Gordon Novel
Gordon Michael Duane Novel was a private investigator and electronics expert, who was known for several controversial investigations. He was most notable for his conflict with District Attorney Jim Garrison and his work as investigator for automobile industry executive John DeLorean and U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark.
Early life
Novel grew up in New Orleans living as an only child with his mother. He graduated from East Jefferson High School in 1956, spent a brief period studying engineering at Northrop Aeronautical Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California and tried motion picture directing classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. He met his former wife, Marlene Mancuso, Miss New Orleans 1958, at the Louisiana State University.Career
In 1960, Novel bought a dragstrip in Hammond, Louisiana, together with associate Ranny Ehlinger. Later he produced auto shows in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Atlanta.Bay of Pigs weapons
In February 1961 Novel was part of a group of people which stole weapons from a munitions bunker in Houma, Louisiana, which was owned by the Schlumberger Company. Novel claimed the theft had been planned by Guy Banister and David Ferrie, who at the time were actively involved in the anti-communist/anti-Castro groups. According to a report in the New Orleans States-Item newspaper Banister served as a munitions supplier for the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion and continued to deal weapons from his office until 1963. Gus Russo has written about the existence of a letter of marque, signed by Robert F. Kennedy, who was U.S. Attorney General at the time, which supposedly gave Banister the go-ahead to "liberate" the weaponry although the letter has never been proved to have existed. Novel claimed to have received a key to the bunker from Banister. The stolen munitions were allegedly stored at Banister's office in Camp Street, New Orleans and at Ferrie's house. Novel claimed that the act was not illegal but had been arranged by the CIA as part of Operation Mongoose. While taking a lie detector test, Novel stated that the burglary was not a burglary at all, but a war materials pickup made at the direction of his CIA contact.1964 New York World's Fair
In the early 60's, Novel served as Director of Operations for the 'Bourbon Street Pavilion' at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The pavilion reportedly achieved the highest gross income of any single commercial pavilion at the fair. For this work, Novel was called an "Entrepreneurial Prodigy & Boy Wonder"" in Variety. From the beginning of the fair's build-up in 1963 he handled publicity at the pavilion, using the name "G. Michael Novel" he gave several interviews to the press. Variety magazine recognized him as being the major entertainment buyer, in charge of the pavilion's entertainment policies and originally active in obtaining backing for the venture. Owner and founder of 'Mardi Gras World', Blaine Kern, worked with Novel at both the 1964 World's Fair and the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition.New Orleans business
After the world fair closed, Novel moved back to New Orleans, where he set up a business focused on electronic eavesdropping. Through his company, 'International Dynamics Corp', he manufactured and installed electronics for politicians, businessmen and diplomats. He also bought/leased a Caribbean-style restaurant/club called 'Jamaican Village Inn', which was located at 800 North Rampart Street. While Novel was in Ohio, resisting Garrison's attempt to get him extradited, two waitresses of the club were arrested and charged with violating obscenity law, for topless table-serving. The club was ordered to be padlock closed for one year by the district attorney's office. This order was withdrawn after the club owner Edward Centa agreed to end the topless attire, while the lease to Novel was ruled invalid.Conflict with Garrison
Work at Garrison's office
According to the final report issued by the Assassination Records Review Board, Novel came to the attention of Garrison after allegedly making claims that he was an employee of the CIA in 1963 and knew both Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby. Journalist Dick J. Reavis has stated that Novel's work at Garrison's office was "amply documented" and quoted Novel saying: "I was working as Garrison's chief of security, while at the same time working for the White House to destabilize Garrison's operation." In 1997, an FBI report was released which stated that Novel worked with Garrison in attempts to fake photographic evidence to link Fidel Castro with the assassination.Shaw Hearing Witness Subpoena
During Clay Shaw's preliminary hearing, Novel was twice subpoenaed to appear before the Orleans Parish Grand Jury. The second time Novel did not show up, while he had left the state. In order to get Novel extradited, Garrison's office issued two warrants for Novel's arrest. The first arrest warrant was based on him being a material witness in the Clay Shaw investigation, which historically labeled him as "the missing witness" in Garrison's assassination conspiracy theory.The second arrest warrant was based on a new accusation; Garrison accused Novel of having "burglarized" the munitions bunker in Houma. During the same time-frame, on 25 May 1967, the New Orleans States-Item published a detailed article on the Clay Shaw case. In that article the New Orleans States-Item produced a handwritten letter, that experts identified as Novel's handwriting, which referred to a CIA connection to his advertising agency. Until then Novel had publicly denied any CIA connections. After the letter was revealed, Novel's attorney, Steve Plotkin, said that Novel wrote the letter and that Novel had CIA connections in New Orleans. While holding off his extradition, Novel organized a news conference in Columbus, Ohio, where he publicly defended himself against Garrison's accusation of burglary. During the conference, reporters were told that; there were CIA operations in New Orleans, an advertising agency in New Orleans did indeed serve as a CIA front, that the raid on the Houma munitions bunker was a "patriotic act". Later on, Plotkin further specified Novel's role as an "intermediary", but added that Novel's work had "little or nothing to do with the Bay of Pigs invasion and certainly had absolutely nothing to do with the assassination of President Kennedy". The extradition proceedings were eventually dropped on 3 July 1967, due to defects/incomplete extradition papers.