Mary Moorman, age 78, to speak on JFK assassination

[Guest Robert Morrow]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shooter-of-grassy-knoll-photos-finally-shares-story-121344213.html

Shooter of Grassy Knoll Photos Finally Shares Story on May 24, 2011 at 6PM MDT

Mary Moorman, JFK Assassination Photographer, to Break 48-Year Silence at Brass Armadillo® in Denver

DENVER, May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On Nov. 22, 1963, Mary Moorman, a 31-year-old woman with a Polaroid Land Camera captured the most famous image of one of the 20th century's most infamous events: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Nearly 48 years later, Ms. Moorman will finally break her silence at the Brass Armadillo® Antique Mall in Wheat Ridge, Colo., during her live interview on iAntique.com, an Internet news and social networking community for dealers, collectors and antiques enthusiasts.

Gary Stover, an iAntique® video host, will interview Ms. Moorman, now 78, and talk about that fateful day in Dallas, why she never talked to the Warren Commission and the three Polaroid photos that remain in her possession. The interview, which starts at 6 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, May 24, will stream live at iAntique.com as part of The Stover Hour. A full-length, professional souvenir video will be produced with additional information and commentary from Mr. Stover, audience members and other authorities.

"Mary Moorman's legendary photos are a critical piece of history and JFK lore essential to any meaningful discussion or investigation of the assassination, from conspiracy theorists to the Warren Commission," Mr. Stover said. "Yet, her voice has been conspicuously silent. That will change on May 24, as Mary tells us what she saw that day and discusses her famous photographs. From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

SHE STAYS SILENT WHILE HER FRIEND PROFITS

Ms. Moorman and Ms. Hill were the closest observers of the assassination, standing no more than 15 feet away from the presidential limousine at the time of the first shot. While Ms. Hill went on to write a book on her remembrances and served as a consultant on Oliver Stone's JFK, Ms. Moorman has declined to grant in-depth media interviews about her experience since speaking briefly to reporters immediately following the shooting. She was not questioned by the Warren Commission, which issued its famous report on the assassination in 1964.

Ms. Moorman's interview at the Brass Armadillo® is open to the public, but viewing space is limited. As The Stover Hour streams the event live, members of iAntique® will be able to watch the interview online and interact on the site's live chat room. The interview will focus on what Ms. Moorman saw the day of the assassination, her relationship with police officers who were in the parade and whether she plans to sell the historic photographs.

"The Brass Armadillo® and iAntique® are teaming up to bring Ms. Moorman's story to light as part of our broader mission to provide a forum for people interested in antiques, collectibles and American history," said Dave Briddle, vice president of Brass Armadillo® and co-founder of iAntique®. "In this case, we're not only helping to preserve one of the most significant events in our nation's history, we're actually helping make history by adding a very important voice to the dialogue surrounding President Kennedy's assassination."

NEW INFORMATION FROM ONE OF THE LAST LIVING WITNESSES

Throughout the month of May, The Stover Hour, a weekly iAntique® webcast , will take an in-depth look at the JFK assassination. Mr. Stover and Josh Miller, an antiques dealer who specializes in vintage camera and presidential memorabilia, will discuss the cameras that were used to capture the event, including Ms. Moorman's famous Polaroid. The next two shows, May 10 and 17, will focus on the multitude of assassination theories, with May 10 discussing, "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?" and May 17 asking, "If Oswald Didn't Do It, Who Did?" The "Mary Moorman Breaks Her Silence" show airs May 24 and the final show, airing on May 31, will reflect on "How Mary Moorman's Interview Added to the Debate."

"The assassination of John F. Kennedy has fascinated generations of Americans, many of whom still have questions about the official explanation of the crime," Mr. Stover added. "Any new information that Mary can provide will add more pieces to this historical puzzle."

The Brass Armadillo®, featuring more than 3,000 dealers in the Midwest and West, is the leader among antiques and collectible retail merchants in the United States, operating malls in Phoenix, Kansas City, Mo., Omaha, Neb., Des Moines, Iowa, and Denver.

iAntique® is an antiques social networking site that brings together a community of knowledgeable antiques and collectibles enthusiasts, dealers and collectors to share information. Currently free to join, iAntique® features live chats, workshops, seminars, training events, web casts and an online antiques marketplace.

