The Case That Will Never Die

[Graham]

Over about the past 12 months, three friends who had been looking at my library of true-crime books have spotted my books on the A6 Case. All three remembered the crime, and strangely all three said that they thought John Lennon was involved in some way. All three borrowed my books (including Shadows Of Deadman's Hill by Leonard Miller, and now a collectors' item or so I understand. I don't know how thoroughly these people read the books, but one was more or less convinced of Hanratty's guilt, one of his innocence, and one didn't know one way or the other. A good spread of opinion. The undecided one said that in some respects it reminded him of the Lindbergh Kidnap Case from the 1930's, known by some in the USA as 'The Case That Will Never Die'. I thought that was a good sub-title for the A6 Case, still hotly debated after almost 54 years. Will we ever know the whole truth about it?

Graham

[GUT]

What involvement did they think John had?

[richardnunweek]

Hi.
John Lennon believed Hanratty was innocent, and was one of many public figures to support the cause ..nothing more then that...
Regards Richard.

[Graham]

Hi.
John Lennon believed Hanratty was innocent, and was one of many public figures to support the cause ..nothing more then that...
Regards Richard.

Thanks Richard - I am totally aware that John Lennon and Yoko Ono were involved in (supposedly) supporting the Hanratty family. What I meant to convey was that all three of the people I lent my books to knew very little about the case but remembered that John Lennon was involved.

Graham

[Graham]

What involvement did they think John had?

Supporting the family. Maybe 'involved' was the wrong word.

Graham

[Derrick]

Hi.
John Lennon believed Hanratty was innocent, and was one of many public figures to support the cause ..nothing more then that...
Regards Richard.

John Lennon produced the following film;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGl9tzMNtpE

via the Beatles' own film company, Apple Films Ltd.

But apart from that and some shenanigans at a film premiere and at Speakers Corner...nothing more than that!

[Derrick]

In addition...

Actually, John Lennon didn't come out and say that he thought Hanratty was innocent per se.

In fact, Lennon was vehemently opposed to capital punishment and thought it nothing short of state murder.

I suppose he saw in the Hanratty case enough doubt to lend his support to the A6 Committee (to which he and Yoko became members) cause and join it with his views on state murder.

Del

[NickB]

John and Yoko attended the Speakers Corner protest in a sack.

- photo 1

- photo 2

- photo 3

[Graham]

Absolutely correct, Derrick. I don't think he stayed with the Hanratty Case very long, as it turned out. Personally I was never a big fan of his, but I guess it did the Hanratty family and supporters no harm at all to have a celebrity on their side, so to speak. I think he lent his support to another case, but I'm blowed if I can remember the details.

Graham

[Derrick]

Absolutely correct, Derrick. I don't think he stayed with the Hanratty Case very long, as it turned out. Personally I was never a big fan of his, but I guess it did the Hanratty family and supporters no harm at all to have a celebrity on their side, so to speak. I think he lent his support to another case, but I'm blowed if I can remember the details.

Graham

Hi Graham

Not long after, John and Yoko moved to New York and lent their support to the US anti-war and civil liberties movement.

For those like you Graham who can't remember the details I'll summarize.

The US war in Vietnam was a futile endeavour that escalated tension in the region and led to the loss of millions of peoples of lives in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The civil rights movement was led by great figures such as Dr Martin Luther King whose stand against oppression from whichever quarter was a turning point in not only American politics but World politics, just like M K Gandhi had done before him in the Indian Sub-Continent.

Around this time, Lennon wrote a number of classic, timeless, songs such as Give Peace a Chance, Imagine, Power To The People and Working Class Hero, to name but a few.

Hope that helps Graham.

Give Peace a Chance and just Imagine eh? We can all Come Together!

Del (Lennon and Beatles fan)

[moste]

Hi Graham

Not long after, John and Yoko moved to New York and lent their support to the US anti-war and civil liberties movement.

For those like you Graham who can't remember the details I'll summarize.

The US war in Vietnam was a futile endeavour that escalated tension in the region and led to the loss of millions of peoples of lives in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The civil rights movement was led by great figures such as Dr Martin Luther King whose stand against oppression from whichever quarter was a turning point in not only American politics but World politics, just like M K Gandhi had done before him in the Indian Sub-Continent.

Around this time, Lennon wrote a number of classic, timeless, songs such as Give Peace a Chance, Imagine, Power To The People and Working Class Hero, to name but a few.

Hope that helps Graham.

Give Peace a Chance and just Imagine eh? We can all Come Together!

Del (Lennon and Beatles fan)

DITTO, Del. And well posted. Steve.

[Stephen Thomas]

Absolutely correct, Derrick. I don't think he stayed with the Hanratty Case very long, as it turned out. Personally I was never a big fan of his, but I guess it did the Hanratty family and supporters no harm at all to have a celebrity on their side, so to speak. I think he lent his support to another case, but I'm blowed if I can remember the details.

Hi Graham

You're probably thinking of his support for the activist Michael X.

[Pcdunn]

I've heard of Malcolm X, but not of Michael X. What was his objection to the Establishment?

This A6 case was totally unknown to me until a few months ago. I've read summaries of it at Wikipedia and Murderpedia, and it does seem to have a lot of weird twists and turns.

Maybe I read too many thrillers and spy stories, but could espionage be involved, as the murder victim worked for the government? (Yeah, I know, road department, but you never know what the Communists would be after...)

[Graham]

Hi Graham

Not long after, John and Yoko moved to New York and lent their support to the US anti-war and civil liberties movement.

For those like you Graham who can't remember the details I'll summarize.

The US war in Vietnam was a futile endeavour that escalated tension in the region and led to the loss of millions of peoples of lives in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The civil rights movement was led by great figures such as Dr Martin Luther King whose stand against oppression from whichever quarter was a turning point in not only American politics but World politics, just like M K Gandhi had done before him in the Indian Sub-Continent.

Around this time, Lennon wrote a number of classic, timeless, songs such as Give Peace a Chance, Imagine, Power To The People and Working Class Hero, to name but a few.

Hope that helps Graham.

Give Peace a Chance and just Imagine eh? We can all Come Together!

Del (Lennon and Beatles fan)

That is a very insulting and a very patronising post, Derrick.

Graham

[GUT]

Hi.
John Lennon believed Hanratty was innocent, and was one of many public figures to support the cause ..nothing more then that...
Regards Richard.

Yeah that was all I knew about John's involvement.