The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe by Donald H. Wolfe Page A

supported the suicide theory.
    Because the team’s files have never been available to the public, there is no record of who they interviewed or what was discovered, but subsequent investigations have revealed a long list of close friends and associates who were not interviewed, among them Peter Lawford, Pat Newcomb, Eunice Murray, Arthur Miller, Joe DiMaggio, Robert Slatzer, Paula Strasberg, Natasha Lytess, Frank Sinatra, and Norman Rosten. The Suicide Prevention Team readily admitted that they had not interviewed John or Robert Kennedy.
    Today we know the name of only one person who was interviewed—the most important person of all, Dr. Ralph Greenson. As Marilyn’s psychiatrist, he presumably knew more about her state of mind than anyone else. She had been his patient for over two years and had visited him practically every day, often twice a day, during the last two months of her life. Greenson was greatly distressed by his patient’s death, and he was reluctant to give interviews. However, in order to complete the informal investigation, Curphey knew he had to interview the victim’s psychiatrist. Although John Miner was an attorney, he also held a degree in psychology and lectured at the prestigious Psychoanalytic Institute along with Greenson. They had been friends and associates for many years, and Miner became the logical person to conduct the interview. Miner recalled, “I knew Dr. Greenson personally. Dr. Curphey knew that, and so he asked me to interview Dr. Greenson.”
    Curphey and Miner expected Greenson to reiterate his opinion that Marilyn Monroe had committed suicide, but Miner was amazed to find that Greenson had totally reversed his opinion. The interview took placeon Monday, August 12, 1962, at Greenson’s office. Greenson imposed a condition: “A promise was exacted by Dr. Greenson,” Miner explained. “I would not reveal the content of anything I learned. He imposed this condition by reason of his professional ethics and consideration for Miss Monroe’s privacy. I gave him my word that I would not.” However, it was understood that Miner was free to arrive at conclusions and report his opinion as long as he didn’t reveal the content of their meeting.
    According to Miner, they met for several hours, during which Greenson discussed “not only Marilyn’s habits, but also the private confidences she shared with her psychiatrist.” Greenson expressed his firm opinion that Marilyn Monroe had not committed suicide. Then he played a half-hour tape that Marilyn had made at her home on her own tape recorder. The contents of this tape also led Miner to conclude she had not committed suicide.
    Miner later recalled, “Dr. Greenson was very strongly of the opinion that Miss Monroe did not commit suicide. He was very much distressed by her death. The notion that she committed suicide added to that distress, because he firmly felt that she did not commit suicide—very much so, very much so. That I can state. He did not bar me from saying that.”
    Of all the circumstances, contradictions, and puzzles regarding the death of Marilyn Monroe, perhaps this Greenson interview is the most mind-boggling. It poses two unalterable questions: Why did Greenson reverse his opinion, and what was on the tape played for John Miner?
    Without ever having testified under oath about his knowledge of Marilyn Monroe’s death, Greenson died in 1979.
    Miner stated, “I gave my word to the man and he’s dead. So I don’t expect ever to reveal it. It’s possible that a judge could order me to reveal it and put me in jail for contempt of court if I refused. I hope I never have to cross that bridge.”
    After the interview, Miner left Greenson’s office a shaken man. He too became convinced that Marilyn Monroe had not committed suicide, and he filed his opinion in a memorandum to the district attorney as well as the coroner’s office.
    When