FBI File Details Evel Knievel's Dark Side

Documents Reveal Feds Linked Daredevil To String Of Vicious Beatings

(AP)  Evel Knievel never denied his scrapes with the law - the late motorcycle daredevil often reveled in them. But even he objected to a 1970s FBI investigation of whether he was involved in a string of beatings.

According to documents obtained by The Associated Press, the federal government came close to charging Knievel, who in turn threatened to sue the FBI for alleging he was connected to a crime syndicate. Neither followed through.

Knievel, who died last November in Clearwater, Fla., repeatedly denied his involvement to both investigators and victims, according to the documents.

"Knievel stated that he was not responsible for what just happened to (name redacted) and that he had no control over the 'thing"' according to one phone conversation recounted in an FBI interview.

Knievel, immortalized in the Smithsonian Institution as "America's Legendary Daredevil," donned red, white and blue for his death-defying stunts. He had a knack for outrageous yarns and claimed to have been a swindler, a card thief, a safe cracker and a holdup man.

His most well-known run-in with the law was a 1977 attack on movie studio executive Shelly Saltman, whom the daredevil beat with a baseball bat in the parking lot of 20th Century Fox.

Saltman promoted Knievel's infamous attempt to jump Idaho's Snake River Canyon and then wrote a book about the experience, angering Knievel by portraying him as "an alcoholic, a pill addict, an anti-Semite and an immoral person."

Knievel was sentenced to six months in jail and Saltman won a $12.75 million judgment, but never collected. Saltman did not return a phone message recently to discuss the FBI file.

Knievel's file shows investigators believed he was involved with other violent acts - a threat in Phoenix, an attack in a Kansas City hotel room and a vicious beating in San Francisco. All were allegedly carried out by Knievel associates, according to subjects quoted in the file.

The investigation bounced between field offices in Miami, Chicago and California. Knievel's business associates were interviewed, his phone records examined.

Of the 202 pages of Knievel's 290-page file released to the AP, some were heavily redacted, with identities, interviews and contact information excluded. The names of victims were not released, though some details of their experiences were.

One man told agents he received a threatening phone call, and shortly after was beaten by a Knievel associate who left him hospitalized. The man was interviewed by the FBI, but could remember his assailant's black loafers better than his facial features.

He told the AP he wants to remain anonymous because he had moved on from the attack and into a career not associated with stunt jumping. He said the FBI wanted to know if he could identify his attacker.

"They gave me mug shots at one point in time and I couldn't pick him out," he said. "It was a dark room, he had dark glasses on him. All I know is he was big. I could describe his shoes better than anything."

Authorities first wanted to charge Knievel with violations of the Hobbs Act, which prohibits interfering with interstate commerce by attempting to rob or extort someone. But the case was dropped when a new federal prosecutor picked up the case and decided there was insufficient evidence. The federal government today won't comment.

"The Department follows the facts and the law in making decisions and beyond that, couldn't comment on matters in which no public federal charges were filed," Department of Justice spokeswoman Laura Sweeney said in an e-mail.

The daredevil's widow, Krystal Kennedy-Knievel, said she was unaware of any FBI investigation involving her husband and declined further comment. They were married in 1999.

FBI files are available to the public after the death of their subjects and can provide rare glimpses into the private lives of public figures. For example, former President Ford advised the FBI that two of his fellow Warren Commission members doubted the bureau's conclusion that John F. Kennedy was shot from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, according to his file.

Not all of Knievel's altercations were detailed by the FBI.

Bob Gill, a competitor of Knievel's during the 1970s, said he was part of a confrontation associated with Knievel, but the daredevil later apologized and denied his involvement and the two became friends. Gill was not interviewed by the FBI, but said his run-in mirrored others described in the file. He declined to elaborate.

"I was really, really mad at Evel over the whole thing, but he apologized at least 10 times, and said it was out of his control and I believed him," Gill said.

Gill, who was paralyzed after a failed stunt, said Knievel tried to help him set up a meeting with a doctor who Gill thought would help him walk again. He said Knievel also devised a plan to help pay for the expenses.

"Evel's never done any wrong besides that one little incident," Gill said. "And he's made up for it 1,000 times."

[lastdance127]

RE : fbiopa __ The FBI was Taken off the clock
Ordered to stop the Investigation when Political
Pressure got too Hot ! !

