Howard Roffman

[William Kelly]

Howard Roffman's Presumed Guilty is one of the more insightful yet underrated books on the assassination. Dave Ratcliff has posted the book at his site:

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/PG/PG.html

Preface

A Decade of Deceit: From the Warren Commission to Watergate

Whoever killed President John F. Kennedy got away with it because the Warren Commission, the executive commission responsible for investigating the murder, engaged in a cover-up of the truth and issued a report that misrepresented or distorted almost every relevant fact about the crime.

The Warren Commission, in turn, got away with disseminating falsehood and covering up because virtually every institution in our society that is supposed to make sure that the government works properly and honestly failed to function in the face of a profound challenge; the Congress, the law, and the press all failed to do a single meaningful thing to correct the massive abuse committed by the Warren Commission.

To anyone who understood these basic facts, and there were few who did, the frightening abuses of the Nixon Administration that have come to be known as "Watergate" were not unexpected and were surprising only in their nature and degree.

This is not a presumptuous statement. I do not mean to imply that anyone who knew what the Warren Commission did could predict the events that have taken place in the last few years. My point is that the reaction to the Warren Report, if properly understood, demonstrated that our society had nothing that could be depended upon to protect it from the abuses of power that have long been inherent in the Presidency.

The dynamics of our system of government are such that every check on the abuse of power is vital; if the executive branch were to be trusted as the sole guardian of the best interests of the people, we would not have a constitution that divides power among three branches of government to act as checks on each other, and we would need no Bill of Rights. Power invites abuses and excesses, and at least since the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt, an enormous amount of power has been assumed and acquired by the president.

Political deception is an abuse that democracy invites; in a system where the leaders are ultimately accountable to the people, where their political future is decided by the people, there is inevitably the temptation to deceive, to speak with the primary interest of pleasing the people and preserving political power. ....

Edited March 23, 2008 by William Kelly

[William Kelly]

http://www.ratical.org/ratville/JFK/PG/PGchp8.html

Howard Roffman:

The circumstances surrounding the lunchroom encounter indicate that Oswald entered the lunchroom not by the vestibule door from without, as he would have had he descended from the sixth floor, but through a hallway leading into the vestibule. The outer vestibule door is closed automatically by a closing mechanism on the door (7H591). When Truly arrived on the second floor, he did not see Oswald entering the vestibule (R151). For the Commission's case to be valid, Oswald must have entered the vestibule through the first door before Truly arrived. Baker reached the second floor immediately after Truly and caught a fleeting glimpse of Oswald in the vestibule through a small window in the outer door. Although Baker said the vestibule door "might have been, you know, closing and almost shut at that time" (3H255), it is dubious that he could have distinguished whether the door was fully or "almost" closed.

Baker's and Truly's observations are not at all consistent with Oswald's having entered the vestibule through the first door. Had Oswald done this, he could have been inside the lunchroom well before the automatic mechanism closed the vestibule door. Truly's testimony that he saw no one entering the vestibule indicates either that Oswald was already in the vestibule at this time or was approaching it from another source. However, had Oswald already entered the vestibule when Truly arrived on the second floor, it is doubtful that he would have remained there long enough for Baker to see him seconds later. Likewise, the fact that neither man saw the mechanically closed door in motion is cogent evidence that Oswald did not enter the vestibule through that door.

One of the crucial aspects of Baker's story is his position at the time he caught a "fleeting glimpse" of a man in the vestibule. Baker marked this position during his testimony as having been immediately adjacent to the stairs at the northwest corner of the building (3H256; CE 497). "I was just stepping out on to the second floor when I caught this glimpse of this man through this doorway," said Baker.

It should be noted that the Report never mentions Baker's position at the time he saw Oswald in the vestibule (R149-51). Instead, it prints a floor plan of the second floor and notes Baker's position "when he observed Oswald in lunchroom" (R150). This location, as indicated in the Report, was immediately outside the vestibule door (see CE 1118). The reader of the Report is left with the impression that Baker saw Oswald in the vestibule as well from this position. However, Baker testified explicitly that he first caught a glimpse of the man in the vestibule from the stairs and, upon running to the vestibule door, saw Oswald in the lunchroom (3H256). The Report's failure to point out Baker's position is significant.