SOURCE iAntique.com; Brass Armadillo Antique Mall

[David Andrews]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

[Michael Hogan]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=138

[Daniel Gallup]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=138

Question I would have: Did Mary make contemporaneous notes of what she observed? Has she see the exant Z-film? Has she been interviewed in the intervening years so we have a record of what she might have said? It is my recollection that David Lifton was able to speak with her in 1971 but without a tape-recorder. Am I mistaken ?(Don't have my copy of TGZFH with me)

[David G. Healy]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shooter-of-grassy-knoll-photos-finally-shares-story-121344213.html

Shooter of Grassy Knoll Photos Finally Shares Story on May 24, 2011 at 6PM MDT

Mary Moorman, JFK Assassination Photographer, to Break 48-Year Silence at Brass Armadillo® in Denver

DENVER, May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- On Nov. 22, 1963, Mary Moorman, a 31-year-old woman with a Polaroid Land Camera captured the most famous image of one of the 20th century's most infamous events: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Nearly 48 years later, Ms. Moorman will finally break her silence at the Brass Armadillo® Antique Mall in Wheat Ridge, Colo., during her live interview on iAntique.com, an Internet news and social networking community for dealers, collectors and antiques enthusiasts.

Gary Stover, an iAntique® video host, will interview Ms. Moorman, now 78, and talk about that fateful day in Dallas, why she never talked to the Warren Commission and the three Polaroid photos that remain in her possession. The interview, which starts at 6 p.m. MDT on Tuesday, May 24, will stream live at iAntique.com as part of The Stover Hour. A full-length, professional souvenir video will be produced with additional information and commentary from Mr. Stover, audience members and other authorities.

"Mary Moorman's legendary photos are a critical piece of history and JFK lore essential to any meaningful discussion or investigation of the assassination, from conspiracy theorists to the Warren Commission," Mr. Stover said. "Yet, her voice has been conspicuously silent. That will change on May 24, as Mary tells us what she saw that day and discusses her famous photographs. From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

SHE STAYS SILENT WHILE HER FRIEND PROFITS

Ms. Moorman and Ms. Hill were the closest observers of the assassination, standing no more than 15 feet away from the presidential limousine at the time of the first shot. While Ms. Hill went on to write a book on her remembrances and served as a consultant on Oliver Stone's JFK, Ms. Moorman has declined to grant in-depth media interviews about her experience since speaking briefly to reporters immediately following the shooting. She was not questioned by the Warren Commission, which issued its famous report on the assassination in 1964.

Ms. Moorman's interview at the Brass Armadillo® is open to the public, but viewing space is limited. As The Stover Hour streams the event live, members of iAntique® will be able to watch the interview online and interact on the site's live chat room. The interview will focus on what Ms. Moorman saw the day of the assassination, her relationship with police officers who were in the parade and whether she plans to sell the historic photographs.

"The Brass Armadillo® and iAntique® are teaming up to bring Ms. Moorman's story to light as part of our broader mission to provide a forum for people interested in antiques, collectibles and American history," said Dave Briddle, vice president of Brass Armadillo® and co-founder of iAntique®. "In this case, we're not only helping to preserve one of the most significant events in our nation's history, we're actually helping make history by adding a very important voice to the dialogue surrounding President Kennedy's assassination."

NEW INFORMATION FROM ONE OF THE LAST LIVING WITNESSES

Throughout the month of May, The Stover Hour, a weekly iAntique® webcast , will take an in-depth look at the JFK assassination. Mr. Stover and Josh Miller, an antiques dealer who specializes in vintage camera and presidential memorabilia, will discuss the cameras that were used to capture the event, including Ms. Moorman's famous Polaroid. The next two shows, May 10 and 17, will focus on the multitude of assassination theories, with May 10 discussing, "Who Was Lee Harvey Oswald?" and May 17 asking, "If Oswald Didn't Do It, Who Did?" The "Mary Moorman Breaks Her Silence" show airs May 24 and the final show, airing on May 31, will reflect on "How Mary Moorman's Interview Added to the Debate."

"The assassination of John F. Kennedy has fascinated generations of Americans, many of whom still have questions about the official explanation of the crime," Mr. Stover added. "Any new information that Mary can provide will add more pieces to this historical puzzle."

The Brass Armadillo®, featuring more than 3,000 dealers in the Midwest and West, is the leader among antiques and collectible retail merchants in the United States, operating malls in Phoenix, Kansas City, Mo., Omaha, Neb., Des Moines, Iowa, and Denver.

iAntique® is an antiques social networking site that brings together a community of knowledgeable antiques and collectibles enthusiasts, dealers and collectors to share information. Currently free to join, iAntique® features live chats, workshops, seminars, training events, web casts and an online antiques marketplace.

SOURCE iAntique.com; Brass Armadillo Antique Mall

Is Gary Mack coaching Mary Moorman? Is this interview LIVE or on tape?

[Michael Hogan]

Is Gary Mack coaching Mary Moorman? Is this interview LIVE or on tape?

