WI: Dwight D. Eisenhower has Colonel Jay Smith as his aid, instead of his son John Eisenhower

[jerry kraus]

I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith. Now, Jay Smith had a very successful career as an officer in the military reserves, as well as having a Ph.D. in education, and he was quite a popular officer, to the extent of actually car pooling and acting at times as an aid and personal friend to General John Eisenhower, son of the former President of the United States. Indeed, he was on the verge of being promoted General, before he was convicted of posing as a security guard in his spare time to rob stores. Immediately prior to going to prison, he apparently tortured and murdered teacher Susan Reinhart, on the instigation of his favorite high school teacher at his school, Bill Bradfield, who had persuaded Miss Reinhart to take out $750,000 in life insurance in his name. Bill Bradfield had perjured himself in order to protect Jay Smith at his trial, in order to try to protect Jay Smith. So, naturally Jay Smith felt in his debt, and torturing and murdering Susan Reinhart seemed a small price to pay. By the way, Jay was something of a "sexual swinger", so torturing Susan might have been something he would have done for fun, anyway.

I'm not making this up, you know, read the book yourself.

So, suppose Jay Smith is born some decades previously, and ends up as Colonel or General Dwight D. Eisenhower's aid and friend at some point, instead of his son's. Could Eisenhower ever have been trusted again?

[a425couple]

I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith. --
I'm not making this up, you know, read the book yourself.
So, suppose Jay Smith is born some decades previously, and ends up as Colonel or General Dwight D. Eisenhower's aid and friend at some point, instead of his son's. Could Eisenhower ever have been trusted again?

So,, you are willing to 'time-shift' in order to cast shade
on Ike?

[Rich Rostrom]

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's
fascinating true crime study, Echos in the
darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan
Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel,
and almost General, Jay Smith. -- I'm not making
this up, you know, read the book yourself.
So, suppose Jay Smith is born some decades
previously, and ends up as Colonel or General
Dwight D. Eisenhower's aid and friend at some
point, instead of his son's. Could Eisenhower
ever have been trusted again?

So,, you are willing to 'time-shift' in order to
cast shade on Ike?

1) Smith was exonerated based on prosecutorial
misconduct.

2) How could he be born decades earlier? His parents
and grandparents etc would all have to be born
earlier.

3) Suppose some time-traveling ASB snatched Jay Smith
from his cradle in 1928, and substituted him for Bedell
Smith in his cradle in 1895. Assume he follows the real
Bedell's career path and is Ike's chief of staff in Europe.
Then he isn't going to be a high school principal
in Pennsylvania or get mixed up in the murder of a
woman who wasn't born until 1930 or so. So his association
with Ike won't damage Ike's reputation.

[jerry kraus]

Post by Rich Rostrom

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's
fascinating true crime study, Echos in the
darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan
Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel,
and almost General, Jay Smith. -- I'm not making
this up, you know, read the book yourself.
So, suppose Jay Smith is born some decades
previously, and ends up as Colonel or General
Dwight D. Eisenhower's aid and friend at some
point, instead of his son's. Could Eisenhower
ever have been trusted again?

So,, you are willing to 'time-shift' in order to
cast shade on Ike?

1) Smith was exonerated based on prosecutorial
misconduct.
2) How could he be born decades earlier? His parents
and grandparents etc would all have to be born
earlier.
3) Suppose some time-traveling ASB snatched Jay Smith
from his cradle in 1928, and substituted him for Bedell
Smith in his cradle in 1895. Assume he follows the real
Bedell's career path and is Ike's chief of staff in Europe.
Then he isn't going to be a high school principal
in Pennsylvania or get mixed up in the murder of a
woman who wasn't born until 1930 or so. So his association
with Ike won't damage Ike's reputation.
--
Nous sommes dans une pot de chambre, et nous y serons emmerdés.
--- General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot at Sedan, 1870.