Had Oswald descended from the sixth floor, his path through the vestibule into the lunchroom would have been confined to the north wall of the vestibule. Yet the line of sight from Baker's position at the steps does not include any area near the north wall. From the steps, Baker could have seen only one area in the vestibule -- the southeast portion. The only way Oswald could have been in this area on his way to the lunchroom is if he entered the vestibule through the southernmost door, as the previously cited testimony indicates he did.

Oswald could not have entered the vestibule in this manner had he just descended from the sixth floor. The only way he could have gotten to the southern door is from the first floor up through either a large office space or an adjacent corridor. As the Report concedes, Oswald told police he had eaten his lunch on the first floor and gone up to the second to purchase a coke when he encountered an officer (R182).

Thus, Oswald had an alibi. Had he been the sixth-floor gunman, he would have arrived at the lunchroom at least 5 seconds after Baker did, probably more. It is extremely doubtful that he could have entered the vestibule through the first door without Baker's or Truly's having seen the door in motion. Oswald's position in the vestibule when seen by Baker was consistent only with his having come up from the first floor as he told the police.

Oswald could not have been the assassin.

The Commission had great difficulty with facts, for none supported the ultimate conclusions. Instead, it found comfort and security in intangibles that usually had no bearing on the actual evidence. Amateur psychology seems to have been one of the Commission's favorite sciences, approached with the predisposition that Oswald was a murderer. This was manifested in the Report's lengthy chapter, "Lee Harvey Oswald: Background and Possible Motives" (R375-424).

To lend credibility to its otherwise incredible conclusion that Oswald was the assassin, the Commission accused Oswald of yet another assassination attempt -- a shot fired at right-wing Maj. Gen. Edwin Walker on April 10, 1963 (R183-87). Thus, Oswald officially was not a newcomer to the "game" of political assassination. Although I am not in accord with the conclusion that Oswald shot at Walker, I find it illuminating that the Commission did not follow its inclination for psychology in its comparison of Oswald as the Walker assailant to Oswald as the Kennedy assailant.

Having just torn open the head of the President of the United States, as the Commission asserts, how did Oswald react when stopped by a policeman with a drawn gun? Roy Truly was first asked about Oswald's reaction to the encounter with Baker:

Mr. Belin: Did you see any expression on his face? Or weren't you paying attention?

Mr. Truly: He didn't seem to be excited or overly afraid or anything. He might have been a little startled, like I might have been if someone confronted me. But I cannot recall any change in expression of any kind on his face. (3H225)

Officer Baker was more explicit under similar questioning:

Rep. Boggs: When you saw him [Oswald] . . ., was he out of breath, did he appear to have been running or what?

Mr. Baker: It didn't appear that to me. He appeared normal you know.

Rep. Boggs: Was he calm and collected?

Mr. Baker: Yes, sir. He never did say a word or nothing. In fact, he didn't change his expression one bit.

Mr. Belin: Did he flinch in anyway when you put the gun up . . .?

Mr. Baker: No, sir. (3H252) Sen. Cooper: He did not show any evidence of any emotion?

Mr. Baker: No, sir. (3H263)

This "calm and collected" "assassin" proceeded to buy himself a coke and at his normal "very slow pace," was then observed by Depository employee Mrs. Robert Reid walking through the office space on the second floor on his way down to the first floor (3H279). Presumably he finished his coke on the first floor. Documents in the Commission's files (but omitted from the Report, which assumes Oswald made an immediate get-away) indicate very strongly that, at the main entrance after the shots, Oswald directed two newsmen to the Depository phones (CD354).

[Tim Gratz]

Although VB in "Reclaiming History" provides extensive coverage of the "London Trial" you will not find in his book any reference to the fact that Mr. Baker, in response to a question from Mr. Spence, stated that Oswald did not look like a man who had just committed a murder. A strange omission in a book the dusk jacket of which condemns the "selective" use of evidence by authors who posit a conspiracy. Or maybe VB just ran out of space to consider Baker's opinion.

