No get out of Jail Card
One and one-half hours after the assassination of President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald was brought to the Dallas Police Department for interrogation of the facts surrounding the murder of Officer Tippit. Bill Shelly, Oswald's supervisor at the TSBD, present at police headquarters when Oswald was brought in, identified Oswald as the missing employee from a roll call conducted following the assassination. Homicide Captain Will Fritz, in charge of the assassination investigation, still inside the TSBD, received the name of the roll call absentee, and organized a squad of detectives and deputies to find Oswald in Oak Cliff. Captain Fritz, on his return to police headquarters, learned the man arrested for the murder of Officer Tippit and, possibly, the prime suspect in the assassination of President Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, was already being held in a small interrogation room on the third floor.
A video of Oswald being brought into police headquarters:
The third floor of Dallas Police Department headquarters quickly became a flood of newsmen, photographers, television cameras, and lights. Every major news agency, as well as local television, radio, and print media, had reporters on site or on the way. There was no control of access, no credential check, and anyone could just walk into police headquarters. Dallas police were overwhelmed, not only had they lost control of the news reporters, but other law enforcement agencies were also intent on becoming major players in the crisis. The FBI, in particular, sought to take the lead in the investigation and competing authority led to the detriment of sound criminal investigative procedure.
Warren Commission critics hold the Dallas Police Department responsible for the mayhem at Dallas Police Headquarters that weekend. Information was inaccurately reported, evidence was mishandled, affidavits were incorrect or lost, and effective police work broke down. This criticism is not misplaced, television footage shows utter confusion, reporters pushing and shoving, policemen struggling to hold the crowd at bay, even the visage of Jack Ruby was seen among the throng that weekend. A key failure of the Dallas police occurred after the discovery of the murder weapon on sixth floor of the TSBD building. The weapon was misidentified as a 7.65 mm German Mauser.
The assassination rifle being paraded before the press by Lt. J.C. Day:
Oswald brought in for questioning
The Games Begin
The one man tasked with production of order out of chaos was detective captain, Will Fritz. Fritz had been a member of the Dallas police force since becoming a patrolman in 1921 and, at the time of the assassination, Fritz was sixty-eight years old, a man old enough to be retired from public service but, to Fritz, the detective's office was his life. He was extremely proud of his men and their distinctive tan Resistol hats. (not Stetson) Fritz, the grandfather figure, was a successful investigator with an impressive record of case resolutions. Fritz was confident, given time, he could talk to Oswald; he had talked to countless numbers of young punks, they all had a weakness and, when he found Oswald's weakness, he would obtain a confession.
The investigation belonged to Captain Fritz's, but the FBI and the Secret Service were allowed to sit in on Oswald's interrogations, a fact that infuriated the captain of detectives and hampered his investigation. Oswald, when introduced to FBI Special Agent Hosty, became enraged, claimed Hosty had threatened Marina with deportation, and alerted Fritz to the fact the FBI had withheld what they knew about Oswald. Fritz, never able to get Oswald to admit to the assassination of President Kennedy or the murder of J.D. Tippit, established enough eyewitness testimony to file charges against Oswald. At 7:10 PM, Oswald was formally charged with the murder of Officer J.D. Tippit.
Captain Fritz talks to the press:
From the moment Lee Harvey Oswald was brought into police headquarters, according to detective Jim Leavelle, he maintained an arrogant attitude towards law enforcement personnel. He was uncooperative, surly, and acted as if he was the one in charge. When asked about the false identification card found in his wallet with the name Hidell, Oswald admitted having such identification, but when asked why he possessed such a document, he simply said, "I don't explain it." Oswald was playing with the police.
Detective Leavelle was among the most informed in the Tippit case and his testimony remains an interesting study into the events of the tragic weekend of November 22, 1963.
Jim Leavelle, courtesy of Sixth Floor Museum
Detective Captain Will Fritz
the patsy
Nothing startled the world viewing audience more than Oswald's statement, "I am just a patsy." He made this statement, on live television, while being moved on the third floor of Dallas police headquarters. Oswald told reporters, "I am being brought in because of the fact I have lived in the Soviet Union." This statement immediately suggested someone else's guilt, a communist influence in the assassination, and a conspiracy. By deflection from the truth, Oswald attempted to establish his innocence by steering the reporters away from the fact he was a suspect in the murder of J.D. Tippit. Finally, as he was ushered into an office for further interrogation, Oswald played a tactical gambit, he said, "I am just a patsy."
On the first evening of the assassination, as America and a world-wide audience sat quietly in front of their black and white televisions, Oswald made his famous remark that he was a supposedly lesser player in the shocking event of the day. The suggestion of conspiracy gained greater traction because the seed had been planted by the prime suspect himself. It is unfair to history to claim that it must be true because Oswald said it himself, he also lied repeatedly to the Dallas police when questioned about his whereabouts, his ownership of the rifle, and many other specific details of the assassination. The conspirators, however, did not stop their display of the "Patsy" flag, in fact, they have attempted to ingrain Oswald's innocence as the only possible truth. The conspiracy community would have one believe, much like Descartes' principle of being, that "Oswald said it, therefore it is true."
Oswald, the "Patsy"
the late show
Just as the first day came to a close, the young Marxist had another opportunity to address the world. Oswald was brought before the press in the basement of the police headquarters building and he, once again, proclaimed his innocence. Sort of.
It is particularly interesting how Oswald answered the question, "Did you shoot the president?" Rather than repeat his earlier answer, "I didn't shoot anybody," he began what appeared to be an opening statement for his defense, "No, I have not been charged with that, in fact, nobody has said that to me yet. The first thing I heard about it was when the newspaper reporters in the hall asked me that question." At the time Oswald made these remarks, I could not help thinking these were not the comments one would expect from an innocent man, he was more like a political figure, the focus of everyone's attention, and he appeared to enjoy the celebrity and stardom. In fact, when his late-night press conference was cut short, he was visibly disturbed.
As one of the worst days in American history came to a close, a dazed population went to bed, hoping the next day would be better, but sadly, on Saturday, November 23, 1963, reality set in and the vision of Camelot was gone.
Oswald at late night press conference