JFK Assassination System Date: 10/14/20 Identification Form AGENCY : RECORD NUMBER : RECORD SERIES : AGENCY FILE NUMBER : ORIGINATOR = FROM: TO: TITLE : DATE: PAGES: SUBJECTS : DOCUMENT TYPE : CLASSIFICATION : RESTRICTIONS : CURRENT STATUS : DATE OF LAST REVIEW : OPENING CRITERIA : COMMENTS : Agency Information C HSCA 180-101 16-10331 TRANSCRIPTS OF EXECUTIVE SESSION HEARINGS Document Information HSCA EXECUTIVE SESSION - BUSINESS MEETING 08/03/1978 108 ACOUSTIC ANALYSIS BARGER, JAMES E. "NEWS MEDIA HSCA, METHODOLOGY HSCA, TESTIMONY BEFORE COMMITTEE HSCA, ADMINISTRATION TRANSCRIPT Unclassified Open in Full Redact 08/17/1993 Box 1. Folder title: Executive session business meeting. v9.1 Docld: 327766636 Page 1
HORT ] 2 75 st a B 6 Fs & 7 a S 8 N Ss} A 9 Zz 2 & 10 Z 8 11 = Qa @: a) faa] ze 14 & 2 15 isa Es : 16 R . KF 17 fx mm 5 18 5 (19 % 20 21 23 24 25 13 | ome ee ——— eee SLIe COMMITEE ; cnts Business Meeting je) -%- i2+$1 (ouURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 1978 one ’ ’ . —) Washington, D. C. ee Y the committee met, pursuant to call, at 9:45 a.m., in room H-140, the capitol, the Hon. Louis Stokes (chairman of the com- mittee) presiding. Present: Representatives Stokes, Preyer, Fauntroy, Burke, Dedd, Fithian, Edgar, Devine, McKinney and Sawyer. - Staff Members present: G. R. Blakey, E. Berning, L. W. Svendsen, P, Beeson, J. Wolf, B. Morrison, P. Miller, Ella P. Powers (Congressman Edgar) and Hank Spring (Congressman McKinney) . Mr. : Preyer (presiding). The committee will come to order. The matters under discussion today are to be matters that would be more properly discussed in a closed session, I understand. Mr. Blakey. That is correct, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Preyer.. Do I hear a motion that this session be closed?: Mr. Dodd. I so' move. Mr. Preyer. Mr. Ratner wanted to take one picture before we went into closed session. Ask him if he would come in, in a great hurry. ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 3277666386 Page 3
10 11 12 13 19 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 20 21 22 23 24 25 GY Mr. Edgar. Mr. Chairman, are we going to be permitted to have members of our staff in today's session for the issues that are not related to secret information? Mr. Blakey. There is only one part of the subject matter, Mr. Chairman, that probably ought not to include members of the staff and that will probably be later this afternoon. Mr. Preyer. All right. Mr. Chairman, I move that the session be closed in accordance with our rules and the regulations of the House. Chairman Stokes. The motion having been properly made that our committee go into executive session at this time, the clerk will call the roll. | Misssp Berning. Mr. Stokes. ; Chairman Stokes. Aye. - Miss3,.Berning . [No response} ] Més35 Berning. Mr. Preyer. Mr. Preyer. Aye. Mies §.Berning - Mr. McKinney. Mr. McKinney. Aye. Migs $y Berning. Mr. Fauntroy. [10 response)| Migo$, Berning. Mr. Thone. {xo re sponse] ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 327766636 Page 4
300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 12 13 14 15 16 17 19 20 2) 22 23 24 25 Misss;,Berning. Mrs. Burke. woo” Mrs. Burke. Aye. —  \ . . Mig8spBerning. Mr. Sawyer. Mr. Sawyer. Aye. MisS$)Berning. Mr. Dodd. Neco Mr. Dodd. Aye. M#sSpBerning. Mr. Ford. [io response] MassS>Berning. Mr. Fithian. Naor" Mr. Fithian. Aye. Mas 8, Berning. Mr. Edgar, Mr. Edgar. Aye. ——\ : : : Mus Sp Berning. Eight Ayes, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Stokes. Eight members having voted in the affirma- tive, this session of the committee is now in executive session. All members of the public are requested to leave the room. fat this point all unauthorized persons left the room. | Chairman Stokes. Mr. Blakey. Mr. Blakey. Mr. Chairman, you have before you four written resolutions. The first which we probably ought to vote on at this time or the committee ought to vote on since it requires at least seven members to be present deals with a request for an immunity order. It is the staff's suggestion that the committee authorize it to apply to the court for an order conferring immunity upon John Paul Spica, Jr., and Anna Lee Sutherland in the King inves- ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 3277666356 Page 5
4 1 tigation and Balmes Barney Hidalgo in the Kennedy investigation. 2 | An explanation is attached to the resolution and I would be glad 3 | to respond to any questions. @ 4 chairman Stokes. Are there any questions? 5 Mr. Edgar. Mr. Chairman, when do we plan to bring these 6 | witnesses before us? 7 Mr. Blakey. Next week. 8 Mr. Dodd. Mr. Chairman, I would make the appropriate motion 9 | for.the adoption of the proposed resolution. 10 Chairman Stokes. We have before us a motion that the resolu- 1] tion be adopted. The clerk will call the roll. 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 12 Mises, Berning. Mr. Stokes. © 13 | | Chairman Stokes. Aye. | 14 |. Mits$5Berning. Mr. Devine. 15 7 [No response} 16 MissdyBerning. Mr. Preyer. 17 Mr. Preyer. Aye. 18 NiS3, Berning. Mr. MeKinney. 19 . Mr. McKinney. Aye. 20. Missa Berning. Mr. Fauntroy. 21 [x10 response} | ® 22 Mins Sp Berning. Mr. Thone. 23 [io response}] 24 Missy Berning. Mrs. Burke. Nene” 25 Mrs. Burke. Aye. ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 327766636 Page 6 ;
