The testimony of Bobby G. Patterson was taken at 4:07 p.m., on April
14, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Leon D. Hubert, Jr.,
assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. HUBERT. This is the deposition of Bobby G. Patterson.
Mr. Patterson, my name is Leon Hubert. I am a member of the advisory
staff of the general counsel of the President's Commission.
Under the provisions of Executive Order 11130, dated November 29, 1963,
joint resolution of Congress 137, and the rules of procedure adopted by
the Commission, in conformance with the Executive order and the joint
resolution, I have been authorized to take a sworn deposition from you,
Mr. Patterson.
I state to you now that the general nature of the Commission's inquiry
is to ascertain, evaluate, and report upon the facts relating to the
assassination of President Kennedy and the subsequent violent death of
Lee Harvey Oswald.
In particular as to you, Mr. Patterson, the nature of the inquiry today
is to determine what facts you know about the death of Oswald, and any
other pertinent facts you may know about the general inquiry, including
what you know about what Jack Ruby might have had to do with it.
Mr. Patterson, I think you have appeared here by virtue of an
individual request made to you to appear here--was that by a letter?
Mr. PATTERSON. By a letter.
Mr. HUBERT. When was that letter addressed to you by J. Lee Rankin,
General Counsel of the Commission--when did you receive it?
Mr. PATTERSON. Monday.
Mr. HUBERT. Yesterday?
Mr. PATTERSON. Sunday.
Mr. HUBERT. Sunday.
Mr. PATTERSON. I came back Sunday.
Mr. HUBERT. Do you have any objection to testifying now?
Mr. PATTERSON. No.
Mr. HUBERT. The reason I say that is that under the rules of the
Commission a person is supposed to have a 3-day notice before they can
be required to testify, but the rules also provide that you can waive
it if you want to. If you are willing to testify and waive the 3 days
notice, we can go ahead.
Mr. PATTERSON. I am as willing as he is.
Mr. HUBERT. All right; would you stand up and raise your right hand and
I will administer the oath.
Do you 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. PATTERSON. Yes.
Mr. HUBERT. Will you state your name, please, sir?
Mr. PATTERSON. Bobby G. Patterson.
Mr. HUBERT. How old are you, sir?
Mr. PATTERSON. Thirty-three.
Mr. HUBERT. And what is your residence?
Mr. PATTERSON. Mesquite, Tex., 3463 Caracas [spelling] C-a-r-a-c-a-s.
Mr. HUBERT. Your occupation is what?
Mr. PATTERSON. Patrolman, Dallas Police Department.
Mr. HUBERT. How long have you been on the Dallas Police Department?
Mr. PATTERSON. Oh, about 5-1/2 years.
Mr. HUBERT. What did you do before that?
Mr. PATTERSON. I worked for American Beauty Flour Co. down here on
South Ervay.
Mr. HUBERT. Mr. Patterson, I have shown you a document which for
the purpose of identification I have marked in the right margin the
words, "Dallas, Tex., April 14, 1964. Exhibit 5311, Patrolman Bobby
G. Patterson," and I have put my name on it, and since it contains a
second page, I have put my initials at the bottom of the second page,
and I ask you if you have read that document?
Mr. PATTERSON. I have.
Mr. HUBERT. That purports to be a report of an interview of you made by
Special Agents Horton and Propst [spelling] P-r-o-p-s-t, on November
30, 1963, does it not; is that correct?
Mr. PATTERSON. I believe it is--I wouldn't say for sure--it was on
Saturday, I believe--I don't know when it was.
Mr. HUBERT. In any case, I ask you if you think that this report
identified as Exhibit 5311 is a fair report of the interview that you
had with the FBI agents?
Mr. PATTERSON. It is a fair report.
Mr. HUBERT. Is there anything that you would like to add or delete or
modify with respect to Exhibit 5311?
Mr. PATTERSON. No, that's just about it. As far as the time, now, I
don't know about some of the time in my report and every report and
stuff like that--I don't know if that makes any difference or not. That
is as near as I could get it.
Mr. HUBERT. Well, let me ask you this--you say you are not sure about
the times that are stated in this report, Exhibit 5311. I take it that
you weren't sure really at the time that they interviewed you; is that
correct?
Mr. PATTERSON. Yes--you know, the correct time?
Mr. HUBERT. Well, of course, I note that where this exhibit does
mention time, it says "about."