Well, I guess I'll have to actually recommend the book to you, Rich

https://www.amazon.com/Echos-Darkness-Joseph-Wambaugh/dp/B000NCVB7Q

You can get it for two bucks. You see, Jay Smith is portrayed as a sexual pervert, a drug addict, the murderer of his own children, a serial killer, a mob hit man etc., etc. etc. He is repeatedly referred to by Wambaugh as "The Prince of Darkness." This is what makes his friendship with General John Eisenhower so very interesting. The murder of Susan Reinhart was supposed to require no motive, because this is just what Jay Smith DID!

So, I'm not sure following Ike to Europe without murdering Susan Reinhart would necessarily have been much better for Ike, on the whole.

On the other hand, if Jay Smith was NOT any of the things that Joseph Wambaugh ascribes to him, then, one does wonder if perhaps my suggestion that Joseph Wambaugh actually committed this murder to further his own literary career may indeed have some credibility. Certainly, Joe does do quite a number on Dr. Smith, in this book.

[a425couple]

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith.

You really ought to be clear, Wambaugh claims it is "true".
There are serious doubts.
Jay C. Smith's conviction was overturned.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/01/jay_smith_continues_trying_to.html

"Former high school principal Jay C. Smith, who spent six years on death
row, has self-published a book about author Joseph Wambaugh, the man he
blames for his murder convictions.
"I wanted to make sure that if anybody ever studied Wambaugh in the
future that they would find out what he wanted to do to me," Smith said.
His book is "Joseph Wambaugh and the Jay Smith Case."
Smith was released by the state Supreme Court from death row in 1992
after serving six years after being convicted of the murders of Upper
Merion English teacher Susan Reinert and her two children.
The Supreme Court overturned his convictions, ruling that prosecutors
had acted so outrageously, hiding deals with informants and evidence
that would have supported Smith's defense, that to try him again would
amount to double jeopardy. ---
A few months prior to the court's ruling, a junkman removed a box of
evidence from the home of Jack Holtz, the lead investigator in the case.
The key piece of evidence in that box, dealing a major blow to the case,
was a letter from Wambaugh offering $50,000 for information on the
condition that Smith be arrested and face court. There also were
documents that showed Holtz collected the money.

(Smith) said. "I don't believe there would have been a case had
[Wambaugh] not got into it and paid them money."

[jerry kraus]

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith.

You really ought to be clear, Wambaugh claims it is "true".
There are serious doubts.
Jay C. Smith's conviction was overturned.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/01/jay_smith_continues_trying_to.html
"Former high school principal Jay C. Smith, who spent six years on death
row, has self-published a book about author Joseph Wambaugh, the man he
blames for his murder convictions.
"I wanted to make sure that if anybody ever studied Wambaugh in the
future that they would find out what he wanted to do to me," Smith said.
His book is "Joseph Wambaugh and the Jay Smith Case."
Smith was released by the state Supreme Court from death row in 1992
after serving six years after being convicted of the murders of Upper
Merion English teacher Susan Reinert and her two children.
The Supreme Court overturned his convictions, ruling that prosecutors
had acted so outrageously, hiding deals with informants and evidence
that would have supported Smith's defense, that to try him again would
amount to double jeopardy. ---
A few months prior to the court's ruling, a junkman removed a box of
evidence from the home of Jack Holtz, the lead investigator in the case.
The key piece of evidence in that box, dealing a major blow to the case,
was a letter from Wambaugh offering $50,000 for information on the
condition that Smith be arrested and face court. There also were
documents that showed Holtz collected the money.
(Smith) said. "I don't believe there would have been a case had
[Wambaugh] not got into it and paid them money."

Maybe Joseph Wambaugh did it.

[a425couple]

Post by jerry kraus

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith.

