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(Testimony of Roy H. , Special Agent, Kellerman)
Mr. Specter.
Is Exhibit No. 353 an accurate representation of the way the rear seat of the President's automobile looked after--
Mr. Kellerman.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Specter.
After President Kennedy and Governor Connally were removed to Parkland Hospital.
Mr. Kellerman.
Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. Specter.
You have described in answers to previous questions what occurred upon the arrival at Parkland of the President's automobile. What action, if any, did you take immediately after President Kennedy and Governor Connally were taken into the hospital?
Mr. Kellerman.
I believe we had got to the point where I had made this phone call to Washington to alert these people back here of the incident.
Mr. Specter.
And proceeding from that point?
Mr. Kellerman.
From this point, the agents who were in this followup car had joined me in the emergency room. They took up security posts at entrance into the emergency room to keep it clear of all people except medical people. The only people allowed in there would be workers. After this was done, Special Agent Kinney came to me and asked permission to remove the President's car and our followup car to the airport, to load it aboard this aircraft for shipment to Washington, and I said, "Yes."
At that time the next move was Special Agent Warren Taylor, who was assigned to the then Vice President Johnson, came to me and he said, "Mr. Johnson wants to talk to you." So, I followed him into this room that they had the Johnson party in. He asked me the condition of President Kennedy, which I told him that President Kennedy is still in the emergency room, his condition is serious. He then said, "You let me know of any developments." I then returned to the emergency room. By that time another shift of agents, who were at the Trade Mart on duty for prior to our arrival, reported into the emergency room This is what is called as our afternoon shift, the 4 to 12. Mr. Roberts, whose group was on the followup car in the motorcade through Dallas, was the 8-to-4 shift. The 4-to-12 shift then was under the supervision of Mr. Stewart Stout. I then instructed Mr. Roberts to take his shift, which were the day people, and join Special Agent Rufus Youngblood and stay with Vice President Johnson.
Mr. Specter.
How many agents were they to take with them?
Mr. Kellerman.
They took the entire followup car, which would mean that they had Roberts, Ready, Bennett, McIntyre; those four.
Mr. Specter.
Do you know where they went or what specifically they did by way of establishing security for Vice President Johnson?
Mr. Kellerman.
No; I really don't.
Mr. Specter.
What was your next activity?
Mr. Kellerman.
My next move, then, my next part in this was--by this time it was after 1 o'clock--I am trying to pinpoint time after 1, because Dr. Burkley said that the President had died; it was after 1 o'clock. By this time other people who were in with Mr. Kennedy, such as his staff--I am speaking of Mr. O'Donnell, Mr. Powers, I believe Larry O'Brien--through them, and I believe Mr. Hill, they had obtained a casket from one of the funeral people in town.
Mr. Specter.
Where had Mrs. Kennedy been during this time?
Mr. Kellerman.
Mrs. Kennedy was right outside the door to the emergency room.
Mr. Specter.
How long, if at all, was she inside the emergency room with President Kennedy?
Mr. Kellerman.
This I can't truly answer. However, I should say that, as for the casket being brought into the hospital, another gentleman came into this little doctor's room, his name I don't recall, but he represented himself to be from the Health Department or commission, some form. He said to me, he said, "There has been a homicide here, you won't be able to remove the body. We will have to take it down there to the mortuary and have an autopsy." I said, "No, we are not." And he said, "We have a law here whereby you have to comply with it."
With that Dr. Burkley walked in, and I said Doctor, this man is from some health unit in town. He tells me we can't remove this body." The Doctor became
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