Man arrested at back of Texas Theater

[Michael Cross]

I do wonder, for what it's worth, if there are witnesses yearning to set the record straight before they pass.

[Ron Bulman]

I lean towards first or second day statements from witnesses my self.  E.G. Dr. Perry and the throat wound.  But many witnesses were scarred by what hey saw and heard in the days after and refused to come forward.  Others were intimidated into changing their story or shutting up by the DPD, FBI, CIA and SS, E.G. Dr. Perry.  Their latter assertions and statements should not be ignored.  They should be further investigated.  I understand our memories age and are influenced by time, new info and ego in some cases but they are often still important and worth consideration.

[Evan Marshall]

I learned a great thing at Detroit Homicide. Almost every witness has at least a speck of gold on them and sometimes with a little effort you uncover the mother load.

[Ron Bulman]

3 hours ago, Evan Marshall said:

I learned a great thing at Detroit Homicide. Almost every witness has at least a speck of gold on them and sometimes with a little effort you uncover the mother load.

So the witnesses at the back of the Texas Theater, as well of All those inside should have All been interviewed, statements taken, in writing, and signed. That day or the next?  It was where the "killer' was caught.  Sufficient to warrant such?

[Jim Hargrove]

Before leaving the Texas Theater, Capt. Westbrook ordered Detective Taylor, Lt. Cunningham, and J.B. Toney "to take the names and addresses of the occupants of the theater." Detective Taylor noted in his report (CE 2003, page 97, at WCH 24/243) that he, Lt. Cunningham, and J.B. Toney remained at the theater following the arrest "and took the names and addresses of the occupants of the theater." These officers would likely have turned their completed lists over to the man who gave them the order, Captain Westbrook. But these lists of theater patrons, like the wallet produced by Westbrook at 10th & Patton, disappeared and were never seen again. There was no chain of evidence regarding the list of theater patrons or the wallet, no police reports, and both items simply disappeared. The WC, perhaps intentionally, did not take the testimony of Taylor, Cunningham, or Toney. They could have asked any of these officers what they did with their completed lists. The WC did ask Westbrook about the list of theater patrons and, as can be expected, he answered "No; possibly Lieutenant Cunningham will know, but I don't know who has the list." (From November 22, 1963 on the H&L website)

[Steve Thomas]

1 hour ago, Jim Hargrove said:

The WC, perhaps intentionally, did not take the testimony of Taylor, Cunningham, or Toney. They could have asked any of these officers what they did with their completed lists. The WC did ask Westbrook about the list of theater patrons and, as can be expected, he answered "No; possibly Lieutenant Cunningham will know, but I don't know who has the list." (From November 22, 1963 on the H&L website)

Jim,

 

It's kind of interesting. Toney, E.E. Taylor, Cunningham and Marvin Buhk were riding in a car together, and went to the Theater.

Their after-action reports are in Box 2, Folder# 7 of the DPD Archives http://jfk.ci.dallas.tx.us/box2.htm

Taylor# 55

Toney# 62

Cunningham# 65

Taylor was Narcotics in the Special Service Bureau under Captain Gannaway.

Toney and Cunningham were in Forgery under Captain Orville Jones.

https://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh19/pdf/WH19_Batchelor_Ex_5002.pdf

Several of them speak of compiling such a list, but not one of them said what they did with it.

Having different Captains, I don't know that they would necessarily have turned it over to Westbrook. I think if Cunningham took charge of it, he could have turned it over to his own Captain in Forgery, or maybe Fritz who was heading the investigation as Head of the Homicide and Robbery Bureau.

Everybody who transported LHO back to City Hall though did seem to congregate back in Westbrook's office afterwards - more space perhaps?

 

Steve Thomas

 

 

[Jim Hargrove]

54 minutes ago, Steve Thomas said:

Having different Captains, I don't know that they would necessarily have turned it over to Westbrook. I think if Cunningham took charge of it, he could have turned it over to his own Captain in Forgery, or maybe Fritz who was heading the investigation as Head of the Homicide and Robbery Bureau.

Steve,

Maybe, but Westbrook seemed to be in charge at the theater, at least of “Oswald.”

From CE 2003:

Taylor wrote, “We were instructed by Captain Westbrook to get the prisoner in a car and take him to the City Hall…. I along with Lt. Cunningham and J.B. Toney remained at the Theatre and took the names and addresses of the occupants of the Theatre.” (CE 2003, pp. 96-97)

Bob Carroll reported, “After Oswald was handcuffed we were instructed by Captain W.R. Westbrook to take him directly to City Hall.” (Ibid, p. 81)

McDonald wrote, “Captain W.R. Westbrook then told several of the officers to take Oswald directly to the City Hall.” (Ibid, p. 91)

In charge of personnel for DPD, Westbrook surely had sway with the cops who would have reasons to protect him.  His descriptions of how he spent his time immediately after the hit are highly suspicious, his role in the 10th Patton wallet was beyond suspicious.  He had possession of the wallet, the jacket, and, for at least an hour, the revolver (you know, the one that supposedly misfired in the theater leaving a dent on the bullet but which fired perfectly in tests afterward.)  I think Westbrook was a co-conspirator.  

[Evan Marshall]

They should have been conveyed downtown and interviewed out side their comfort zone ASAP. I walked into Homicide one morning and we had 100 witnesses who needed to be interviewed.

Edited September 7, 2019 by Evan Marshall

[Chuck Schwartz]

" Life is full of should of's, could of's and would of's"--Joe Klecko (retired pro bowl defensive lineman)

[Evan Marshall]

The question, of course, is why was a basic rule of homicide interrogations ignored repeatedly by Dallas PD?

[Chuck Schwartz]

Quote

 

The Police were taking guidance from the Mayor of Dallas, Earle Cabell, who , we now know, was a CIA asset. Earle's brother, Charles Cabell, worked directly for Allen Dulles in the CIA for 9 yrs.  Both Allen Dulles and Charles Cabell were both fired by JFK (for the Bay of Pigs fiasco).  Allen Dulles , I believe, was the architect of the Big Event. He told the Cabell's what to do and DAP (CIA officer who worked in Cuba)  was there in Dallas to help things going along the lines Allen Dulles wanted them to go. The basic rule of homicide interrogations was never in the playbook for the day of the Big Event (JFK assassination).

Dulles was the ringleader of the WC. I attended a lecture on the JFK Assassination (The Big Event) by Mark Lane in 1975 in Albany, NY.  Mark said something I never forgot.  The purpose of the WC (Warren Commission) was not to discover who killed JFK and why, but rather to prove LHO was lone nut killer.  This was the narrative and any evidence to the contrary was either ignored or destroyed .