[William Kelly]

Could someone please post Warren Commission Exhibit No. 1118 and CE 497, Texas School Book Depository Diagram of Second Floor Showning Route of Oswald?

Thanks,

BK

[Thomas Graves]

Could someone please post Warren Commission Exhibit No. 1118 and CE 497, Texas School Book Depository Diagram of Second Floor Showning Route of Oswald?

Thanks,

BK

______________________________

Bill,

I've been looking for them too. Hopefully a member will post them in a sufficiently large format for us to be able to make out the words and details on them...

--Thomas

______________________________

[Chris Davidson]

First two links are for the exhibits requested.

Last link is a starting point.

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0119b.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol22_0058a.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/contents.htm

chris

[Thomas Graves]

First two links are for the exhibits requested.

Last link is a starting point.

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0119b.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol22_0058a.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/contents.htm

chris

_____________________________________

Thanks Chris.

(Unfortunately Commission Exhibit No. 1118 is too small for most of the words in the diagram to be readable...)

--Thomas

____________________________________

[William Kelly]

[William Kelly]

According to Roffman, Patrolman Baker, at #22, could have only seen Oswald #23 through the door window in the triangual vestibual if Oswald had come into the vestibual via the south door, rather than the west door closest to the stairs. Oswald therefore, was coming from the first floor stairs at the southeast corner of the building rather than from the stairs leading to the upper floors at the northwest corner of the building.

[Chris Davidson]

First two links are for the exhibits requested.

Last link is a starting point.

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol17_0119b.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk...Vol22_0058a.htm

http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/contents.htm

chris

_____________________________________

Thanks Chris.

(Unfortunately Commission Exhibit No. 1118 is too small for most of the words in the diagram to be readable...)

--Thomas

____________________________________

Thomas,

A little bit clearer.

chris

[William Kelly]

Yes, thanks for the graphics Chris and Tom.

Now I wonder if anybody can tell me who are Mr. Cason and Mr. Campbell?

Book company executives?

BK

According to Roffman, Patrolman Baker, at #22, could have only seen Oswald #23 through the door window in the triangual vestibual if Oswald had come into the vestibual via the south door, rather than the west door closest to the stairs. Oswald therefore, was coming from the first floor stairs at the southeast corner of the building rather than from the stairs leading to the upper floors at the northwest corner of the building.

[William Kelly]

Gary Mack says that the second floor lunchroom is no longer there.

But if these figures are accurate, and this analysis correct, then Oswald had to be seen entering the lunchoom vestibual from the other side door, and did not come down the steps as advertized.

BK

According to Roffman, Patrolman Baker, at #22, could have only seen Oswald #23 through the door window in the triangual vestibual if Oswald had come into the vestibual via the south door, rather than the west door closest to the stairs. Oswald therefore, was coming from the first floor stairs at the southeast corner of the building rather than from the stairs leading to the upper floors at the northwest corner of the building.

[William Kelly]

Gary Mack says that the second floor lunchroom is no longer there.

But if these figures are accurate, and this analysis correct, then Oswald had to be seen entering the lunchoom vestibual from the other side door, and did not come down the steps as advertized.

BK

According to Roffman, Patrolman Baker, at #22, could have only seen Oswald #23 through the door window in the triangual vestibual if Oswald had come into the vestibual via the south door, rather than the west door closest to the stairs. Oswald therefore, was coming from the first floor stairs at the southeast corner of the building rather than from the stairs leading to the upper floors at the northwest corner of the building.

If the official government version of events is true, and Officer Marion Baker saw Oswald through the glass window of the lunchroom vestibule door, and Roy Truly running ahead of Baker didn't see Oswald, then Oswald didn't go through that door but was walking past the window from the other door that leads to the 2nd floor offices and steps to the first floor. This most certainly proves that Oswald didn't descend those stairs and wasn't the sixth floor sniper.

