united-states president prosecutorial-discretion
Why did Jim Garrison investigate the Kennedy assassination?
<p>Mr Garrison was the district attorney (DA) for the state of New Orleans and the assassination of President Kennedy happened in Dallas, Texas.</p>

<p>Why would a New Orleans DA be interested in this? Isn't it way out of his jurisdiction? Can any DA investigate any event in any state?</p>

<p>Garrison claimed that the assassination was the result of a conspiracy, involving various meetings and other overt acts that allegedly took place in New Orleans.  If that were true, then the conspirators who did those things would have been guilty of criminal conspiracy under Louisiana law, and the New Orleans District Attorney would be able to prosecute that crime.</p>

<p>The result of the investigation was an indictment and trial of Clay Shaw (he was acquitted).  You can read Garrison's opening statement at <a href="http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/garrisono.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/garrisono.htm</a>, which includes the detailed charges and some arguments by the defense over jurisdictional issues.  Note that Shaw was charged with conspiracy but <em>not</em> with murder.</p>

<p>There's also a Wikipedia article, with references, at <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Clay_Shaw" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trial_of_Clay_Shaw</a>.</p>
