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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. IV - Page 473« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of James Patrick , Jr. Hosty)

Mr. Hosty.
Senator COOPER. Considering that he was a defector, you knew he was a defector?
Mr. Hosty.
Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. And considering that he had been engaged in this demonstration in New Orleans, and the statement that Mrs. Paine had made to you, did it occur to you at all that he was a potentially dangerous person?
Mr. Hosty.
No, sir.
Senator COOPER. Why?
Mr. Hosty.
There is no indication from something of that type that he would commit a violent act. This is not the form that a person of that type would necessarily take. This would not in any way indicate to me that he was capable of violence.
Senator COOPER. I believe you testified that you didn't know the route of the----
Mr. Hosty.
That is correct, sir.
Senator COOPER Of the procession which passed the Texas School Book Depository?
Mr. Hosty.
That is correct, sir.
Senator COOPER. Did it occur to you to communicate this information to the Secret Service or the Dallas police about Oswald?
Mr. Hosty.
No, sir; there would be no reason for me to give it to them.
Mr. Mccloy.
You did know he was lying though, didn't you?
Mr. Hosty.
Yes, sir.
Mr. Mccloy.
Don't you think the combination of the fact that you knew that he was lying and that he was a defector and that he had this record with the Fair Play for Cuba, that he might be involved in some intrigue that would be if not necessarily violent, he was a dangerous security risk?
Mr. Hosty.
He was a security risk of a sort, but not the type of person who would engage in Violence. That would be the indication.
Representative Ford.
What are the criteria for a man being a potential violent man? Is this a subjective test?
Mr. Hosty.
You mean to the point where we would report him to the Secret Service?
Representative Ford.
Yes.
Mr. Hosty.
It is instructions we had as of the 22d of November, we had to have some indication that the person planned to take some action against the safety of the President of the United States or the Vice President.
Representative Ford.
How do you evaluate that? Do you have any criteria?
Mr. Hosty.
No; at that time it was that there had to be some actual indication of plan or a plot.
Representative Ford.
There had to be a conspiracy of some sort?
Mr. Hosty.
Well, or a single person doing something if anyone was going to take any action against the safety of the President or Vice President.
Representative Ford.
I think you testified earlier that at the time of the motorcade you were at your lunch hour.
Mr. Hosty.
Right.
Representative Ford.
And were actually eating lunch? When a President visits a community, is the FBI or its people assigned any responsibilities as far as the security of the President is concerned?
Mr. Hosty.
Prior to November 22, I know of no incidents where the FBI was called in to help the Secret Service, to my knowledge.
Representative Ford.
And particularly on this day none of the----
Mr. Hosty.
Definitely not.
Representative Ford.
Of the people in the FBI in the Dallas area were given any assignments?
Mr. Hosty.
That is correct.
Representative Ford.
For the security of the President?
Mr. Hosty.
That is correct.
Mr. Mccloy.
Mr. Hosty, let me ask you this: Suppose you had known that that motorcade was going to go past the School Book Depository, do you think your action would have been any different?
Mr. Hosty.
No, sir; it wouldn't have been any different.
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