The President's Commission reconvened at 2:15 p.m.
Senator COOPER. The purpose of today's hearing is to hear the testimony
of Officer Baker, whose testimony has been heard; Mrs. Reid, Eugene
Boone, Luke Mooney, and M. N. McDonald. Officer Baker and Mrs. Reid
were in the vicinity of the Texas School Book Depository Building
at the time of the assassination. Deputy Sheriffs Boone and Mooney
assisted in the search of the sixth floor of the Texas School Book
Depository Building shortly after the assassination, and Officer
McDonald apprehended Lee Harvey Oswald at the Texas Theatre.
Officer Mooney, will you raise your right hand?
You do solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give will be
the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. MOONEY. I do, sir.
Senator COOPER. You are informed now of the nature and purpose of this
inquiry.
Mr. MOONEY. Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Do you appear here voluntarily?
Mr. MOONEY. Yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Do you have counsel with you?
Mr. MOONEY. No, sir.
Senator COOPER. Do you desire counsel?
Mr. MOONEY. No, sir.
Mr. BALL. Mr. Mooney, what is your occupation?
Mr. MOONEY. I am a deputy sheriff, Dallas County, Tex.
Mr. BALL. How long have you been in that job?
Mr. MOONEY. I have been on the force since February 1, 1958.
Mr. BALL. Where were you born?
Mr. MOONEY. Hopkins County, south of Brashear.
Mr. BALL. Did you go to school there?
Mr. MOONEY. I went to school at Middle Grove, Tex.
Mr. BALL. How far did you go through school?
Mr. MOONEY. I finished high school there.
Mr. BALL. And then where did you go?
Mr. MOONEY. Well, I finished making a crop--I was a farm boy. My father
passed away. I started school at A. & M. and had to withdraw after my
father's death, and come back home to my mother, because I was the only
child at home. And later on I took a course in aeronautical work, at
Luscomb School of Aeronautics, in Dallas, which is about--at that time
was about 75 miles from my home, and finished the course, and worked
for Luscomb in Garland, Tex., which is a suburb, or 15 miles out of
Dallas.
And I worked there approximately a year before I was drafted into the
U.S. armed services. I was 19 years old when I was drafted, one of the
first.
Mr. BALL. How long were you in the service?
Mr. MOONEY. From 1942--I went in December, I believe it was, 28th,
1942, and got out February 20, 1946. I believe that is correct.
Mr. BALL. And what did you do then, after that?
Mr. MOONEY. I returned home on discharge, discharged out of the
services, honorable discharge. And I went to Dallas again, come back to
Dallas.
After a short couple of weeks vacation, so to speak, I took a business
course at Drawns Business College in Dallas.
I finished the course there and was employed at Johnson Brothers
Chevrolet Co. for 10 years, approximately 10 years, as a dispatcher
in the service department, in charge of the shops. And for 2 years I
worked for an automobile financing company, Associate Investment Co.
And after 2 years of service there, I was employed by the Dallas County
Sheriff's Office, because I didn't desire to be transferred out of the
city of Dallas.
Mr. BALL. What kind of work did you do for the sheriff's office?
Mr. MOONEY. I worked in the Writ and Execution Department, Civil Law,
Writ of Sequestrations and Executions. That is my principal job.
However, we do everything that comes down.
Mr. BALL. What do you call that writ?
Mr. MOONEY. Writ of Sequestration, or you might call it sequest.
Mr. BALL. Were you on duty on November 22, 1963?
Mr. MOONEY. Yes, sir; I was.
Mr. BALL. What was your job on that day?
Mr. MOONEY. I didn't have a special assignment. Some of the officers
did out at the Market Hall. I was waiting in front of the Dallas
Criminal Courts Building, which is the sheriff's office, and we were
waiting outside on the front steps there. I was down on the sidewalk,
off the steps, on the street level, waiting for the motorcade to
approach.
Mr. BALL. Were you standing there when the President went by?
Mr. MOONEY. Yes, sir. I took my hat off.
Mr. BALL. That is on Main Street?
Mr. MOONEY. Right.