Of course Kennedy's assassination was part of a conspiracy. Trying to shed light on one of the central tragedies in our history is a daunting task.

Don't get me wrong. There have been plenty of conspiracy nuts who have written books on this subject. There has been trash written on both sides of the issue. I only focus on what happened on November 22nd, 1963. The evidence shows there was more than one shooter; more than one shooter equals conspiracy. Those who prop up the rightfully-maligned Warren Commission want the public's focus to remain on the lone gunmen theory. Once that is rejected, people logically go to the next step: Who would want Kennedy dead? And that's the question certain Powers That Be still, at this late date, don't want the public to ask.

Physical evidence? The bullet holes in both Kennedy's coat and shirt are both six inches down from the collar and two inches to the side. This is the same bullet that was purportedly shot from the 6th floor of the school book depository building, the same one that somehow came out his neck and caused all of the injuries to Governor Connally. Yes, friends, we're talking about the Magic Bullet. If you want an annoying conspiracy theory, try that one because certainly there was more than one busy bee, including Senator Arlen Specter, devising that Whopper!

Forget about Stone's film except for five words used to describe that awful moment in the Zapruder Film: "Back and to the left." Believe what your eyes see. Anyone telling you that shot came from the rear is the worst kind of snake-oil salesman.

Given the capability of the rifle used, only three shots could have been fired within the time established by the Zapruder film. I believe there were more than three shots fired, but that is not necessarily the main thing. Again, given the capability of the rifle, specifically the length of time it would take to reload for a second shot, not enough time had expired between Kennedy grasping his neck and Connolly first reacting to his wounds for that second shot to have been fired. And so, once again, we come back to: You guessed it. The Magic Bullet, which is now tied into the single-bullet theory. Connolly himself said that he heard what he thought was fireworks and started to turn around to learn more. It was at this point that he was struck. The Zapruder film clearly shows Kennedy already grasping his neck and Connolly still facing forward. He hasn't started his turn yet! But we are supposed to believe that this same bullet, which has clearly already struck Kennedy, is also the one which hit Connolly? The answer is 'yes' if, indeed you still believe it is a Magic Bullet.

One final thing. I'm sure others have written about this, but I've never read of it in print. If kids are playing cops and robbers with toy guns and one kid shoots the other, they invariably grab at the spot of their imaginary wound. Even children understand that this would be the basic reflex involved. On the Zapruder Film, we see Kennedy grasping at the front of his neck. Would he reflexively react to an exit wound? Once again, if we allow common sense to prevail, it is obvious he has reflexively reacted to an entrance wound, a shot from the front.

I've read no explanation - official or otherwise - that satisfies the questions I have about this mystery.

I don't think anyone who wasn't involved - before, during or after the fact - really has a clue.

Of course we all know there are no such things as conspiracies, right?

ORIGINAL COMMENT: This is unexplained only to those poor souls who are realistically challenged, i. e. they believe that everything in the X-Files is true, or they take up collections for all those poor Indians killed in John Wayne films.

The rest of us learned long ago what happened and who did it. For the answer, read the recent book by Vincent Bugliosi, Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy (2007). The book is 1600 pages with another 1000 pages of footnotes. All of the conspiracy and alternative theories are examined thoroughly. All are debunked except the official Warren Commision Report. Give it up, conspiracy theorists!

UPDATED, JANUARY 28, 2009:

I re-read the preface to Bugliosi's work today. It is rather sad to see how sunk into ignorance is our populace in these times. The vast majority of the people believe some kind of conspiracy theory. Realizing how few of today's masses actually read a book, it is malpractice of the first order for the conspiracy theorists to commit the misfeasance, malfeasance and non-feasance to ignore the facts and still continue to hold the view that there was some conspiracy to assassinate Kennedy.

After 45 years of extensive investigation the only question left unanswered is who WASN'T involved. It appears that the CIA in cooperation with a group of ultra conservative military industrialists planned to use the Cosa Nostra's know-how to recruit known communists into training a crack team of Boyscouts to swarm the grassy knoll dressed as Francisco Franco under the cover of Masons fundraising for a heart-transplant for Woody Harrelson's dad. The most impressive part of the whole scheme is that not one of the estimated 16,000 co-conspiritors has spilled the beans.

The unexplained mystery is what was JFK doing in Texas anyway? Frito-Lay factory tour, perhaps? Or perhaps to visit the Dallas Cowboys who had a 5-8-1 season

A tragedy for any family and, in this case, country: the circumstances of JFK's assassination came under suspicion as the result of a combination of factors: from political atmosphere within and from without the country, political enemies were real and rabid; to a mishandled investigation and the media's sensasionalistic coverage and our own fears, etc. It was just not as portrayed by Mr. Garrison, whose discredited accusations discouraged for decades further objective pursuit regarding the facts.