And the Warren Commission investigators knew this to be true because after taking Roy Truly's testimony over two days running, they called him back to take a sworn statement from him and only asked him one question - and that was whether the second floor lunchoom door had an automatic closing device, and the answer was yes. And a close examination of the door shows that if it was open even only a few inches, it would have been physically impossible for Baker to see through the 2 foot by 2 foot square window. Proof that the door was closed and Oswald didn't go through it.

AFFIDAVIT IN ANY FACT

THE STATE OF TEXAS

COUNTY OF DALLAS

http://mcadams.posc....ny/baker_m3.htm

BEFORE ME, MaryRattan, a Notary Public in and for said County, State of Texas, on this day personallyappeared M. L. Baker, Patrolman Dallas Police Department who, after being by meduly sworn, on oath deposes and says:

Friday November 22, 1963 I was riding motorcycleescort for the President of the United States. At approximately 12:30 pm I was on Houston Street and the President's carhad made a left turn from Houston onto Elm Street. Just as I approached Elm Street and Houston I heardthree shots. I realized those shots were rifle shots and I began to try tofigure out where they came from. I decided the shots had come from the buildingon the northwest corner of Elm and Houston. This building is usedby the Board of Education for book storage. I jumped off my motor and raninside the building. As I entered the door I saw several people standingaround. I asked these people where the stairs were. A man stepped forward andstated he was the building manager and that he would show me where the stairswere. I followed the man to the rear of the building and he said, "Let'stake the elevator." The elevator was hung several floors up so we used thestairs instead. As we reached the third or fourth floor I saw a man walkingaway from the stairway. I called to the man and he turned around and came backtoward me. The manager said, "I know that man, he works here." I thenturned the man loose and went up to the top floor. The man I saw was a whiteman approximately 30 years old, 5'9", 165 pounds, dark hair and wearing alight brown jacket.

s/ M. L. Baker

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME THIS 22 DAY OF November A.D. 1963

/s/ Mary Rattan Notary Public, Dallas County, Texas

The followingaffidavit was executed by Marrion L. Baker on August 11, 1964.

http://mcadams.posc....ny/baker_m2.htm

PRESIDENT'SCOMMISSION ON THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF TEXAS,

County of Dallas, ss:

I, Marrion LBaker, being duly sworn say:

1. I am an officer in the Dallas Police Department.

2. On November 22, 1963, upon hearing shots Irode my motorcycle 180 to 200 feet, parked the motorcycle, and ran 45 feet tothe Texas School Book Depository Building.

3. On March 20, 1964, counsel from thePresident's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy timed are-enactment of my actions after hearing the shots on November 22, 1963. During this re-enactment, I reached therecessed door of the Texas School Book Depository Building fifteen seconds afterthe time of the simulated shot.

Signed this 11thday of August 1964, at Dallas, Tex. (S) Marrion L. Baker

Warren Commission Testimony

MARRION L. BAKER.

Mr. BELIN - You went up the stairs then?

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir.

Mr. BELIN - When you started up the stairs whatwas your intention at that--

Mr. BAKER - My intention was to go all the way tothe top where I thought the shots had come from, to see if I could findsomething there, you know, to indicate that.

Mr. BELIN - And did you go all the way up to thetop of the stairs right away?

Mr. BAKER - No, sir; we didn't.

Mr. BAKER - What happened?

Mr. BAKER - As I came out to the second floorthere, Mr. Truly was ahead of me, and as I come out I was kind of scanning, youknow, the rooms, and I caught a glimpse of this man walking away from this--Ihappened to see him through this window in this door. I don't know how come Isaw him, but I had a glimpse of him coming down there.

Mr. DULLES - Where was he coming from, do youknow?

Mr. BAKER - No, sir. All I seen of him was aglimpse of him go away from me.

Mr. BELIN - What did you do then?

Mr. BAKER - I ran on over there

Representative BOGGS -You mean where he was?

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir. There is a door there with aglass, it seemed to me like about a 2 by 2, something like that, and then thereis another door which is 6 foot on over there, and there is a hallway overthere and a hallway entering into a lunchroom, and when I got to where I could.see him he was walking away from me about 20 feet away from me in thelunchroom.

Mr. BELIN - What did you do?

