The testimony of R. J. Jimison was taken at 2:35 p.m., on March 21,
1964, at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas. Tex., by Mr. Arlen
Specter, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you stand up, please, Mr. Jimison, and raise your
right hand.
Do you solemnly swear the testimony you shall give before this
Commission in the deposition proceedings will be the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. JIMISON. I do.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. Jimison, have you received a letter of notification
from the President's Commission advising you that you would be
contacted to have your deposition taken?
Mr. JIMISON. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And did that letter contain in it a copy of the Executive
order creating the Commission, a copy of the joint congressional
resolution about the Commission, and the procedures for taking
depositions by the Commission?
Mr. JIMISON. I believe it did.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you willing to have your deposition taken today, sir;
do you have any objection to my asking you some questions and having
them reported by the court reporter here?
Mr. JIMISON. No; I do not.
Mr. SPECTER. By whom are you employed, Mr. Jimison?
Mr. JIMISON. I would just say the hospital--County Hospital.
Mr. SPECTER. Parkland Memorial Hospital?
Mr. JIMISON. Yes; Parkland Memorial Hospital.
Mr. SPECTER. What kind of work do you do here?
Mr. JIMISON. Orderly.
Mr. SPECTER. Let the record show that you have a badge on which says,
"R. J. Jimison".
Mr. JIMISON. Right.
Mr. SPECTER. "Orderly." And is that your full name?
Mr. JIMISON. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. And what does the "R" stand for?
Mr. JIMISON. That's just an initial name.
Mr. SPECTER. And how about the "J"?
Mr. JIMISON. Same.
Mr. SPECTER. So, people call you "R. J."?
Mr. JIMISON. Right.
Mr. SPECTER. What were your duties back on November 22, 1963, Mr.
Jimison?
Mr. JIMISON. My duties was the same as usual; that is, to transport
patients to and fro, reclean rooms, betwixt each case.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have occasion to see President Kennedy on that day?
Mr. JIMISON. I did not.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have occasion to see Governor Connally on that day?
Mr. JIMISON. I did.
Mr. SPECTER. What were the circumstances under which you saw Governor
Connally?
Mr. JIMISON. Well, I would say it wasn't such a pleasant circumstance,
but he was lying on a carriage, a hospital carriage, and I was--I
assisted in helping move him from the carriage to the operating table.
Mr. SPECTER. Where was he when you first saw him?
Mr. JIMISON. He was on the second floor in the operating room suite,
near room 4, where his operation was performed.
Mr. SPECTER. Was he taken to room 4 or room 5?
Mr. JIMISON. He was taken in room--I thought it was room 4, but maybe
it could have been room 5, but I taken it to be room 4, because like I
told you, I helped lift him off of the table, but usually we help put
them in the room--at that time there was so many doctors that I didn't.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you see Governor Connally from the time he came off of
the elevator?
Mr. JIMISON. No.
Mr. SPECTER. What floor were you on when you first saw him?
Mr. JIMISON. I was on two.
Mr. SPECTER. How far was he from the elevator when you first saw him?
Mr. JIMISON. I guess he must have been about 20 feet.
Mr. SPECTER. And how far was it from the elevator to the place where
you were?
Mr. JIMISON. About how many feet? About 20 or 30 feet.
Mr. SPECTER. Was he near the big clock when you first saw him, the
clock that is overhead in the center there?
Mr. JIMISON. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. And were there doctors around him at that time?
Mr. JIMISON. Yes.