You really ought to be clear, Wambaugh claims it is "true".
There are serious doubts.
Jay C. Smith's conviction was overturned.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/01/jay_smith_continues_trying_to.html
"Former high school principal Jay C. Smith, who spent six years on death
row, has self-published a book about author Joseph Wambaugh, the man he
blames for his murder convictions.
"I wanted to make sure that if anybody ever studied Wambaugh in the
future that they would find out what he wanted to do to me," Smith said.
His book is "Joseph Wambaugh and the Jay Smith Case."
Smith was released by the state Supreme Court from death row in 1992
after serving six years after being convicted of the murders of Upper
Merion English teacher Susan Reinert and her two children.
The Supreme Court overturned his convictions, ruling that prosecutors
had acted so outrageously, hiding deals with informants and evidence
that would have supported Smith's defense, that to try him again would
amount to double jeopardy. ---
A few months prior to the court's ruling, a junkman removed a box of
evidence from the home of Jack Holtz, the lead investigator in the case.
The key piece of evidence in that box, dealing a major blow to the case,
was a letter from Wambaugh offering $50,000 for information on the
condition that Smith be arrested and face court. There also were
documents that showed Holtz collected the money.
(Smith) said. "I don't believe there would have been a case had
[Wambaugh] not got into it and paid them money."

Maybe Joseph Wambaugh did it.

I doubt that, but sheesh, Wambaugh had to know,
that in 1986 offering, and paying someone "$50,000 for
information on the condition that Smith be arrested and
face court" would be viewed as likely purchasing very
tainted testimony.

[jerry kraus]

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus

Post by a425couple

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith.

You really ought to be clear, Wambaugh claims it is "true".
There are serious doubts.
Jay C. Smith's conviction was overturned.
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/01/jay_smith_continues_trying_to.html
"Former high school principal Jay C. Smith, who spent six years on death
row, has self-published a book about author Joseph Wambaugh, the man he
blames for his murder convictions.
"I wanted to make sure that if anybody ever studied Wambaugh in the
future that they would find out what he wanted to do to me," Smith said.
His book is "Joseph Wambaugh and the Jay Smith Case."
Smith was released by the state Supreme Court from death row in 1992
after serving six years after being convicted of the murders of Upper
Merion English teacher Susan Reinert and her two children.
The Supreme Court overturned his convictions, ruling that prosecutors
had acted so outrageously, hiding deals with informants and evidence
that would have supported Smith's defense, that to try him again would
amount to double jeopardy. ---
A few months prior to the court's ruling, a junkman removed a box of
evidence from the home of Jack Holtz, the lead investigator in the case.
The key piece of evidence in that box, dealing a major blow to the case,
was a letter from Wambaugh offering $50,000 for information on the
condition that Smith be arrested and face court. There also were
documents that showed Holtz collected the money.
(Smith) said. "I don't believe there would have been a case had
[Wambaugh] not got into it and paid them money."

Maybe Joseph Wambaugh did it.

I doubt that, but sheesh, Wambaugh had to know,
that in 1986 offering, and paying someone "$50,000 for
information on the condition that Smith be arrested and
face court" would be viewed as likely purchasing very
tainted testimony.

Sure. On the other hand, couple, obviously Jay Smith had very powerful friends. Which is one of the points Wambaugh makes repeatedly in the book.

[a***@gmail.com]

Post by jerry kraus
I've just finished reading Joseph Wambaugh's fascinating true crime study, Echos in the darkness, about the murder of teacher Susan Reinhart by her high school Principal, Colonel, and almost General, Jay Smith. Now, Jay Smith had a very successful career as an officer in the military reserves, as well as having a Ph.D. in education, and he was quite a popular officer, to the extent of actually car pooling and acting at times as an aid and personal friend to General John Eisenhower, son of the former President of the United States. Indeed, he was on the verge of being promoted General, before he was convicted of posing as a security guard in his spare time to rob stores. Immediately prior to going to prison, he apparently tortured and murdered teacher Susan Reinhart, on the instigation of his favorite high school teacher at his school, Bill Bradfield, who had persuaded Miss Reinhart to take out $750,000 in life insurance in his name. Bill Bradfield had perjured himself in order to protect Jay Smith at his trial, in order to try to protect Jay Smith. So, naturally Jay Smith felt in his debt, and torturing and murdering Susan Reinhart seemed a small price to pay. By the way, Jay was something of a "sexual swinger", so torturing Susan might have been something he would have done for fun, anyway.
I'm not making this up, you know, read the book yourself.
So, suppose Jay Smith is born some decades previously, and ends up as Colonel or General Dwight D. Eisenhower's aid and friend at some point, instead of his son's. Could Eisenhower ever have been trusted again?

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