Warren Commission (13 of 26): Hearings Vol. XIII (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (13 of 26): Hearings Vol. XIII (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. HUBERT. Did you go down with the party carrying him down?
Mr. SORRELS. No, sir; I did not. Inspector Kelley and I went to the
office of Chief Batchelor, which is also on the third floor, and on
the south side of the building, on the Commerce Street side, and we
were observing the people across the street from the city hall, as
apparently they had been moved over there by officers on duty down
below. And we just saw several people over there that were apparently
waiting for an opportunity to see them take the prisoner out.
Mr. HUBERT. When you arrived at Chief Batchelor’s office, at the point
you have just described, to wit, the windows looking out on Commerce
Street, do you know whether Oswald had been shot?
Mr. SORRELS. No; I don’t think so, because that was immediately--in
other words, when they took Oswald out, I went right on down to the
chief’s office, that is right on the same floor. And we were there for
a few minutes before we heard that he had been shot.
Mr. HUBERT. But the Oswald party left Fritz’ office before you and Mr.
Kelley did?
Mr. SORRELS. I am rather positive that he was taken out before I left,
yes; because I remember about bringing the clothes in there, and Oswald
selecting, I think, a sweater or something like that. I actually have
no independent recollection of seeing him going through the door or
anything like that. He could have been there when we walked out. But
it is my impression that he was taken out and shortly thereafter Mr.
Kelley and I went to Chief Batchelor’s office.
Mr. HUBERT. Did that involve walking a distance on the same floor of
about how many feet?
Mr. SORRELS. Oh, possibly a 100 feet, 110, something like that. Captain
Fritz’ office is not at the entirely opposite end of the building, but
Chief Batchelor’s office is. You go into the executive area there, and
you cut over to the left-hand corner, and Chief Batchelor’s office is
in the corner.
Mr. HUBERT. How did you first learn that Ruby had shot Oswald?
Mr. SORRELS. One of the police officers that was on duty in the
executive area there told us that Oswald had been shot in the
basement--in the stomach, as I recall it.
Mr. HUBERT. You were still in Batchelor’s office at the time you were
told that?
Mr. SORRELS. I think we were right outside the office, in the area
there. I do not believe we were actually in his office at that
particular time. I think we had stepped outside there. And that I do
not think was over, oh, I would say a maximum of possibly 10 minutes,
from the time we left Captain Fritz’ office to go to Chief Batchelor’s
office.
Mr. HUBERT. Prior to the time that this policeman advised you that
Oswald had been shot, did you notice any commotion or anything to
indicate something wrong going on on Commerce Street?
Mr. SORRELS. No, sir.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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