Former FBI Employees and FBI Whistle Blowers
Have more Creditability Than, you and
The higharchy of : The FBI

Tell us again how - The FBI
Spent Hundreds of Millions of Dollars on
Federal Electronic Surveillance Equipment That can be
UNCOVERED By a Small ($15.00) Household Electronic Device

That can be purchased at :
Walmart - K-mart - Target - Shopko - Radio Shack -
Sears - Best Buy - Circuit City - and anyone else who
sells Regular Household Electronic devices around
The World - Online or Off

Tell us again ! !
How the FBI needs Hundreds of Millions of Dollars - Again
For : Electronic Surveillance Equipment
Because The FBI Screwed up and Mis-Spent
Hundreds of Millions of Dollars on Sub-Standard - Worthless
Electronic Surveillance Equipment

But ! It will of course, cause Cancers in People, animals and Pets,
The FBI Electronic Surveillance Equipment is focused on - RIGHT ! !

[yamuttya]

You just know he was a liberal Democrat.

Posted by whatwhy001 at 01:02 PM : Oct 06, 2008

Say What ?
Lib dems are about the only thing thats right with America.
Want proof ? What did the right- wingnuts get you ?
Read the newspapers!
Universal disrespect, 2 unwinnable wars and an economy on its knees.10 trillion in debt.
Thats all.
Nice job Bush! You and Karl Rove did a great job!
4 more years !!

[lastdance127]

Censored From ABC.com
Topic : FBI, SEC, Federal Reserve ''Failed to Connect the Dots''
to Wall Street

FBI, ''Failed to Connect the Dots''
THAT IS NOT TRUE

Wells Fargo Bank - REFUSED to get into : Sub-Prime Loans.
Wells Fargo Bank. - REFUSED - to give Loans for homes that were : Overpriced
Wells Fargo Bank REFUSED to give loans for : New construction Homes
That were Overpriced

The Actions and the Behavior of Wells Fargo Bank.
Gives clear evidence that : The Entire Banking Industry and
The FBI had a clear knowledge that Massive Bank Fraud and
Massive Bank Embezzlement Was Taking Place.

Out of an act of Political Nepotism to :
The Bush NAZI Fascist Crime Regime.

For eight (8) Long years. The Political Criminal FBI Refused to
ACKNOWLEDGE or to ACCEPT any Complaints ! !

Some of us tried to complain - But ......
Don''t just blame the : Banking Industry for this Mess
Blame also the Organization : The Political Criminal FBI.
Who''s Job it is- and - Is Paid a Wage Package to :
Protect Banking Consumers

But ... Purposely and Intentionally
REFUSED ! ! __ To do just that ! !

ABC.com - Is Censoring Comments in order to make it Appear
That The FBI, SEC, Federal Reserve
are Too Dumb and Stupid to Recognize that

Massive Bank Fraud and Massive Bank Embezzlement
Was Taking Place

Posted : CBS.com _ MSNBC.com _ Ruters ect ....

[lastdance127]

I would like The FBI to Explain how several Incarcerated
Juvenile "Young Boys" Could Drown in a 3 to 3.5ft Swamp

I want - The FBI - Describe the Torture Techniques
(Electroshock and Simulated Drowning)
That was forced upon Children __
GIRLS aged 9 thu 11 and BOYS aged 10 thu 13

Incarcerated within American Juvenile Detention Centers
Including - The Mind Controlling Exercises and Devices
Forced Upon Those Children.

I want The FBI to : Explain the Role : The FBI played in the :
Child S*e*x*ual Molestation, Child S*e*x*ual Assault,
Child S*e*x*ual Torture, Child Torture and Child Murder of :
Incarcerated Juvenile Children.

I want The FBI to : Explain, Defend and Justify :
The role the FBI played in these Atrocities.

I want The FBI to give a Full Account of its Role in :
The Monarch Project - MK ULTRA
_________________

Child S*e*x*u*al ASSAULT
Child S*e*x*ual TORTURE
Child TORTURE
Child MURDER
Is So..... Sweet and Justified

When you are an FBI Employee and Immune From :
Criminal Complaints and Criminal Prosecution

The FBI needs to be Eradicated
A New Federal Law-enforcement - Investigation Branch
Needs to be Built - With a New Name and this time with
People Who Have some : Morals - Ethics - Patriotic and
American Constitutional Values
As it stands now - The FBI - has None of these Qualities !

