JFK Assassination
The Conspiracy Theories
Background
The Magic Bullet and The Grassy Knoll
The Warren Commission
The Grassy Knoll
Single Bullet Theory
Magic Bullet
The Grassy Knoll
Other Culprits?
The CIA
Photo: Picture indicating that the CIA was involved and Oswald was framed.
The Mafia and Johnson
A common theory is that the mafia caused JFK's death because of the heat that his brother, Robert was bringing to organised crime.
Lyndon B. Johnson
Many believe that Johnson was power hungry and desired to be president, thus ordering the current president to be assassinated.
Photo: Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy.
Aliens? Illuminati?
This theory is not that aliens killed JFK but rather his interest in them is what got him killed. JFK had written a letter to the CIA demanding to see the secret UFO files. There is also a note from a senior CIA official that says "we cannot allow" the president to see the classified material. These letters lead many to believe his being nosy was what did him in.
Illuminati
The secretive powerbrokers who control the world are obvious candidates for a JFK conspiracy theory. The president fell foul of the Illuminati, it has been suggested, because he wanted to end the Vietnam War, a conflict that was paying the "shadowy bankers" handsome dividends. The Illuminati were also "angered" by JFK's attempts to "rein in" the power of the US Federal Reserve, triggering a deadly backlash.
The Shooters
Some believe that it was Jackie Kennedy herself who pulled the trigger on JFK, claiming that she hid a pistol in a nearby flower pot after the assassination. Theorists who support this, however, neglect the reality that she was being watched by thousands in a limousine when the shots were fired.
Photo: Jackie Kennedy with what people believe is a pistol.
The Man With the Black Umbrella
Some witnesses point to a "mysterious" man holding an umbrella as JFK's motorcade drove by. The day of the assassination was bright and clear; no one in the crowd is wearing a raincoat or carrying an umbrella except one man. And that man is standing right where the shots were fired. Later, the man explained himself, saying that he was protesting, referencing the man with the nickname "Umbrella Man."
The Driver
This theory suggests that secret service agent William Greer, the driver of JFK's limousine, pulled the trigger. But others say that what initially looks like a handgun is simply the reflection of the sun on Greer's colleague Roy Kellerman's hair.
Friendly Fire
This theory is the least vicious out of all of them. It suggests that as Oswald fired at the president, Secret Service agent George Hickey cocked his automatic rifle to return fire. When the car he was in stopped suddenly, he discharged his weapon by mistake.