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JFK Assassination Hearings - Marina Porter/Oswald (Part II)
(02:43:13) Shot open to MARIANA [MARINA] PORTER, LEE HARVEY OSWALD's wife, being led to the witness seat, she is joined by a man on her right, he is a translator - the camera stays on her for the entire tape, new exhibits are introduced and given to her, the exhibits which soon come into view in blown up form are of two photos of Oswald posing with a rifle and holstered hand gun, Porter says she took the photographs upon Oswald's insistence (02:45:30) The camera used to take the photos is introduced and given to Porter - Porter cannot identify it as hers but has seen it before in court precedings (02:46:00) Porter is asked for the context of the photo - Porter again gives it saying that she made a comment that it was a funny picture to take (of him with his guns) (02:46:51) Porter is asked if she remembers the hand gun, she responds she cannot recall it and that this is possibly the first time she had seen both weapons (02:47:23) Porter is asked if Oswald appeared nervous when she took the photo - Porter responds he was angry with her because she was making fun of him (02:47:38) Several more questions are asked of Porter regarding the photo session: what was Oswald doing before and afterwords, what did she do afterwords, how many photos did she take, did she use a tripod, did Oswald mention assassinating anyone during the session, what time of year was it, what day of the week - all of which she answers with no stunning developments (02:50:06) ****weird skip in the film - time code remains the same but the image blinks for a moment (02:50:07) Another photo of Oswald is introduced, obviously from the same session as the setting is the same and he is again sporting his guns - Porter is asked more questions about this photo which she answers at no gain to the investigation (02:52:48) A new photograph is introduced as an exhibit (02:53:13) ****weird skip in the film - time code remains the same but the image blinks for a moment (02:53:14) Porter is asked if it is her handwriting on the back of this photograph - Porter responds no but the phrase (in Russian and thusfar not translated) sounds like something she would write, she goes on to describe inconsistencies between this writing and her own (02:55:05) ****skip in film - now Porter is describing an incident where Oswald was planning on seeing Nixon pass through town and taking him with him his gun, Porter describes his words as :"Nixon is coming to town and I just want to look", Porter says she argued with him that he didn't need his gun and he ended up staying home (02:55:45) A book is referenced, "Marina & Lee," in which Porter tells the outcome of the above story, she wrestled Oswald into the bathroom and locked him in to prevent him from going out, Porter is asked to describe this incident - she says she cannot remember the details of it but it as she described, she wrestled him into the bathroom and held him in, she adds though that if he really wanted to get out he could have (02:58:10) Representative RICHARDSON PREYER is recognized by Committee Chairman LOUIS STOKES - Preyer asks about a trip Oswald took on April 24, 1963 to New Orleans - Porter tells the committee that Oswald went to New Orleans to look for a job and that he had family there that might have been able to assist him (02:58:58) Preyer asks if the General WALKER shooting had anything to do with his moving to New Orleans - Porter says she does not know but she was glad he got away from Walker - Preyer asks if Oswald ever talked of moving to New Orleans before the Walker shooting - Porter responds that she doesn't remember (02:59:38) *****skip in film - Porter is now talking about Oswald's concern for some woman who had had several miscarriages or baby deaths (02:59:57) Preyer asks if Oswald talked about the Soviet Union during the New Orleans period - Porter answers yes that he said she should return or sometimes that they both should return (03:00:45) Preyer asks if Oswald talked about Cuba at this time - Porter responds that Oswald was engaged in some activities and that she saw him in the street with/distributing (?) a "Fair Play for Cuba Pamphlet" (03:01:04) Preyer asks if Oswald compared Cuba and the Soviet Union - Porter answers that he did and that he expressed his desire to check out Cuba as he had not already done so (03:01:31) Preyer asks if Oswald was ever gone from their New Orlean's apartment for more than a night - Porter responds that he was only gone one night during thier stay, and that night he was in jail (03:02:01) *****skip in film - Porter now says that Oswald was in a revolutionary mood and he expressed a desire to work for FIDEL CASTRO causes (03:02:25) Preyer says he wants to ask about three names, the first is CLAY SHAW - Porter says she did not know Clay Shaw's name until she had to testify for Mr. GARRISON in New Orleans, she adds that she does not know if Oswald knew Shaw - Preyer asks about GUY BANNISTER - Porter does not know him and does not know if Oswald knew him - Preyer asks if Porter knows DAVID FERRIE - Porter responds that the name sounds familiar but is cut off as the tape flies into hyper-speed
