Why CBS Covered up the JFK Case (part 1)

[Joseph McBride]

Good articles, Jim.

The first major CBS-TV program on the assassination of President Kennedy (aside from the breaking news
coverage) followed hard upon -- it was THE LAW AND LEE OSWALD, broadcast Dec. 29, 1963. It was
hosted by Dan Rather. It can be seen at the Paley Center for Media in
NY and LA. There is a transcript in David Belin's papers at the Gerald Ford
Library. I saw this program years ago and don't remember much about it.

https://www.paleycenter.org/collection/i...m=T77:0432

PALEY CENTER: THE LAW AND LEE OSWALD (TV) SUMMARY

This special program examines the issue of a citizen's right to a fair trial, and focuses on the debate as to whether Lee Harvey Oswald would have been deprived of that right, had he been tried for the assassination of President Kennedy. The question "should the criminal go free because the constable has blundered?" is discussed by Prof. Paul Freund of the Harvard Law School, Leon Douglas, state's prosecuting attorney before the Texas Court of Criminal appeals, Percy Foreman, president of the National Association of Defense Attorneys, and Newton Minow, former chairman of the FCC. The release of information to the press public is a central issue.

DETAILS

• NETWORK: CBS
  
• DATE: December 29, 1963 Sunday 4:00 PM
  
• RUNNING TIME: 1:00:00
  
• COLOR/B&W: B&W
  
• CATALOG ID: T77:0432
  
• GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
  
• SUBJECT HEADING: Assassination
  
• SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1963
  
• COMMERCIALS:
  

CREDITS

• Perry Wolff........ Producer
  
• Harry Morgan........ Associate Producer
  
• Jac Venza........ Associate Producer
  
• Tom Donovan........ Director
  
• Dan Rather........ Host
  
• Paul Freund........ Guest
  
• Newton Minow........ Guest
  
• Leon Douglas........ Guest
  
• Percy Foreman........ Guest
  
• Lee Harvey Oswald
  
• John F. Kennedy