The testimony of Dennis Hyman Ofstein was taken at 2 p.m., on March 30,
1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Albert E. Jenner, Jr.,
assistant counsel of the President's Commission. Robert T. Davis,
assistant attorney general of Texas, was present.
Mr. JENNER. I am Albert E. Jenner, Jr., counsel for the Commission, and
this is Miss Oliver. Would you rise and be sworn?
Do you promise on this deposition which I am about to take of you to
tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Miss Oliver, this is Dennis Hyman Ofstein [spelling]
D-e-n-n-i-s H-y-m-a-n O-f-s-t-e-i-n. Is that correct?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And Mr. Ofstein, you received, did you, a letter from Mr.
Rankin?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. General counsel for the Commission, with which were
enclosed three documents, a copy of Executive Order 11130 creating the
Commission to investigate the assassination of President Kennedy.
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. That is an order of the President of the United States,
Lyndon B. Johnson.
There is a copy of Senate Joint Resolution 137, authorizing the
creation of the Commission and a copy of the rules of procedure of the
Commission which we adopt.
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And you appear voluntarily?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. The Commission, as you have learned, from those documents,
is investigating all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the
assassination of President Kennedy, and to give particular attention to
Lee Harvey Oswald and anybody who had any contact with him during his
lifetime. It is our information that you had some contact with him, or
with people who had contact with him. The Commission is interested in
that contact, and I would like to ask you questions about it, if I may.
Mr. OFSTEIN. Very well, sir.
Mr. JENNER. First, tell me a little bit about yourself. Are you a
former serviceman?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And what branch of service did you serve?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I was in the Army, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And when did you go in and when were you discharged?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I went in in August, I believe, in 1957, and I was
discharged November 1960.
Mr. JENNER. That was an honorable discharge, I assume?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And do you reside in Dallas or Fort Worth?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I reside in Dallas at the present time.
Mr. JENNER. Are you a native of Dallas?
Mr. OFSTEIN. No, sir.
Mr. JENNER. What is your home town?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I reside in Dallas at the present time; I was born in St.
Louis and I have lived in Florida for the most part of my life.
Mr. JENNER. And are you a married man?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. How long have you lived in Dallas?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Approximately 3 years.
Mr. JENNER. That would take us back into 1961--in any event?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And what has been the nature of your business, occupation,
employment, profession or vocation?
Mr. OFSTEIN. For the past 2 years I have been with
Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall as a cameraman.
Mr. JENNER. As a cameraman?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. What was your work immediately prior to that, by whom were
you employed?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I was working for Sinclair Refining Co. at a local service
station.
Mr. JENNER. Here in Dallas?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Did you become acquainted with Lee Harvey Oswald at any
time during his lifetime?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Here in Dallas?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Start at the very beginning, and in your own words tell the
circumstances under which that acquaintance arose.
Mr. OFSTEIN. Well; it was when he became employed by
Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall as a cameraman trainee and he was in the same
department I was and due to the fact that I had worked there and knew
a little bit about the job, I was--as well as everyone else down
there--expected to help him and more or less--not supervise, but kind
of keep my eye on him and help him along.
Mr. JENNER. What is your age, by the way?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I am 24.
Mr. JENNER. You were born in 1940?
Mr. OFSTEIN. 1939, sir.
Mr. JENNER. 1939, and Mr. Oswald's birth date was October 18, 1939,
you--so you were the same age?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. You were already employed by Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall when
Lee Oswald came there, were you?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. Give me your best recollection as to when that was?
Mr. OFSTEIN. It seems like it was October or November 1962.
Mr. JENNER. I have his employment card here--October 12, 1962--does
that sort of square with your recollection?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir; roughly.
Mr. JENNER. Had you had any prior experience as a cameraman when you
became employed by Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall?
Mr. OFSTEIN. No, sir.
Mr. JENNER. You are still employed by them?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. You were initially a trainee as well as Oswald?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. And how did you become employed there?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I was laid off by Sinclair Refining Co. and I registered
with the Texas Employment Commission.
Mr. JENNER. Did anybody in particular handle that over there at the
Commission?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I don't recall who the person was at the time.
Mr. JENNER. A lady or a gentleman?
Mr. OFSTEIN. I'm fairly certain it was a young lady and they sent me to
Jaggars-Chiles-Stovall.
Mr. JENNER. Does the name Latham--Louise Latham trigger any
recollection?
Mr. OFSTEIN. The name is familiar--whether she was there or not--I
don't know.
Mr. JENNER. Is that name familiar in connection with the Texas
Employment Commission?
Mr. OFSTEIN. Yes, sir.
Mr. JENNER. All right. I interrupted you--go ahead.