Mr. BAKER - I hollered at him at that time andsaid, "Come here." He turned and walked right straight back to me.

Mr. BELIN - Where were you at the time youhollered?

Mr. BAKER - I was standing in the hallway betweenthis door and the second door, right at the edge of the second door.

Mr. BELIN - He walked back toward you then?

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir.

Mr. BELIN - Allright, if we can go off the record for a moment here.

(Discussion off the record.)Mr. BELIN -Officer Baker, first of all, handing you what the court reporter has marked asExhibit 498, I would like you to state if you know whether or not this appearsto be the door leading from the second floor hallway into the vestibule goinginto the lunchroom.

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir; it does.

Mr. BELIN - Is this the door through which you glanced as you came around the stairs coming up from the first floor?

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir.

Mr. BELIN - What did you see that caused you to turn away from going up to thethird floor?

Mr. BAKER - As I came out of that stairway running, Mr. Truly had already gone on around, see, and I don't know, as I come around----

Mr. DULLES - Gone on around and up?

Mr. BAKER - He had already started around the bend to come to the next elevation going up, I was coming out this one on the second floor, and I don'tknow, I was kind of sweeping this area as I come up, I was looking from right to left and as I got to this door here I caught a glimpse of this man, just,you know, a sudden glimpse, that is all it was now, and it looked to me like hewas going away from me.

Mr. BELIN - All right. Then what did you do?

Mr. BAKER - I ran on up here and opened this door and when I got this door opened I could see him walking on down.

Mr. DULLES - Had he meanwhile gone on through the door ahead of you?

Mr. BAKER - I can't say whether he had gone on through that door or not. All Idid was catch a glance at him, and evidently he was--this door might have been, you know, closing and almost shut at that time.

Mr. BELIN - You are pointing by "this door" to the door on Exhibit 498?

Mr. BAKER - Yes, sir.

Mr. DULLES - You mean you might have seen him as he was opening and going through the door almost?

Mr. BAKER - Well, to me it was the back of it. Now, through this window you can't see too much but I just caught a glimpse of him through this window going away from me and as I ran to this door and opened it, and looked on down in thelunchroom he was on down there about 20 feet so he was moving about as fast asI was.

Mr. DULLES - How far were you as you left the stairwell, the stairway----

(Discussion off the record.)Mr. BELIN - OfficerBaker, you had just marked on Exhibit 497 point "B" where you thoughtyou were at about the time you caught a glimpse of something, either through adoor or through the window in the door marked 23, is that correct?

Mr. BAKER - That is correct, sir.

TRULY TESTIMONY BEFORE WARREN COMMISSION

May 13

Mr. BELIN. All right. Then whatdid you do?

Mr. TRULY. I went up on a run up the stairway.

Mr. BELIN. Could you again follow--from Point B, could you show which way youwent? All right.

Mr. TRULY. What is this here?

Mr. BELIN. This is to show this is a stairway, and there is a stairway aboveit, too. But you went up the stairs right here?

Mr. TRULY. That is right.

Mr. BELIN. Okay. And where was this officer at that time?

Mr. TRULY. This officer was right behind me and coming up the stairway.

By the time I reached the second floor, the officer was a little further behindme than he was on the first floor, I assume--I know.

Mr. BELIN. Was he a few feet behind you then?

Mr. TRULY. He was a few feet. It is hard for me to tell. I ran right on aroundto my left, [ Without seeing Oswald] started to continue on up the stairway to the third floor, and onup.

Mr. BELIN. Now when you say you ran on to your left, did you look straightahead to see whether there was anyone in that area, or were you intent on justgoing upstairs?

Mr. TRULY. If there had been anybody in that area, I would have seen him on theoutside. But I was content--I was trying to show the officer the pathway up,where the elevators--I mean where the stairways continued.

Mr. BELIN. Now, I hand you what has been marked Exhibit 497.

(The document referred to wasmarked Commission Exhibit No. 497, for identification

Mr. BELIN. This is entitled"Texas School Book Depository, Diagram of Second Floor."

