Mr. SORRELS. I don’t recall any statement like that.
Mr. HUBERT. Now, Mr. Stern is going to take over, and I am going to ask
him to handle the identification of your notes.
(Mr. Hubert left. Mr. Stern requested Mr. Griffin to handle the
identification of documents.)
Mr. GRIFFIN. Let me state that for the limited purpose of having Agent
Sorrels identify three sets of documents I am going to ask a series of
questions of Agent Sorrels.
Mr. Sorrels, I want to hand you a Xerox copy of a document which is
a part of our files, and numbered Commission No. 354, and is your
Secret Service serial 1,007, consisting of four pages, which you have
previously identified, and Mr. Hubert has marked “Deposition of Forrest
Sorrels, Washington, D.C., May 6, 1964,” and signed Leon D. Hubert.
I have added the additional designation “Exhibit 1,” on the first page
of this four page exhibit. I want you to look at that and tell me if
that is in fact the same exhibit you identified previously as I have
described it.
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, let me hand you what I have marked for the purpose
of identification as deposition of Forrest Sorrels, May 6, 1964,
Washington, D.C. This exhibit consists of four different pages which
I have numbered consecutively Exhibits 2-A, 2-B, 2-C, and 2-D, and
purports to be a Xerox copy of notes that you made of the interview
that took place with Jack Ruby in Captain Fritz’ office at 3:15 on
November 24, 1963.
Would you examine Exhibits 2-A, 2-B, 2-C, and 2-D and compare them with
the pages of your notebook which you have referred to previously in the
deposition, and tell us if that is a true and exact copy of all of the
notes that you have that pertain to the 3:15 interview with Jack Ruby?
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, that is correct.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Let me hand you what I have marked for the purpose of
identification deposition of Forrest Sorrels, May 6, 1964, Washington,
D.C., which is a document consisting of three pages, which I have
numbered consecutively Exhibit 3-A, Exhibit 3-B, Exhibit 3-C. This
exhibit purports to be a Xerox copy of notes that you took at an
interview with Jack Ruby in the fifth floor jail cell shortly after
Ruby shot Lee Oswald on November 24. I want you to compare these
exhibits to pages which you have testified to previously are in your
notebook, and tell me if Exhibits 3-A, 3-B, and 3-C are true and exact
copies of those pages which appear in your notebook?
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, they are. But there is portions that do not pertain
to the interview with Ruby in the Dallas City Jail on the morning of
November 24, 1963--but certain portions happen to be on the same page
as the notes made at that time were made.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, directing your attention to Exhibit 3-A, would you
tell us if that portion which pertains to Ruby--the Ruby interview in
the jail cell, and appears on that page, follows consecutively from
some point on that page?
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, from about the center of the page, below a wavy line
drawn across it, continuing on the second page, marked Exhibit 3-B,
and the third page marked Exhibit 3-C, down to the lower portion ending
with “deceased mother.”
Mr. GRIFFIN. All right. Now, directing your attention to Exhibit 3-A,
would you read the first two lines on Exhibit 3-A that consist of the
notes taken at your interview with Ruby in the fifth floor jail cell?
Mr. SORRELS. “Chicago, 3-25-1911, Jack Ruby (Rubenstein),
Entertainment, Carousel Club. Had business closed for 3 days.”
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, let me hand you again Exhibit No. 1, and ask you if
that is a true and accurate copy, to sign your name on the first page
of that exhibit.
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, it is.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Would you sign your name, then, on the first page of the
exhibit?
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, sir.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Let me hand you what has been marked as Exhibit 2-A, B and
C, and D, and ask you if that is a true and accurate copy to sign your
name on the first page of Exhibit 2-A.
Mr. SORRELS. Yes.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Let me hand you, Mr. Sorrels, Exhibit 3-A, B, and C, and
ask you the same question with respect to that, and ask you to do the
same thing.
Mr. SORRELS. Yes, sir.
Mr. GRIFFIN. Now, let the record reflect that I am putting my initials,
BWG, on pages 2-A, 2-B, 2-C, and 2-D. Let the record reflect I have
done the same thing with pages 3-A, 3-B, and 3-C.
Mr. STERN. Mr. Smith, are there any questions you would like to ask Mr.
Sorrels at this stage of his deposition, to clarify any points on the
record?
Mr. SMITH. Yes, just with respect to one point.
Mr. STERN. Please go ahead.
Mr. SMITH. Mr. Sorrels, you testified that in your interview with Jack
Ruby in the jail, you did not warn him of his constitutional rights.
Was this due to oversight on your part?
Mr. SORRELS. No, it was not.
Mr. SMITH. Will you state, then, the reason why you did not do so?
Mr. SORRELS. My purpose in getting to Jack Ruby and talking to him
as quickly as I did was to determine whether or not he was involved
with anyone else in connection with the shooting of Lee Harvey Oswald,
and also to determine whether or not Jack Ruby had any connection
or association with Lee Harvey Oswald. I did not warn him of his
constitutional rights, because insofar as I was concerned at this
particular interview, my conversation with him was not--strike was
not--had no bearing insofar as the murder case against Jack Ruby was
concerned.
My purpose was trying to obtain information for my service to determine
whether or not there were others involved in this case that would be
of concern to the Secret Service in connection with their protective
duties of the President of the United States and the Vice President.
Mr. STERN. Is there anything else, Mr. Smith, you would like to cover?
Mr. SMITH. No. Thank you.
Mr. STERN. Mr. Sorrels, you have had a lengthy session here today. If
it is convenient for you, I would prefer to carry on that part of it
that I am interested in tomorrow morning, rather than to try to finish
late today. Would that be convenient for you?
Mr. SORRELS. That is satisfactory for me, yes.
Mr. STERN. Fine. Why don’t we suspend now and resume in the morning.