be killed. The scene cuts to a room the Fontainebleau Hotel where Ferrie is clearly paranoid and rambling to Jim, Lou, and Bill. Room service arrives at the door. Ferrie tells them that all parties involved work for the CIA, including Ruby and the mob. When Jim asks who killed the president, Ferrie breaks down and realizes that he’s said too much. He then confesses that all he wanted in life was to become a priest.
- 1:38:59 Mardi Gras
- The DA’s office is swarming with international press. The team is in the conference room discussing what to do with Ferrie. Numa runs into the room to tell the others that he’s discovered a wire tap. Lou receives a call and tells everyone that Ferrie has been found dead in his apartment.
- 1:41:06 One Down…
- Ferrie’s apartment is strewn with religious paraphernalia and cages of mice. Ferrie is dead and bald on his couch. Bill finds a suicide note and begins to read it aloud. Lou finds an empty bottle of proloid, a metabolism-spiking drug. Susie enters to inform Jim that Ferrie’s friend, Eladio, was found murdered in Miami. Bill finds another suicide note. Jim asks the coroner about the possibility of foul play. Bill and Lou briefly argue about the credibility of their witnesses. Jim leaves in frustration.
- 1:44:20 Friendly Advice
- Bill is pushing his way through a crowd of press outside when an FBI friend of his, Frank, tells him to leave the investigation. He also says that he knows Castro was responsible for the assassination, but the public can’t know that. Frank tells Bill to get in his car.
- 1:45:20 X
- There are scenes of various monuments in Washington, D.C. Jim is walking down the steps of the Lincoln memorial when a secretive man steps down next to him and introduces himself as “X.†The two begin walking. X tells Jim that he was in black operations. X gives Jim a succinct history of his black ops. He told Jim that he was assigned to go to the South Pole before the assassination. He found that the newspaper headline he read in New Zealand felt like a cover story.
- 1:49:17 Why Me?
- Jim and X are still on a park walkway in D.C. X asks Jim why he would be called to the South Pole. X realizes that no one wanted him to order additional security in Dallas. Footage from the parade is shown while X describes what security measures were supposed to be taken. X and Jim sit down at a park bench. X tells Jim that everything released to the public is part of a cover-up.
- 1:52:14 War, Inc.
- X and Jim are sitting with the Washington Monument in the background. X tells Jim that he had documents that placed covert military operations into the hands of the joint chiefs, eliminating the need for the CIA. X tells Jim that “Operation Mongoose†was entirely black ops. X lists the budget spent on the Vietnam war to explain that war equals money and power. Kennedy would have ended the Cold War and withdrawn from Vietnam.
- 1:55:26 Dig Deeper
- Several important military and political officials are gathered in a room at the White House. They are all displeased with Kennedy’s decision not to invade Cuba. LBJ addresses the room and tells them to take control of General McNamara. General “Y†is seen receiving a call telling him that his help is needed. X explains the purpose of a “coup d’état†while images of the high-ranking officials supposedly involved are shown. LBJ is shown signing a document that returned power back to the CIA and says that if he is elected, he will invoke the Vietnam War. X says that he refuses to testify but encourages Jim to keep searching for the truth.
- 2:00:38 The Eternal Flame
- Jim is standing above Kennedy’s grave. A black man and his son approach the grave. The legal team arrives at Clay’s front door to inform him that he is under arrest for conspiracy. Clay is taken to the police station to undergo routine procedures. Clay tells the officer that he has used the name Bertrand. An FBI official, Clark, is being questioned by the press and assures them that Clay is not involved with the assassination. Jim is addressing the press at his office. The Chief Justice is telling the press at the Supreme Court that he supports the Warren Commission’s conclusions. Jim tells the press that the government has lied to them.
- 2:03:08 TV Before Bed
- Jim’s TV set is showing a report on his conspiracy investigation. The report portrays Jim as incredible and shows several testimonies diminishing Jim’s reputation, including interviews from Dean and Clay. Liz leaves the bed. Jim hugs his son as the program ends. Jim is walking through the streets. He is then sitting in his living room watching the report that MLK has just been assassinated. A strange man calls and asks Jim’s daughter to give him private information. Liz takes the phone from her.
- 2:06:26 Domestic Disturbance
- Liz tells Jim about the strange phone call while he is watching TV. She threatens to leave and Jim tries to calm her down. Liz complains that Jim doesn’t care about the family anymore and that he is attacking Shaw for being a homosexual. Jim accuses Liz of never believing him. Liz leaves the room while Jim continues to yell at her. Liz runs upstairs, screaming that she will leave Jim and take the kids. Jim walks outside with his son and daughter. They sit on the porch swing, and he tells them to always tell the truth.
