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BATES John

John Burnham Bates

Date of birth : March 2, 1918, Oakland, California.

Date of death : September 20, 2004, Piedmont, California.


Portrait

Profession lawyer.

Story

He graduated in Law at the Stanford University, San Francisco in 1940, then served for 3 years in the US Navy.
He had met John Kennedy through a friend, member of the same Student Association as himself, Paul B.Fay.

Registration card October 16, 1940 ().

On June 15, 1946, he married Nancy Witter (February 5, 1924-August 14, 2016)().

They had 3 children : John (born March 2, 1948, California), Catherine (born August 30, 1949, California) and Charles (born August 26, 1953, California).

After the war, he ended his law studies at the Berkeley University, near San Francisco in 1947, and joined the law firm Pillsbury, Madison & Sutro in San Francisco. He became one of the main associate.

When JFK entered the White House, Bates was one of the most prestigious and respected laywers in California, occupying, among others, the position of the Judicial Board President of the San Francisco Bar. The Kennedy's administration offered him to run the Anti-Trust Division of the US Department of Justice. But Bates declined the
proposition, choosing to keep his activity in California on.

When the theory emerged, saying that Robert Kennedy had come to Marilyn's house in Los Angeles, during the day, even the evening of her death, John Bates declared that the Robert Kennedy's family had stayed with them, at their ranch in Gilroy, California, during the whole week-end of August 4 and 5, 1962. Kennedy's presence was also confirmed by the whole Bates family and their servants too.

Actually, on Friday, August 3, Robert Kennedy, along with his wife Ethel and their 4 children arrived at the

San Francisco airport ().



Saturday, August 4, everyone woke up to have a generous breakfast, before they all went to a horse ride

(,,).

Robert Snyder, the ranch steward, also testified of the presence of Robert Kennedy.

It was followed by a swimming in the pool and a barbecue (,

,,).

In the afternoon, they played softball all together ().
Once the children in bed, the couples had dinner until 22.30.

Sunday, August 5, the Bates and the Kennedys attended the 9.30 service at the Mary's Church in Gilroy, where the local press reported their presence (Gilroy Dispatch dated August 6, 1962). After their return to the ranch and having lunch, the Bates and the Kennedys went to San Francisco where they spent the end of the day and the evening with common friends (Mr and Mrs Edward Callan, Mr and Mrs Joseph Tydings).

    

    

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