The Secret Service Agent Who Witnessed it All [BONUS]

Summary

Who Killed JFK? – Episode Summary: "The Secret Service Agent Who Witnessed it All [BONUS]"

Release Date: January 24, 2024
Host: Rob Reiner and Soledad O’Brien
Produced by iHeartPodcasts

---

Introduction

In the bonus episode titled "The Secret Service Agent Who Witnessed it All," Who Killed JFK? delves deeper into the enigmatic and tragic assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Celebrating the 60th anniversary of JFK's assassination, hosts Rob Reiner and Soledad O’Brien explore new revelations that might shed light on America's most enduring murder mystery. This episode features an exclusive interview with Paul Landis, a former Secret Service agent who recently came forward with groundbreaking evidence related to the assassination.

---

Exclusive Interview with Paul Landis

Recounting the Day of the Assassination

At age 88, Paul Landis shares his firsthand experience from November 22, 1963. Positioned on the running board of the car directly behind President Kennedy's limousine, Landis provides a vivid and harrowing account of the events as they unfolded in Dealey Plaza, Dallas.

• Rob Reiner (00:03:21): “When I heard the first shot, I looked at the President, he was leaning a little bit to his left, he was raising his arms...”

Despite initial confusion, Landis describes the moment he realized the President had been fatally shot:

• Rob Reiner (00:04:00): “I saw the President's head split wide open. A mist of blood and flesh and brain matter flew into the air. I ducked to avoid getting splattered...”

Discovery of the Pristine Bullet

The crux of Landis's revelation lies in a bullet he discovered in the backseat of JFK's limousine—an element that challenges the established Single Bullet Theory.

• Paul Landis (00:05:51): “A pristine bullet in the backseat of the car, the seat where the President and the first lady had been sitting.”

Describing the bullet's condition:

• Rob Reiner (00:07:41): “It did not look like it had hit anything. All it had was the striations on the outside. It was just, like, resting on the top of his seat.”

Landis explains his immediate actions upon finding the bullet:

• Rob Reiner (00:07:54): “I slipped it in my pocket and raced in with the gurney carrying the President's body.”

Implications on the Single Bullet Theory

Soledad O’Brien and Paul Landis discuss the profound implications of this discovery:

• Soledad O'Brien (00:08:35): “It completely destroys the single bullet theory... This pristine bullet would have to have gone through both the President and Governor Connally...”

• Paul Landis (00:08:53): “What I wish people would understand...” (Emphasizing the significance of his testimony)

By introducing a bullet that appears untouched despite the chaos, the episode posits that the Single Bullet Theory may not hold, suggesting the possibility of multiple shooters and a larger conspiracy.

Personal Impact and Motivation to Speak Out

Landis opens up about the personal toll the assassination has taken on him over the decades:

• Rob Reiner (00:11:44): “I've been told, I understand now that the post-traumatic stress...”

He reveals why he chose to come forward now:

• Rob Reiner (00:11:49): “The newsreel of the President's head exploding. People have asked me about Dallas. I just never talked about it.”

Landis also criticizes the Warren Commission for not interviewing agents like himself:

• Rob Reiner (00:13:25): “The Warren Commission never interviewed any of the other agents that were in the follow-up car.”

---

Impact of Landis's Testimony

The revelation by Paul Landis serves as a pivotal moment in the ongoing investigation into JFK's assassination. By introducing a potentially pivotal piece of evidence—a bullet that contradicts the established narrative—the episode reinvigorates discussions about who was truly responsible for the President's death.

• Soledad O'Brien (00:14:25): “This is the most significant piece of the puzzle that we've been trying to solve for 60 years.”

Landis's testimony not only challenges historical accounts but also personalizes the tragedy, highlighting the enduring psychological scars carried by those who were present during the assassination.

---

Conclusion

"The Secret Service Agent Who Witnessed it All" offers listeners a compelling and deeply personal perspective on one of America's most infamous events. Through Paul Landis's newfound testimony, Who Killed JFK? adds a significant layer to the intricate puzzle of JFK's assassination, suggesting that the truth may be more complex and concealed than previously thought. This episode underscores the importance of revisiting historical events with fresh eyes and new evidence, keeping the conversation alive as the quest for truth continues.

---

Notable Quotes

• Paul Landis (00:05:51): “A pristine bullet in the backseat of the car, the seat where the President and the first lady had been sitting.”

• Rob Reiner (00:07:41): “It did not look like it had hit anything. All it had was the striations on the outside...”

• Soledad O'Brien (00:08:35): “It completely destroys the single bullet theory...”

• Paul Landis (00:08:53): “What I wish people would understand...”

---

Final Thoughts

This bonus episode stands as a testament to the enduring fascination and unresolved questions surrounding JFK's assassination. By bringing forth new evidence and personal testimonies, Who Killed JFK? continues to engage and inform its audience, ensuring that the search for answers remains as vital today as it was six decades ago.

