Mark Lane (author)

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Mark Lane (born February 24, 1927 in New York City) is a U.S attorney and author of many books, including the bestseller, Rush to Judgment. This book was one of two major books published in the immediate wake of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy (JFK) which questioned the conclusions of the Warren Commission. Another book by Lane, Plausible Denial, published in 1991, continued his interest in the JFK assassination. Lane was also a screenwriter for the 1973 action movie, Executive Action, starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Ryan. Lane also represented the Peoples Temple, led by controversial political figure Jim Jones, and was one of the few witnesses to survive one of the most devastating tragedies in American history at Jonestown, at which over 900 United States citizens died.

Contents

[edit] Early career

In 1959, Mark Lane helped found the Reform Democratic Movement within the New York Democratic Party.

In 1960, he was elected to the New York Legislature, where he served for one term with the support of Eleanor Roosevelt and Presidential candidate, John F. Kennedy. In the legislature, he spent considerable time working to abolish capital punishment. Lane then chose to manage the New York City area's campaign for JFK’s 1960 presidential bid.

In June 1961, during the civil rights movement, he was arrested for opposing segregation as a "Freedom Rider".[1] Lane was elected to the New York State Assembly in 1960. In 1962 he ran for Congress in the Democratic primary and lost.[2] In the 1968 presidential election, Lane appeared on the ballot as a third party vice-presidential candidate, running on the Freedom and Peace Party ticket with Dick Gregory.

[edit] Kennedy assassination

Lane applied to the Warren Commission to represent the interests of Lee Harvey Oswald, but the Commission rejected his request.[3] He would go on to write Rush to Judgement, which spent seventeen weeks on the New York Times best-seller list[4] and remains one of the most famous books in JFK conspiracy literature. It was adapted into a documentary film in 1966.

Rush to Judgement is selective in its use of sources. Lane questions the Warren Commission conclusion that three shots were fired from the Texas School Book Depository, but does not mention witnesses such as Robert Jackson, a newspaper photographer who saw a rifle being drawn back into the corner sixth-floor window after the third shot. Lane questions whether Oswald was guilty of the murder of policeman J.D. Tippit shortly after the Kennedy murder, but does not mention witnesses Barbara and Virginia Davis (who saw Oswald crossing their lawn and emptying his pistol immediately after the shooting) or witnesses Ted Callaway and Sam Guinyard (who saw Oswald carrying a gun and fleeing on foot after the shooting). Lane also states that none of the Warren Commission firearm experts were able to duplicate Oswald's shooting feat, but cites as a reference the Warren Report, which in fact reveals that their marksmen scored two head shots similar to Oswald's.[5] It should be noted, however, that in order to achieve these shots the FBI altered firing conditions by using stationary targets rather than a moving one and a more convenient height of thirty feet instead of sixty-one [6], as well as taking “as much time as they wanted for the first target” [7]

Lane testified before the Warren Commission that witness Helen Markham, who watched Oswald shoot Officer Tippit, described Tippit's killer as "short, a little on the heavy side, [with] somewhat bushy [hair]." Markham claimed that Lane had obtained this testimony by phoning Markham and pretending to be Captain Will Fritz of the Dallas Police. Nowhere on the tape does Lane identify himself as Fritz. Lane resisted turning the tape of his conversation with Markham over to the Warren Commission, claiming attorney-client privilege as the attorney for Lee Harvey Oswald. The Commission refused his claim on the grounds that Lee Harvey Oswald was dead and the Commission was not a trial. When Lane finally turned the tape over to the Commission, it revealed that Lane actually prompted Markham to describe the killer as short and stocky with bushy hair, and Markham refused, saying "I did not say this" and that the killer was "not too heavy".[8] (Markham identified Oswald in a police lineup after his arrest on November 22.)[9].

Lane's treatment of the testimony of Jack Ruby is likewise controversial. Author Jean Davison (Oswald's Game) recounted her experience reading Lane.

During the reading I checked some of Mark Lane's footnotes. The testimony he had cited as evidence that the Warren Report was a cover-up had often been quoted out of context, so that what he quoted changed the meaning of what had actually been said.[10]

The KGB allegedly provided Lane with $2000 for research and travel in 1964. This was done indirectly through an intermediary, and without letting Lane know the source of the money [11][12]. Mark Lane calls this "an outright lie" and wrote, "Neither the KGB nor any person or organization associated with it ever made any contribution to my work."[13]

He later wrote the book A Citizen's Dissent documenting his response to the Warren Commission's governmental findings on the Kennedy assassination. The 1973 movie Executive Action is largely based on Lane's writings concerning the Kennedy assassination.

