Mr. COMBEST. We have a 9 to 5, and a 10 to 6 squad working Sundays.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, I know that, the FBI report indicates that. But, you
reported to central police headquarters at 7 a.m.?
Mr. COMBEST. No, sir; I overlooked that.
Mr. HUBERT. That is incorrect then?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. So, you want to change the first sentence of the third
paragraph on the first page? Exhibit 5101 which states you reported at
7 a.m., to show that you reported at 9 a.m., on that Sunday, November
24?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you have any particular assignment as to the transfer
of Oswald?
Mr. COMBEST. No, sir; not before, just shortly before the transfer.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, from 9 o'clock when you reported until you
were given the assignment which we are going to in a minute, you went
about your normal duties?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, who gave you that particular assignment and what was
it?
Mr. COMBEST. Well, it was Captain Jones who works in the forgery bureau
of the Dallas Police Department. He came through the basement of the
jail and talked to Detective Beaty and Officer J. D. Hutchinson and, I
believe, some other officers there at the time, and told us to remain
in the basement and we would be given more specific orders shortly.
Mr. HUBERT. What time was that about?
Mr. COMBEST. I would have to refer to my letter there. I don't remember
at this time.
Mr. HUBERT. The letter says 10:50 approximately 10:50, is that about
right?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. What did you do?
Mr. COMBEST. We remained there in the basement and shortly Captain
Jones came back off the elevator with what appeared to be all the
onduty officers in the building at that time. He told us to go outside
the jail office in the parking area and into the basement, itself, and
there he would station us.
Mr. HUBERT. Did he do so?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; he did. When he got outside he told us to form
a line either side of the passageway leading into the ramp where the
vehicles were parked to transfer Oswald, and he gave us orders not to
let anyone rush in, not let the lines close in. He also told us to make
sure that they didn't fall in behind him, to follow him out after they
had passed.
Mr. HUBERT. So, there was a line formed on either side of the jail
corridor from the jail door to the basement area where the car was to
transport Oswald?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, if you will step over here, please, and have a look
at this mockup here. First of all, this is the inside jail office.
This is really--this is the corridor swinging door. This is the outside
corridor of the jail door. Now, looking at this first, try to fix your
position and then I'm going to ask you to place your position on this
map once you have related this map to the mockup, so we will have a
record on this map of where you were.
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; would have been standing just about here
[indicating], just almost to the corner.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, I am placing--is this it?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I am placing a circle where you say you were standing. That
is just off the corner of the intersection formed by the jail corridor
and the basement ramp, but toward the swinging door in the basement and
the jail office?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Right?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And, I'm going to put there, "Position of Combest as
stationed by Jones." Is that correct?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I am circling that language and attaching the language to
the circle that you have indicated. Now, what time did you reach the
position that we just marked on the map?
Mr. COMBEST. It would have been approximately 20 minutes before the
shooting, which would have placed it at 11, wouldn't it? 11 a.m.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you remain at that position until the shooting?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. HUBERT. Of course, I understand that you didn't remain absolutely
still, but you didn't walk around?
Mr. COMBEST. No, sir; I stayed in that immediate area right there.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you remember who was on your right?
Mr. COMBEST. R. L. Lowery. Detective R. L. Lowery.
Mr. HUBERT. I am going to mark his position. That would have put him
almost----
Mr. COMBEST. Right at the corner.
Mr. HUBERT. Right at the corner?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. I am marking that, encircling the language, "Position of R.
L. Lowery," and do you remember who was to your left?
Mr. COMBEST. Detective Beaty, Detective B. L. Beaty.
Mr. HUBERT. You were facing in the direction of the Main Street ramp,
in the parking area on the Main Street side of the building?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And you were there for approximately 20 minutes?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Could you see out into the parking area on the Main Street
side of the building?
Mr. COMBEST. No, sir; I could not. They completely blocked me,
television cameras and newsmen on this side--on this side of the rail,
and of down in the basement, itself.
Mr. HUBERT. I am marking an area which I am going to call "area B,"
with an oblong circle. Is that the area you are talking about?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And you say that "area B," had television cameras and
personnel attending them?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And other people there, so that you were unable to see into
the parking area, is that correct?
Mr. COMBEST. That's correct.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, I'm going to mark another area, "area A," and ask if
there were any people standing in that area?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes; there were.
Mr. HUBERT. Roughly, how many?
Mr. COMBEST. There were several officers standing here [indicating].
There were some----
Mr. HUBERT. When you say "here," you are just pointing to the Commerce
Street side of the area that I have marked "area A"?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; also down the line.
Mr. HUBERT. In other words, they were on the opposite side of the
corridor from you?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. A semicircle curving toward Commerce Street?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. And I'm marking a line, which I am going to start off at a
point called "1," and have it curve over to a point called "2," is that
approximately the line you are talking about?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, on that line from "1," to "2" you say there were a
number of detectives, or members of the police department?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you recognize any of them?
Mr. COMBEST. Well, I remember "Blackie," that is the nickname, Harrison.
Mr. HUBERT. That is W. J. Harrison?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; I believe it is.
Mr. HUBERT. Where was he, about?
Mr. COMBEST. I don't recall exactly. I know that he was on that side,
and I lost contact with him as soon as Oswald started out. I don't
remember if he had moved, or if he was still standing directly across.
Mr. HUBERT. He was in front of the people that I have marked here in
"area B," and "area A"?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, other than the detective, how many people do you
suppose were in that "area A," right back of the curving line marked
"1" to "2"?
Mr. COMBEST. It would be an estimate on it at this time. I don't
recall. There were several. I would say 15, at least.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you think they were standing shoulder to shoulder?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes; it was pretty crowded all the way around.
Mr. HUBERT. That would make about what, two or three ranks of people?
Mr. COMBEST. I don't recall exactly. I know there was a very large
crowd in the basement that day.
Mr. HUBERT. You are talking about the whole basement?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Were there any people in the area which I am marking
roughly by an oblong figure, "area C," which is the ramp leading from
the parking area into Main Street, Commerce Street ramp?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; there were.
Mr. HUBERT. Did you go in there, too?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; there were several people there, newsmen and
also, several officers stationed in that area out there.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, were the television lights on all the time you were
standing there?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir.
Mr. HUBERT. Did they bother you?
Mr. COMBEST. Yes, sir; they did.
Mr. HUBERT. In what way?
Mr. COMBEST. Well, when we first came downstairs it was a little hard
to distinguish faces in this area here [indicating].