- 2:11:30 Legal Team, Assemble
- The conference room is littered with photographs and diagrams. The team is discussing whom they can bring in for questioning. Jim announces that he has been asked to resign from the National Guard. Bill says that Oswald and Shaw were seen together at a Civil Rights voter’s registration drive in Clinton, Texas. Bill says no one wants to talk about Shaw. Lou berates him for not being hard enough. The two argue briefly. Susie says Oswald went to see a Special Agent Hosty at the FBI two weeks before the assassination. Oswald delivers a note to Hosty, but Hosty tears it up.
- 2:14:50 “Nothing was doneâ€
- William Walter, a FBI night clerk, has sent Jim a telex that was received warning about the assassination attempt on Kennedy. Oswald is seen plotting the assassination in a room with several Cubans. Bill argues that he has his doubts about the conspiracy theory. He then proposes a story that maybe the mob killed Kennedy. Jim refutes his theory. Bill reacts wildly when Jim mentions LBJ’s involvement. Jim uses Julius Caesar as a metaphor. Bill storms out of the room in denial.
- 2:19:34 Without Bill
- Lou breaks the silence in the room by saying that he’s had his doubts about Bill. Jim gives Bill the benefit of the doubt. Lou stands face-to-face with Jim and threatens to leave if Bill isn’t fired. Jim refuses. Lou leaves the room, supposedly resigning. Jim asks if anyone else would like to resign.
- 2:21:15 Late Night With Jim Garrison
- A television is broadcasting a national comedy talk show with Jim as a guest. Jim is live at the studio while Liz watches from home. The host, Jerry, is asking Jim about his elaborate theories. Jim gives Jerry a scenario in which a Russian premier is assassinated, to demonstrate a coup d’état. Jerry suggests that Jim is paranoid. Jim shows pictures of the vagrants arrested to the camera. Jerry takes the pictures away. Jim tells the audience that those vagrants were never seen again. Jerry cuts to a commercial.
- 2:24:14 Now Boarding
- Jim is at an airport buying a ticket back home when Bill runs up to him to tell him that someone is trying to kill him. Jim is upset with Bill not following orders and buys him a plane ticket. Jim purchases a magazine and brings it into a bathroom stall. He becomes alert and leaves the bathroom, pushing a police officer on the way. Bill watches him leave.
- 2:26:30 It’s Good To Be Home
- Jim is standing at his porch when his wife opens the door. Jim greets his wife and son. Jim’s legal team is in his living room and informs him that Bill has given all of their findings to the feds. A news program is broadcasting footage of Senator Robert Kennedy’s winning campaign. Jim is concerned that the Senator will be killed if he wins. The team doubts that they will the case. Jim says that his goal is to either convict Clay of conspiracy or to get the truth out. He asks Liz if she will come to the trial.
- 2:29:21 And The Winner Is…
- A news program announces Robert Kennedy as the winner of the California primary while Jim is in his kitchen making a sandwich. The senator is making a speech, announcing his plans to achieve peace. A loud gunshot and screaming is heard. Jim runs into his bedroom where Liz is sleeping. He wakes her up to give her the unfortunate news. Liz feels compassion for Jim. Jim tells her that he is sorry that he didn’t love her or the children enough. They kiss several times. The screen fades to black.
- 2:32:17 Judgment Day
- The legal team is on the steps of the Supreme Court building, surrounded by press. The crowd pours into the courtroom and the bailiff announces the arrival of Judge Haggerty. Willie O’Keefe is at the stand and says that he saw Clay at Ferrie’s apartment. Willie’s testimony is discredited by Clay’s attorney. A “junkie†says that he saw Clay outside the Pontachrain Wall. He is also discredited by the attorney for being a heroin addict. A woman says that she saw Clay with Oswald in Clinton at the voter registration. The sheriff of Clinton also recalls meeting Clay that day. Dean speaks on behalf of Shaw, claiming that he is not Bertrand.
- 2:34:38 Next Witness, Please
- Mr. Goldberg, a businessman, is questioned about discussing killing Kennedy with Clay. Clay’s attorney dismisses him as insane. Jim calls the police officer who booked Clay to the stand. The judge asks the jury to leave the courtroom. The judge tells him that since Clay did not have a lawyer present during the booking, he cannot present Clay’s alias as evidence. The judge asks for the jury to return. Clay’s attorney asks if he ever knew Oswald, Dean, or Ferrie. Clay says that he did not. He also denies ever using the alias Bertrand.