[edit] Antiwar activism

In 1970, Lane involved himself in several war crime inquiries being conducted primarily by antiwar organizations such as the Citizens' Commission of Inquiry (CCI) and the Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Lane used his contacts and raised funds to support these events, including what would become the CCIs National Veterans Inquiry and the VVAWs Winter Soldier Investigation. CCI and VVAW had originally combined their efforts toward the production of one large war crime investigation, and Lane was initially invited to join the organizing steering committee. Lane suggested the Winter Soldier name, based on Thomas Paine's description of the "summer soldiers" at Valley Forge shrinking from service to their country in a time of crisis. Lane would often travel with fellow activist Jane Fonda to antiwar speaking engagements and fundraising rallies. Lane was also writing a book, Conversations with Americans, a collection of interviews with US servicemen about war crimes in the Vietnam War.

Lane's close association with CCI and VVAW would be short-lived. Tod Ensign of the CCI recalls,

It was a mistake to think that celebrities like Jane Fonda and Mark Lane who were used to operating as free agents would submit to the discipline of a steering committee. We should have placed them, instead, on an advisory panel where their visibility and political and money contacts would have been used without having to tangle with them on broader strategic and tactical questions.[14]

CCI staffers criticized Lane as being arrogant and sensationalistic, and said the book he was writing had "shoddy reporting in it." The CCI leaders refused to work with Lane further and gave the VVAW leaders a "Lane or us" ultimatum. VVAW didn't want to lose the monetary support of Lane and Fonda, so the CCI split from the project. The following month, after caustic reviews of Lane's book by authors and a Vietnam expert, VVAW would also distance itself from Lane.[15]

James Reston Jr, in the Saturday Review, calls Lane's book disreputable, in that all of the reports contained in it are admittedly unverified, and lean toward the salacious. "Lane makes no pretense of distinguishing between fact and a soldier's talent for embellishment," Reston observes. Commenting on the books redeeming social value, Reston says, "it would be to show that a pattern of atrocities exists in Vietnam, proving that while My Lai was larger, it was not unique. This needs to be demonstrated, since the Pentagon continues to insist that My Lai was an isolated case. But the effort will have to be left to more responsible parties, like the National Veterans Inquiry..."[16] A review of Lane's book by Neil Sheehan in the New York Times Book Review claimed that 4 of the 32 servicemen interviewed by Lane for the book had misrepresented their military service, according to the Defense Department. Lane responded to Sheehan’s inquiries by stating that the Defense Department is the least reliable of all sources for verification of atrocity accounts and that verification of simple facts about the interviewees was “not relevant.” Sheehan called Lane's book irresponsible, concluding that, "Some of the horror tales in this book are undoubtedly true," and the "men who now run the military establishment cannot conduct a credible investigation... But until the country does summon up the courage to convene a responsible inquiry, we probably deserve the Mark Lanes." [17]

The controversial book reviews caused concern in the VVAW leadership, as Andrew E. Hunt notes,

Sheehan's exposé had placed VVAW leaders in a difficult position. Lane's involvement with the planning of the Winter Soldier Investigation had been extensive. His legal and financial assistance had proven invaluable. Few VVAWers doubted his sincerety or devotion to the effort. Yet they feared associating with Lane could tarnish months of difficult work. "Then the question became, 'How do we protect our integrity?'" recalled Joe Urgo, "'How do we separate ourselves from this guy?'" Organizers hoped Lane would maintain a low profile. Their wishes were fulfilled.[18]

VVAW veterans involved with the WSI event then realized they needed to take control, and insisted that there be no more interference from the likes of Lane. A new, all veteran, steering committee was formed without Lane. Ultimately, the WSI was an event produced by veterans only, without the need of civilians such as Lane and Fonda. [19]

[edit] Work For the Peoples Temple And Jonestown Tragedy

In 1978, Lane began to represent the Peoples Temple. Temple leader Jim Jones hired Lane and Donald Freed to help make the case of what it alleged to be a "grand conspiracy" by intelligence agencies against the Peoples Temple.[20] Jones told Lane he wanted to "pull an Eldridge Cleaver", referring to a fugitive Black Panther that was able to return to the United States after repairing his reputation.[21]