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
Goldsmith introduces new exhibits, they are all photographs of the book depository, all of them capturing the window from which Oswald was supposed to have fired from - Baden identifies and explains each photograph's significance, none of them give any clear image of the assassin but suggest a bit of movement and perhaps the trace of a person behind the identified window
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
Goldsmith asks if the Warren Commission did any similar photo enhancement - Groden responds he does not believe so
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
Goldsmith introduces a bunch of exhibits in an effort to answer the question whether or not the Warren Commission used photographic evidence to determine if Oswald was the lone assassin. The first two exhibits to be discussed by Groden are a photo of the motorcade and a blow up of it which perhaps shows an assassins rifle peeping out of a building window
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
"CONTAINS ZAPRUDER FILM CONTENT, REQUIRES PERMISSION* New photographs are introduced, unfortunately the tv camera does not focus on the one that is being explained first until the last minute - it is an image from the Zapruder film of the trees around which Groden believes there is a possible assassin, as he identified in the last two photos, in this image you can see a person's head Groden believes it is the same person and he thinks perhaps he is holding a rifle. Goldsmith asks what effect blowing up a photograph has on the original image - Groden responds it gets fuzzy and the contrast is much exaggerated. Groden explains the second photo just introduced which he says shows the Zapruders taking their film and also the infamous grassy knoll assassin who Groden claims is in a classic military shooting position. Goldsmith asks Groden if any of these photos have been before scientifically enhanced and examined - Groden answers no. Goldsmith asks Groden what the House Committee's scientific panel will be looking for in the photographs of the crowd - Groden responds possible co-conspirators in the assassination, and an alibi for Oswald, as in an image of him in a place other than the suspected sniper's nest.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
Exhibits of motorcade crowd photograph with blow up of section that which might contain Miltere are introduced with a head shot of Miltere - Groden identifies and explains the photographs which contain a striking likeness.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
"CONTAINS ZAPRUDER FILM CONTENT, REQUIRES PERMISSION* Lights out, the same film sequence shown as before, this time with Groden's narration of the events.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
Shot opens to MICHAEL GOLDSMITH questioning ROBERT GRODEN, Photo Optics Expert, who is accompanied by CHRIS GRODEN, he asks them to state for the record the number, timing, and direction of shots as concluded by the Warren Commission - Groden responds that 3 shots were fired and gives corresponding timings to different miss/hit combinations - Goldsmith sums up timing range to between 4.8 and 7.9 seconds.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden
"CONTAINS ZAPRUDER FILM CONTENT, REQUIRES PERMISSION* Lights off, film roles, first take is Zapruder film normal just slowed down, second and third take are zoomed in on the car and much slower.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Vincent P. Guinn (Conclusion)
Duplicate footage of Master 3634.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T Cornwell has H.B. McClain identify the streets shown in the photographs and identify himself in the photographs. Cornwell asks McClain if, based on his proximity to a fellow officer's motorcycle during the motorcade, as revealed in a photo, it was possible he could have heard the order to go to Parkland Hospital from this other officer's radio. McClain says it is possible.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) who asks Chief Counsel, Professor Robert Blakey if any effort was made to compare the brand of tape disc with the brand the Dallas Police Department used. Blakely responds that the "Dictabelt that was found among this material is the same kind of Dictabelt that the Dallas Police Department was using at that time," and that "what appears on the Dictabelt and the tape recording of the Dictabelt are indeed the same sounds, the same information that we have based on the transcripts that we had of channel one and channel two that go back to 1963-64." Rep. Dodd asks whether other voices on the tape identified or confirmed, and Blakey says: "No". Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell adds that the transmissions on the tapes do correspond with Warren Commission testimony of various officers.