The testimony of Assistant Chief Charles Batchelor was taken at 12:30
p.m., on April 1, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post
Office Building, Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Leon D.
Hubert, Jr., assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. HUBERT. Chief Batchelor, I think that you made a deposition before
Burt Griffin, a member of the advisory staff of the President's
Commission, now on March 23, 1964, is that not a fact, sir?
Chief BATCHELOR. That is correct.
Mr. HUBERT. I think also that you have now read the transcript of that
deposition and that you have made certain corrections of typographical
errors in pen and ink and by initialing those. You advise me now that
you are willing to sign the deposition except that there are two
statements, one on page 199, and one on page 219, that you wish to
clarify, or change; is that correct?
Chief BATCHELOR. That is correct.
Mr. HUBERT. Now chief, are you willing to consider this deposition as a
continuation of the deposition taken by Mr. Griffin on the 23d?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Are you willing also to waive any notices that you would be
entitled to before we begin this continuation of the deposition?
Chief BATCHELOR. That's correct.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you consider yourself to be under the same oath that you
were at the time you made the deposition before Mr. Griffin?
Chief BATCHELOR. I do.
Mr. HUBERT. All right, sir. Now, I understand that you wish to comment,
or change the following: On page 199, lines 9 and 10 read as follows:
"Chief BATCHELOR. You are arguing with me. I had nothing to do with
moving the prisoner."
Now, Chief, what do you say about what I have just read?
Chief BATCHELOR. That statement was inadvertently incorrect. I wished
to say that I had nothing to do with changing the plans of moving the
prisoner.
Mr. HUBERT. Now turning to page 219, we find that lines 11 through 14
read as follows, to wit:
"I don't know how you would correct this exactly. 'One of the problems
that we experienced was the fact that such, of such a short time to do
some of planning that we did'".
Do you wish to make a comment about that statement, sir?
Chief BATCHELOR. I don't recall the exact language I used in the
statement, but the sentence is grammatically incorrect. It should read:
"One of the problems that we experienced was the fact that we had such
a short time to do some of the planning that we had to do."
Mr. HUBERT. Other than that, Chief, have you found that the
transcription of your deposition is correct?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. All right, sir. Then, when these notes concerning the
corrections have been typed out I think you will be in a position to
sign the original deposition, now, making a notation that you signed it
approving all except such as has been corrected this morning?
Chief BATCHELOR. That's correct.
Mr. HUBERT. And then you will also sign the second deposition, as it
were, which is this morning's deposition?
Chief BATCHELOR. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Thank you, sir.