Jack Ruby: A Rosetta Stone of the JFK Assassination

[Jerry Freeman]

Joseph Campisi, the number 2 Mafia guy in Dallas

Who was #1?

[Michael T. Griffith]

It should be noted that the smoking gun Lafitte datebook mentions Ruby and indicates he was part of the assassination conspiracy. Hank Albarelli's bombshell new book Coup in Dallas discusses this fact and provides the most thorough analysis of Ruby I've ever read.

[Jerry Freeman]

If anything, the involvement of Jack Ruby is indictive of no conspiracy.

Indicative of no conspiracy? No it isn't. That's silly.

for the DPD to kill Oswald

the DPD still didn't kill Oswald given this golden opportunity

This idea that the Dallas Police operated as some kind of Borg Collective doesn't fly.
Most cops just do like they're told. Most genuinely thought that Oswald was the shooter.

It's absurd to believe they somehow recruited a loose cannon like Ruby and then trusted him to remain silent for the rest of his live in prison.

Ruby didn't live very long. Joe Valachi lasted a lot longer.

[Jon Banks]

I don't think Ruby was anyone's first choice for a hitman but once Oswald was in police custody, Ruby was one of the few mafia-connected people who could easily slip into and out of police headquarters in Dallas.

[Richard Smith]

Ruby's involvement lends itself more to the absence of a conspiracy.  The fantasy conspirators would have to recruit someone to kill Oswald in front of numerous police officers and a national TV audience and face the rest of his life in prison. And then trust this screwball to remain silent forever.  He shows up only seconds before Oswald gets in the car after running some meaningless errands and leaving his dog in the car.  Good grief.  This was the "plan" when the authorities had numerous golden opportunities to kill Oswald before he was arrested?  No sensible person can believe such nonsense.   

[Walt Cakebread]

I don't think Ruby was anyone's first choice for a hitman but once Oswald was in police custody, Ruby was one of the few mafia-connected people who could easily slip into and out of police headquarters in Dallas.

Good point , Jon..... And it seems that the DPD weren't protecting their suspect at all while Lee was in their custody...He was taken through the halls of the police station several times. ..... Almost inviting someone to do what Jack Ruby did.

[Jon Banks]

Ruby's involvement lends itself more to the absence of a conspiracy.  The fantasy conspirators would have to recruit someone to kill Oswald in front of numerous police officers and a national TV audience and face the rest of his life in prison. And then trust this screwball to remain silent forever.

Given Ruby's lifelong relationships with members of the mafia, his friendships with Dallas police officers, and his debts, he was perfect for that role.

He was expendable but knew enough about the mafia and Dallas PD corruption to keep his mouth shut in order to protect his family.