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell introduces three photographs as exhibits, enlarged.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) asks Chief Counsel, Professor Robert Blakey to establish the chain of evidence for the Dallas Police tape. Blakey can only verify that the tape is of the police transmissions for the day of the assassination. He cannot trace it to McClain's motorcycle.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell then moves that the photographs be taken into consideration, within a limited scope, by the committee until further analysis can be done to corroborate and confirm the testimony provided by H.B. McClain. McClain clarifies how it could be identified whether the radio was set to Channel 1 or 2.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Samuel Devine (R-OH) who asks H.B. McClain a couple questions about his microphone and motorcycle, focusing on whether he could receive any messages if his microphone/receiver was stuck on.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Christopher Dodd, who asks how H.B. McClain can identify himself in the blown up photographs of President John F. Kennedy's motorcade.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Robert Edgar (D-PA) who asks H.B. McClain a couple of questions about McClain's radio use and functions. Chairman Stokes recognizes Rep. Floyd Fithian (D-IN) confirms that McClain only heard one shot and the street he was on. Rep. Fithian asks if he saw any activity around the grassy knoll. McClain responds that he saw Officer Hargis going up the knoll.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell clarifies a question from Committee Chairman, U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) that he is simply asking the committee that the photographs be taken into consideration, within a limited scope until further analysis can be done. He is not requesting they be taken into the record. Cornwell asks H.B. McClain if knows what channel his radio was set to. McClain is not certain, but acknowledges it was possible the channel could have been changed during the motorcade or while it was at Parkland Hospital. Cornwall asks if McClain's microphone was stuck that day. McClain says not to his knowledge, but it is possible for the microphone to stuck on without his knowledge. McClain and Cornwell speculate as to the cause of microphone being stuck on.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell asks H.B. McClain about what happened after he received the order to go to the hospital and how long it took him to catch up with the limousine. McClain explains. Cornwell has McClain describe the distinguishing characteristics of his motorcycle.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) asks H.B. McClain: "...if you were in the Dallas Police Department receiving calls, if one person were on that channel transmitting, would it be possible for other people to transmit on that same channel at the same time and also be received by the headquarters?" McClain says it would be possible and answers a follow-up question by saying that more than one transmission would be hard to understand. There would be overlapping voices and the dispatcher would have to let people know that too many are speaking at once. Rep. Dodd also asks if McClain was familiar with "carillon bells or church bells in the vicinity of Dealey Plaza." McClain says he was not. Committee Chairman, Rep. Louis Stokes (D-OH) asks if anyone else wishes to be recognized, then belatedly recognizing Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell. Cornwell begins to ask a clarifying question regarding the position of McClain in the photographs.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T Cornwell confirms with H.B. McClain had the chance to review photographs during the motorcade and at Parkland Hospital. Cornwell introduces three photographs into the committee record; an adult Caucasian female hands them to McClain. McClain describes photographs that have motorcycles similar to his.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell asks if H.B. McClain heard any shots. McClain says he heard one, gives his location at that time and describes what he saw, which was a flock of pigeons taking off in flight around the schoolbook depository. McClain says he then got the order on the radio to go to Parkland hospital. Cornwell asks McClain about his radio use and channel that day, and McClain states he had no occasion to use it, talk through it. He also states the radio's usual channel is one.
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
H.B. McClain says he can identify himself by the way he is sitting on the motorcycle. U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Washington D.C. Delegate Walter Fauntroy (D) joke playfully with McClain about how he sits that he can distinguish himself 15 years later in a photograph and Fauntroy asked him to describe the manner in which McClain is sitting.