In February 1978, Jim Garrison called into Ted Gandolfo's radio show with some startling information. Here are some of the highlights:

Here is an audio tape of the conversation:

Of course, when the HSCA released their final report and accompanying volumes of evidence, there was no confession tape. In September 1986, Gandolfo talked to Robert Blakey and accused him of a coverup. Here is Gandolfo's newsletter from December 1986:

What's interesting is that there indeed was a confession tape. And the person who confessed was Thomas Beckham. You can listen to his interview on the document page.

Here is a transcript of his HSCA interview.

Here is part of the interview - at least his confession:

How could the HSCA investigators not laugh when they heard this? And there is a lot more - just read the transcript for yourself.

Of course, Beckham was an incredible fabulist. He had a long history of faking degrees and of telling all sorts of stories. In short, he was a con man. Please read the transcript of his interview with HSCA investigators. It's sheer lunacy. I don't understand why they didn't pack up and leave. Instead, they recommended that Beckham be fully deposed by the HSCA.

And when Beckham was deposed, the HSCA realized that he was a total fraud.

Here are some previous blog posts on Thomas Beckham:

Did Thomas Beckham know Lee Harvey Oswald?

Why did Jim Garrison Want to Speak to Thomas Beckham?

Thomas Beckham's Book, Remnants of Truth, Part One

Jim Garrison's Memo to the HSCA regarding Fred Crisman and Thomas Beckham, part one...

Jim Garrison's Exhibits to his HSCA Memo on Fred Crisman and Thomas Beckham

Jim Garrison Identifies the "Cut-Out" of a "Professional, Highly Organized, Clandestine Operation."

Who Exactly was the Man with a Scar?

Did David Ferrie Have a Map of Dealey Plaza in his Desk Drawer?

I will soon be posting Thomas Beckham's complete deposition to the HSCA.

But wait, there's more!

James DiEugenio, in his book Destiny Betrayed, alludes to this episode but shies away from actually naming Beckham: (page 342)

"When Delsa, Buras, and Blackmer found a New Orleans witness who said knew something abut a New Orleans based conspiracy along the lines outlined by the DA, they decided to polygraph him using their own money. When the session was over, the technician said he had passed the test. When word of this got back to Washington, Blakey, Billings, and Deputy Counsel Gary Cornwell decided the New Orleans team was going to be put out to pasture."

Blakey was upset that an unauthorized polygraph test was administered. I don't know if Beckham passed, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did. He was such a pathological liar, that I doubt he understood the concept of truth. It's interesting that DiEugenio won't say this was Beckham, and that is because he knows that Beckham had no credibility.