- 2:36:40 The Magic Bullet
- Jim is standing at a small projector screen at the front of the courtroom. Liz and Jasper walk through the door. The room darkens and the Zapruder film begins to play. The film shows Kennedy being shot. The crowd is mortified. The film ends and the blinds are opened. Jim states that it was impossible for one man to have fired three shots in 5.6 seconds. Jim then introduces the absurdity of the magic bullet theory. He presents a diagram of the magic bullet’s path and demonstrates the trajectory on Al and Numa. Jack Ruby is shown leaving the bullet on a stretcher in a hospital.
- 2:40:55 D.O.A.
- Jim shows a blunted bullet to the jury. He then compares it to the unscathed “magic bullet.†Jim states that there had to be a second rifleman and, thus, a conspiracy. He walks over to a scale model of the area surrounding the parade route. Jim lists all of the witnesses from that day while each of them is shown reacting to the gunshot. Jim questions a Dr. Peters, one of the doctors who attempted to save Kennedy at the hospital. He describes the president’s fatal wound. Another doctor further describes the physical damage. A scene of Kennedy’s body being carried out of the emergency room is shown. The next scene shows a military doctor intercepting the casket. Jim tells the jury that Kennedy’s death was announced to Air Force One before it had even been confirmed.
- 2:44:07 Second Opinion
- Doctors are shown probing Kennedy’s corpse. The operating room is filled with doctors and military officers. A military pathologist is at the stand. Jim asks him about the autopsy. He claims that he was ordered by Surgeon General Kenney to not discuss the autopsy.
- 2:46:23 “Back and to the leftâ€
- Jim is telling the jury about various crucial pieces of evidence that were destroyed by conspirators, including Kennedy’s brain. Clay’s attorney objects to Jim’s claims when Lou walks into the courtroom. Jim speculates what really happened on the day of the assassination. A team of disguised shooters are shown walking into the book depository. Another couple of shooters are shown moving into the Del-Tex building. Another team is shown moving behind the picket fence on the grassy knoll. Each of the shooters aims their rifles as Jim is narrating the events. Various clips from the parade are shown in rapid succession. Jim once again plays the Zapruder film for the jury, describing it in exact detail. Jim shows the president being shot several times.
- 2:51:13 The Getaway
- The shooters are shown gathering their equipment and leaving their respective buildings. A patrolman Smith is at the stand, stating that he was shown Secret Service credentials by a strange man. Jim claims that there is no record of arrests for those taken into custody after the shooting. Jim asks, “where was Lee Harvey Oswald?†Oswald is shown eating in the snack room of the book depository. Jim names several witnesses who say that they saw two men on the sixth floor of the depository. Oswald is shown firing his rifle at the president, hiding the rifle, running downstairs, and then returning to the snack room. Oswald buys a coke. He is shown leaving the depository through a crowd.
- 2:55:33 Desperation
- Oswald is shown returning to his rooming house to put on his jacket and get a revolver. Jim is narrating Oswald’s alleged movements. Oswald shoots Officer Tippit several times. Jim says that there were two witnesses to the shooting who were never questioned. Oswald walks into a shoe store as a police car drives by. Oswald then walks into a movie theater. A fleet of police cars arrives at the theater. Jim claims that someone had known Oswald would be there. The cops surround Oswald to arrest him. Oswald is escorted out of the theater through an angry mob. Jack Ruby is shown being let into the police station where Oswald is being held. Ruby shoots Oswald. There is a long silence.
- 2:59:54 The Ugly Truth
- Oswald is shown in a open contact wearing a suit. Marina and his daughter are at his general. Jim states that the media has created an international lie. Jim makes a moving argument about treason and government cover-ups. He tells the jury that evidence is being withheld from them because the government is fascist. Jim concludes that Kennedy was killed in order to prolong the Vietnam War. He then claims that Hoover and LBJ were accomplices. He explains to the jury that war is a business.
- 3:03:52 A Man of the People
- Jim says, “Some people say I’m crazy.†Everyone chuckles. Jim explains that the CIA documents regarding Ruby and Oswald belong to the public. He then says that the government is hiding these documents because the government considers them children. He proposes to the jury that they may need to create a new government. Jim names some people who had come forward to testify. He then shows the jury the money he has received from various supporters: working class citizens. Jim reminds the jury of the crimes charged to Clay Shaw. He closes with a quote from Kennedy. Jim returns to his table and sits down.
- 3:08:34 The Verdict
- Judge Haggerty bangs his gavel several times. He asks the jury for the verdict. The judge reads the verdict and asks Clay to rise. The clerk reads the verdict: not guilty. Most of the crowd stands up. Some cheer. Clay is being congratulated. The press is interviewing one of the jury members. They run over to Jim. Jim assertively answers a few questions and promises to continue the investigation. The press runs over to Clay. Jim, Liz, and Jasper walk towards the sun-lit exit while Clay continues to appease the press. An epilogue plays until the credits, summarizing what happened afterwards.