[lastdance127]

The FBI through an act of Political Nepotism and Fraternization
Will Ignore, The Criminal Complaints of :
Murder / Homicide by Medical Neglect

The Viet-Nam Combatant Suicide Rate
1.6 Million Veterans either fought in combat, provided close support or
were at least fairly regularly exposed to enemy attack.

1.6 million - 58000 Vietnam deaths =
1,542000 Vietnam Combatants Returned home.

In 1980 five years after the war ended
A report given by the Veterans Administration in Milwaukee, WI.
Claimed that the combination of suicide and suicide induced accidents.
Committed by the Viet-Nam combatant, was at fifty two percent. (52%)

52% of 1542000 = : 801,840
801,840 Suicide and Suicide induced accidents had taken place
since the war had began.

801,840 w 16 years = 5,012 Suicides per year
5,012 w 52 weeks = 96 Suicides each week for 16 (sixteen) years
5,012 w 365 days = 14 Suicides each day for 16 years
14 w 24 hours = 1 Suicide every 1 hour and 17 minutes
All day and all night long for 16 (sixteen) years

No report from The Veterans Administration
Concerning the Deaths from Medical Experiments or
an account of : The Deaths Resulting From Drug Experiments
Which has been Practiced on Unknowing and Unwitting Patients

Murder / Homicide through Medical Neglect

The FBI through an act of : Political Nepotism
Will Refuse to Acknowledge or Accept a Criminal Complaint

[lastdance127]

RE : MrNrgmizer __ Even a 10yr Old Child Knows when to Disobey an illegal or Criminal Order (Request) __ No So ... For the Political Criminal : FBI

[lastdance127]

The Anthrax Investigation

Just how much Longer, are the CRIMINAL - ACTIONS and BEHAVIOR of
Federal Employee''s. __ Going to remain Exempt from Criminal Prosecution ? ?

The FBI is Constantly and Chronically ABUSING the power entrusted to them.
Using that Entrusted Power to Promote a Perverted and
Degenerate - Personal - Selfish - Best Serving Interest to Themselves and
to Continue their relationship of Political Nepotism and Patronization to the :
Bush NAZI Fascist Crime Regime,

The Criminal Complaints of : Civil Rights Abuses against
FBI Investigators are Chronic and Constant.

Just ask the Federal Whistleblowers

The Actions and the Behavior of the FBI to attach a :
Fabricated Psychological Demeanor against Bruce Ivins
Was Done in an effort to :
Justify the Deed and the Accomplishment of : Civil Rights Abuse ! !

The Seven Year - Chronic - Constant and Habitual Intimidation of :
Harassment and Hounding of scientist Bruce Ivins his FAMILY and Friends.
Until he committed suicide

Seems to be the act of an :
Emotionally Disturbed and Emotionally Frustrated : "FBI"

After seven (7) years _ All the FBI could Muster was :
"a strong circumstantial case"

Murder (Homicide) - Resulting from Civil Rights Abuse
Is so Sweet and Justified
When you are a - FBI Employee and Exempt from Criminal Prosecution ! !

[lastdance127]

The FBI Knew : "RAPE - CHILD SODOMY - TORTURE and MURDER"
Were being Committed at : Guantanamo

The FBI SAID and did NOTHING - It took the : Freedom of Information Act
To FORCE : The FBI to Disclose __ What the FBI had Already WITNESSED

ANOTHER Criminal ACT of : The FBI
The FBI - (ONCE AGAIN ! ! ) __ GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION of :
"RAPE - CHILD SODOMY- TORTURE and MURDER"
___________

Rape - Child Sodomy Torture and Murder
is SO ..... Sweet and Justified

When you are an FBI Employee and Immune From :
Criminal Complaints and Criminal Prosecution

_________

The FBI needs to be Eradicated
A New Federal Law-enforcement - Investigation Branch
Needs to be Built - With a New Name and this time with
People Who Have some : Morals - Ethics - Patriotic and
American Constitutional Values
As it stands now - The FBI - has None of these Qualities !

[lastdance127]

The FBI has a More Recent history of :
Allowing Under-aged Congressional Pages to be
S*e*x*u*ally Stalked and S*e*x*u*ally Assaulted

Rep. Larry Craig (R. ID) ________ Rep. Ted Stevens (R. Alaska)
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R. Calif.) __ Rep. Gary G. Miller (R. Calif.)
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R. Calif.) ______ Rep. Rick Renzi (R. Az.)
Rep. Richard Curtis (R.WA.) _____ Rep. David Vitter (R-La.)
Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) ________ Rep. Bob Allen (R-Fla.)

