</s>APPROVED FOR RELEASE 2025 UNDER EXECUTIVE ORDER 14176 1 February 1969 MEMORANDUM FOR : Director of Secun SUBJECT : FENSTEWALD, Bexmoor, Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA) 1. This memorandum is for information purposes only. 2. In order to keep you informed of significant developments regarding those individuals or associations that may detract from the true image and purpose of this association is invited to the attached report prepared by this Staff. 3. The attached Office of Security file on FENSTERWALD and his committee has been set up for future reference. Attachment - As Stated BEST COPY AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS APPROVID FOR RELEASE SEP 1994 17

Summary  
The documents detail Bernard Fensterwald Jr.'s involvement with the Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA), a group critical of the Warren Commission Report and federal agencies like the FBI and CIA. Fensterwald, former Chief Counsel for the Senate Subcommittee on Administrative Practices and Procedures, announced in early January 1969 that he had left his previous position and formed this committee. The committee's headquarters were listed at 9-12-19th St., N.W., Washington D.C., with a telephone number of 347-3837. Fensterwald identified several individuals connected to the committee, including Jim Garrison (New Orleans District Attorney), Mark Lane, Bill Turner, Josh Thompson, William Bradford Buié, and Michael Sart. These individuals were noted for their criticism of official investigations into assassinations, including those of President Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. Fensterwald expressed interest in establishing offices in Dallas, Texas, and Mexico but admitted uncertainty about funding sources. A 1971 memo notes his request to review files related to the Warren Commission Report, particularly a photograph of an individual entering the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City, which he believed could be identified. The documents also reference Fensterwald's interview with Chuck Stone on WDC Radio, where he alleged CIA involvement in certain research, though this claim was disputed by the publisher René Lamarre.  

Key People  
- Bernard Fensterwald Jr.: Former Senate Subcommittee member, founder of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA).  
- Jim Garrison: New Orleans District Attorney and committee member.  
- Mark Lane: Writer and committee member.  
- Bill Turner: Writer associated with the committee.  
- Josh Thompson: Writer linked to the committee.  
- William Bradford Buié: Paid James Earl Ray $25,000 for a story.  
- Michael Sart: Writer connected to the committee.  
- René Lamarre: Publisher of a book disputed by Fensterwald as CIA-related.  

Key Locations  
- Washington D.C.: Headquarters of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA).  
- New Orleans, Louisiana: Home base of Jim Garrison.  
- Dallas, Texas: Proposed location for a committee office.  
- Mexico City, Mexico: Site of the Cuban Embassy referenced in a Warren Commission photograph.  

Key Events  
- Early January 1969: Fensterwald announced formation of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA) via media.  
- March 1971: Fensterwald requested access to files related to the Warren Commission Report, focusing on a disputed photograph involving the Cuban Embassy in Mexico City.  
- April 1968: René Lamarre traveled to New Orleans to discuss a book with Mark Lane and Jim Garrison, both of whom reportedly disengaged from the project.  

Key Organizations  
- Committee to Investigate Assassinations (CIA): A group critical of federal investigations into assassinations.  
- Warren Commission: Official body that investigated President Kennedy's assassination.  
- FBI and CIA: Agencies criticized by Fensterwald and his committee for their handling of assassination cases.

MLK Declassified Files

00192275_fensterwald_bernard_jr.pdf

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