Mr. Lane.

I did not give them those documents; no.

Mr. Rankin.

Why not?

Mr. Lane.

Does your tone and your question indicate you think I should have given those documents to agents of the FBI?

Mr. Rankin.

I would like to have you answer the question, if you would.

Mr. Lane.

You decline to answer my question?

Mr. Rankin.

Yes; I am examining you.

Mr. Lane.

Of course, I did not give them any documents in my possession. When I deal with any agencies of the Government, I expect that they will write to me, and if they wish to secure information from me they will do that in a dignified manner. I am an attorney with an office in New York. I don't expect to be accosted in front of my house by agents of the police, Federal, State, or local authorities. Those are the actions not of a democratic society, but of a police state, and I decline to believe for one moment that we live in a society where that behavior is going to be countenanced by any members of this Commission or by counsel to this Commission.

Mr. Rankin.

Did you offer to furnish them copies if they would write to you in the manner you suggested?

Mr. Lane.

I suggested to those two agents that someone in the office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation might write to me and that I would respond courteously, and make available whatever information I could. I told them, also, as I told you, since I wrote a letter to you covering this entire matter on May 18th--I told them also that I had testified fully before this Commission. If they wanted to secure any information I had, they might contact the Commission. They indicated they were not interested in the Warren Commission.

Mr. Rankin.

Now, to return to the tape recording----

Mr. Lane.

I would like to add one more point, if I may. It is a matter which I discussed with you on the telephone 2 days ago.

Mr. Rankin.

Is that in regard to the tape recording?

Mr. Lane.

No; it is not.

Mr. Rankin.

Can we confine ourselves to that for a bit, until we complete that. Can you tell us who else was present at the time of this tape recording of Helen Markham that you describe?

Mr. Lane.

I would like to make this quite clear to you, Mr. Rankin.
I am not going to discuss any working papers in my possession. Those papers came into my possession as a result of an attorney-client relationship. The Supreme Court has written decisions regarding the sanctity of those documents. I think it is improper of you to ask questions which delve into relationship of that nature. And I think you know that the questions you are asking are improper.

Mr. Rankin.

And if other people were present at the time of any such matters and disclosures, does that make any difference under the law, do you think?

Mr. Lane.

Present where?

Mr. Rankin.

At the time of the tape recording and the interview. That is what I am asking you.

Mr. Lane.

No one else was present.

Mr. Rankin.

And who did the tape recording?

Mr. Lane.

Again you are delving into an area which is an improper one for you to delve into.

Representative Ford.

Did you know about the tape recording being made?

Mr. Lane.

I beg your pardon?

Representative Ford.

Did you know about the tape recording being made?

Mr. Lane.

I decline to answer that question.
Am I a defendant before this Commission, or is the Commission trying to find out who assassinated the President?

Representative Ford.

We are trying to find out information about a witness before this Commission----

Mr. Lane.

Well, then, call the witness before the Commission and ask the witness questions. And if the Commission--if the witness has testified contrary to what I say the witness has said, then I would suggest you do what I invited the Commission to do when this matter arose. Submit my testimony and Mrs. Markham's testimony to the U.S. attorney's office, and bring an action against