Even if you buy the official story it still does not explain why Jack Ruby, a mafia-connected low life, would kill Oswald, unless he wanted him to "shut up" about something. Jack Ruby never expressed a great love or admiration of Kennedy so this part just does not make sense.

Kennedy was shot and a lot smells about it and the official story is a tissue of spinmeister obfuscations.  We will never be certain of anything about this one, but it is entirely different than most of the rest of the 'mysteries' on this board.  Heads of state being assassinated for political reasons is as ancient as history itself.  There is nothing unusual here.

I was a little kid when this happened, talk about not knowing a thing, after it was spoken about, and I remember feeling sullen. I do remember the shoting of the other Kennedy, in 1968, that was scarry, because I would be 8 years old, coming home from school, and hearing it blaring out of a store deli I was passing, Senator Kennedy has been shot, the news announcer said, he is shot behind the left ear, it would be announced latter that he had died, another dark time for the nation and the Kennedy Family.

Funny how that jerk on the grassy knoll appears to have a jersey with the number 16 on it...

the government did it.

What's the mystery?

Mr. Oswald could never have done it; there is NO way he could have made the shot. I watched a programme that showed a top US Marine sniper try and do what Oswald is supposed to have done! He managed to get one shot in and it totally missed the mark!!! Oswald was not renown for his shooting, Not by GOOD sniper standards anyway. It is obvious that Kennedy was betrayed, by whom no one will ever know!!!! He did good but also made some serous errors when it came to his allies. May he rest in peace and know that he did do some good for this country!!

No mystery here. He was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald and died.

Growing up, I always wondered -much like everyone else- who assassinated J.F.K. Throughout most my life I always assumed and had the opinion that it had to be Lee Harvey Oswald...who else could it be? Then, I believe sometime in the late '80s, an Oliver Stone drama depicted the assassination and blamed it on the Mafia. The theory (though I never saw the movie or investigated the hypothesis in any way) came across to me as dumb. I was naive and a teen and I just assumed that it was a dumb theory. Not many years afterward (first in the early '90s, then in the late '90s) two very, very reliable sources (I won't divulge what they are) confirmed to me that several mafia hitmen, with sniper rifles, did indeed assassinate J.F.K. No I'm not lying or joking. I was negligent to even express my opinion on the matter here at rate-it-all. But as I said two different sources -both unaware of each other- confirmed what I used to think was a "dumb" theory as a teen: that the mafia did assassinate J.F.K.

I agree with Planetary that the JFK assassination was a Mafia/CIA job. The Mafia were pissed off at JFK because they saw him as a two-faced turncoat.JFK made nice with the Mafia during his candidacy;as thanks for their support,he hired his attack dog brother Robert as Attorney General, and RFK snapped at the Mafia's heels throughout their tenure. The CIA was involved because well....they're jerks. But I will be senile and rotting in some nursing home before the whole truth ever comes out about the JFK assassination.

My imagination has been held captive by the Kennedy assassination since I first saw the full-length unedited version of the Zupruder film some 17 years ago - Seems that most folks capable of intellectual thought have completely disregarded the ignorant trash that is found in the Warren Commissions' "Report" with its numerous inconsistancies, ommissions, quack theories about "Single Bullets" "Lone Gunman" and outright lies ( Though it is still interesing and required reading if you are going to engage in your own pilgrimage of de-bunking the official story ). Unfortunately there really is no credible version of the events from that day to be found on any book-shelf, web-site, or official document. So it would seem that whatever angle you approach it from, a certain ammount of faith is required: Some of the various theories put forth thru-out the years do carry some weight, but most, at one time or another, have had shadows of doubts cast on their central themes: I too have read Posners book and found the theory put forth by the author to be somewhat bogus and lacking in weight, credibility, and often flies in the face of imperical scientific evidence: My BS-Detector was set off from page 1, because Posner assumes right off the bat that LHO acted alone and offers no real evidence to back it up..... it is merely accepted as fact...... Instead, the first half of the book is spent building up LHO as a "loner" a "psychotic" and most importantly, a "commie" - This was done, I believe, to soften up the reader for the sole-purpose of selling his lame-brained theories found later on in the book. Add to that, the fact that it was released near the 30th Anniversery of the assassination, and that it was warmly embraced by the mainstream media, and you have all the makings of good ol' fashioned propaganda..... but that's just my take on it, as anything related to that day is still open to speculation. - And that, I believe, is both the beauty and tragedy of this great mystery: In lieu of a believable official account, we are all left to our own devices and prejudices when deciphering the happenings from that very tragic day. And regardless of what you think about JFK the man, or JFK the President, one cannot deny that many a strong case has been made that on November 22, 1963, our very democracy may have been usurped in the most cunning, viscious, and invisible coup d' teat ever orcherstrated by the powers that be.... My gut feeling tells me that this thing had CIA/ Mafia stink all over it.... But like anything else related to that day, that's just speculation...

