Conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's sudden death has led to patriotic mourning across
the U.S. It also has led, inevitably, to conspiracy theories. 

Did President Obama have Scalia murdered to  tip the balance of power on the court?
Some hyper-partisans want to know. But as loony as these suspicions are,
such thoughts are hardly new. High-profile political deaths have always sparked
conspiracy theories.

Let's consider the most compelling, outlandish ones out there…





Franklin D. Roosevelt

The 63-year-old U.S. president died in 1945, three months into his fourth term.

Conspiracy theory:

Roosevelt was murdered by the "Churchill gang" for his determination to break up
the British Empire. Or by the Nazis for, you know, leading the country that was kicking their behinds
in World War II. Then there were the Zionists who killed him for opposing the establishment of Israel.





Marilyn Monroe

The actress and sex symbol died in 1962 at 36.
The official cause of death: an accidental overdose of pills.

Conspiracy theory:

President John Kennedy and his brother Bobby murdered Monroe after
she threatened to expose their extramarital affairs with her.





LBJ takes oath of office (Cecil Stoughton/AP)

John F. Kennedy

The 35th U.S. president was assassinated in 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald, a squirrelly
Fidel Castro sympathizer who once lived in the Soviet Union.

Conspiracy theory:

How can we pick just one? Castro, the Mob, the CIA and
Vice President Lyndon Johnson lead the theorists' lists.
Check out Oliver Stone's 1991 movie "JFK."





John Lennon and Paul McCartney (AP)

Paul McCartney

As every serious Beatles fan knows, Paul McCartney died in a 1966 car crash and
was secretly replaced by a less-talented look-alike who was more acceptable to the
"establishment."

Conspiracy theory:

This conspiracy theory is, of course, the exception that proves the rule.
That is, it’s legit. How else do you explain
“Silly Love Songs” and “Spies Like Us”?





Los Angeles Times via AP

Robert F. Kennedy

The U.S. senator was assassinated in Los Angeles after declaring victory in California’s
1968 Democratic presidential primary. Palestinian activist Sirhan Sirhan was convicted
of the murder.

Conspiracy theory:

The CIA did it, because it had never forgiven
President John Kennedy for blowing the 1961 Cuba invasion -- and
because Robert Kennedy believed the CIA was behind JFK’s murder.





Ollie Atkins

Elvis Presley

The King of Rock 'n' Roll died in 1977 from a heart attack fueled by his drug addictions.
He was 42.

Conspiracy theory:

He's alive! One compelling hypothesis, Newsweek writes, is that
"Presley went into the federal Witness Protection Program after he took part in a
sting operation and feared fatal backlash from the Mafia."
Remember, President Richard Nixon gave Elvis a "federal narcotics badge."






Megan Marshack (AP)

Nelson Rockefeller

The crass quip that made the rounds after the former U.S. vice president died at age 70 in 1979:
"Nelson thought he was coming, but he was going." "Rocky" keeled over while making love to
25-year-old assistant/mistress Megan Marshack.


Conspiracy theory:

Marshack murdered Rockefeller because he had recently put her in his will.





The Associated Press

Bob Marley

The Jamaican reggae icon died of cancer in 1981 at just 36.

Conspiracy theory:

Marley was assassinated by the CIA, which was deeply involved in
Jamaican politics in the 1970s.
Read the novel "A Brief History of Seven Killings."





Hillary and Bill Clinton (AP)

Vince Foster

The deputy White House counsel committed suicide in 1993.

Conspiracy theory:

President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton had Foster killed
because he knew all about the Clintons’ involvement in the White House travel
office scandal -- and because he was having an affair with Hillary.

Oregonian file

Kurt Cobain

The Nirvana frontman committed suicide in 1994.
He was 27.

Conspiracy theory:

Wife and Hole singer Courtney Love killed Cobain because he
was going to divorce her.
Or the CIA did it because he glorified drug use.






The Associated Press

Brittany Murphy

The troubled "Clueless" and "King of the Hill" actress died of pneumonia
and anemia in 2009 at just 32.

Conspiracy theory:

Murphy made the mistake of defending friend and former
Homeland Security employee Julia Davis, who blew the whistle on the
department's incompetence.






Breitbart (AP)

Andrew Breitbart

The controversy-seeking conservative commentator died of a heart attack in 2012.
He was 43.

Conspiracy theory:

A guy claiming to be a former CIA agent says President Obama
ordered Breitbart killed.
Oh, and he says Obama knocked off author Tom Clancy, too.






The Associated Press

Paul Walker

The "Fast & Furious" star died in a car wreck in 2013.

Conspiracy theory:

Walker had discovered some financial shenanigans with the
Typhoon Haiyan relief operation he was supporting, and so someone rigged his car.












Final word

These conspiracy theories are all ridiculous --
except for the "Paul is dead" one, of course.
It appears Justice Antonin Scalia simply had a fatal heart attack.
Business Insider reports the 79-year-old jurist
"had a history of heart trouble and high blood pressure,
and was considered too weak to undergo surgery
for a recent shoulder injury."