Jack White Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 4 Q You may return to the witness chair. Now, 5 Mr. West, were you present in Dealey 6 Plaza on November 22, 1963, sir? 7 A Yes, sir. 8 Q Where were you located? At approximately what 9 time were you in Dealey Plaza? 10 A I don’t remember the exact time of the day. 11 It was approximately 15 minutes before 12 the motorcade came down. 13 Q Mr. West, I’m going to give you a small flag 14 which has your name on it, and which also 15 has a pin in it, and I would ask you to 16 please go to what you previously identi- 17 fied as being your certified plat and 18 stick this in the location where you were 19 approximately 30 minutes before the 20 motorcade passed on November 22, 1963. 21 A (The witness complies.) 22 Q Now, Mr. West, would you please explain to the 23 Gentlemen of the Jury, and the Court, 24 verbally what location this is? 25 A That would be the southeast corner of the Page 52 1 intersection of Main and Houston Streets. 2 Q In relation to the aerial photograph, and in 3 relation to where your office was at that 4 time, or in relation to where you were, 5 where was your office at that time? 6 A It was in the old courthouse approximately 7 40 or 50 feet south of where I was 8 standing. 9 Q Did you see the presidential motorcade on that 10 day, sir? 11 A Yes, sir. 12 Q Before I proceed I’m going to also give you a 13 small emblem which represents a man, and 14 ask you to proceed to the markup and paste 15 yourself on the markup in accordance with 16 where you were on that date. 17 A (The witness complies.) 18 Q Mr. West, what was the location of the 19 presidential limousine at the time your 20 first saw it on November 22, sir? 21 A It was going west on Main Street at approxi- 22 mately Record Street, which is the first 23 street east of Houston. 24 Q Did you observe the presidential limousine 25 as it approached Houston Street? Page 53 1 A Yes, sir. 2 Q In which direction did the presidential 3 limousine proceed upon reaching Houston 4 Street? 5 A It turned to the right, or to the north. 6 Q At what time did you lose sight of the 7 presidential limousine, if in fact you 8 ever lost sight of it? 9 A Shortly after it turned to the left, or back 10 west on Elm Street. 11 Q When did you again regain visual observation 12 of the presidential limousine? 13 A Before it went under the underpass. 14 Q Would you please step up and indicate the 15 location of the underpass of which you are 16 speaking on the aerial photograph and then 17 also on the plat which you have drawn? 18 A (The witness complies.) 19 Q Now would you indicate this on the markup, 20 sir? 21 A (The witness complies.) 22 Q Now, Mr. West, did you see or hear anything 23 unusual as the presidential motorcade 24 proceeded through Dealey Plaza on 25 November 22? Page 54 1 A Some time after it turned on Elm Street I 2 heard what sounded to me at that time as 3 what I thought was backfiring, a motor- 4 cycle. 5 Q How many of these backfires did you hear? 6 A Four. 7 Q Did you at any time during this period determine 8 them to be anything other than backfires? 9 MR. DYMOND: 10 Object, unless of his own knowledge he did. 11 MR. SCIAMBRA: 12 That is what I asked him. 13 THE COURT: 14 From your own knowledge did you make any 15 determination? 16 THE WITNESS: 17 I made no examination, no, sir. 18 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 19 Q Did you recognize any of the noise which you 20 have described as anything other than a 21 backfire? 22 MR. WILLIAM WEGMANN: 23 Objection, he already testified it was 24 backfire. Now he is trying to 25 change his witness testimony. Page 55 1 MR. SCIAMBRA: 2 I am asking him if he ever determined it 3 to be anything else. 4 THE COURT: 5 Put the question differently, would you 6 please? 7 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 8 Q Mr. West, did you hear any unusual noise? 9 A Yes, sir. 10 Q On how many occasions did you hear this noise? 11 A Four. 12 Q Did it sound the same on each occasion? 13 A Yes, sir. 14 Q What did you think this noise was on the first 15 occasion? 16 MR. WILLIAM WEGMANN: 17 Objection, he has already said it sounded 18 the same on each occasion. 19 THE COURT: 20 I will permit the question. You may ask 21 the same on each occasion. 22 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 23 Q What did it sound like on the first occasion? 24 A A motorcycle backfired. 25 Q What did it sound like on the second occasion? Page 56 1 A A rifle fired. 2 Q It sounded to you like rifle fire -- 3 THE COURT: 4 You needn’t repeat his testimony. 5 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 6 Q What did it sound like to you on the third 7 occasion? 8 A It appeared to me it was rifle fire after the 9 second. The first and the second my 10 response was it was motorcycle backfire. 11 Q What was your response to the third sound that 12 you heard? 13 A Rifle fire. 14 Q Were these loud sounds? 15 A Yes, sir. 16 Q Were you able to determine at any time during 17 the course of these the location or the 18 area from which these sounds were 19 emanating? 20 MR. DYMOND: 21 Objection on the ground it calls for an 22 opinion. 23 MR. SCIAMBRA: 24 This is within his knowledge. 25 THE COURT: Page 57 1 You don’t have to argue. If you know of 2 your own personal knowledge you can 3 answer the question. 4 THE WITNESS: 5 The sound came from the northwest quadrant 6 of Dealey Plaza. 7 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 8 Q Will you please step down from the witness 9 chair and proceed to your plat and indicate 10 to the Gentlemen of the Jury what the 11 northwest quadrant of Dealey Plaza is. 12 A This entire area north and west of Elm Street. 13 Q Were you able, or can you at this time tell the 14 Gentlemen of the Jury what interval of 15 time there appeared to be between the first 16 and the second reports which you heard? 17 A No, sir. 18 Q Can you tell us the interval between the second 19 and the third? 20 A No, sir. 21 Q The third and fourth? 22 A No, sir. 23 Q Mr. West, you will notice on what has been 24 previously marked as S-34, which is the 25 aerial photograph, a line of dots. I will Page 58 1 ask you whether or not this is the route 2 taken -- 3 MR. WILLIAM WEGMANN: 4 Objection on the grounds it is leading. 5 THE COURT: 6 Rephrase your question, please. 7 BY MR. SCIAMBRA: 8 Q Would you indicate to the Gentlemen of the Jury 9 by stepping to this aerial photograph the 10 route taken by the presidential limousine? 11 A The limousine was going west on Elm, north 12 on Houston and back west -- pardon me, 13 west on main, north on Houston and back 14 west on Elm. 15 Q Mr. West, is it possible for you to tell the 16 Gentlemen of the Jury the approximate span 17 of time that elapsed between the first 18 report which you heard and the last report 19 which you heard? 20 A No, sir. 21 Q Mr. West, when was the last time you observed 22 the presidential limousine? 23 A Somewhere shortly before it went under the 24 triple underpass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Richards Posted April 3, 2006 Share Posted April 3, 2006 Thanks, Jack. I must say that I find West (a respected member of the community) most credible. Robert H. West below. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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