The President's Commission met at 10 a.m. on May 13, 1964, at 200
Maryland Avenue NE., Washington, D.C.
Present were Chief Justice Earl Warren, Chairman; Representative Gerald
R. Ford; and Allen W. Dulles, members.
Also present were J. Lee Rankin, General Counsel; Norman Redlich,
assistant counsel; Arlen Specter, assistant counsel; and Charles
Murray, observer.
The CHAIRMAN. Lieutenant Revill, the purpose of today's hearing is to
hear your testimony and that of Detective V. J. Brian with particular
regard to alleged conversation with Special Agent James P. Hosty, Jr.,
of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, claimed to have occurred on
November 22, 1963, in the afternoon, and also concerning the facts
surrounding the discussion of Commission Exhibits 710 and 711.
What are those--those are the affidavits?
Mr. RANKIN. That is his affidavit and Detective Brian's.
The CHAIRMAN. Those are the affidavits that you made in that regard.
Would you please rise and raise your right hand and be sworn?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you are about to give before
this Commission shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but
the truth so help you God?
Lieutenant REVILL. I do, sir.
The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Rankin will conduct the examination.
Mr. RANKIN. Lieutenant Revill, will you state your name and place of
residence for the record, please?
Mr. REVILL. My name is Jack Revill. I reside at 5617 Madowics, Dallas,
Tex.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you have an official connection with the police
department of Dallas?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; I do.
Mr. RANKIN. What is that?
Mr. REVILL. I am presently a lieutenant of police of the Dallas Police
Department.
Mr. RANKIN. How long have you occupied that position?
Mr. REVILL. I was promoted to lieutenant June 26, 1958.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you have any particular area of responsibility?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; I am presently in charge of the criminal
intelligence section.
Mr. RANKIN. Have you been in charge of that section since November 22
of 1963?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; I have.
Mr. RANKIN. What are the functions of your work in that job?
Mr. REVILL. My unit--our primary responsibility is to investigate
crimes of an organized nature, subversive activities, racial matters,
labor racketeering, and to do anything that the chief might desire. We
work for the chief of police. I report to a captain who is in charge of
the special service bureau.
Mr. RANKIN. Who is that?
Mr. REVILL. Capt. Pat Gannaway.
Mr. RANKIN. How long have you reported to him?
Mr. REVILL. In my present capacity?
Mr. RANKIN. Yes.
Mr. REVILL. Since I have been assigned to the criminal intelligence
section.
Mr. RANKIN. So that was for all times since and on November 22, 1963?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; this is true.
Mr. RANKIN. Do you know James P. Hosty, Jr.?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; I do.
Mr. RANKIN. How long have you known him?
Mr. REVILL. I have known Jim, Mr. Hosty, since 1959, when I took over
the intelligence section.
Mr. RANKIN. Did you see him on November 22?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. RANKIN. Where.
Mr. REVILL. In the basement of the city hall.
Mr. RANKIN. Just before you saw Special Agent Hosty, where had you been?
Mr. REVILL. I had been at the Texas School Book Depository.
Mr. RANKIN. What did you do there?
Mr. REVILL. We conducted a systematic search of the building, evacuated
the people working in the building, and took names, addresses, and
phone numbers of all of these people before they were permitted to
leave.
Mr. RANKIN. Was anyone working with you there?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Who?
Mr. REVILL. Numerous people.
Mr. RANKIN. I see. Was Detective Brian with you there?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir. I had taken Detective Brian with me from the
Trade Mart, Dallas Trade Mart, upon hearing of the shots being fired at
Mr. Kennedy. I took Detective Brian and two other officers assigned to
my unit, Detective R. W. Westphal and Detective Tarver, O. J. Tarver.
Mr. RANKIN. How did you come back to the police department?
Mr. REVILL. By automobile.
Mr. RANKIN. By car?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Was anyone with you?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir, I had Detectives Brian, Tarver, and Westphal.
Mr. RANKIN. They were all in the car with you?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. And which way did you enter the building?
Mr. REVILL. The Main Street ramp into the basement of the city hall.
Mr. RANKIN. About what time of the day?
Mr. REVILL. It must have been about 2:45, 2:50.
Mr. RANKIN. All of these officers were with you?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Where did you see Special Agent Hosty?
Mr. REVILL. If I might explain that, I followed Mr. Hosty into the
basement of the city hall. He drove into the basement, parked his car,
I did the same, and Mr. Hosty departed from his car, ran over to where
I was standing, Detective Brian and I.
The other two officers, Westphal and Tarver, as well as I recall, had
remained in the rear talking to some other officers. I don't know who
they were. At that time everything was mass confusion, and we were all
upset.
Mr. RANKIN. Will you explain to the Commission where you parked the car
with reference to the point where you saw Agent Hosty?
Mr. REVILL. I got out of my car, and we have two attendants assigned to
the basement, two Negro attendants, and one of these individuals parked
my vehicle for me, I don't know where he parked it. But as I got out of
the car, Mr. Hosty ran toward me----
Mr. RANKIN. Now, about the parking, excuse me.
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir.
Mr. RANKIN. Is that a part of the basement area of the police
department?
Mr. REVILL. Yes, sir; it is.
Mr. RANKIN. All right; proceed.
Mr. REVILL. And Mr. Hosty ran over to me and he says, "Jack"--now as I
recall these words--"a Communist killed President Kennedy."