David, according to the article:

"Ms. Moorman's interview at the Brass Armadillo® is open to the public, but viewing space is limited. As The Stover Hour streams the event live, members of iAntique® will be able to watch the interview online and interact on the site's live chat room. The interview will focus on what Ms. Moorman saw the day of the assassination, her relationship with police officers who were in the parade and whether she plans to sell the historic photographs."

[Pat Speer]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=138

Question I would have: Did Mary make contemporaneous notes of what she observed? Has she see the exant Z-film? Has she been interviewed in the intervening years so we have a record of what she might have said? It is my recollection that David Lifton was able to speak with her in 1971 but without a tape-recorder. Am I mistaken ?(Don't have my copy of TGZFH with me)

Daniel, Mary was interviewed quite a bit on 11-22-63. She has also talked several times afterward.

From patspeer.com, chapter 7:

Mary Moorman was on the south side of Elm across from the Newmans. She can be seen in the Zapruder film, Nix film, and Muchmore film, as well as stills such as the Bond photo. She took a picture of Kennedy a split second after the impact of the head shot. (3:16 PM 11-22-63 WBAP interview, available on Youtube) (When asked why she took the photo at that moment) “That was the only chance I had. Mine is a Polaroid and I can only take one every ten seconds, and that was at that time whenever I took it. (When asked if she'd realized he'd been shot when she took the picture) "No I didn't. I must have snapped it immediately when he slumped, cause in the picture that’s the way she’s there and he’s slumped over.” (When asked if she'd seen the shooter) "No, I had taken the picture. And then the shots. And I decided it was time to fall on the ground." (3:30 PM 11-22-63 KRLD interview, transcribed by David Lifton and posted online by Jack White, 2-16-07) (When asked if she took her Polaroid picture before or after the first shot) “Evidently, just immediately, as the…cause he was, he was looking, you know, whenever I got the camera focused and then I snapped it in my picture, he slumped over.” (When asked how far way she was from Kennedy at this time) “10 or 15 foot, I, no, more…Because I fall behind my camera.” (When asked where she was standing) “We stepped out in the street. We were right at the car.” (When asked how many shots she heard) “Oh, oh, I don’t know. I think three or four is what I, uh, that I heard…that I’m sure of. Now, I don’t know, there might have been more. It just took seconds for me to realize what was happening. (When asked Kennedy’s response to the first shot.) “He grabbed his chest, and, of course, Mrs. Kennedy jumped up immediately and fell over him, and she said “My God, he’s been shot.” (When asked the reactions of others) “Uh, they hesitated just for a moment ‘cause I think they were like I was, you know—Was that a shot or was it just a backfire, or just what? And then, of course, he clutched himself and they immediately sped up, real fast, you know, like to get out of there. And, uh the police, there were several motorcycles around him, and uh, they stopped, and uh—one or two must have went with him. And one ran up the hill, and a friend that was with me ran up the hill across the street, from where the shots came from.” (When asked where the shots came from) “Oh, Lord. North. Just back there.” (When asked if this meant the shots were fired toward her) “Yes, sir.” “The sound popped, well it just sounded like, well, you know, there might have been a firecracker right there in the car.” (When asked again if her picture was taken before the shot) “Evidently, at the minute that he, that it hit him because, uh, we was we was looking, at me, or I mean, he was looking, you know, at the people when my picture came out. Then he just slumped over, so I must have got it.” (Describing her picture) “You could see he’s clutched, he’s bent over, and she’s…and she hadn’t even gotten up in my picture, and she did get up, stood up, in the car.” (11-22-63 WFAA interview, as quoted in Pictures of the Pain) “My picture when I took it was at the same instant that the President was hit, and that does show in my picture…it shows the President, uh, he slumped…It all happened so suddenly, I don’t think anyone realized, you know, what had happened.” (About the shots) “There was three or four real close together, and it must have been the first one that shot him, ‘cause that was the time I took the picture, and during that time after I took the picture, and the shots were still being fired, I decided I better get on the ground. I was no more than 15 foot from the car, and in the line of fire, evidently.” (11-22-63 statement to Dallas Sheriff’s Department, 19H487, 24H217) “As President Kennedy was opposite me, I took a picture of him. As I snapped the picture of President Kennedy, I heard a shot ring out. President Kennedy kind of slumped over. Then I heard another shot ring out and Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and said “My God, he has been shot!” When I heard these shots ring out, I fell to the ground to keep from being hit myself. I heard three or four shots in all.” (11-23-63 FBI, report, 22H838) “She took a second photograph of the President as his automobile passed her, and just as she snapped the picture, she heard what she first thought was a firecracker and very shortly thereafter heard another similar sound which she later determined to have been gunfire. She knows that she heard two shots and possibly a third shot. She recalls seeing the President sort of “jump” and start to slump sideways in the seat, and seems to recall President Kennedy’s wife scream “My God, he’s been shot!...She recalls that the President’s car was moving at the time she took the second picture, and when she heard the shots, and has the impression that the car either stopped momentarily or hesitated and then drove off in a hurry.”

