(Testimony of Jesse Edward Curry)
Mr. Curry.
who was assigned there, Officer Vaughn, who was assigned to this location just prior to this transfer.
Mr. Rankin.
That is out on the street?
Mr. Curry.
Main Street side.
Mr. Rankin.
At the entrance?
Mr. Curry.
At the entrance to the basement ramp. He had been assigned there and had been told not to let anybody come in except newspaper reporters or news media or police officers.
Mr. Rankin.
Did you find out what he did?
Mr. Curry.
We discovered or found out subsequently that he, just prior to this transfer, that when we found out we were going to transfer him and not use an armored car that Chief Stevenson had told Lieutenant Pierce "to get a couple of sergeants or a sergeant, get somebody and go around and get in front of the armored car and when we tell you to why you lead off and lead this armored car over here and just over the route we have discussed, and take it to the county jail."
Well, Lieutenant Pierce went downstairs and got a car and he got Sergeant Putnam and I don't recall the other sergeant, and because the ramp that ordinarily we would use for exit ramp to Commerce Street, it was blocked with this armored car and another vehicle, he went out in the wrong direction, that is he went north, up to north, he went north on the ramp to Main Street which ordinarily would not be done, but since he could not get out, why he did, and as he approached the ramp, our investigation showed that Officer Vaughn stepped from his assignment in the entrance to this ramp, and the walk is about 10 or 12 feet wide there, stepped across and just more or less assisted the car to get into the Main Street flow of traffic.
Now he wasn't asked to do this by the lieutenant, but he just did it and according to what Ruby told some of my officers, I believe, whether you have it on the record who he told this to, that he came down that north ramp.
Mr. Rankin.
At that time?
Mr. Curry.
At that time.
Now this would only have been, it couldn't have possibly been over 2 or 3 minutes prior to the shooting, so apparently he went right down that ramp and he got in behind some of these newspaper reporters or news media and detectives, and as Oswald was brought out he sprang from behind one of my detectives and took about two steps and shoved a gun in Oswald's side and pulled the trigger.
This officer, in talking to him, he made a report, he swears that he didn't see anybody go in there.
Mr. Rankin.
By this officer, you mean Vaughn?
Mr. Curry.
Officer Vaughn. He did, I asked him myself or asked the investigating officers to see if he wouldn't take a polygraph test concerning this just to verify his position in it, and he agreed to take the polygraph test and did take the polygraph test and the polygraph test revealed that he was not aware that Ruby came in while he stepped, when he stepped away from the entrance of that door.
Now I am not here to place the blame on anybody because, as I have said previously, as head of the department, I have got to accept the responsibility for what goes on there.
But if Officer Vaughn had properly carried out his assignment, I don't believe that Ruby could have gotten into the basement of the city hall.
Mr. Mccloy.
Unless he had credentials, media credentials?
Mr. Curry.
That is correct.
Mr. Mccloy.
We haven't verified whether or not he did have anything?
Mr. Curry.
We haven't been able to verify that. There were none found on his person.
Mr. Rankin.
Did you make any inquiry as to whether or not any of the police force were involved with Ruby in this shooting?
Mr. Curry.
We got reports and interrogated every officer who was there.
Mr. Rankin.
What did you find out?
Mr. Curry.
We didn't find any officer who knew he was down there or that had in any way assisted him in getting there. No one.
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