Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Now, I think one has to conjecture as to why the Secret Service agent
who was undoubtedly trained for this assignment, and particularly the
agent who was driving the Presidential limousine in Dallas, where
we were told that the greatest efforts ever to protect an American
President were going to be made that day, because of the previous
difficulties in Dallas, the attack upon our Ambassador to the United
Nations and the attack upon the then Senator Johnson, when he spoke in
Dallas in 1960--one would assume that the most qualified Secret Service
driver that could be secured would be driving that automobile. It is
difficult to understand why the automobile almost came to a complete
stop after the first shot was fired, if the shots were coming from the
rear. The natural inclination, it would seem, would be to step on the
gas and accelerate as quickly as possible. However, if the driver were
under the impression that the shots were from the front, one could
understand his hesitation in not wanting to drive closer to the sniper
or snipers.
In addition, however, Roy Kellerman, who was in the front right-hand
seat of the automobile, who I am told was in charge of the Secret
Service operation that day, the director of the Secret Service not
being present in Dallas on that occasion--according to the pictures
printed in Life magazine, Mr. Kellerman looked forward until the first
shot was fired. Then he turned back, and looked at the President. He
immediately looked forward again, and was looking in the direction of
the overpass while the second shot was fired, and while the third shot
was fired.
One would certainly expect that Mr. Kellerman was and is a trained
observer, who would not panic in such a circumstance, for which he has
received his training.
The pictures I make reference to are those in Life magazine which I
referred to a little earlier in the afternoon.
Senator COOPER. May I ask a question there, Mr. Chief Justice?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes, go right ahead, Senator.
Senator COOPER. This last statement you made, about the Secret Service
agent who turned, so that he was faced to the rear, toward the
President, and then turned forward--I didn't quite understand what you
deduced from that.
Mr. LANE. I assumed that he was looking toward the sound of the shots.
Senator COOPER. You mean when he turned to the rear, or turned ahead?
Mr. LANE. Well, when the President was shot, and was struck he then
turned around, which I would imagine would be an ordinary response when
somebody in an automobile with whom you are riding has been shot.
But immediately after that, before the second shot was fired, he turned
completely to the front, and was looking at the overpass during the
remainder of the time that the shots were fired. It would seem to
indicate to me that it is possible that Mr. Kellerman felt that the
shots were coming from the general direction in which he was looking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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