The testimony of Detective L. D. Montgomery was taken at 4 p.m., on
March 24, 1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office
Building, Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Burt W.
Griffin, assistant counsel of the President’s Commission.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Before I administer the oath to you, I want to state
for the record, and for your information, what this whole proceeding
is all about, and I will introduce myself for the record. My name
is Burt W. Griffin, and I’m a member of the advisory staff of the
General Counsel’s Office of the President’s Commission to investigate
the assassination of President Kennedy. Now, the Commission consists
of seven men, Chief Justice Warren, Senator Cooper, Senator Russell,
Congressman Ford of Michigan, and Congressman Hale Boggs of Louisiana,
and Allen Dulles, and John McCloy. That is it. And this Commission
has an investigatory staff, and that is us. Now, the Commission was
appointed under what is known as Executive Order 11130, dated November
29, 1963, and also under a joint resolution of Congress, 137, and we
have also prescribed, pursuant to this order and resolution, a set of
rules and procedures which have been adopted by the Commission, and I
have been authorized, pursuant to all those orders to take your sworn
deposition. Now, a letter has been sent to Chief Curry indicating
that I do have this authority to inquire and ascertain and evaluate
and report upon the facts relating to the assassination of President
Kennedy and the subsequent death of Lee Harvey Oswald. In particular to
you, Mr. Montgomery, the nature of the inquiry today is to determine
what facts you know about the death of Oswald, but also to develop any
other pertinent facts that you may know about the general inquiry, but
our central focus in this deposition is going to be on things connected
with Ruby’s killing of Oswald. Now, you have appeared here today on
the basis of a request which was made by the General Counsel of the
Commission. Naturally, under the rules of the Commission you have a
right to receive a 3 days’ written notice prior to the taking of your
deposition. We can be required to send you a letter in writing. Now I
will ask you if, at this point, if you would desire that notice, or if
you are willing to waive the notice?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Waive it.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Okay. Also, I should tell you that you are entitled to
have an attorney here if you want, and many of the witnesses have
appeared with attorneys, and if you indicate to me that you would
like to have your deposition postponed until you could talk with an
attorney, I will be happy to do that also.
Mr. MONTGOMERY. I don’t know any reason why I would need to consult
with one.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Okay. Do you want to raise your right hand? Do you
solemnly swear that the testimony you are going to give will be the
truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. I do.
Mr. GRIFFIN. All right, will you state for the record your full name?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Leslie Dell [spelling] D-e-l-l Montgomery.
Mr. GRIFFIN. How old are you, Mr. Montgomery?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. 30.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Where do you live?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. 9043 Anaconda, here in Dallas.
Mr. GRIFFIN. What is your occupation?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Police officer.
Mr. GRIFFIN. How long have you been so employed as a police officer?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. About 9 years.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Do you have a particular rank in the police department?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Detective.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Are you assigned to a particular bureau?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Homicide and robbery bureau.
Mr. GRIFFIN. How long have you been a detective?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. 4 years.
Mr. GRIFFIN. How long have you been assigned to homicide and robbery?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. 4 years.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Have you been interviewed by me prior to this deposition?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. That little deal--that earlier?
Mr. GRIFFIN. I talked to you of what? Approximately an hour, hour and a
half ago in my office?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. About an hour ago.
Mr. GRIFFIN. And how long did we talk?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. About 15 or 20 minutes.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, have you been interviewed by any other members of the
Commission’s staff?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. No.
Mr. GRIFFIN. How about FBI agents or other Federal agents?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. I have been interviewed by the FBI; yes.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, I believe that when you and I were talking in my
office you indicated to me that you worked on Friday and Saturday, and
that in particular on Saturday you left work about 9:30 in the evening?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. That’s right.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, I have gone over this with you in the interview, but
so that we have continuity here, I want to start at this point. Prior
to the time that you went home Saturday night, did you hear anything
from a police officer, or bystander or newspaperman or what have you,
with respect to the proposed movement or a proposed movement of Lee
Harvey Oswald to the county jail?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. I don’t recall hearing it; no.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Did you hear any discussion at all or any rumors, or
anything about that?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. No.
Mr. GRIFFIN. All right. Now, what time did you return to work?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Well, supposed to be there at 8. I was about 10 minutes
late, I guess.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, before you arrived at the police department on Sunday
morning----
Mr. MONTGOMERY. Yes.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Did you hear anything about the proposed movement of Lee
Harvey Oswald?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. No.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Didn’t get any telephone calls with respect to it?
Mr. MONTGOMERY. No.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Hear anything over the radio or TV?