(2-15-69 testimony in the trial of Clay Shaw) “as the Presidential limousine approached me I stepped forward to observe closer in order to take a picture, that is what I planned to do and just what I did....I heard three noises and they sounded like firecrackers.” (1997 interview on KRLD, as posted online by Debra Conway) "Uh, just immediately before the presidential car came into view, we were, you know, there was just tremendous excitement. And my friend who was with me ( Jean Hill ) we were right ready to take the picture. And she's not timid. She, as the car approached us, she did holler for the president. " Mr. President, look this way!” And I stepped out off the curb into the street to take the picture and snapped it immediately. And that evidently was the first shot. You know I could hear the sound. and…" (When asked if she recognized it as a rifle shot) "Oh no. A firecracker, maybe. There was another one just immediately following which I still thought was a firecracker. And then I stepped back up on to the grassy area. I guess just, people were falling around us, you know. Knowing something was wrong. I certainly didn't know what was wrong”. (Appearance in Discovery Channel program Unsolved History: Death in Dealey Plaza, first aired 2-26-2003. Transcript provided by James Fetzer) (Moorman is standing on the grass where she is seen in the Zapruder film) "I just stepped to the, uh, to the edge here, and Jean is hollering, "Look Mr. President, look our way!" and then I snapped the picture, which was at the same instant, evidently, as the bullet hit him, not realizing that's what had happened. But I did hear a noise, and then I could see people around me falling to the ground, or running, and doing--and that led me to know that something was happening."(April, 2007 interview on KRLD) (When asked how many shots she heard) "I heard three." (When asked what they sounded like) "I stepped up to snap a picture and at the instant that I snapped a picture there was a shot. And I know I stepped back a few steps and another shot. And then there was another one shortly in a matter of seconds...The first two were closer together than the last one."

Edited May 7, 2011 by Pat Speer

[David Andrews]

Three important questions:

On or off the curb? (OK, obvious.)

Where did Babushka Lady go?

Can you describe Jean Hill's movements after the headshot?

Edited May 8, 2011 by David Andrews

[Daniel Gallup]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=138

Question I would have: Did Mary make contemporaneous notes of what she observed? Has she see the exant Z-film? Has she been interviewed in the intervening years so we have a record of what she might have said? It is my recollection that David Lifton was able to speak with her in 1971 but without a tape-recorder. Am I mistaken ?(Don't have my copy of TGZFH with me)

Daniel, Mary was interviewed quite a bit on 11-22-63. She has also talked several times afterward.

From patspeer.com, chapter 7:

