Read Garner's request to Stone, his response to her, as well as letters to the History Channel from:

• Zachary Sklar
• Jim DiEugenio

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August 16, 2000

Dear Mr. Raven,

I was approached recently by Jean Horton Garner of Thomas Horton Associates to cooperate with a documentary for your network, based on the Jim Garrison investigation in Louisiana. The book is called "False Witness: The Real Story of Jim Garrison's Investigation and Oliver Stone's Film JFK", and I gather the writer Patricia Lambert is also the co-producer and write of the documentary. This has always been a very factious area, full of people who admire Clay Shaw and hate Jim Garrison. Ms. Lambert makes several highly biased statements in her book that make it clear where her sympathies lay and that no amount of new information or research would every change her mind.

In that regard, I am sending you an article and review culled from the assassination community calling into question many of Ms. Lambert's accusations. She does not seem frankly to have much weight, if any, as a historian.

As they say, "it's your show", but I have always watched the History Channel with the feeling that, given the peculiarities of history, you were making an exciting visual attempt to balance controversial points of view. There is, therefore, no possibility I would participate, as asked, considering the "editing" I have experienced on television and given the fact that Patricia Lambert happens to be a "co-producer."

If these producers were to undertake a serious study, it would have to include the notes and perceptions of Zack Sklar, Garrison's co-editor on two books; Ellen Ray of "Covert Action"; William Davy, author of "Let Justice Be Done"; and Jim DiEugenio, author of "Destiny Betrayed: JFK, Cuba and the Garrison Case."

But given the vagaries of television financing, I suspect you will be proceeding with Ms. Lambert's vitriol, and I think the voices from the opposing point of view will be lost. So will Mr. Garrison. This is the biggest shame of all--because those of us who knew him all deeply respected him. Do not ever forget he fought in two wars, he was elected three times to the office of District Attorney, he was enormously popular as a "reformer"; he was, later in life, elected to a judgeship on the Court of Appeals, on which he remained till close to his death. He was father to six children who will be slandered by this show. His detractors over the years have been many and powerful.

I am deeply sorry that the History Channel is allowing itself to be politicized and co-opted by people with agendas. I have always respected you.

Sincerely yours,

Oliver Stone

P.S. I am also enclosing my response to Jean H. Garner.