You can sit down, if you would, please, Mr. Truly.

And would you, on Exhibit 497, if you would kind of take an arrow to show theroute that you took going out-or up from the first floor, and starting up thestairs towards the third....

Mr. BELIN. I ask you to state, ifyou know what this is.

Mr. TRULY. Yes. This is the vestibule, when you first come up the stairs on thesecond floor--this is what you will find right there.

Mr. BELIN. Now, as you take a look at the picture Exhibit 498, is this a postimmediately to the left side of the picture, to the extreme left of thepicture?

Mr. TRULY. No.

Mr. BELIN. What is this to the extreme left? Is that the wall for thestaircase?

Mr. TRULY. Yes; there is an opening on this side, and the staircase is backover here. This picture is just part of this vestibule out here.

Mr. BELIN. And what direction does the camera appear to be pointing, or what isshown there?

Mr. TRULY. It appears to be pointing east.

Mr. BELIN. And I see a door with a glass in it.

Could you show where on this diagram Exhibit 497 this door with the glass is?

Do you see a number with an arrow pointing to the door?

Mr. TRULY. That is it.

Mr. BELIN. What number is that?

Mr. TRULY. It is number 23.

Mr. BELIN. All right. Number 23, the arrow points to the door that has theglass in it.

Now, as you raced around, how far did you start up the stairs towards the thirdfloor there?

Mr. TRULY. I suppose I was up two or three steps before I realized the officerwasn't following me.

Mr. BELIN. Then what did you do?

Mr. TRULY. I came back to the second floor landing.

Mr. BELIN. What did you see?

Mr. TRULY. I heard some voices, or a voice, coming from the area of thelunchroom, or the inside vestibule, the area of 24.

Mr. BELIN. All right. And I see that there appears to be on the second floordiagram, a room marked lunchroom.

Mr. TRULY. That is right.

Mr. BELIN. What did you do then?

Mr. TRULY. I ran over and looked in this door No. 23.

Mr. BELIN. Through the glass, or was the door open?

Mr. TRULY. I don't know. I think I opened the door. [it had already closed after Baker had entered it] I feel like I did. I don'tremember.

Mr. BELIN. It could have been open or it could have been closed, you do notremember?

Mr. TRULY. The chances are it was closed.

Mr. BELIN. You thought you opened it?

Mr. TRULY. I think I opened it. I opened the door back and leaned in this way.

Mr. BELIN. What did you see?

Mr. TRULY. I saw the officer almost directly in the doorway of the lunch-roomfacing Lee Harvey Oswald.

Mr. BELIN. And where was Lee Harvey Oswald at the time you saw him?

Mr. TRULY. He was at the front of the lunchroom, not very far inside he wasjust inside the lunchroom door.

Mr. BELIN. All right.

Mr. TRULY. 2 or 3 feet, possibly.

Mr. BELIN. Could you put an "O" where you saw Lee Harvey Oswald?

All right.

You have put an "O" on Exhibit 497.

What did you see or hear the officer say or do?

Mr. TRULY. When I reached there, the officer had his gun pointing at Oswald.The officer turned this way and said, "This man work here?" And Isaid, "Yes."

Mr. BELIN. And then what happened?

Mr. TRULY. Then we left Lee Harvey Oswald immediately and continued to run upthe stairways until we reached the fifth floor.

Mr. BELIN. All right.

Let me ask you this now. How far was the officer's gun from Lee Harvey Oswaldwhen he asked the question?

Mr. TRULY. It would be hard for me to say, but it seemed to me like it wasalmost touching him.

Mr. BELIN. What portion of his body?

Mr. TRULY. Towards the middle portion of his body.

Mr. BELIN. Could you see Lee Harvey Oswald's hands?

Mr. TRULY. Yes.

Mr. BELIN. Could you see--

Mr. TRULY. I am sure I could, yes. I could see most of him, because I waslooking in the room on an angle, and they were this way.

Mr. BELIN. When you say you were looking in the room on an angle--

Mr. TRULY. What I mean--this door offsets the lunchroom door.

Mr. BELIN. By this door, you mean door No. 23 is at an angle to door No. 24?