It has always been - Local Enforcement - Who has Investigated This
Not - The FBI
_________________

The Continuance of : Child S*e*x*u*al HARASSMENT
The Continuance of : Child S*e*x*u*al EXPLOITATION
The Continuance of : CHILD S*e*x*u*al PROSTITUTION
Is So..... Sweet and Justified

When you are an FBI Employee and Immune From :
Criminal Complaints and Criminal Prosecution
_________

The FBI needs to be Eradicated
A New Federal Law-enforcement - Investigation Branch
Needs to be Built - With a New Name and this time with
People Who Have some : Morals - Ethics - Patriotic and
American Constitutional Values
As it stands now - The FBI - has None of these Qualities !

[lastdance127]

J Edgar Hoover" (FBI Director)

Often enjoyed : A romp in bed with : "Young Boys"
If those Young Boys, came from Juvenile Detention Centers
They may - Not of - had a Choice in the matter
That activity - Now turns into a : Child S*e*x* - Slave Trafficking Operation

Video tapped - Statements : From former FBI agents
Describing how - They delivered young boys - For S*e*x*
is evidenced to that ! !

Child S*e*x*u*al EXPLOITATION
CHILD S*e*x*u*al PROSTITUTION
Is So..... Sweet and Justified

When you are an FBI Employee and Immune From :
Criminal Complaints and Criminal Prosecution

Never has such a Perverted and Degenerate Sub-Human
Creature ever walked The Earth - Other than : The FBI Employee
_________

The FBI needs to be Eradicated
A New Federal Law-enforcement - Investigation Branch
Needs to be Built - With a New Name and this time with
People Who Have some : Morals - Ethics - Patriotic and
American Constitutional Values
As it stands now - The FBI - has None of these Qualities !

[smurfcrusher]

Evil Knievel? ;)

I guess if you''re an amoeba it''s tough to be put in a headlock.

[republic1776]

Surprised that him and OJ were not partners in crime.
They seem to have had a lot in common.

[Frankie58]

renonv5...you are right on time, but this will NEVER happen because then we would see all the "true" criminals,BOTH Republican AND Democratic, from the White House down!

[harrymorley]

Evel owed every in Butte money, there wasn''t a banker that trusted him, and he was everything bad he could have possibly been. The world is a better place without him.

[renonv5]

Why doesn''t the FBI do something useful and arrest all of the wall street ceo''s and put their collective butts in jail? Or perhaps all of the crooks in Washington? Now that would be a story we would be willing to read.

[stn_sage]

Posted by straightmate at 02:39 PM : Oct 06, 2008
------------------
You are correct when you say Evil wasn''t a very good guy himself!
I saw a documentary on him! In it, he was the first to admit he was a j erk!
But likewise, Saltman was trying to take advantage of him, too!

[beehive21-2009]

Evil had a good reason to kick Saltmans,donkey.

[straightmate]

I happen too know a little old man who spent one day of his life cruising an American city with Knievel. He described it as "the lousiest ride a Corvette ever had", he said, "he was the biggest @$$holes you''d ever meet". Any negative thing said about this ''legendary clown'' is probably true.

[stn_sage]

I only have a couple of points:

First, the FBI is dysfunctional! Throughout its'' history it has spent more time spying on the American public than law enforcement activities! Really! If you got a report of their actual man hours, you''d see!

Suggestion: Fellows go after serial killers, child molesters and the like! You''re wasting too much time and money spying on ''Joe Citizen''!

Second, Mr. Saltman is not a good guy! He exploited Knievel! Knievel reacted to it! Saltman was lucky he didn''t get killed! As it was, he profited nicely from it! But, that was a long time ago. It''s history.

I hope the next administration will replace Mueller and get competent officers in the department.

[slim1h2o]

Evel was an Amercian Icon and nothing can tarnish that image. How many of us would love to take a baseball bat to those preditory lenders who got us into the mess we are in now.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by koko98 at 12:47 PM : Oct 06, 2008


Me,,Me,,,Me, then you can go after me.
It would be kinda like sloppy 2nds though,,LOL