Testimony of Philip Iii Geraci

The testimony of Philip Geraci III, accompanied by his mother, was taken on April 7-8, 1964, at the Old Civil Courts Building, Royal and Conti Streets, New Orleans, La., by Mr. Wesley J. Liebeler, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.

(Reporter's Note: The witness, Philip Geraci, was accompanied into the hearing room by his mother.)
Philip Geraci, having been first duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

Mr. Liebeler.

My name is Wesley J. Liebeler. I am a member of the legal staff of the President's Commission investigating the assassination of President Kennedy. Staff members have been authorized to take the testimony of witnesses by the Commission pursuant to authority granted to the Commission by Executive Order No. 11130, dated November 29, 1963, and joint resolution of Congress No. 137.
I understand that Mr. Lee Rankin wrote you a letter last week in which he told you that I would contact you, did he not?

Mr. Geraci.

A letter? No.

Mr. Liebeler.

You did not receive a letter from Mr. Rankin?

Mrs. Geraci.

Would you please give us one. We would like to have it to keep.

Mr. Geraci.

Somebody said they sent one.

Mr. Liebeler.

You didn't receive it?

Mr. Geraci.

No.

Mrs. Geraci.

We did not receive it.

Mr. Liebeler.

Now I think in point of fact that is right. I think that the decision to take your testimony was made subsequent to the time that the letters were sent out to other witnesses. Now you are----

Mrs. Geraci.

May I make a statement before we go any further?

Mr. Liebeler.

Let the record indicate that Mrs. Geraci is in the hearing room at her request to assist her son and give moral support.

Mrs. Geraci.

And we want no publicity at all, please.

Mr. Liebeler.

We have already given to the reporters the names of some of the witnesses who came in, but we have already been advised that you did not want any publicity at this point, and we did not give your name to the newspaper reporter or make any statement about Philip's appearance here.

Mr. Geraci.

. Does that mean I can't tell anyone about it?

Mr. Liebeler.

That is something you can settle among yourselves.

Mr. Geraci.

I told everybody I went to a doctor's appointment this evening.

Mr. Liebeler.

[Handing documents to witness] Now I want to give you a copy of the Joint Resolution of Congress and of the Executive order that I have just referred to, and also of the Rules of Practice adopted by the Commission concerning the taking of testimony of witnesses. Those rules provide that technically you are entitled to 3 days' notice before you appear to have your testimony taken, but you are entitled to waive that notice, and I assume that, since you are here, you would be willing to waive it with regard to the testimony. Is that right, Philip?

Mr. Geraci.

I don't know.

Mrs. Geraci.

Yes. Well, they did not notify us 3 days ahead of time, but that is all right. We are here. They called yesterday.

Mr. Liebeler.

You have indicated that you are willing to go ahead with the testimony instead of waiting for 3 days notice?
(Mrs. Geraci nodded assent.)

Mr. Liebeler.

Philip, would you state your full name for the record, please?

Mr. Geraci.

Philip Geraci, the Third.

Mr. Liebeler.

What is your address?

Mr. Geraci.

2201 Green Acres Road.

Mr. Liebeler.

New Orleans?

Mr. Geraci.

Metairie.

Mr. Liebeler.

When were you born?

Mr. Geraci.

February 21, 1948.