Mr. TRULY. Yes. One this way and the other one is this way.

Mr. BELIN. All right.

Could you see whether or not Lee Harvey Oswald had anything in either hand?

Mr. TRULY. I noticed nothing in either hand.

Mr. BELIN. Did you see both of his hands?

Mr. TRULY. I am sure I did. I could be wrong, but I am almost sure. I did.

Mr. BELIN. About how long did Officer Baker stand there with Lee Harvey Oswaldafter you saw them?

Mr. TRULY. He left him immediately after I told him--after he asked me, doesthis man work here. I said, yes. The officer left him immediately.

Mr. BELIN. Did you hear Lee Harvey Oswald say anything?

Mr. TRULY. Not a thing.

Mr. BELIN. Did you see any expression on his face? Or weren't you payingattention?

Mr. TRULY. He didn't seem to be excited or overly afraid or anything. He mighthave been a bit startled, like I might have been if somebody confronted me. ButI cannot recall any change in expression of any kind on his face.

Mr. BELIN. Now, I hand you what the reporter has marked as Exhibit 499.

(The document referred to wasmarked Commission Exhibit No. 499 for identification.)

Mr. BELIN. I ask you to state ifyou know what this is.

Mr. TRULY. That is the interior of the lunchroom.

Mr. BELIN. And what direction does the camera appear to be pointing on Exhibit499?

Mr. TRULY. East.

Mr. BELIN. And does this appear to be the doorway in the very foreground of thepicture?

Mr. TRULY. I believe so.

Representative FORD. Which doorway would that be?

Mr. TRULY. Number 24. The camera seems to be right in the doorway when thatpicture was taken. You cannot see the doorway very well.

Mr. DULLES. May I ask you a question?

Do you know why it was that the officer didn't follow you up the stairs, butinstead was distracted, as it were, and went with Lee Harvey Oswald into thelunchroom?

Mr. TRULY. I never knew until a day or two ago that he said he saw a movement,saw a man going away from him.

Mr. DULLES. As he was going up the stairs?

Mr. TRULY. As he got to the second floor landing. While I was going around, hesaw a movement. [through the glass window of the door]

Mr. DULLES. And he followed that?

Mr. TRULY. That is right.

Representative FORD. He saw a movement in the lunchroom or a man go into thelunchroom?

Mr. TRULY. He saw the back of a man inside the door--I suppose door No. 23.

But that isn't my statement. I didn't learn about that, you see, until theother day.

Mr. BELIN. I believe we have some additional pictures of the lunchroom. Perhapswe can just briefly identify them.

THEN THEY CALLED HIM BACK AGAIN TO ASK HIM ONE LAST QUESTION THEY FORGOT TO ASK.

NOW WHY THEY DID THIS I DON'T KNOW BECAUSE IF THEY JUST WANTED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, THEY WERE IN THE POST OFFICE, JUST ACROSS DEALEY PLAZA FROM THE TSBD AND COULD SEE IT OUT THEIR WINDOW, SO THEY COULD HAVE JUST WALKED OVER THERE AND LOOKED AT THE DOOR THEMSELVES AND GOT THAT ANSWER - BUT INSTEAD THEY CALL TRULY BACK AND ASK HIM TO PUT IT ON THE RECORD SO EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THEY KNEW THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF EVIDENCE AND A CLUE.

http://mcadams.posc....mony/truly3.htm

The following affidavit was executed by RoySansom Truly on August 3, 1964.

PRESIDENT'SCOMMISSION

ON THE ASSASSINATION OF

PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY

AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF TEXAS,

County of Dallas, ss:

I, Roy SansomTruly, being duly sworn say:

1. I am the Superintendent of the Texas School Book Depository Building Dallas,Texas.

2. The door opening on the vestibule of the lunchroom on the second floor ofthe Texas School Book Depository Building is usually shut becauseof a closing mechanism on the door.

Signed this 3d day of August 1964, at DallasTex.

(S) Roy Sansom Truly,

ROY SANSOM TRULY

Edited August 14, 2011 by William Kelly