Annie and all,
I know that Radzinsky has a theory about Dimitry, I have to say that is all it is, there is just is no evidence to support it. As in much of this tale, for that is what most of story of Rasputin is, there is lots of speculation and senstational story telling. there is no evidence that there were women at the Palace on the night of the murder. Radzinsky has not properly examined and anlysed the evidence from the GARF files to which he had access. Analysis of witnessesaccounts of when shote were fired is essential - Radzinsky has taken things at face value. Radzinsky I believe went out to prove Dimitry was involved but didn't find any evidence and has chosen to ignore evidence that was available to him. The British theory elsewhere in this section does have evidence to support it and I am finding out more each day. I approached this with an open mind but as the facts were revealed the scenario developed as being not only credible but supported by evidence.
Paleoloue who is a useful source first of all states there were women present and then makes an absolute retraction.
The death was far, far more clinical than most people think. Phil T and I share the view, which is supportable from the evidence of the post mortem and Prof Zharov's re consideration that R was tortured before death.
Although the Time Watch programme shows the final shot to the head being delivered in the court yard, my view is increasingly that after getting him drunk, the conspirators together with Rayner and Alley went down to the basement, attacked Rasputin, tortured him and then eventually shot him - all the shots were fired from no more than 20cm. Kossorotov indicates that the body shots were fired in quick succession.
I can find no reason to support the Radzinsky idea that they concealed Dimitry's murder of R because it would have looked bad and if he had taken a peasant's life he could not become Tsar. He was so involved according to both Y and P that firing a gun would have made little differene. As in this country he would in Russia have been guilty of murder or at least conspiracy to murder.
Equally there is no clear evidence that Dimitry would have been prepared to become Tsar, in fact the opposite is true.
As I have said you will have to await Andrew Cook's book to understand more about the British involvement. You can look at
www.whokilledrasputin.com to give you an idea of what is coming... the story continues after R's death.
I will post Rayner's obit in the British Killed rasputin bit, when I can manage to do it - it is pretty complicated.
Have a good weekend
Richard