Infamous Crimes – The Assassination of John F. Kennedy – Saul Roth

Image Credit: Victor Hugo King, who placed the photograph in the public domain (presumably when he gave it to the Library of Congress)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

By Saul Roth

President John F. Kennedy died on November 22, 1963 after being shot by Lee Harvey Oswald while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. He was 35 years old and became the youngest president ever elected during his time.

Kennedy was shot while sitting in the presidential limo with his wife, Jacqueline. He died soon after at Parkland Hospital due to massive blood loss.

Oswald was arrested about 70 minutes after the shooting of Kennedy, which is when he faced charges under Texas state law for his murder.

On November 24, 1963 Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald as he was being moved through the basement of Dallas Police HQ.

Just as John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was also taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital after being shot by Ruby. He died there soon afterwards.

Lee Harvey Oswald’s motives are still up for debate, but one thing that is not debated is the fact he did indeed murder John F Kennedy. The Warren Commission determined this after a 10 month investigation into his actions with no discovered evidence to suggest otherwise.

When the Dallas Police arrested Oswald and collected physical evidence at the shooting scenes, they held him captive for 12 hours on November 22nd.

The President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, also known unoffically as “the Warren Report,” was established by Johnson to investigate what happened during and after his death. After hearing all evidence presented in front their offices they issued an official report with conclusions that were released on September 24th 1964; three days before it became public knowledge worldwide.

Some people believe that there was more than one shooter in the Kennedy assassination. One popular conspiracy theory suggests it wasn’t just Lee Harvey Oswald who committed these crimes, but also establishment forces like FBI director J Edgar Hoover and the CIA Director. Others think mobsters had something to do with what happened at Dealey Plaza.

Jacqueline Kennedy’s pink suit, the autopsy report and X-rays from President John F. Kennedy’s hospital room are in the National Archives. The items include his blood stained clothing as well other memorabilia that has been housed there since his death.

The historic district was established in 1993 to honor President John F. Kennedy’s life and legacy. The three acres of land, buildings facing it as well an overpass that borders on Dallas’ railyard were all included within this designation by the National Park Service.