In a riveting episode of Truth Be Told, guest host John Davidson sits down with James Files, a man whose life reads like a script from a high-stakes espionage thriller. Files, now 83 and battling frail health, claims to have been a key player in one of the most infamous events in American history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. His story, as shared in this podcast, weaves together threads of organized crime, covert CIA operations, and a chilling firsthand account of the events in Dallas’ Dealey Plaza. Accompanied by his wife and co-author Pamela Ray, Files offers a narrative that challenges the official lone-gunman theory and raises profound questions about the forces shaping modern history.
From Chicago Mob to CIA Asset
James Files’ journey into the dark underbelly of power began early. Raised in a military environment rather than traditional schooling, Files was molded into a sharpshooter by age eight through programs like Camp Hero, part of what he describes as a "super soldier" initiative. By 21, he was a seasoned veteran of the 82nd Airborne, with ties to both the Chicago Outfit—under figures like Sam Giancana and Tony Accardo—and the CIA. For 28 years, Files operated as a CIA asset, conducting black ops and assassinations across the globe, from Southeast Asia to Antarctica. His dual allegiance gave him a unique vantage point, straddling the worlds of organized crime and government intelligence.
Files recounts how his path converged with the Kennedy assassination plot. Initially slated to occur in Chicago, the plan shifted to Dallas after Accardo vetoed a hit in their "backyard," fearing it would disrupt the mob’s operations. Files was dispatched to Dallas a week early as a driver and weapons specialist, preparing escape routes and timing railroad crossings. On the morning of the assassination, he says he was unexpectedly tapped by General Edward Lansdale to serve as a backup shooter, positioned on the now-infamous grassy knoll. His primary counterpart, Charles Nicoletti, fired from the Dal-Tex building, while Files delivered what he claims was the fatal shot to Kennedy’s right temple with a Remington Fireball .221 pistol.
A Conspiracy Unraveled
Files’ account implicates a sprawling network of players. He names mob bosses like Giancana and Accardo, CIA operatives like David Atlee Phillips (his and Lee Harvey Oswald’s "controller"), and even George H.W. Bush, whom he knew from his early CIA days as a recruiter. Files asserts that Bush was aware of the plot, though not directly involved, and alleges his presence at the Texas School Book Depository that day. The motive, he suggests, stemmed from Kennedy’s threat to "smash the CIA into a thousand pieces" after the Bay of Pigs fiasco, coupled with the mob’s fury over perceived betrayals following their support in the 1960 election.
The logistics Files describes are meticulous: a last-minute route change delivered by Jack Ruby at the Old South Pancake House in Fort Worth, fake Secret Service agents diverting onlookers, and a carefully staged exit to avoid suspicion. He dismisses myths like a shooter in the gutter or the driver firing, emphasizing the precision of the operation. Lee Harvey Oswald, Files insists, was a patsy—supported by paraffin tests in their book Primary Target: JFK showing Oswald never fired a rifle that day. Instead, Files says he calibrated the weapons in Mesquite, Texas, with Oswald merely handling the spent shells.
A Life of Secrets and Survival
Beyond JFK, Files’ revelations paint a picture of a career steeped in covert violence. He hints at over 100 black ops missions, including the CIA’s Operation Phoenix in Southeast Asia and a bizarre cleanup of "clone, half-mutant" experiments in Antarctica. His time in the MKUltra program in the mid-1960s left gaps in his memory, with two years erased by drugs and psychological manipulation. Files also endured FBI torture in the late 1970s—documented in a Coral Agency Report—yet proudly notes they never broke him.
Now, decades later, Files is frail but defiant. Released from prison in 2016 after serving 22 years for a shootout with police (which he attributes to a CIA betrayal), he survived multiple assassination attempts, including a $50,000 contract he jokingly deemed insultingly low. His wife Pamela Ray has been instrumental in documenting his story, co-authoring books like To Kill a Country and Primary Target: JFK. She urges preservation of their extensive archives—tapes, letters, and notes—warning that the physical media risks degradation without digitization.
Reflections and a Call for Truth
Files’ tone shifts when reflecting on the JFK hit. Once a "job well done," he now expresses regret for the Kennedy children left fatherless, though he frames his actions as obedience to orders from the mob and government. He remains skeptical of official narratives, from 9/11 (which he calls an inside job) to the recent Trump assassination attempt (which he deems amateurish, while Pamela questions its authenticity). He believes the government will never fully confess its sins, predicting that even released JFK files will be "touched up" to obscure the truth.
Yet hope flickers. Files reveals that a group is pushing for him to testify before Congress, an event he’s willing to undertake locally due to his health. If corroborated by unredacted files, his testimony could shatter public trust in institutions—a prospect he views with grim satisfaction, noting, "The government has lied to the people for the last 150 years."
A Legacy in Print and Peril
For those seeking the full scope of Files’ claims, Primary Target: JFK offers over 500 pages of detail, including appendices with court documents, the Oswald paraffin test, and letters from investigator Joe West, who first urged Files to speak. Available through AuthorHouse or signed copies via their website, the book serves as both a confession and a reference for a nation grappling with its hidden history.
As John Davidson concludes, the interview leaves listeners with a stark choice: dismiss Files as a fabulist or confront the possibility that America’s past is a tapestry of deception. With James Files’ health waning, the clock ticks on his chance to reshape that narrative—potentially dragging long-buried secrets into the light.
Listen to the full podcast episode above and explore the links below to dive deeper into James Files’ story.
Purchase *Primary Target: JFK* through AuthorHouse.
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