DALLAS — A police crackdown on vendors at Dealey Plaza has now led to a lawsuit by a well-known Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorist.
Robert Groden is suing Dallas after he was arrested last month on the plaza for selling merchandise without a permit.
Groden is among the leading conspiracy theorists on JFK's death, and has been selling magazines and DVDs on the park grounds for 15 years.
Police have recently increased patrols on the plaza after some visitors complained they were cursed at and spit on by aggressive vendors.
Groden said the city violated his right to free speech, and he was falsely arrested because the city does not offer permits to sell items in Dealey Plaza.
The 64-year-old is not your average peddler. Groden has written books about the assassination, and has testified before Congress about it.
Director Oliver Stone even hired him as a consultant on his film, "JFK."
Groden was arrested on June 13 and spent nearly nine hours in jail.
He is scheduled in court next week, when he will ask for a temporary restraining order to permit him to return to the plaza.
E-mail ccivale@wfaa.com