Transcript

[Rob Reiner]

To have a murder as gruesome as.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Jay Beasley's doesn't happen very often down.

[Lauren Bright]

Here in Marion, Illinois. An 11 year old girl brutally stabbed to death, her father's longtime live in girlfriend maintaining innocence but charged with her murder.

[Paul Landis]

I am confident that Julie Beverly is guilty.

[Soledad O'Brien]

They've never found a weapon, Never made sense.

[Rob Reiner]

Still doesn't make sense.

[Lauren Bright]

She found out she was pregnant in jail.

[Paul Landis]

The person who did it is still out there.

[Lauren Bright]

Listen to Murder on Songbird road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or where you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trehov]

You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnal Tales from the Shadow. Join me Danny Trehov and Step into the Flames of Fright, an anthology podcast of modern day horror stories inspired by the most terrifying legends and lore of Latin America. Listen to nocturnum on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jon Stewart]

Catch Jon Stewart back in action on the Daily show and in your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now. Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Paul Landis]

When you're working on a story, especially a documentary or a podcast like this one, in the back of your mind there's always the hope that somehow something's gonna help the story break open in a new way, that there will be breaking news. Our team was in the middle of putting this podcast together, doing interviews, conducting research, constructing the episodes, when we got an alert that Paul Landis, one of President Kennedy's Secret Service agents, was coming forward with new information. A few of the Secret Service agents that were present that day have given interviews. Some have written books, but Mr. Landis has never spoken out. As the New York Times said, he spent much of his life after Dallas fleeing from history, trying to put the horror from that day behind him. But now, at age 88, Mr. Landis decided to share his memories from that day, including one moment that can be considered, if not a smoking gun, a smoking bullet.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Paul Landis was 28 years old on November 22, 1963, and he was positioned on the running board of the car directly behind Kennedy as the motorcade weaved its way through the streets of Dallas and into Dealey Plaza. He agreed to talk to us about what he saw that day. Here's more of the interview we did with him and I think it paints a vivid picture of what it was like to witness it all. So Paul, the first thing is, can you just describe what you saw at the moment that the President was hit?

[Rob Reiner]

Yes, it was just after we made turn onto Elm street and the two cars, the President's limousine and the follow up car were starting to straighten up behind each other. When I heard the first shot, I looked at the President, he was leaning a little bit to his left, he was raising his arms and I, I just thought that he was reacting to the sound and was turning to see where the sound came from. I did not realize at that point that the President had been hit.

[Soledad O'Brien]

That was the first time he was hit.

[Rob Reiner]

The first time, the first time his arms were flying up from the impact. But I didn't realize he'd been hit at that time. So I turned and I'm looking over my right shoulder where the sound came from. Didn't see anything. Scanned down across what became known as a grassy knoll. And I scanned across the top of the underpass we were approaching and that time I just happened to be looking in the President's direction again and I heard the second shot. And just shortly after the second shot, I heard the third shot. I saw the President's head split wide open. A mist of blood and flesh and brain matter flew into the air. I ducked to avoid getting splattered and at that point we zoomed under the underpass and we were on our way to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

[Soledad O'Brien]

So that fatal shot that you described, you're saying that that brain matter was flying towards you, right?

[Rob Reiner]

Yes, it was.

[Soledad O'Brien]

How far behind were you?

[Rob Reiner]

Probably 15, no more than 20ft. I was standing on the right rear running board of halfback, the follow up car.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Then you arrive at Parkland Hospital and I know there's all chaos and trying to get the President in and be treated and all of that. And then you describe this thing and I know you've said it before, but I'd like to hear it again in your words that you happen to find this bullet in the backseat. Can you just explain that?

[Paul Landis]

Pay attention, because this is the part that's breaking news. A bombshell in the history of the investigation into the Kennedy assassination.

[Rob Reiner]

Well, when I raced to the President's limousine, Mrs. Kennedy was sitting on the left center of the rear seat. And when I got there, I reached over the door, took her by the shoulders and asked if I could Help her. And she said no, she wanted to stay with them. About that time, Clint Hill came around, covered the President's head with his suit coat, and Mrs. Kennedy released him. And they were starting to get up. And as soon as she stood up, right behind where she had been sitting, there was a pristine bullet.

[Paul Landis]

A pristine bullet in the backseat of the car, the seat where the President and the first lady had been sitting.

[Rob Reiner]

I picked this bullet up. It was not disformed, other than it had recognized striations on it, that it had been fired. I'm looking around. I see no agents behind the car. Everybody was concentrating on the President, so I didn't know what to do right away. But I was afraid. This bullet was an important piece of evidence, and I didn't want it to get lost. There were people merging on the car at the time, so I slipped it in my pocket and raced in with the gurney carrying the President's body.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Now, the bullet that you found, you said that it was virtually pristine. So did it look like it had hit anything?

