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
Mr. SPECTER. Now, I think you may have answered this, but I want to
pinpoint just when you heard that statement which you have attributed
to President Kennedy in relationship to the sound which you described
as a firecracker.
Mr. KELLERMAN. This noise which I attribute as a firecracker, when this
occurred and I am in the process of determining where it comes because
I am sure it came off my right rear somewhere; the voice broke in right
then.
Mr. SPECTER. At about the same time?
Mr. KELLERMAN. That is correct, sir. That is right.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, did President Kennedy say anything beside, "My God, I
am hit."
Mr. KELLERMAN. That is the last words he said, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Did Mrs. Kennedy say anything at that specific time?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Mr. Specter, there was an awful lot of confusion in
that back seat. She did a lot of talking which I can't recall all the
phrases.
Mr. SPECTER. Well, pinpoint----
Mr. KELLERMAN. But after the flurry of shots, I recall her saying,
"What are they doing to you?" Now again, of course, my comparison of
the voice of her speech--certainly, I have heard it many times, and in
the car there was conversation she was carrying on through shock, I am
sure.
Mr. SPECTER. Well, going back to the precise time that you heard the
President say, "My God, I am hit," do you recollect whether she said
anything at that time?
Mr. KELLERMAN. No.
Mr. SPECTER. Whether or not you can re-create what she said?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Not that I can recall right then, sir. This statement,
or whatever she said, happened after all the shooting was over.
Mr. SPECTER. All right. Now, you have described hearing a noise which
sounded like a firecracker and you have described turning to your right
and described hearing the President's voice and, again, what was your
next motion, if any, or movement, if any?
Mr. KELLERMAN. After I was sure that his statement was right that he
was hit, turned from the back I come right down----
Mr. SPECTER. You just indicated that you had turned to the left. Had
you turned to the left after hearing his voice?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Yes; certainly.
Mr. SPECTER. And what did you see? You have described what you saw in
terms of position of his hands.
Mr. KELLERMAN. That was it.
Mr. SPECTER. What did you do next?
Mr. KELLERMAN. That is when I completely turned to my right and grabbed
for the mike in the same motion, sideways telling the driver, "Let's
get out of here; we are hit."
Mr. SPECTER. Will you give us the best estimate of the lapse of
time from the instant you heard the sound which appeared to you to
be a firecracker until you instructed Mr. Greer in the way you have
described?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Seconds.
Mr. SPECTER. How many seconds?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Three or four.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, how long did it take you to relay the instructions
which you have told us about to Special Agent Lawson; what your best
estimate would be?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Instant, in seconds again. Again it is three to five.
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