In September of 1978, Lane visited Jonestown, spoke to Jonestown residents, provided support for the theory that intelligence agencies conspired against Jonestown and drew parallels between Martin Luther King and Jim Jones.[22] Lane then held press conferences stating that "none of the charges" against the Temple "are accurate or true" and that there was a "massive conspiracy" against the Temple by "intelligence organizations," naming the CIA, FBI, FCC and the U.S. Post Office.[23] Though Lane represented himself as disinterested, the Temple paid Lane $6,000 per month to help generate such theories.[24]

Regarding the effect of the work of Lane and Freed upon Temple members, Temple member Annie Moore wrote that "Mom and Dad have probably shown you the latest about the conspiracy information that Mark Lane, the famous attorney in the ML King case and Don Freed the other famous author in the Kennedy case have come up with regarding activities planned against us--Peoples Temple." [25] Another Temple member, Carolyn Layton, wrote that Don Freed told them that "anything this drug out could be nothing less than conspiracy."[26]

Lane was present in Jonetown during the tragedy on November 18, 1978 when over 900 Peoples Temple members died in a murder-suicide by cyanide poisioning and Congressman Leo Ryan and four others were murdered at a nearby airstrip.[27] For months before that tragedy, Jones frequently created fear among members by stating that the CIA and other intelligence agencies were conspiring with "capitalist pigs" to destroy Jonestown and harm its members.[28] This included mentions of CIA involvement in the address Jones gave the day before the arrival of Congressman Ryan.[29]

During the visit of Congresman Ryan, Lane helped represent the Temple with its other attorney, Charles R. Garry, who was furious with Lane for holding numerous press conferences and alleging conspiracy theories of actions against the Peoples Temple.[30] Garry was also displeased with Lane for making a veiled threat that the Temple might move to the Soviet Union in a letter to Congresman Ryan.[31]

Late in the afternoon of November 18, two men wielding rifles approached Lane and Garry, who had earlier been sent to a small wooden house by Jones.[32] It is not clear whether the gunmen were sent to kill Lane and Garry, but one of the gunmen recognized Charles Garry as an attorney in a trial that the gunman had attended.[33] After a relatively friendly exchange, the men informed Garry and Lane that they were going to "commit revolutionary suicide" to "expose this racist and fascist society."[34] The gunmen then gave Garry and Lane directions to exit Jonestown.[35]

Garry and Lane then snuck into the jungle, where they hid and called a temporary truce while the tragedy unfolded.[36]

On a tape made while members committed suicide by ingesting cyanide poisoned punch, the reason given by Jones to commit suicide was consistent with Jones' previously stated conspiracy theories of intelligence organizations allegedly conspiring against the Temple, that men would "parachute in here on us", "shoot some of our innocent babies" and "they'll torture our children, they'll torture some of our people here, they'll torture our seniors."[37] Parroting Jones' prior statements that hostile forces would convert captured children to Fascism, one temple member states "the ones that they take captured, they're gonna just let them grow up and be dummies."[37] Annie Moore and Carolyn Layton were among the 900 that died in the tragedy.

Lane later wrote a book about the tragedy, The Strongest Poison. That book, since its publication, has been criticized by some as a long list of conspiracy theories, and as a repeat of the stories told by Rev. Jim Jones to keep his followers in a state of fear, such as that CIA-employed mercenaries were posted nearby and slaughtered Jonestown residents as they tried to flee through the jungle.

[edit] Later career

Lane wrote Murder In Memphis with Dick Gregory (previously titled Code Name Zorro, after the Central Intelligence Agency's name for King) about the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., in which he alleged a conspiracy and/or government coverup.[38] Lane represented James Earl Ray, King's assassin, before the House Select Committee on Assassinations inquiry in 1978. The HSCA said of Lane in its report that "Many of the allegations of conspiracy that the committee investigated were first raised by Mark Lane.... As has been noted, the facts were often at variance with Lane's assertions.... Lane was willing to advocate conspiracy theories publicly without having checked the factual basis for them.... Lane's conduct resulted in public misperception about the assassination of Dr. King and must be condemned."[39]

He is the author of the book Arcadia in which he details the effort to prove that James Richardson, a black migrant worker in Florida, had been falsely accused of killing his seven children by unlawful actions on the part of the authorities involved. Richardson had been on death row for the crime, but after the book was published he received a new trial in which he was found not guilty. Richardson was released from prison after 21 years and Richardson's babysitter later confessed to the murders.

