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
Captain JONES. That's right. In watching the people, I was aware, in
fact, in trying to get them out of the way.
Mr. HUBERT. Would it be correct to say that the televisions were to
your left?
Captain JONES. I think so. I mean, that is my impression, and I
cannot--I couldn't swear. I can give you the impression to the best of
my knowledge, but here is one thing that I know. I am in that area, I
think the television is to my left. I turned to make sure the people
stay out of way. Some of the previous instructions--can I go back?
Mr. HUBERT. Yes.
Captain JONES. Some of the previous instructions that I had given to
this officer here [indicating].
Mr. HUBERT. Here?
Captain JONES. I'm sorry, just outside of the swinging doors leading
into the basement of the city hall and just after clearing the jail
office of the reporters, just keep the people out of the area. I told
both the officers and the newsmen there, "When the prisoner comes down,
you will not be allowed in this area. You will not be allowed to step
forward to take pictures, or converse with the prisoner."
Mr. HUBERT. You gave that instruction?
Captain JONES. I gave this instruction to them. I can't say to this
officer, or to that officer.
Mr. HUBERT. All right.
Captain JONES. Things had changed. First, I was under the impression
that the armored car would back all the way down. I didn't know whether
it could get all the way down, may do it at some intermediate point. If
it comes all the way down there would be a line. That was the--that was
where I wanted the officer here coming out of the jail office. The door
of the vehicle that opens----
Mr. HUBERT. I say, that was your idea?
Captain JONES. It was my idea, if the transporting vehicle backs all
the way to the jail door.
Mr. HUBERT. All right.
Captain JONES. If it comes partially down here and has to stop, which
would be somewhere around this area here [indicating], the--just
past--just at the point where the ramp starts to rise there is a beam,
I believe, or low point in the ceiling there, that if it cannot get
to that point these officers in the line here can form an =L=-shaped
line around the prisoner, between them and the two sides where the
news media had been told to stay and form a buffer in between to walk
up there. Then the change--going to put two cars up there. There is no
reason why that back car can't get all the way back to the jail office.
The original plan would be that the line of officers would be from the
jail door to the vehicle. Then they say, "Here he comes," and I am off
up here, to the point that I indicated on the map. It is too late to
get the people out of the way of the car and form the line. I am aware
that Oswald is already coming because of the furor, so, I was trying to
keep everybody out of the way and keep the way clear and I heard a shot.
Mr. HUBERT. All right.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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