Gerald Posner's book closes nothing and is almost as unbelieveable as the Warren Report. Whoever killed Kennedy covered their tracks very well, helped by a bungled FBI and Dallas police investigation. Oswald was a patsy!

This is not a mystery. Read Gerald Posner's book, Case Closed. It's the most interesting investigative work I've ever seen. The truth about the Kennedy assassination is a lot more fascinating than all those idiotic conspiracy theories.

Earl Warren did it, Lyndon Johnson assisted, and the American media played along. Oh sorry, you meant the murder not the coverup. Seriously though, and without trying to sound too much like a paranoid conspiracy theorist, a plausible case can be made that a coup d'etat, or an semi-apprehended coup d'etat happenend on November 22, 1963. Not that Johnson was a conspirator, but he may well have been an unwitting benefactor.

I think 40 years is time enough to let this one go.

It had to have been some involvement by the CIA/FBI- especially if you believe that they were complicit in the deaths of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The question is: Do you believe they were?

This certainly is an intriguing subject. Seems that folks are either for the single gunman theory or the conspiracy theory, and are adamant for whichever of the two is their choice. It is amazing how many theories there are to prove either case - all kinds of so-called experts coming out with computer enhancements, or simulations, to prove their view. I really think some of the evidence is hokey, and there really are too many unexplained or unexplainable bits to the story to convince me that it was only Oswald (or evn if it was Oswald) acting alone. I'll bring in a personal experience which I have never, ever seen made reference of anywhere. When I was stationed in Italy, I was doing research on WW II Italian small arms and visited the military museum in Rovereto. The curator of the museum told me that after the assassination, the US sent a team of experts to Italy (I recall him telling me that at least one member was from the FBI; I don't recall what other US agencies may have been involved, but probably Secret Service as well) to work with the Italians to determine if in fact an expert marksman with a 6.5 Carcano could hit a moving target replicating the distance and speed of the assassination. The Italians came up with the best guy they had with the Carcano (no jokes, please - this time I agree with a large part of what Moosekarloff says in his comment, but not that which concerns the killing power of the 6.5mm; it's a good, lethal military cartridge), and neither he nor any of the Americans (apparently, we sent some sharpshooters over as well) could acquire the target with the scope and get off aimed shots in the timeframe that Oswald supposedly did. I just wonder why no one ever mentioned this delegation to Italy in any reports or investigations? I believe the curator of the museum - I don't think he was making it up out of thin air. Anyway, just another mystery surrounding the assassination. I think there was a lot of bungling, and maybe even a coverup, for whatever the reasons. Bottom line: I find it hard to believe that Oswald did it, or did it alone.

I'm only 17 but know all about the assassination of JFK. I don't believe the lone gunman theory, but I'm not one of the idiots who say that everyone was involved in the assassination without even considering any of the facts.The media, however, is still tring to make us believe LHO did it himself, but they always fail to mention all the facts that prove he didn't do it himself.I do admit that there is alot of evidence against LHO, but if it was a conspiracy and he was the patsy then there would of course be evidence against him.I think the government knows more then they are telling us and it really makes me mad.If we can't trust our government then democracy will fail.I could sit here and write enough to make a book dealing with this topic, but I'm not.So I guess that's about all I got to say and if anyone wants to say anything about what I had to say IM me. Aol SN - GohanLee2004

There really is no mystery here because its pretty obvious that Oswald did not do it. And I cannot understand how anyone who has researched the subject can sill think Oswald did it alone. Anyone who seen the Zapruder film sees that Kennedy's head jerks back when the head shot occured. If he was hit from behind, his head wouldn't jerk back, it would fall forward and the brain tissue would've hit Connelly and the windshield. This is just common sense. All of the doctors who looked at Kennedy at Parkland Hospital saw a huge part on the back of his head blown away. Now, exit wounds or larger than entrance wounds, this means a shot had to come from the front.

I have to admit I am one of those people who can't get enough when it comes to the numerous investigations of the Kennedy assassination. I live near Dallas, so about once a month I drive to the grassy knoll and talk to all the conspiracy theory mongers. It's very interesting hearing all of the controversy, new and old. Most of the people there just want to make a quick buck, but some of them can hold my interest. I have obtained quite a collection of information over the years. I also tour the museum every time a relative comes to visit. I was born a week before Kennedy died. I really would like to be alive (and coherent) when the files are no longer sealed.

