Re:     TENT FOOTAGE

Philip Mantel has informed me that he has secured an interview from someone claiming to have information regarding the "Tent Footage".

As a great deal has been made of the  so called "Tent Footage" I would like to clarify the situation and place the following on record:

The Tent Footage was the first film material I collected from the cameraman, it was in the form of 16mm film and in very poor condition. I brought it back to England and asked a studio facility in Buckinghamshire  to retrieve whatever image they could from it.  A few weeks after delivery the Studio  presented me with the film which has become known as the ""Tent Footage" I was told that this was all that could be retrieved from the film.

I had informed the cameraman by telephone that we were able to retrieve some image and indeed showed the film to Philip Mantel and other interested parties.

I returned to the States  later to collect the main  film and showed the "Tent Footage" on VHS  to the cameraman.  At this point he stated that he DID NOT  remember either  the image being portrayed or the style in which it had been filmed. I was concerned but collected the remaining film (which was in far better condition)  and returned to the United Kingdom.

Upon my return I contacted the studio  to  find out more about the images from the "Tent Footage".   I got the impression that as a joke the film had been  interfered with, but nobody was owning up.  This meant that with regard to the "Tent Footage"  I was uncertain as to what was real and what was not, and if the film had been interfered with, I could not use it.    THIS IS WHY I  COMPLETLY PULLED BACK FROM USING THE FILM.

As a result I INFORMED ALL PARTIES that had come into contact with the Tent Footage  (and I am sure they will confirm this)  that I was NOT CONFIDENT with regard to the Tent Footage and further that it should NOT be used in conjunction with the autopsy film, this instruction went to all broadcasters including Fox (Kiviat).

 Indeed  when Kiviat wanted to use the Tent Footage for a subsequent program  I was totally against it. However he still wished to use it and to that end he  provided me with a written disclaimer  dated NOVEMBER 1995 which was to be  used during the broadcast.  In the end I won the point and the film was not used. The situation regarding the Tent Footage was known to all, it was not appropriate to use as it may have been interfered with.

It was the only thing I could do, as I did not want it to compromise the main autopsy film.

I believe I did the responsible thing in removing the "Tent Footage" from circulation at the very beginning.

My position regarding the Autopsy film and the reels recovered remains unchanged. Any discussion regarding the Tent Footage is completely irrelevant. I DID NOT USE THAT STUDIO AGAIN,  AND  NEITHER THE STUDIO  OR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STUDIO  HAD ANYTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO WITH THE AUTOPSY FILM.

THE AUTOPSY FILM IS WHAT IT IS,  AND NOTHING WILL CHANGE THAT.

Ray Santilli