In 1996 James Files claimed that he and Charles Nicoletti, a Mafia hit man, had been on the grassy knoll at Dealey Plaza and that they had both shot President Kennedy at the same time. Files said that he was paid $30,000 and had orders not to hit Jacqueline Kennedy. He added that Nicoletti took his order from Sam ‘Momo’ Jiancana, who in turn answered to Anthony ‘Big Tuna’ Accardo.
Since all three mobsters were murdered between 1975 and 1977, there was no one to corroborate Files’ story. The FBI dismissed the story, noting that Files is now serving a 50 year sentence in Illinois for murdering a police man and thus had little to lose by ‘confessing’ while gaining his 15 minutes of fame.
Audio
A Young James Files
Files Update: This is a letter James Files sent me from prison in December, 2013 in answer to questions inspired by the viewers who watched my video
THIS IS A LETTER I SENT TO JAMES FILES AFTER I HAD RECEIVED SOME NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT THE VERACITY OF FILES’ STATEMENTS.
THESE WERE TOUGH QUESTIONS.
I HAD NOT CORRESPONDED WITH FILES FOR OVER 10 YEARS. HERE ARE HIS ANSWERS. MY LETTER TO HIM WAS SENT ON OCT 30, 2013, AND HIS REPLY FROM PRISON ARRIVED DECEMBER 13, 2014
HIS REPLIES ARE IN ITALICS AND THE SPELLING ERRORS AND COMPOSITION ARE EXACTLY AS HE SENT THEM TO ME.
James Files, Inmate N14006
Stateville Correctional Center
16830 South Broadway
Crest Hill, IL 60403
Dear Mr Files, Oct 30, 2014
Almost a decade ago you and I corresponded about JFK. and I referenced you as the grassy knoll gunman.Since then, I made a video on Youtube about this. Maybe you do not have internet or youtube. Youtube is a way of posting a lecture on line so others can see it. There are quite a number of clips of you being interviewed on youtube.
The title of my talk is “The JFK assassination: what really happened.” Again, I say that James Files and Nicoletti were the shooters.
Well, quite a few people have looked at this video so far. About 90% like it but about 10% hate it. I get called all sorts of profanities. I’m accused of being a liar, a moron, and far worse. They don’t believe me, and they don’t believe you.
So I’m wondering if you can help me out. There are some questions these folks ask me which I can’t answer. They are very hostile, so get ready. These are hostile questions and comments (to me) and these are tough questions. Please don’t be offended. They don’t come from me, they come from my critics, and, thus, in a way, your critics. I could use your help in giving honest and intelligent replies to these accusations. (I left a space for you to answer if you choose):
(1) One critic says Files is lying because the Remington Fireball was not invented or sold commercially until 1968. What is your reply to that?
They are correct on the Remington Fireball was not sold commercially until 1968. . . what I had was a proto-type that was given to the CIA in 1961 and I received it for work in 1962…and the prottype was just a little different than the one sold in 1968. Check with someone that is now retired from Remington who worked back then. This has been checked out before
(2) Another points out a contradiction. When I interviewed you, you said that Oswald knew nothing about the coming hit. But in another interview you said that you and Oswald hung out together, in Dallas, and that Oswald showed you around. It seems from that interview that Oswald must have known you were there for some reason. Did he know you were coming to hit the President or was in the dark about that? Was Oswald aware of the coming hit on JFK or was he kept in the dark. If he was in the dark, what was he thinking when he was out there helping you? What did he think he was helping you to do?
Oswald and me spent 5 days together before the assassination with him showming me around Dallas. At that time I was a weapons bearer and driver. “not” a shooter. Oswald and I never spoke of the up-coming assassination. That would be out of character to speak of a crime you was fixing to commit. After a hit, Charles Nicoletti and I never spoke a word about what we had done. Not to each other, or anyone Else. Once the deed was done, it was history. Like it never happened.
(3) One witness, a deaf man who also couldn’t speak, said that he saw two men, not just one, at the grassy knoll. He saw you shoot. He was standing on the freeway overpass. He didn’t hear anything, because he was deaf, but he saw a puff of smoke. One man was dressed in a suit he said, (I think that was you) and one who was in overalls. The man in the overalls ran toward the railroad cars. Your interview said that you were alone. Please clarify. Is the deaf man wrong?
There was a couple of railroad workers in the yard, but no one was with me. Prior to the Shooting, one man did come by me. That man was grounds coordinator, who was checking to make sure that everyone was on station. His footprints were the size 81/2 that was in the mud behind the fence with my size 10 foot prints.
(4) Chauncey Holt was supposed to be a guy who brought fake secret service identification to the shooters. I’ve read that the shooters (you, Nicoletti, Roselli) were dressed in suits and carrying secret service IDs. Is this true? Did you know Chauncey Holt?
Yes, I knew Chauncey Holt and hes he delivered the secret service ID’s, But I never used one of them. If you have studied Chuncey Holt, then you know what he was capable of doing. He was a first class forger. . . .
(5) If Oswald was not the shooter in the 6th floor, who was? Was it David Morales? Mac Wallace? Who?
I do not know who the shooter on the 6th floor was. I don’t even know if there was a shooter on the 6th floor.
(6) Recently it has been revealed that your friend Marlowe was the guy who killed Tippit. Care to comment? True or false? You told me 10 years ago you knew but you withheld his name. Since then, Marlowe passed away. I know you don’t talk about folks until they are gone, so I’m wondering if now that he is gone if you can confirm if Marlowe is the guy who hit Tippit.
Yes, Gary Marlow was the man who shot and killed J.D. Tippit. I never gave up his name. His sister-in-law came forward with that information for the $10,000 reward. I would not sell out for the money after his death. He sent me Message when he was very sick and knew he was dying of cancer, and that message was “Please keep my secret, fuck the world, they don’t need to know. I don’t want my family to know the truth about me, who I was and what I had done.
(7) When I interviewed you, you said E. Howard Hunt was involved but that you chose not to comment any further. Since that time, however, Hunt died, so now I’d like to know if you can tell me what he did with Oswald or how else he was involved?
As for E. Howard Hunt, he was a good man and he served his country. Let him RIP!
(8) Finally, one author (Epstein) says you lied about everything and that you were in Chicago with your wife who was delivering a baby. He said you were never in Dallas. Another author said that you replied to this charge by saying that you had an identical twin brother who was with your wife and that your brother was subsequently murdered. I have never found anything in my research showing that you ever said that. I don’t think you did say that. Did you say that about an identical twin brother or has someone put words in your mouth?
Yes, I was in Chicago when my wife Eleanor had our daughter. Which was my first child, born Sept 26th, 1966 and is on record, So I guess history is wrong and that JFK was assassinated on Sept 26,th 1966. Stop the press and change history.
Okay, I hope you can answer these questions for me. It would help in my dealing with all the critics who are calling me a liar and a fake. They are still very much in the minority, but they are a vocal minority.
Jerry Kroth
Please use the return envelope to reply, or send it to
They took your return envelope and threw it away. That is contra-band…
Jerry Kroth, Ph.D.
[from Jerry Kroth: I’m blocking out my address because a lot of strange people comment on my video and I’d just as soon keep this out of the public domain]
Here’ is Files’ final comment which he typed in before his signature:
I do hope this answers your questions. But I am sick of this JFK shit. And the shot I took was a nothing shot. What 92 feet? Hell who can brag on a simple shot like that. . .
