(Testimony of Mark Resumed In Open Session Lane)
Mr. Lane.
In terms of the picture with the rifle, you mean, for example?
The Chairman.
Well, we might start with that.
Mr. Lane.
She has never seen such a picture, she has informed me, of Lee Harvey Oswald with the rifle--except after they had been published. She never had any knowledge of such pictures, and had never seen them.
I do not really represent Marguerite Oswald. She has retained me to represent the interests of her son. And so in her business dealings in terms of her sale of pictures and articles, I have not represented her. I believe she has a literary agent or perhaps even another lawyer--I don't know. But she has retained me to represent her son's interests, not to represent her at all.
The Chairman.
I see.
Mr. Lane.
Of course, we have conferred. But I do not have that information.
The Chairman.
Yes.
Mr. Rankin.
Mr. Lane, I have a further question. Have you ever been prevented by any law enforcement officer from interviewing anyone concerning this matter when you wished to?
Mr. Lane.
Well, I would say that I have been prevented by the statements made by the law enforcement persons or agents to the individual, that he should not talk to anyone about this case, that it is a secret matter. As I have indicated, Mr. Klein--
Mr. Rankin.
You have described those cases, have you?
Mr. Lane.
I have also spoken to a reporter who is employed by a Dallas newspaper, who informed me that he sought to question more than 150 in the area, and that many of those persons informed him that they were ordered by the FBI not to talk to anyone about this case, and that almost none of the witnesses would talk with him about the case, and that some of them, when he asked the reason that they were not talking to him, it was "Was this because you have been told by the FBI?"--and he indicated they were not even allowed to answer that question. But many of them told him that the FBI or the Secret Service ordered them not to talk. In no other respect have I been interfered with to my knowledge.
Mr. Rankin.
Do you have the name of that reporter--can you reveal that to us?
Mr. Lane.
I cannot reveal it at this time, but I am hopeful you will permit me to. He is one of the reporters I referred to earlier.
Mr. Rankin.
Thank you.
The Chairman.
Senator, do you have any questions?
Senator COOPER. No; I have no questions.
The Chairman.
Mr. Rhyne.
Mr. Rhyne.
Mr. Chief Justice--I wanted to ask Mr. Lane, on his inquiry about what happened to Oswald during the 48 hours he was under detention--you suggested that the Commission make an inquiry into whether his civil rights were denied. Do you have any information on that subject?
Mr. Lane.
Yes. I saw what happened--I read in the newspapers and heard on the radio.
Mr. Rhyne.
It looked to me that most of the material presented here today was really in the newspapers. You are merely repeating what someone else has said.
Mr. Lane.
I don't think that is an accurate characterization of my testimony at all, sir. For example, I told you before of conversations that I have had--I know you listened intently--I told you of conventions that I had with Mr. Klein. I told you of conversations I had with Miss Hill, who is probably the closest eyewitness to the assassination, with Miss Woodward, who is perhaps the second or third closest witness to the assassination, with Dial Ryder, with at least two or three other persons.
Mr. Rhyne.
But on this one point, with respect to denial of any civil rights or protection of civil rights during this 48-hour period, you say that is all in the newspaper stories?
Mr. Lane.
No. What I meant by that response was that the basic denial that I was discussing was the development of the case publicly against him, so that it would be impossible in securing a jury panel to secure 12 jurors probably anywhere in this country who had not reached a conclusion, first of all. And
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