Mary Moorman was on the south side of Elm across from the Newmans. She can be seen in the Zapruder film, Nix film, and Muchmore film, as well as stills such as the Bond photo. She took a picture of Kennedy a split second after the impact of the head shot. (3:16 PM 11-22-63 WBAP interview, available on Youtube) (When asked why she took the photo at that moment) “That was the only chance I had. Mine is a Polaroid and I can only take one every ten seconds, and that was at that time whenever I took it. (When asked if she'd realized he'd been shot when she took the picture) "No I didn't. I must have snapped it immediately when he slumped, cause in the picture that’s the way she’s there and he’s slumped over.” (When asked if she'd seen the shooter) "No, I had taken the picture. And then the shots. And I decided it was time to fall on the ground." (3:30 PM 11-22-63 KRLD interview, transcribed by David Lifton and posted online by Jack White, 2-16-07) (When asked if she took her Polaroid picture before or after the first shot) “Evidently, just immediately, as the…cause he was, he was looking, you know, whenever I got the camera focused and then I snapped it in my picture, he slumped over.” (When asked how far way she was from Kennedy at this time) “10 or 15 foot, I, no, more…Because I fall behind my camera.” (When asked where she was standing) “We stepped out in the street. We were right at the car.” (When asked how many shots she heard) “Oh, oh, I don’t know. I think three or four is what I, uh, that I heard…that I’m sure of. Now, I don’t know, there might have been more. It just took seconds for me to realize what was happening. (When asked Kennedy’s response to the first shot.) “He grabbed his chest, and, of course, Mrs. Kennedy jumped up immediately and fell over him, and she said “My God, he’s been shot.” (When asked the reactions of others) “Uh, they hesitated just for a moment ‘cause I think they were like I was, you know—Was that a shot or was it just a backfire, or just what? And then, of course, he clutched himself and they immediately sped up, real fast, you know, like to get out of there. And, uh the police, there were several motorcycles around him, and uh, they stopped, and uh—one or two must have went with him. And one ran up the hill, and a friend that was with me ran up the hill across the street, from where the shots came from.” (When asked where the shots came from) “Oh, Lord. North. Just back there.” (When asked if this meant the shots were fired toward her) “Yes, sir.” “The sound popped, well it just sounded like, well, you know, there might have been a firecracker right there in the car.” (When asked again if her picture was taken before the shot) “Evidently, at the minute that he, that it hit him because, uh, we was we was looking, at me, or I mean, he was looking, you know, at the people when my picture came out. Then he just slumped over, so I must have got it.” (Describing her picture) “You could see he’s clutched, he’s bent over, and she’s…and she hadn’t even gotten up in my picture, and she did get up, stood up, in the car.” (11-22-63 WFAA interview, as quoted in Pictures of the Pain) “My picture when I took it was at the same instant that the President was hit, and that does show in my picture…it shows the President, uh, he slumped…It all happened so suddenly, I don’t think anyone realized, you know, what had happened.” (About the shots) “There was three or four real close together, and it must have been the first one that shot him, ‘cause that was the time I took the picture, and during that time after I took the picture, and the shots were still being fired, I decided I better get on the ground. I was no more than 15 foot from the car, and in the line of fire, evidently.” (11-22-63 statement to Dallas Sheriff’s Department, 19H487, 24H217) “As President Kennedy was opposite me, I took a picture of him. As I snapped the picture of President Kennedy, I heard a shot ring out. President Kennedy kind of slumped over. Then I heard another shot ring out and Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and said “My God, he has been shot!” When I heard these shots ring out, I fell to the ground to keep from being hit myself. I heard three or four shots in all.” (11-23-63 FBI, report, 22H838) “She took a second photograph of the President as his automobile passed her, and just as she snapped the picture, she heard what she first thought was a firecracker and very shortly thereafter heard another similar sound which she later determined to have been gunfire. She knows that she heard two shots and possibly a third shot. She recalls seeing the President sort of “jump” and start to slump sideways in the seat, and seems to recall President Kennedy’s wife scream “My God, he’s been shot!...She recalls that the President’s car was moving at the time she took the second picture, and when she heard the shots, and has the impression that the car either stopped momentarily or hesitated and then drove off in a hurry.”

(2-15-69 testimony in the trial of Clay Shaw) “as the Presidential limousine approached me I stepped forward to observe closer in order to take a picture, that is what I planned to do and just what I did....I heard three noises and they sounded like firecrackers.” (1997 interview on KRLD, as posted online by Debra Conway) "Uh, just immediately before the presidential car came into view, we were, you know, there was just tremendous excitement. And my friend who was with me ( Jean Hill ) we were right ready to take the picture. And she's not timid. She, as the car approached us, she did holler for the president. " Mr. President, look this way!” And I stepped out off the curb into the street to take the picture and snapped it immediately. And that evidently was the first shot. You know I could hear the sound. and…" (When asked if she recognized it as a rifle shot) "Oh no. A firecracker, maybe. There was another one just immediately following which I still thought was a firecracker. And then I stepped back up on to the grassy area. I guess just, people were falling around us, you know. Knowing something was wrong. I certainly didn't know what was wrong”. (Appearance in Discovery Channel program Unsolved History: Death in Dealey Plaza, first aired 2-26-2003. Transcript provided by James Fetzer) (Moorman is standing on the grass where she is seen in the Zapruder film) "I just stepped to the, uh, to the edge here, and Jean is hollering, "Look Mr. President, look our way!" and then I snapped the picture, which was at the same instant, evidently, as the bullet hit him, not realizing that's what had happened. But I did hear a noise, and then I could see people around me falling to the ground, or running, and doing--and that led me to know that something was happening."(April, 2007 interview on KRLD) (When asked how many shots she heard) "I heard three." (When asked what they sounded like) "I stepped up to snap a picture and at the instant that I snapped a picture there was a shot. And I know I stepped back a few steps and another shot. And then there was another one shortly in a matter of seconds...The first two were closer together than the last one."

Thank you Pat. I can see a can of worms opening already -- "Moorman in the street." But thanks. It will be interesting to hear her upcoming interview, and compare her recollections with these. It would be nice too if the interviewer would ask Mary if the limo stopped before speeding up and heading toward the underspass (oop, another can of worms). I am thinking of her words, "They just hesitated for a moment."