The appeal of JFK's assasination is perverse in that it indicated for the first time in our history that the U.S. government is just a front for whoever is really running the show, and that the government is willing and able to pull any kind of outrageous stunt to protect the interests of the behind-the-scenes Powers That Be. Kennedy was not the victim of some disgruntled lone gunman: his hit was a well-orchestrated, professional job that was aided before and after the fact by an adroit cover-up conducted by government and so-called "law enforcement" officials. This national tragedy, which struck anyone living at the time who had half a brain in their head as being pretty phony, showed that the so-called "authority figures" we were programmed to trust unquestionably weren't to be trusted at all. This was the beginning of the end of The Good Old Days, truly The Day The Music Died, and America's been on a cynical, defeatist downward spiral ever since. And contrary to what some posters here may affirm, The Single Bullet Theory was the most outlandish piece of nonsense since The Virgin Birth, and despite the assurances of a couple of crackpot "experts," study after study, test after test has shown that Oswald couldn't have hit his target three times in the limited time he had, at the range he supposedly fired from and given the trajectories available to him. So, please spare me any refuting nonsense to the Multiple Gunmen Theory. Also, his little 6.5mm Italian bolt action carbine had nowhere the firepower to blow Kennedy's head to pieces at a distance of 25 yards, let alone a couple hundred yards. Furthermore, the man who was identified as Lee Harvey Oswald, a plant to distract everybody's attention, and murdered as part of the government's charade, probably wasn't even the real man who bore that name. And the most intriguing aspect of this is that the records and evidence pertaining to the most public American crime of the 20th century were sealed for over 100 years under that old BS disclaimer, "in the interests of national security." Yeah, I guess if the American public at that time found out for sure that the President was murdered by our own government, the panic resulting from that would have made the race riots of a few years later seem like a love-in. But in 100 years, this will be a curious footnote of history and there will be no one to hold accountable, no one to punish. Nice and tidy and neat and professional. One of the CIA/Mafia's best efforts. If only the government were as competent at educating our young, taking care of the elderly, sick and mentally deficient, protecting our enviroment and advancing the best interests of the commonweal as they were at offing the Chief Executive of the land, America would truly live up to its self-praising sham reputation.

About the Kennedy Assassination I will say this. If, after the information we have received about this whole ordeal. I am hard-pressed to believe that Oswald killed the president alone. There is a lot of strong evidence out there that kills the lone-gunman idea, the magic-bullet theory and the Warren commission report. This just goes to show you that when someone tries to make change for the better, there is always someone, or many someones who must stand in the way.

A guy hated kennedy so he killed him. Then the suspect was killed. how is this a mysteryoswald did it just died to early so we prove it 100 percent

I have to agree with PBeavr on this one (that's a rare one LOL). I'm all too fond of JFK, and am fully convinced that there was a conspiracy in his assassination. However, forty years later, it is no longer a mystery to me. I'm still interested in it, but it really is not a MYSTERY- any one with half a brain can prove the Warren Commission's conclusions false, thus implying a government cover-up, but not necessarily a government involvement in the killing itself. Johnson himself thought that Castro was responsible (I do as well), and if that got out, then the country would want to invade Cuba, thus triggering a war with Russia (invading Cuba would've breached an agreement between Russia and The United States). Whatever Johnson's motives for the coverup, I do not believe the theorists who state that he was in any way involved in the killing or had any pre-knowledge of it. Kennedy's death may have been significant- perhaps 58,000 of our boys wouldn't have parished in Vietnam had he lived. However, a mystery to me has always been: Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?. The Who is not important and the how is definately not the way that the Warren Commission described. However, the only real MYSTERY here is WHY? Why was Kennedy killed? There are dozens of reasons, but which one is true? We'll never know. Who pulled the trigger is not important- its just scenary for the public. Why is the only real mystery. Considering that most who may or may not have been involved have passed on, we may never know the real truth about this terrible tragedy... we might, if my theory about Castro is true. Of course this is a mystery and it can be fascinating, but vague conclusions can basically lead you to some sort of conspiracy theory which can never be proven. So again, our question should not be who, it should be why. JFK's death was tragic for the nation and the world and his message still continues to inspire today. However, there is no real mystery here... common sense can lead you to a logical conclusion about this tragedy.... the most logical answer is usually the right one.

No mystery here. Please read Gerald Posner's "Case Closed". After clearing your head of all the mindless conspiracy theories (they ALL can't be right) and just use common sense and look at the raw data of the assassination you only can come to one conclusion - Oswald did it alone, period!!! The "magic bullet" was not magic, the shots DO line up, Oswald DID have enough time to fire 3 shots, head motion of Kennedy was perfectly natural, IMPOSSIBLE to alter body after the assassination - too many people would be needed and how do you know before hand what alterations - if necessary - would be needed. The conspiracy theorists in my opinion are ignorant of science and do not use simple common sense - and many are just nuts and friut cakes. I can go on and on and on.

A lot of the mystery, based on the few documentaries and specials I've seen on the History Channel and the like, seems to be how such a well-documented event (at least 3 fairly good videos were taken at or near the time) could leave so much open. Who killed him isn't as interesting to me as all the available and seemingly useless "evidence" that they have of the incident.