Mr. Herndon.

I think the Commission here has its question of whether or not you did tell anybody?

Mr. Specter.

Mr. Ruby, if you have no objection to answering that question, we would like you to do so now for purposes of giving us information, and then we will test you in just a minute as we go through with the polygraph, if you're willing to answer that question?

Mr. Ruby.

Clayton?

Mr. Fowler.

Jack, let me say this--now, this is the very crux of your case. In other words, if there is premeditation on your part to murder or to kill, this can and will be used against you, and this information--let's project it a little bit and say that you do get a new trial, and that between now and that the Warren Commission releases their information for public consumption or to the district attorney's office or to anybody else, then, if your answer to these questions might be "Yes," then it would be most difficult to appear and defend you.

Mr. Ruby.

Clayton, I'm here to tell the truth. I don't know how the heck to answer it. I appreciate you're in a tough spot.

Mr. Fowler.

Well, of course, as you can readily see, this is why we advised you not to take this.

Mr. Ruby.

That's why I want it, because I know what's best for me.

Mr. Fowler.

Well, I don't think you do, Jack.

Mr. Ruby.

Can I overrule you, Clayton, where you won't be too angry if I overrule you?

Mr. Fowler.

Well, I have no--I'm not going to put a cob in your mouth, Jack.

Mr. Ruby.

Can I ask one more favor of you?

Mr. Fowler.

Sure.

Mr. Ruby.

Will you let those two gentlemen back in the room, at your request?

Mr. Fowler.

Not at my request; no, sir.

Mr. Ruby.

Please, Clayton?

Mr. Fowler.

If you leave that up to me, I say, "No."

Mr. Ruby.

All right, I'm going to answer your question.

Mr. Herndon.

Mr. Ruby, why don't I just go over with you once again all of them, for this series of questions.

Mr. Specter.

At this time, I would like to ask Mr. Ruby if he is willing to answer the question about the conversations. I would like to develop the information about the conversations so that we will know it is factual. This would be an extended question of the nature that the Chief Justice asked you on June 7--if you're willing to answer my question to you at this time, which is: "Did you tell anybody that you intended to shoot Oswald at any time before you did it?" And, I would follow that up, if you answer that question, with, "Whom did you tell and when?" With that information, we can then formulate these questions for the lie detector test to see if you're telling the truth.

Mr. Ruby.

Clayton, please? I've got to do this? I've got to, because I told it to the Warren Commission.

Mr. Fowler.

In other words, these questions have already been talked about?

Mr. Ruby.

Yes; and will you ask them to come in?

Mr. Specter.

Mr. Fowler, I don't know that they have. I have reviewed the transcript, but I don't know that we've asked these before, but he answered everything that was asked of him in the last session.

Mr. Ruby.

Yes, I was very voluntary.

Mr. Specter.

We deliberately didn't go into some areas, suffice it to say, for certain purposes. But this is the question we're concerned with at the moment, and we would like an answer substantively, in addition to testing his truthfulness. It comes to a head when we try to formulate the questions for the polygraph, because we really have to get the underlying facts, and then we can point our efforts to see whether he's telling the truth according to the indicators from the examination.

Mr. Fowler.

Again, I don't believe certainly he understands the full complicity of this thing. If there are any questions that are asked that show premeditation on his part, I would respectfully ask that he decline to answer and that you decline to ask it.