[Rob Reiner]

It did not look like it had hit anything. All it had was the striations on the outside. It was just, like, resting on the top of his seat.

[Soledad O'Brien]

So what do you think? I mean, where do you think this bullet came from?

[Rob Reiner]

I had no idea where it came from other than I was thinking, you know, the President's body.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Because, I mean, there was. In the autopsy, they showed that a bullet hit him in the back. So is that possible that maybe that bullet was the one that hit him in the back?

[Rob Reiner]

I think that's very possible. They didn't discover a background until we got back to Washington.

[Paul Landis]

I want to pause here in this interview for just a moment and make sure that everybody understands the significance of what Mr. Landis is sharing with us. Rob, can you explain?

[Soledad O'Brien]

It completely destroys the single bullet theory. I mean, we already knew the theory made absolutely no sense. But the discovery of this bullet in the backseat of Kennedy's limo puts the final nail in its coffin.

[Paul Landis]

Walk me through what's so powerful about this information.

[Soledad O'Brien]

As our listeners know, the single bullet theory holds that one bullet supposedly entered Kennedy's back six to eight inches below his neck, then traveled up, exited his neck, then made a turn, entered Governor Connally's back, broke bones in his wrist, before winding up in his thigh. And somehow the bullet ends up virtually pristine. So now, this pristine bullet would have to have gone through both the President and Governor Connally, breaking multiple bones, then somehow bounced back into the backseat of the car. And if somehow this Bullet didn't accomplish all this. It means there had to be more than one shooter, making it a conspiracy.

[Paul Landis]

Okay, while we digest that, let's go back to the Landis interview and hear what else he has to say.

[Soledad O'Brien]

You put the bullet in your pocket, and then you followed them into Parkland Hospital. And then. Then what did you do with the bullet?

[Rob Reiner]

Okay, we raced across the emergency room and transport. We made a turn, went down a hallway, and we arrived at Trauma Room 1. There was a crowd of people that had joined us at that point, and it's kind of pushed into the room. I was just forced up against the examination table right next to his feet. Thought that this was a perfect place to leave the bar. So I reached into my pocket, took it out, and placed it by the President's left shoe.

[Soledad O'Brien]

And what was the reason that you decided to put it there?

[Rob Reiner]

I just thought it was an important piece of evidence. Doctors would find it when they did their examination.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Nobody saw the bullet at that point?

[Rob Reiner]

No, because people were shoving, pushing, shouting.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Somebody found it somewhere and entered it into evidence. Do you have any idea who might have picked that up or found it?

[Rob Reiner]

Well, I. I've read things since how the bullet was found. Supposedly it was on Connolly's stretcher. I knew that that was not true. When I saw a picture of the bullet, my immediate reaction was, hey, that's my bullet. That and I. Not from Governor Connally's stretcher. I put it next to the President's feet.

[Soledad O'Brien]

But obviously somebody either moved it or picked it up or whatever, because it is in evidence. I mean, we have pictures of it that we see that were entered into evidence. I don't know if you've seen that picture of it.

[Rob Reiner]

Yes, I have. I mean, that's what I recognized.

[Soledad O'Brien]

And I'm just curious why, you know, at this point you decided to come forward.

[Rob Reiner]

I've been told, I understand now that the post traumatic stress. I suffered through this for quite a while. I had to leave the Secret Service. I was suffering too much. The newsreel of the President's head exploding. People have asked me about Dallas. I just never talked about it.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Listen, I can understand it because, you know, it was so shocking at the time. And then in the 70s, when the Zapruder film was first shown to the public, it's so disturbing and so upsetting. And you were there. Like you said, brain matter is hitting you. I can see how it's a trauma that is beyond description. And I can understand not wanting to relive that. So the Warren Commission, they Never asked you to testify or they never questioned you or interviewed you?

[Rob Reiner]

No. I assumed once I knew the Warren Commission had been created, I assume, well, I'm going to be in for an interview here and I was dreading it. I was glad it never happened because I knew I would break down there. And that was a very good image for Secret Service agent. The Warren Commission never interviewed any of the other agents that were in the follow up car.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Well, listen, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you giving me some time to talk. This has been something I've been thinking about since the day it happened. And you know, every time you hear some new information that may shed more light on what happened that day, people like me, and you know, we're getting older, you know, who still care about this, are grateful to hear from you and hear what you had to say. So I just want to thank you so much for giving me the time.

[Rob Reiner]

Well, thank you for offering me the opportunity. I appreciate it very much.