[Jack White]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique.com/vid.php?user=News&video_id=138

Question I would have: Did Mary make contemporaneous notes of what she observed? Has she see the exant Z-film? Has she been interviewed in the intervening years so we have a record of what she might have said? It is my recollection that David Lifton was able to speak with her in 1971 but without a tape-recorder. Am I mistaken ?(Don't have my copy of TGZFH with me)

Daniel, Mary was interviewed quite a bit on 11-22-63. She has also talked several times afterward.

From patspeer.com, chapter 7:

Mary Moorman was on the south side of Elm across from the Newmans. She can be seen in the Zapruder film, Nix film, and Muchmore film, as well as stills such as the Bond photo. She took a picture of Kennedy a split second after the impact of the head shot. (3:16 PM 11-22-63 WBAP interview, available on Youtube) (When asked why she took the photo at that moment) “That was the only chance I had. Mine is a Polaroid and I can only take one every ten seconds, and that was at that time whenever I took it. (When asked if she'd realized he'd been shot when she took the picture) "No I didn't. I must have snapped it immediately when he slumped, cause in the picture that’s the way she’s there and he’s slumped over.” (When asked if she'd seen the shooter) "No, I had taken the picture. And then the shots. And I decided it was time to fall on the ground." (3:30 PM 11-22-63 KRLD interview, transcribed by David Lifton and posted online by Jack White, 2-16-07) (When asked if she took her Polaroid picture before or after the first shot) “Evidently, just immediately, as the…cause he was, he was looking, you know, whenever I got the camera focused and then I snapped it in my picture, he slumped over.” (When asked how far way she was from Kennedy at this time) “10 or 15 foot, I, no, more…Because I fall behind my camera.” (When asked where she was standing) “We stepped out in the street. We were right at the car.” (When asked how many shots she heard) “Oh, oh, I don’t know. I think three or four is what I, uh, that I heard…that I’m sure of. Now, I don’t know, there might have been more. It just took seconds for me to realize what was happening. (When asked Kennedy’s response to the first shot.) “He grabbed his chest, and, of course, Mrs. Kennedy jumped up immediately and fell over him, and she said “My God, he’s been shot.” (When asked the reactions of others) “Uh, they hesitated just for a moment ‘cause I think they were like I was, you know—Was that a shot or was it just a backfire, or just what? And then, of course, he clutched himself and they immediately sped up, real fast, you know, like to get out of there. And, uh the police, there were several motorcycles around him, and uh, they stopped, and uh—one or two must have went with him. And one ran up the hill, and a friend that was with me ran up the hill across the street, from where the shots came from.” (When asked where the shots came from) “Oh, Lord. North. Just back there.” (When asked if this meant the shots were fired toward her) “Yes, sir.” “The sound popped, well it just sounded like, well, you know, there might have been a firecracker right there in the car.” (When asked again if her picture was taken before the shot) “Evidently, at the minute that he, that it hit him because, uh, we was we was looking, at me, or I mean, he was looking, you know, at the people when my picture came out. Then he just slumped over, so I must have got it.” (Describing her picture) “You could see he’s clutched, he’s bent over, and she’s…and she hadn’t even gotten up in my picture, and she did get up, stood up, in the car.” (11-22-63 WFAA interview, as quoted in Pictures of the Pain) “My picture when I took it was at the same instant that the President was hit, and that does show in my picture…it shows the President, uh, he slumped…It all happened so suddenly, I don’t think anyone realized, you know, what had happened.” (About the shots) “There was three or four real close together, and it must have been the first one that shot him, ‘cause that was the time I took the picture, and during that time after I took the picture, and the shots were still being fired, I decided I better get on the ground. I was no more than 15 foot from the car, and in the line of fire, evidently.” (11-22-63 statement to Dallas Sheriff’s Department, 19H487, 24H217) “As President Kennedy was opposite me, I took a picture of him. As I snapped the picture of President Kennedy, I heard a shot ring out. President Kennedy kind of slumped over. Then I heard another shot ring out and Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and said “My God, he has been shot!” When I heard these shots ring out, I fell to the ground to keep from being hit myself. I heard three or four shots in all.” (11-23-63 FBI, report, 22H838) “She took a second photograph of the President as his automobile passed her, and just as she snapped the picture, she heard what she first thought was a firecracker and very shortly thereafter heard another similar sound which she later determined to have been gunfire. She knows that she heard two shots and possibly a third shot. She recalls seeing the President sort of “jump” and start to slump sideways in the seat, and seems to recall President Kennedy’s wife scream “My God, he’s been shot!...She recalls that the President’s car was moving at the time she took the second picture, and when she heard the shots, and has the impression that the car either stopped momentarily or hesitated and then drove off in a hurry.”

