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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VII - Page 269« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of James R. Leavelle)

Mr. Leavelle.
Oh, yes; they would be asked to stand back and stay back but wouldn't do much good, and they would push forward and you had to hold them off physically. Of course, I realize I am not running the police department but if I had been running it wouldn't have been nobody up there; like I say, I was fed up. Fact of the business, one time when I was trying to escort some witness out of there I--don't recall who it was at this time but I was trying to get them through that crowd and taking them down the edge of the corridor and I stopped and I looked down and there was a joker had a camera stuck between my legs taking pictures so that's just some indication of how they acted.
Mr. Stern.
Was any consideration given to clearing the corridor?
Mr. Leavelle.
A lot of consideration was given to it by me but, of course, I didn't have anything to do with it.
Mr. Stern.
Was it discussed?
Mr. Leavelle.
I imagine just among the men up there. The officers working in the bureau probably did. I don't know whether it was discussed on a higher level or not. I have no knowledge of that.
Mr. Stern.
There were actually television cameras in the corridor?
Mr. Leavelle.
Well, yes.
Mr. Stern.
Hand cameras or the large?
Mr. Leavelle.
They had the big camera set on a tripod right at the entrance of that hallway leading up there which would give them a full view of the entire hallway.
Mr. Stern.
What was your impression of Oswald and the way he handled himself throughout this period?
Mr. Leavelle.
Like I say, the only time that I had any connections with Oswald was this Sunday morning. I never had occasion of hearing him being interrogated or had occasion to talk with him at anytime and, to my listening to him answering the questions that were propounded to him that particular morning, he gave me the impression of being a man with a lot better education than his formal education indicated. In other words, for instance the long elaboration that he went into on the Cuba deal would tell---indicate that he had a fairly better than high school education that he was reported to have had.
Mr. Stern.
Did he seem to be in control of himself?
Mr. Leavelle.
Oh, yes; he was in control of himself at all times. In fact, he struck me as a man who enjoyed the situation immensely and was enjoying the publicity and everything was coming his way.
Mr. Stern.
He engaged in banter with you and the police officials?
Mr. Leavelle.
Not with me because I didn't have occasion to question him, but he did always smile and never hesitated for an answer, always had an answer.
Mr. Stern.
How about on the occasions you were bringing him to or from the interrogations?
Mr. Leavelle.
I did not indulge in any of that other than the one time and of course, if I made any comments to him at that time, I do not remember what they were.
Mr. Stern.
How about comments he made to you?
Mr. Leavelle.
I know--I think possibly at one time he---that morning that I was bringing him down on Sunday morning that he may have asked me where he was going or if he was going back to Captain Fritz' office that morning, but aside from that, I do not recall anything else that he may have said or anything that I may have said to him in the course of the day.
Mr. Stern.
Do you recall any complaints that he registered, any statements he made about his treatment, or----
Mr. Leavelle.
No. I don't think he made any to us that morning we were moving him.
Mr. Stern.
Did you receive the telegram that arrived Sunday morning or that was there Sunday morning about the offer?
Mr. Leavelle.
I had occasion to see it. I do not recall what it was. I think it is a matter of record somewhere.
Mr. Stern.
It was there at the Sunday morning interrogation?
Mr. Leavelle.
Yes; it was there and, in fact, I know the captain and I talked
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