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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XV - Page 186« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Cecil E. Talbert)

Mr. Hubert.
television cameras and what-have-you, when he gave them this information.
Mr. Hubert.
Did you check with anyone to see if the news media would be permitted to remain in the basement?
Captain TALRERT. No, sir. May I say--
Mr. Hubert.
Sure; go ahead.
Captain TALBERT. Could we hold this up just a moment?
Mr. Hubert.
Yes; but let me say this, whatever we say off the record--
Captain TALBERT. I can go back on the record. I just want to know if you want something.
Mr. Hubert.
All right, let's go off the record, with the understanding that we must put the contents of what you tell me off the record into it, you see.
(Discussion off the record.)
Mr. Hubert.
Let's go on the record. Why don't you just state that? Let's put it this way. There was a short conversation, the substance of which will now be covered by Captain Talbert.
Captain TALBERT. On my previous deposition it was apparently stated as a fact that we utilized the existing general order in following our usual procedure in handling news personnel, and that is general order No. 81. I have since checked it to make sure that is the correct general order number, and that general order was supplemented in 1963 after two incidents in which news personnel felt they had been held away from their story because of unnecessary precautions by police officers, and it was quite adequate as far as assisting them in obtaining their story.
Mr. Hubert.
In other words, you were operating under the provisions of that order No. 81, as amended?
Captain TALBERT. Yes, sir. I have the amendment. I mean I have No. 81, and I have the additional amendment with me, but I would rather you get it from the department rather than me.
Mr. Hubert.
If you have a copy that could be available, I would just as soon get it.
Captain TALBERT. I was curious enough to make a copy after I was here before. No. 81 is the top figure, and the bottom is the amendment. Not the amendment; actually it is an emphasis of No. 81 where it was emphasized it was to be followed, with punitive measures to be taken if it were not.
Mr. Hubert.
In connection with your present deposition, Captain Talbert, I am going to mark as an exhibit the documents you have just referred to, as follows: "Dallas Police Department General Order No. 81 entitled 'Press Releases', dated June 15, 1958." I am marking that for the purpose of identification as "Dallas, Texas, July 13, 1964, Exhibit No. 1, deposition of Captain C. E. Talbert," signing my name below that, consisting of really about a third of the page. And the second document you have handed me is a photostatic copy of a long memo dated February 7, 1963, addressed to all members of the department, apparently signed by Chief of Police J. E. Curry, that I am marking as follows, for identification: "Dallas, Texas, July 13, 1964, Exhibit No. 2, deposition of Captain C. E. Talbert", and I am signing my name below that exhibit. Now Exhibit No. I and Exhibit No. 2 are the police directives or orders that you were referring to a moment ago?
Captain TALBERT. Yes, sir.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you recall any conversations you had with Chief Batchelor or Chief Curry or Deputy Chief Stevenson?
Captain TALBERT. Yes, sir; to some extent.
Mr. Hubert.
Will you tell us about what they were?
Captain TALBERT. Chief Stevenson and Chief Lumpkin wanted to go to the third floor for a cup of coffee, ostensibly. I assume that the true purpose was to tell me about the armored car transfer. And instead, I took them to the second floor to my sergeant's room, or conference room where we had a pot of coffee made, and while we were drinking coffee there they told me that the transfer would be made, that it would be made in an armored car, and wanted me to have a man or two men available on the Commerce Street side to assist the driver of the armored car in backing in. At that time they were concerned about the height of the armored car.
Mr. Hubert.
Do you know about what time that was, sir?
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