Lane represented the political advocacy group Liberty Lobby as an attorney when the group was sued over an article in The Spotlight newspaper implicating E. Howard Hunt in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Hunt sued for defamation and won a substantial settlement. Lane successfully got this judgement reversed on appeal. This became the basis for Lane's book Plausible Denial. In the book, Lane claimed that he convinced the jury that Hunt was involved in the JFK assassination, but contemporary news accounts show that most jurors decided the case on the issue of whether The Spotlight had acted with "actual malice," rather than merely engaging in sloppy and irresponsible journalism.[40]

Lane also acted as attorney for Liberty Lobby when the group unsuccessfully sued the magazine National Review. At one point, NR editor William F. Buckley, irritated by Lane's questions, asked the judge, "Your Honor, when he (Lane) asks a ludicrous question, how am I supposed to behave?" [41]

Lane recently moved to Charlottesville, Virginia.[42] He still practices law and lectures on many subjects, especially the importance of the United States Constitution (mainly the Bill Of Rights and the First Amendment) and civil rights.

[edit] Works

  • Rush to Judgment. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966.
  • A Citizen's Dissent: Mark Lane Replies to the Defenders of the Warren Report. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1968.
  • Arcadia. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970, ISBN 978-0030818547.
  • Plausible Denial: Was the CIA Involved in the Assassination of JFK? Thunder's Mouth Press, 1991, ISBN 978-1560250005.
  • Conversations with Americans: Testimony from 32 Vietnam Veterans. Simon & Schuster, 1970, ISBN 978-0671207687.
  • Code Name Zorro. Pocket, 1978, ISBN 978-0671811679 (with Dick Gregory).
    • Reissued as: Murder in Memphis: The FBI and the Assassination of Martin Luther King. Thunder's Mouth Press, 1993, ISBN 978-1560250562.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bugliosi 1011
  2. ^ Bugliosi 1001
  3. ^ Bugliosi 344
  4. ^ Bugliosi 1002
  5. ^ Bugliosi 1005
  6. ^ WC Hearings Vol. 3 p444
  7. ^ Warren Report p193
  8. ^ http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/lane1.txt
  9. ^ Bugliosi 135
  10. ^ http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/lane2.txt
  11. ^ Bugliosi 1001
  12. ^ Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin, The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and the Secret History of the KGB, Basic Books, 1999. Excerpted here. According to the book, Soviet journalists, including KGB agent Genrikh Borovik, met with Mark Lane to encourage him in his research.
  13. ^ Letter to The Nation from Lane
  14. ^ Tod Ensign; Viet Nam Generation: A Journal of Recent History and Contemporary Issues, March 1994; Article
  15. ^ Andrew E. Hunt; The Turning: A History of Vietnam Veterans Against the War; New York University Press, 1999; Pages 63;67
  16. ^ James Reston Jr., Saturday Review, January 9, 1971, Page 26
  17. ^ The New York Times Book Review, December 27th, 1970 by Neil Sheehan
  18. ^ Andrew E. Hunt; The Turning: A History of Vietnam Veterans Against the War; New York University Press, 1999; Page 67
  19. ^ Gerald Nicosia; Home to War: A History of the Vietnam Veterans' Movement, 2001, Page 84
  20. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 440
  21. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 440
  22. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 440
  23. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 440
  24. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 441
  25. ^ Moore, Rebecca. A Sympathetic History of Jonestown. Lewiston: E. Mellen Press. ISBN 0-8894-6860-5. p. 282.
  26. ^ Moore, Rebecca. A Sympathetic History of Jonestown. Lewiston: E. Mellen Press. ISBN 0-8894-6860-5. p. 272.
  27. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 484
  28. ^ See, e.g., Jim Jones, Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 234, Q 322, Q 051
  29. ^ Jim Jones, Transcript of Recovered FBI tape Q 050
  30. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 460
  31. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 461
  32. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 541
  33. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 541
  34. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 541
  35. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 541
  36. ^ Tim Reiterman (1982) "Raven: The Untold Story of Reverand Jim Jones and His People" ISBN 0-525-24136-1 page 563
  37. ^ a b "Jonestown Audiotape Primary Project." Alternative Considerations of Jonestown and Peoples Temple. San Diego State University.
  38. ^ Bugliosi 1002
  39. ^ Bugliosi 1011
  40. ^ Implausible Assertions
  41. ^ William F. Buckley: R.I.P., Enfant Terrible - Human Events
  42. ^ "Rushing to judgment-- and everywhere", The Hook (newspaper), November 23, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-12-09. 

[edit] See also

[edit] External links