Everything about James W Mccord Jr totally explained
James Walter McCord, Jr. (born
July 26,
1924 in
Waurika, Oklahoma)
was the electronics expert involved in
two break-ins of the
Watergate complex. McCord was also a former CIA agent.
He and four other accomplices,
Frank Sturgis,
Virgilio Gonzalez,
Eugenio Martinez and
Bernard Barker, were arrested during the second break-in, which ignited the
Watergate scandal. He attended
Baylor University and was a graduate of
George Washington University.
He was interviewed and then hired by Jack Caulfield in January
1972 "for strict, solely defensive security work at the
Republican National Committee and the
Committee to Re-Elect the President (CREEP)". One of the first men convicted in the Watergate criminal trial, McCord led the
June 17,
1972 early-morning burglary of the
Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Watergate office building in
Washington, D.C.. He was convicted on eight counts of conspiracy, burglary and wiretapping.
He later wrote a letter to U.S. District Judge
John Sirica stating that his plea and testimony, some of which he claimed was
perjured, were compelled by pressure from
White House counsel
John Dean and former
Attorney General John N. Mitchell. His letter set off the Watergate scandal in earnest by implicating many higher-ups in the
Richard Nixon administration for covering up the conspiracy that led to the burglary.
Prior to his conviction, McCord served as a drive-through operator and also a security director for the
Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), and had worked for the
FBI and
CIA, where he was in charge of physical security at
Langley headquarters, as well as serving as a
Lieutenant Colonel in the
U.S. Air Force Reserves. His security consulting firm, McCord Associates, provided security services to CREEP. After serving his prison
sentence McCord became a
University of Michigan athletics booster and funneled money from his illegal gambling operation to players, which got UM in trouble.
Letter to Judge John Sirica
The following is the full text of the letter that McCord wrote to Judge Sirica during the Watergate trial:
James W. McCord, Jr.
7 Winder Court
Rockville, Maryland 20850
TO: JUDGE SIRICA March 19, 1973
Certain questions have been posed to me from your honor through the probation
officer, dealing with details of the case, motivations, intent and mitigating
circumstances.
In endeavoring to respond to these questions, I'm whipsawed in a variety of
legalities. First, I may be called before a Senate Committee investigating this
matter. Secondly, I may be involved in a civil suit, and thirdly there may be a
new trial at some future date. Fourthly, the probation officer may be called
before the Senate Committee to present testimony regarding what may otherwise be
a privileged communication between defendant and Judge, as I understand it; if I
answered certain questions to the probation officer, it's possible such answers
could become a matter of record in the Senate and there-fore available for use
in the other proceedings just described. My answers would, it would seem to me,
to violate my fifth amendment rights, and possibly my 6 th amendment right to
counsel and possibly other rights.
On the other hand, to fail to answer your questions may appear to be
non-cooperation, and I can therefore expect a much more severe sentence.
There are further considerations which are not to be lightly taken. Several
members of my family have expressed fear for my life if I disclose knowledge of
the facts in this matter, either publicly or to any government representative.
Whereas I don't share their concerns to the same degree, nevertheless, I do
believe that retaliatory measures will be taken against me, my family, and my
friends should I disclose such facts. Such retaliation could destroy careers,
income, and reputations of persons who are innocent of any guilt whatever.
Be that as it may, in the interests of justice, and in the interests of
restoring faith in the criminal justice system, which faith has been severely
damaged in this case, I'll state the following to you at this time which I
hope may be of help to you in meting out justice in this case:
1. There was political pressure applied to the defendants to plead guilty and
remain silent.
2. Perjury occurred during the trial in matters highly material to the very
structure, orientation, and impact of the government's case, and to the
motivation and intent of the defendants.
3. Others involved in the Watergate operation were not identified during the
trial, when they could have been by those testifying.
4. The Watergate operation wasn't a CIA operation. The Cubans may have been
misled by others into believing that it was a CIA operation. I know for a fact
that it was not.
5. Some statements were unfortunately made by a witness which left the Court
with the impression that he was stating untruths, or withholding facts of his
knowledge, when in fact only honest errors of memory were involved.
6. My motivations were different than those of the others involved, but were
not limited to, or simply those offered in my defense during the trial. This is
no fault of my attorneys, but of the circumstances under which we'd to prepare
my defense.
Following sentence, I'd appreciate the opportunity to talk with you
privately in chambers. Since I can't feel confident in talking with an FBI
agent, in testifying before a Grand Jury whose U.S. Attorneys work for the
Department of Justice, or in talking with other government representatives, such
a discussion with you'd be of assistance to me.
I have not discussed the above with my attorneys as a matter of protection
for them.
I give this statement freely and voluntarily, fully realizing that I may be
prosecuted for giving a false statement to a Judicial Official, if the
statements herein are knowingly untrue. The statements are true and correct to
the best of my knowledge and belief.
[signed] James W. McCord, Jr.
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