[Paul Landis]

That was amazing. And not just what we learned from him and the implication that it has on our understanding of the assassination, but he's another person whose life was profoundly impacted by this tragedy. I cannot imagine living with what he has seen for all of these years.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Absolutely. And it's amazing that he's coming forth now to share what he saw. And it rings absolutely true. For years the pristine bullet was a mystery. Not just how it was in such good shape, but how it was found lying on that stretcher. Nobody could plausibly explain how it got there. But now we have a Secret Service agent who finds the bullet in the backseat of Kennedy's car. And wanting to make sure nobody took it as a souvenir, he picks it up, puts it on the President's gurney. This is the most significant piece of the puzzle that we've been trying to solve for 60 years.

[Rob Reiner]

To have a murder as gruesome as.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Jake Beasley's doesn't happen very often down.

[Lauren Bright]

Here in Marion, Illinois. An 11 year old girl brutally stabbed to death. Her her father's longtime live in girlfriend maintaining innocence but charged with her murder.

[Paul Landis]

I am confident that Julie Begley is guilty.

[Soledad O'Brien]

This case, the more I learned about it, the more I'm scratching my head something's not right.

[Lauren Bright]

I'm Lauren Bright. Pacheco murder on Songbird Road Dives into the conviction of a mother of four who remains behind bars and the investigation that put her there. I have not seen this level of corruption anywhere.

[Soledad O'Brien]

It's sickening if you step sleep that many times you'd have blood splatter. Where's the change clothes?

[Lauren Bright]

She found out she was pregnant in jail.

[Soledad O'Brien]

She wasn't treated like she was an.

[Lauren Bright]

Innocent human being at all, which is just horrific.

[Rob Reiner]

Nobody has gotten justice yet and that's.

[Paul Landis]

What I wish people would understand.

[Lauren Bright]

Listen to Murder on Songbird road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back in the host chair at the Daily show, which means he's also back in our ears on the Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast. The Daily Show Podcast has everything you need to stay on top of today's news and pop culture. You get hilarious satirical takes on entertainment, politics, sports and more from John and the team of correspondents and contributors. The podcast also has content you can't get anywhere else, like extended interviews and a roundup of the weekly headlines. Listen to the Daily Show Ears edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trehov]

Welcome. I'm Danny Thrill. Won't you join me at the fire and dare enter? No Tales from the Shadows presented by iheart and Sonora. An anthology of modern day horror stories inspired by the legends of Latin America. From ghastly encounters with shape shifters to bone chilling brushes with supernatural creatures I know. Take a trip and experience the horrors that have haunted Latin America since the beginning of time. Listen to Nocturnal Tales from the Shadows as part of Michael Tura Podcast Network. Available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Paul Landis]

Who Killed JFK? Is hosted by Rob Reiner and me, Soledad O'Brien and our executive producers are Rob Reiner, Michelle Reiner, Matt George, Jason English, David Hoffman and me, Soledad O'Brien. Our writer is David Hoffman with research by Dick Russell. Our story editors are Rob Reiner and Julie Pinero. Our senior producer is Julie Pinero. Our producers are Tristan Nash, Dick Russell, Michelle Goldfine and Amari Lee. Our editors are Tristan Nash, Julie Pinero and Marcus Dilaudo. Our project manager is Carol Klein. Our associate producer is Emilse Quiros. Mixing, mastering and sound design by Ben Lahoulier. Research and fact checking by Girl Friday and Emilse Quiros. Business affairs by Hernan Naraya and Jonathan Furman. Our consulting producer is Rosanne Gallagini. Recorded in part at CDM Studio and Fourth Street Recording Studio. Show Logo by Lucy Quintanilla. Production assistance by Rocco Del Prior and Grace Barron. Special thanks to Joe Honig, Rose Arsayt and Dan Storper. If you're enjoying the show, leave us a rating and review on your favorite podcast platform. Who Killed JFK? As a production of Soledad O'Brien Productions and I Heart Podcasts.

[Rob Reiner]

To have a murder as gruesome as.

[Soledad O'Brien]

Jay Beasley's doesn't happen very often down.

[Lauren Bright]

Here in Marion, Illinois. An 11 year old girl brutally stabbed to death, her father's longtime live in girlfriend maintaining innocence but charged with her murder.

[Paul Landis]

I am confident that Julie Beverly is guilty.

[Rob Reiner]

They've never found a weapon, never made sense. Still doesn't make sense.

[Lauren Bright]

She found out she was pregnant in jail.

[Paul Landis]

The person who did it is still out there.

[Lauren Bright]

Listen to Murder on Songbird road on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Danny Trehov]

You should probably keep your lights on for Nocturnal Tales from the Shadow. Join me, Danny Trehlsby and step into the flames of Fright, an anthology podcast of modern day horror stories inspired by the most terrifying legends and lore of Latin America. Listen to Nocturnal on the I Heart Race Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast.

[Jon Stewart]

Jon Stewart is back at the Daily show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with the Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into John's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondence and contributors, and with extended interviews and exclusive week weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.