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From: jmcadams@primenet.com (John McAdams)
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Subject: Stockwell Critique of Files Story - 3
Date: 23 Jan 1997 21:16:04 -0700
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FROM:	John R. Stockwell, 105475,2627

Re:	West/Vernon/Files, Part III

Over the next few months Joe West cultivated the relationship with Jimmy
Files.  Apparently, a significant element in Files's personality was
intense commitment to a "father" or "big brother" figure.  He allegedly
had worshiped the ground Charles Nicoletti worked on....  He seemed to
affix similar respect to Joe West.

Gradually, according to Joe, in subsequent visits and via phone calls and
letters, Files opened up on the subject of the JFK assassination.  At
first he had only admitted to knowing what really happened.  Then he said
he had been in Dealey Plaza.  Joe sent him a map of Dealey Plaza....  he
sent it back with an X marked on it, but said that was not where he really
had been standing.  He allegedly held out for immunity before he would
talk.  Joe pressed judges and district attorneys in Houston and Dallas,
trying to get the "case" before a grand jury.  The FBI interviewed Files
in prison and concluded that there was no apparent substance in his
"confession." 

Joe West died of a "hospital infection" following heart surgery in
Houston.  Bob Vernon took over the Jimmy Files investigation ("project")
on behalf of Joe's heirs.  His strategy was energetic promotion of the
story, hopefully into a multi-million $, multi-faceted entertainment
production. 

He, too, managed to bond with Files.  A lifetime criminal, repeatedly in
jail and prison, serving a "de facto life sentence" for conspiracy to kill
a police officer, Files wrote songs and played a guitar.  Vernon was a
song writer and music producer.  Files further rationalized that he would
like to help develop the story commercially for the benefit of his pal Joe
West's heirs. 

By phone, letter, and visiting Files in prison, Vernon continued to
develop Files's "confession" of the JFK assassination and to promote the
story vigorously for commercial exploitation.  He did repeatedly generate
substantial commercial interest; inevitably the deals fell apart, one
after the other. 

The essential problem in most cases may have been credibility.  Joe
West's.  Jimmy Files's.  Vernon's. 

Joe West's heirs gave me a letter reassuring me that I would be the writer
of the eventual book.  My perception of the best approach is explained in
the first part of this critique (12/28/96).  I urged all parties to "roll
the dice" by putting the story to the acid test.  I urged that we put
together a team (myself and David Scheim and/or maybe Gary Shaw and/or
maybe David Perry,)  that would go into the prison, interview Files at
length, and scrutinize his claims.  I was quite sure we could question him
in sufficient detail, measure his answers against hard facts, and emerge
reasonably sure of his veracity.  Perry was an insurance claims
investigator.  Scheim and MIT professor.  Shaw had pursued the
assassination for a couple of decades.  If Files passed this test, we
could proceed to publish the solution of the "crime of the century." 

If not, we would be poorer, and history would be burdened with one less
assassination scam.