Mock trial of Lee Harvey Oswald for the assassination of JFK in 1963

Why write about this? Actually, I'm a bit conflicted over it. What possible good could it do? Perhaps none.

So I won't go into great detail. There are a few things worth noting. Number one, I had never heard of this flick before. It was made in 1964, it said. However, it was suppressed at that time. The trial kept the actual names secret. Therefore, you would not recognize some of the testimony, but the basic facts appeared to be accurate. There is one discrepancy. The movie said that 3 bullets were found. My understanding was only two were found. The third bullet was assumed to have been lost, since it missed. If three shots took place, then only 2 bullets should have been found.

There weren't that many witnesses. Some of the trial necessitated the assumption of how Oswald would have handled himself in the courtroom. Since he was dead, he could not enter a plea. Therefore, the plea had to be assumed to be done a certain way. In the movie, Oswald entered no plea. Under Texas law at that time, such a scenario would assume a not guilty plea. Also, the defense attorney could add something to the plea. In the movie, the defense attorney added not guilty by reason of insanity.

The trial assumed that the viewers were the jury, so the arguments were presented as if the viewers were to decide. The movie concluded with the open question left to the viewer.

That's about all that's worth mentioning, I'd say.

Aside from that, I'd add that it's fascinating to watch such things. The difference in how matters could unfold is really rather small. What I mean is that Oswald, if alive, could have had a trial like this, and found not guilty by reason of insanity. In such amount of time, he could have been freed like John Hinckley was freed. But that doesn't mean that he would have had such an outcome, but then you can never know that.

If Oswald had been found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could be alive today ( assuming that Jack Ruby didn't murder him of course). History can turn on such events. Imagine how things might have been different if Oswald had stood trial. Would things have been better or worse? Ooops! Another open question.