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(Testimony of Chief Jesse E. Curry)
Mr. Curry.
investigation. Late that evening, the different members of the press, news media, began to ask me when we were going to transfer Oswald because he had been filed on, and I told them I didn't know, that this was something that would be left up to Captain Fritz because he was conducting the investigation and the interrogation, and usually he would be the one to determine when he was ready to transfer the prisoner.
Mr. Hubert.
When a prisoner is formally charged, as Oswald had been, what is the normal procedure to transfer the prisoner to the State prison?
Mr. Curry.
There are two ways it is done. Sometimes the bureau transfers the person to the sheriff's office, and sometimes the sheriff's office sends up and gets them.
Mr. Hubert.
And either type is usual?
Mr. Curry.
Either one is acceptable.
Mr. Hubert.
Had Decker made any request to you to deliver what, in effect, was his prisoner?
Mr. Curry.
Not at this time.
Mr. Hubert.
So, on Saturday night, that would be the 23d, you were asked, I think, by the newsmen?
Mr. Curry.
When we were going to transfer him and I told them I didn't know.
Mr. Hubert.
All right; go on from there.
Mr. Curry.
And some of them asked if "They are going to transfer him tonight?" And I said, "I don't think so." Then, I talked to Fritz about when he thought he would transfer the prisoner, and he didn't think it was a good idea to transfer him at night because of the fact you couldn't see, and if anybody tried to cause them any trouble, they needed to see who they were and where it was coming from and so forth, and he suggested that we wait until daylight, so this was normal procedure, I mean, for Fritz to determine when he is going to transfer his prisoners, so I told him, "Okay." I asked him, I said, "What time do you think you will be ready tomorrow?" And he didn't know exactly and I said, "Do you think about 10 o'clock," and he said, "I believe so," and then is when I went out and told the newspaper people, the news media that we were not going to transfer him that night and some of them asked, "When should we be back, when are you going to transfer him?" And I said, "I don't know," because I didn't know when we were going to transfer him. Some of them said, "When should we back?" I made the remark then, "I believe if you are back here by 10 o'clock you will be back in time to observe anything you care to observe."
Mr. Hubert.
Can you tell us whether on Saturday night any plans had been made for the transfer?
Mr. Curry.
Not on Saturday night, I don't believe.
Mr. Hubert.
Then, you went home?
Mr. Curry.
Yes.
Mr. Hubert.
Then, let's pick up with the 24th.
Mr. Curry.
On Sunday morning, I came down to the office, and, as I recall, it was probably 8:30 or 8:45 when I got to the office, and as I parked my car in the basement of the city hall and started up to our office, I noticed that a large camera had been set up out in the hallway between the jail office and the end of the corridor immediately in front of the jail office, and it was in the way of traffic, and Lieutenant Wiggins came out and I told him--I told Lieutenant Wiggins, I said, "You are going to have to move this camera out of here," and then I told Wiggins, I said, "Now, if the news media come down here and want in, put them over behind the rail." There is a rail separating the ramp that comes down in the basement from the parking area. There were two cars in there, I believe a patrol wagon and a squad car and I told him to move those vehicles out and if-the news media came down and wanted to observe from the basement, that they were to be placed back over in this area.
Mr. Hubert.
Is it fair to state, then, that in your own mind, you had determined that the way to move him was through the basement area ?
Mr. Curry.
Yes. I believe about this---Chief Stevenson and Chief Batchelor approached me I think they had been there earlier, and I told them I thought
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