(2-15-69 testimony in the trial of Clay Shaw) “as the Presidential limousine approached me I stepped forward to observe closer in order to take a picture, that is what I planned to do and just what I did....I heard three noises and they sounded like firecrackers.” (1997 interview on KRLD, as posted online by Debra Conway) "Uh, just immediately before the presidential car came into view, we were, you know, there was just tremendous excitement. And my friend who was with me ( Jean Hill ) we were right ready to take the picture. And she's not timid. She, as the car approached us, she did holler for the president. " Mr. President, look this way!” And I stepped out off the curb into the street to take the picture and snapped it immediately. And that evidently was the first shot. You know I could hear the sound. and…" (When asked if she recognized it as a rifle shot) "Oh no. A firecracker, maybe. There was another one just immediately following which I still thought was a firecracker. And then I stepped back up on to the grassy area. I guess just, people were falling around us, you know. Knowing something was wrong. I certainly didn't know what was wrong”. (Appearance in Discovery Channel program Unsolved History: Death in Dealey Plaza, first aired 2-26-2003. Transcript provided by James Fetzer) (Moorman is standing on the grass where she is seen in the Zapruder film) "I just stepped to the, uh, to the edge here, and Jean is hollering, "Look Mr. President, look our way!" and then I snapped the picture, which was at the same instant, evidently, as the bullet hit him, not realizing that's what had happened. But I did hear a noise, and then I could see people around me falling to the ground, or running, and doing--and that led me to know that something was happening."(April, 2007 interview on KRLD) (When asked how many shots she heard) "I heard three." (When asked what they sounded like) "I stepped up to snap a picture and at the instant that I snapped a picture there was a shot. And I know I stepped back a few steps and another shot. And then there was another one shortly in a matter of seconds...The first two were closer together than the last one."

You left out that in the latter, Gary Mack had to prompt repeated RETAKES by Mary to keep her from saying WE STEPPED INTO THE STREET.

Jack

[Robin Unger]

Looking forward to it, thanks.

Researchers still have an opportunity to email or Twitter Gary Stover to suggest questions he might ask Mary Moorman.

Stover says: "From my contact with her, I can tell you she has a very different story from that of her friend and fellow witness, Jean Hill."

One can hope he asks good, informed questions.

http://www.iantique....ws&video_id=138

Question I would have: Did Mary make contemporaneous notes of what she observed? Has she see the exant Z-film? Has she been interviewed in the intervening years so we have a record of what she might have said? It is my recollection that David Lifton was able to speak with her in 1971 but without a tape-recorder. Am I mistaken ?(Don't have my copy of TGZFH with me)

Daniel, Mary was interviewed quite a bit on 11-22-63. She has also talked several times afterward.

From patspeer.com, chapter 7:

Mary Moorman was on the south side of Elm across from the Newmans. She can be seen in the Zapruder film, Nix film, and Muchmore film, as well as stills such as the Bond photo. She took a picture of Kennedy a split second after the impact of the head shot. (3:16 PM 11-22-63 WBAP interview, available on Youtube) (When asked why she took the photo at that moment) "That was the only chance I had. Mine is a Polaroid and I can only take one every ten seconds, and that was at that time whenever I took it. (When asked if she'd realized he'd been shot when she took the picture) "No I didn't. I must have snapped it immediately when he slumped, cause in the picture that's the way she's there and he's slumped over." (When asked if she'd seen the shooter) "No, I had taken the picture. And then the shots. And I decided it was time to fall on the ground." (3:30 PM 11-22-63 KRLD interview, transcribed by David Lifton and posted online by Jack White, 2-16-07) (When asked if she took her Polaroid picture before or after the first shot) "Evidently, just immediately, as the…cause he was, he was looking, you know, whenever I got the camera focused and then I snapped it in my picture, he slumped over." (When asked how far way she was from Kennedy at this time) "10 or 15 foot, I, no, more…Because I fall behind my camera." (When asked where she was standing) "We stepped out in the street. We were right at the car." (When asked how many shots she heard) "Oh, oh, I don't know. I think three or four is what I, uh, that I heard…that I'm sure of. Now, I don't know, there might have been more. It just took seconds for me to realize what was happening. (When asked Kennedy's response to the first shot.) "He grabbed his chest, and, of course, Mrs. Kennedy jumped up immediately and fell over him, and she said "My God, he's been shot." (When asked the reactions of others) "Uh, they hesitated just for a moment 'cause I think they were like I was, you know—Was that a shot or was it just a backfire, or just what? And then, of course, he clutched himself and they immediately sped up, real fast, you know, like to get out of there. And, uh the police, there were several motorcycles around him, and uh, they stopped, and uh—one or two must have went with him. And one ran up the hill, and a friend that was with me ran up the hill across the street, from where the shots came from." (When asked where the shots came from) "Oh, Lord. North. Just back there." (When asked if this meant the shots were fired toward her) "Yes, sir." "The sound popped, well it just sounded like, well, you know, there might have been a firecracker right there in the car." (When asked again if her picture was taken before the shot) "Evidently, at the minute that he, that it hit him because, uh, we was we was looking, at me, or I mean, he was looking, you know, at the people when my picture came out. Then he just slumped over, so I must have got it." (Describing her picture) "You could see he's clutched, he's bent over, and she's…and she hadn't even gotten up in my picture, and she did get up, stood up, in the car." (11-22-63 WFAA interview, as quoted in Pictures of the Pain) "My picture when I took it was at the same instant that the President was hit, and that does show in my picture…it shows the President, uh, he slumped…It all happened so suddenly, I don't think anyone realized, you know, what had happened." (About the shots) "There was three or four real close together, and it must have been the first one that shot him, 'cause that was the time I took the picture, and during that time after I took the picture, and the shots were still being fired, I decided I better get on the ground. I was no more than 15 foot from the car, and in the line of fire, evidently." (11-22-63 statement to Dallas Sheriff's Department, 19H487, 24H217) "As President Kennedy was opposite me, I took a picture of him. As I snapped the picture of President Kennedy, I heard a shot ring out. President Kennedy kind of slumped over. Then I heard another shot ring out and Mrs. Kennedy jumped up and said "My God, he has been shot!" When I heard these shots ring out, I fell to the ground to keep from being hit myself. I heard three or four shots in all." (11-23-63 FBI, report, 22H838) "She took a second photograph of the President as his automobile passed her, and just as she snapped the picture, she heard what she first thought was a firecracker and very shortly thereafter heard another similar sound which she later determined to have been gunfire. She knows that she heard two shots and possibly a third shot. She recalls seeing the President sort of "jump" and start to slump sideways in the seat, and seems to recall President Kennedy's wife scream "My God, he's been shot!...She recalls that the President's car was moving at the time she took the second picture, and when she heard the shots, and has the impression that the car either stopped momentarily or hesitated and then drove off in a hurry."

(2-15-69 testimony in the trial of Clay Shaw) "as the Presidential limousine approached me I stepped forward to observe closer in order to take a picture, that is what I planned to do and just what I did....I heard three noises and they sounded like firecrackers." (1997 interview on KRLD, as posted online by Debra Conway) "Uh, just immediately before the presidential car came into view, we were, you know, there was just tremendous excitement. And my friend who was with me ( Jean Hill ) we were right ready to take the picture. And she's not timid. She, as the car approached us, she did holler for the president. " Mr. President, look this way!" And I stepped out off the curb into the street to take the picture and snapped it immediately. And that evidently was the first shot. You know I could hear the sound. and…" (When asked if she recognized it as a rifle shot) "Oh no. A firecracker, maybe. There was another one just immediately following which I still thought was a firecracker. And then I stepped back up on to the grassy area. I guess just, people were falling around us, you know. Knowing something was wrong. I certainly didn't know what was wrong". (Appearance in Discovery Channel program Unsolved History: Death in Dealey Plaza, first aired 2-26-2003. Transcript provided by James Fetzer) (Moorman is standing on the grass where she is seen in the Zapruder film) "I just stepped to the, uh, to the edge here, and Jean is hollering, "Look Mr. President, look our way!" and then I snapped the picture, which was at the same instant, evidently, as the bullet hit him, not realizing that's what had happened. But I did hear a noise, and then I could see people around me falling to the ground, or running, and doing--and that led me to know that something was happening."(April, 2007 interview on KRLD) (When asked how many shots she heard) "I heard three." (When asked what they sounded like) "I stepped up to snap a picture and at the instant that I snapped a picture there was a shot. And I know I stepped back a few steps and another shot. And then there was another one shortly in a matter of seconds...The first two were closer together than the last one."

You left out that in the latter, Gary Mack had to prompt repeated RETAKES by Mary to keep her from saying WE STEPPED INTO THE STREET.

Jack

Click on the image to view FULL SIZE

Credit:: Craig Lamson

Edited May 7, 2011 by Robin Unger

[Robin Unger]

[Robin Unger]

Mary Moorman / Gary Mack

[Robin Unger]

Lee Forman scan.

Edited May 7, 2011 by Robin Unger

[Robin Unger]

Edited for correction:

Credit: Jack White

Edited May 7, 2011 by Robin Unger