Oswald in the doorway: the blog of the Oswald Innocence Campaign, by Ralph Cinque

Now, Joseph Backes has revealed that his position is that the Dallas Police conspired WITH Jack Ruby to kill Oswald. 

The theory we hear more often is that the Mafia put Ruby up to killing Oswald. That I hear a lot, even though it is ridiculous. What could the Mafia threaten Ruby with that was worse than destroying his entire life? 

"You go in there and shoot Oswald, after which you'll be arrested, charged, imprisoned, tried, convicted, and sentenced to death, or else we'll..."

Or else they'll what? Kill his sisters? But, they could still kill his sisters. Wouldn't it be better to just try to protect his sisters, put them in hiding, send them abroad, or whatever? 

So, that theory is stupid, but Backes' theory that the Dallas Police conspired with Ruby is even more stupid. What could the Dallas Police threaten to do to Ruby? Revoke his liquor license? 

Conspirators conspire to do things with the expectation that they're both going to get away and have a happy ending. But in this case, it meant complete, total ruin and damnation for Ruby. In a word: why would he do it? What was in it for him? 

There was nothing in it for Ruby. But even if there were, what could be worth destroying your entire life for? 

You know, Jack Ruby enjoyed his life. He really dug being the owner of this swanky strip club. He loved the fact that Dallas cops patronized it. He liked handling a lot of money. He liked the fact that he was well known and considered somewhat of a local celebrity. He was very close with his family: his two sisters, Eve and Eileen, and his brother Earl. He was devoted to them. And he absolutely adored his dog Sheba and her brood. I don't think he had any more inclination to be put into a jail cell and lose everything than you or I would.  

So, how can you speak of Jack Ruby conspiring with anybody to kill Oswald when it was tantamount to killing himself? There would be no getting away with it. There would no escaping. Right? 

In The Godfather, a guy sacrifices himself for the Corleone family. He confesses to committing the murder of a police captain which Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) did. And, he was convicted and put to death for it. But, there was a big payoff to his family. The money was proffered in advance, so he knew that they had it. It was something like a million dollars, but that was in 1940s money. And then he proceeded with the sacrifice to enable Michael to return to America.

But, in this case, what did Jack Ruby get? Nothing. So, why would he kill Oswald for the Mafia, for the Dallas Police, or for anyone else? He wouldn't. He couldn't. He didn't. You're stupid, Backes!