(Testimony of Phillip L. Willis)
Mr. Willis.
that appeared in Life, and his pictures showed that this instant with this sign in between the photographer and the President, shows that at this instant he had already grabbed his throat.
This was pointed out to the Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Picture No. 2 will verify that, in Life magazine. You see the highway sign that he has the rear of, is the one I have the front of. And as he approached this same sign in this film, he has already grabbed his throat. That is by verified by that fact.
Mr. Liebeler.
Referring to the pictures on page 4 of the memorial edition of Life magazine. Picture No. 1 shows you standing, as we have already indicated, standing back with your camera?
Mr. Willis.
Picture 2 shows the President just as the car comes from behind this sign, and it shows that he has already reached for his throat at that time.
Mr. Liebeler.
The sign in question is one that reads "Stemmons Freeway Keep Right", and the front of that sign appears in the picture that you took which is marked Hudson Exhibit No. 1?
Mr. Willis.
The only one in that vicinity. It has to be the same one. You will also note in my first picture, he is facing the outside of the street and smiling and waving, and he had already turned his head the other way when I have the picture in question here from the rear.
That same picture from the other side of the street in Life shows he has grabbed his throat when they proceeded to that point of the sign in question.
Mr. Liebeler.
Go through that again. I didn't understand it. Let me remind you of this. When you mention a picture, let's try and refer to them by numbers, because if you do that, I won't have to repeat it again, because we have get the numbers down on the record. You were making a point just a minute ago about something that I didn't understand. You were referring to some of the pictures in Life magazine, and also to Hudson Exhibit No. 1, which is the picture you took.
Mr. Willis.
All right, sir, Hudson Exhibit No. 1, which is a copy of the picture I took, shows the President's car had proceeded almost past the "Stemmons Freeway Keep Right" sign. Referring back to panel No. 2 of the Life Memorial Edition of Life magazine on page 4, it shows that Mrs. Kennedy has her hand over her mouth, and the President has already grabbed his throat. That picture shows that his car has not passed the Stemmons sign completely.
Mr. Liebeler.
Yes.
Mr. Willis.
Referring back to Hudson Exhibit No. 1, which I took, the President's car in fact has passed the Stemmons sign, and he has turned the opposite direction from the previous picture that I took close up, and it proves without question that at this instant the President had been hit.
Mr. Liebeler.
Now, you mentioned the picture that you took, the other picture that you took close up. Is that included in your set of slides here?
Mr. Willis.
Yes, sir; it is slide No. 4, which you see doesn't include the front or the rear of the President's car, but the center. That is proving how close it was.
Mr. Liebeler.
Picture No. 4 in your group of slides was taken shortly before picture No. 5 was taken, is that right?
Mr. Willis.
Yes, sir; not more than 3 seconds.
Mr. Liebeler.
Do you know which picture you were taking or you took at the time that is shown here in panel No. 1 of this memorial edition of Life magazine?
Mr. Willis.
Yes, sir; the number just mentioned, slide No. 4, the closeup of the President directly in front of the Texas School Book Depository.
Mr. Liebeler.
Now from the time that you took No. 4, and when you took No. 4, you were standing as shown in picture No. 1 in Life magazine?
Mr. Willis.
Correct.
Mr. Liebeler.
What did you do before you took No. 5, which we have marked here as Hudson Exhibit No. 1? Did you move down the street, or were you standing in the same place, or do you remember?
Mr. Willis.
No, sir; as human nature would guide in an instance of this importance, I moved dawn the street slightly to try to get another view, and, of
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