Warren Commission (12 of 26): Hearings Vol. XII (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (12 of 26): Hearings Vol. XII (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. GRIFFIN. I am Burt Griffin, and I am a member of the advisory staff
of the general counsel's office for the President's Commission on the
Assassination of President Kennedy. The Commission itself was set up
under an Executive order issued by President Johnson and congressional
resolution passed by Congress.
Pursuant to these official acts, the Commission itself has promulgated
a set of rules of procedure, and under these rules of procedure I have
been authorized to come here and take your sworn deposition. Captain
Arnett, I want to explain to you a little bit of the general nature of
our inquiry here. We are concerned with the assassination of President
Kennedy and the final death of Lee Harvey Oswald, and we have been
empowered and requested by the President to investigate all the facts
and evaluate and then report this back to the President.
We have asked you to come here because we believe that you may have
some facts that might be pertinent, particularly to the death of Lee
Oswald. However, we are also concerned with the entire picture in the
examination, and if there is anything that you think would be helpful
to us, why, of course, we want to take that. Mr. Hubert and myself
are not working on an intensive basis on the other aspects of things,
outside of Ruby. So what I will do is ask you a few general things
which might have some bearing upon the death of the President that
would enable other people to look at it and see if you were somebody
that might have information, and then we will get into the other
problems.
Now, the mechanics by which we asked you to come here by, the general
counsel of the Commission sent a letter to Chief Curry indicating
that we would like to talk to you and certain other police officers.
Actually, under the rules of the Commission you are entitled to have a
written letter from the Commission, 3 days in advance of your testimony
here, but the rules also provide that you can waive this notice. Before
I swear you in, I would like to ask you if you are willing to waive the
notice provision?
Mr. ARNETT. Oh, sure.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, you are also entitled to have an attorney, and I see
that you don't have an attorney, and I take it that you don't want one.
Mr. ARNETT. No, sir.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Well, do you have any questions you would like to ask me
about the thing before I swear you in?
Mr. ARNETT. No.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Will you raise your right hand? Do you solemnly swear that
the testimony you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth?
Mr. ARNETT. Yes, sir.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Would you give the court reporter your full name?
Mr. ARNETT. Charles Oliver Arnett.
Mr. GRIFFIN. And when were you born, Mr. Arnett?
Mr. ARNETT. September 6, 1911.
Mr. GRIFFIN. And where do you live now?
Mr. ARNETT. 1223 South Waverly Drive, Dallas, Tex.
Mr. GRIFFIN. And you are employed with the Dallas Police Department, is
that right?
Mr. ARNETT. No. I am a captain on the reserve.
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