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Did Lee Harvey Oswald Act Alone In JFK's Assassination? Macomb Community College Hosting Mock Trial

MACOMB (WWJ) - Fifty-three years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

On Tuesday afternoon, the issue of whether killer Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone or was part of a conspiracy will go on trial at Macomb Community College.

"I will be representing the side that argues that indeed, Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone," Judge Carl Marlinga told WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton. "The other side, represented by Steve Kaplan, will be arguing that Lee Harvey Oswald was part of a conspiracy. The audience will be the jury and they will vote at the end of the presentation."

KENNEDY-KILL-OSWALD
Picture dated 22 November 1963 of US President John F. Kennedy's murderer Lee Harvey Oswald during a press conference after his arrest in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was killed by Jack Ruby on 24 November on the eve of Kennedy's burial. (Credit: STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Marlinga said 53 years later, the public is still intrigued by the assassination.

"It was such a tragic loss, such an awful loss, that people still find it hard to believe that this waif, this loser, this utter nobody like Oswald could take out somebody as consequential as the president," he said.

Marlinga actually started out believing the conspiracies, until he looked at the evidence.

"I started out many, many years ago because the loss was so great with me, that I had to believe it was a conspiracy. I read every conspiracy book there is and so I come to this coming from the opposite way," he said. "I was looking for a conspiracy and after all of these years, I'm convinced that the physical evidence says that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. We think that we have the physical evidence to lock in the single assassin theory and convince people."

Oswald's Route
A map of Oak Cliff in Dallas, showing the location of eyewitnesses to the movements of Lee Harvey Oswald in the vicinity of the killing of police officer J. D. Tippit, 22nd November 1963. Tippit was shot by Oswald whilst attempting to bring him in for questioning in relation to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. (Photo by Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Tuesday's trial goes beyond satisfying a personal quest for justice, however, said Marlinga.

"For people of my age and generation, this was the person that inspired many of us to enter politics, and so his loss is still ringing with us over all of these years. But also in terms of American politics, it's important to know the truth of what our history was," he said. "It's important to know both our vulnerabilities as a democracy and our strengths. The openness of our democracy does lead to these possible tragedies. So, it's still good after all of these years to get it right."

Sniper's Perch
The view from the sixth floor window of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, from which Lee Harvey Oswald is thought to have assassinated President John F. Kennedy, 22nd November 1963. This photograph was taken approximately one hour after the assassination. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The mock trial will be held from 1 to 3 pm. on Nov. 22 at Macomb Community College, 44575 Garfield Road, Clinton Township. The event is free and open to the public.

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