Warren Commission

* In response to “30 Years After J.F.K.’s Death, Conspiracy Talk Lives On,” Nov. 21:

On Jan. 2, 1964, I reported for duty as assistant counsel to the Warren Commission. J. Lee Rankin, general counsel to the commission, advised me that David Belin and I had been assigned the task of determining the identity of the assassin of President John F. Kennedy.

About 10,000 pieces of paper were then rolled into my office; the written reports of various investigative agencies, such as the FBI, Dallas Police, Dallas Sheriff’s, CIA. During the first month of the investigation, we classified the information found in the reports by means of a card index system. This permitted the immediate retrieval of this information when needed.

During the first week of February we filed our report with the commission. We suggested procedures to be followed by the staff of the commission. We recommended a field investigation by the staff during which the members of the staff would orally interrogate the key witnesses. It was, therefore, with some surprise that I read in your article, “(A)t Warren’s insistence, no witnesses were interviewed in private--a departure from a standard investigative technique that often yields facts unobtainable in the presence of an official stenographer.” The exact contrary is true. At Chief Justice Earl Warren’s insistence every witness interviewed by commission counsel was privately questioned before being called to testify.

The commission not only authorized this procedure but Belin and I received direct orders from Chief Justice Warren to thoroughly question witnesses in the field. If there was a discrepancy in their testimony indicated by a difference between their recorded statements and the statements to the staff counsel, they were to be cross-examined when called before the commission or at the time of their deposition.

I might close this rebuttal with an historical anecdote. In 1965 I called Chief Justice Warren on the telephone. I said, “Chief, these critics of the report are guilty of misrepresentation and dishonest reporting.” He replied, “Be patient; history will prove that we are right.” His prophecy has come true. After 30 years no one doubts that Oswald killed Kennedy and wounded Connolly. And after 30 years no evidence has been discovered that would name any person or group of persons as his accomplices.

JOSEPH A. BALL

Long Beach