Woody Harrelson, a celebrated figure in Hollywood, rose to fame with his role in the sitcom Cheers and went on to captivate audiences worldwide with notable performances in films like White Men Can’t Jump, Natural Born Killers, and the Hunger Games trilogy.
In contrast, his father, Charles Harrelson, gained notoriety for a different reason. Charles was convicted of two murders and acquitted of a third, making headlines in September 1980 after surrendering to police following a six-hour standoff where he was reportedly under the influence of cocaine.
During the standoff, Charles made alarming claims, including threatening to end his own life and asserting responsibility for the assassinations of Judge John H. Wood Jr and President John F. Kennedy. In a post-arrest interview, he attributed these statements to his state of mind at the time, stating it was an attempt to prolong his life.
According to the Texas State Historical Association, Charles Harrelson was found guilty of murdering Judge Wood, known as “Maximum John” for his tough stance on drug offenses. The judge was shot in a car park outside his home in May 1979, with suspicions that Charles was hired by Jamiel “Jimmy” Alexander Chagra, a drug dealer facing a potential life sentence, for £250,000.
Charles Harrelson’s criminal activities came to a halt when he was reported for firing a weapon at imaginary FBI agents while under the influence of drugs. With the help of an anonymous tip and evidence from a recorded conversation between Joe Chagra and his brother Jimmy, Charles was sentenced to two life terms.
During his trial, Joe Chagra testified that Charles had claimed involvement in the Kennedy assassination, but doubts were raised about the credibility of these statements. Investigations by the FBI did not find any links between Harrelson and the Kennedy assassination.
In Jim Marrs’ book ‘Crossfire’, speculations emerged connecting Charles Harrelson to the events surrounding Kennedy’s assassination, suggesting ties to intelligence agencies and the military. The author also hinted at associations between Harrelson and Jack Ruby, who killed Lee Harvey Oswald, through a mutual contact named Russell Douglas Matthews.
In a televised interview in 1982, Charles Harrelson expressed skepticism about Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone in Kennedy’s assassination, hinting at possible involvement by a U.S. government agency.