5 FP missy Berni Mr. S 1 SpyBerning. Mr. Sawyer. 2 ' Mr. Sawyer. Aye. 3 MisssiBerning. Mr. Dodd. rT 4 Mr. Dodd. Aye. 5 Mi&SspBerning. Mr. Ford. 6 Chairman Stokes. Aye by proxy. 7 MéSS,Berning. Mr. Fithian. emer” 8 Mr. Fithian. Aye. 9 Mis $5 Berning. Mr. Edgar. 10 Mr. Edgar. Aye. —— . : : VW - MisSpBerning. Nine Ayes, Mr. Chairman. 12 Chairman Stokes. Nine members having voted in the affirmative, 13 | the resolution is adopted. 14 Mr. Blakey. 15 Mr. Blakey. Mr. Chairman, you have also before you three 16 | separate resolutions. The first is a formal resolution that weuld 17 | finalize the committee's decision to bring James Earl Ray before 18 | it. The two resolutions that follow are subsidiary and depend 19 | upon the decision in the first. The second one would authorize 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 20 | the committee and counsel to use in the public hearings coming up 21 in August materials that require committee approval before they @ 22 | are used and the last authorizes the printing and release at the 23 | time of Mr. Ray's testimony of a compilation of Mr. Ray's prior 24 | statements. I would suggest that the three resolutions might 25 | appropriately be considered en bloc and I would be glad to respond ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 3277666356 Page 7
& Z 6 = 5 7 < N S 8 N 3 q 9 Zz = 5 10 Z @ 11 4 g 12 = oe.” joa) zZ nv. a faa 5.15 ical wo] {J 16 w G17 je3) [on] B 618 jan) & > #19 “ 8 20 21 @ ” 23 24 25 _to anyone's comments or questions. YW I might add that we have available to us today three gentleme from the Marshal's office that would be more than pleased to discuss with the committee the general question of Mr. Ray's security. e . Chairman Stokes. Without objection, we will consider the three resolutions en bloc. Does the committee desire to talk with the persons who will provide security? I had asked Mr. Biakey to make those indivi- duals available so that if you have questions we might pose those questions to those persons who will have direct custody over Mr. Ray while he is here. Mr. Fithian. Mr. Chairman. Chairman Stokes. Mr. Fithian. Mr. Fithian. Mr. Chairman, I am all in favor of hearing that] although I think my own personal priority for this committee, having gotten this very, very late start, is to discuss the press policy first in the event that the committee does not hold togethe long enough to do everything. I would like to have that taken care of. Mr. Blakey. Mr. Fithian, we really need these resolutions passed. Mr. Fithian. I mean pass these resolutions but I am talking about having the briefing on Ray's security. Mr. Edgar. Will the gentleman yield? ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 327766636 Page 6
d G) Mr. Fithian, I yield. 2 Mr. Edgar. On our visit with James Earl Ray the security 3 | question was part of their concern about bringing James Earl Ray ® 4 | before our committee. I think you would have to agree that we 5 have to make that decision that he is going to come before hearing 6 | the specific witnesses who would tell how secure that security is. 7 | Do you understand what I am saying? If they are willing to not 8 | listen to the security issues first before passing these resolu- 9 | tions, it makes some sense but I got the impression that one of 10 | the reasons we decided not to make the decision to offer the 11 invitation was that there were questions about security. 12 - Chairman Stokes. Mr. Sawyer. 13 “Mr. Sawyer. I am totally open on the thing, Bob, because I 14 | would like to hear what they are going to do security sta speceeoe” “AS I am concerned about it but I don't need to put the cart before tht. 16 | horse or the horse before the cart@ jt does not make any differ- Fs 17 | ence. 18 Chairman Stokes. I think I feel the same way. I just want 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 19 to have on record all matters relating to the security but I don't 20 condition voting for the resolution upen that. 21 Mr. Fithian. Well, to do the whole thing expeditiously, I © 22 | withdraw my suggestion. 23 Mr. Edgar. If there is agreement between counsel and Mr. 24 Stokes,. then I would move that we pass the resolution authorizing 25 James Earl Ray's appearance before the committee. pocta:3226668¢ Page 9 ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC.
10 | 12 13 14 18 19 3800 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 20 21 @ 2 23 24 25 Docld: 32266686 Page 10 8 Gj Chairman Stokes. Now, you were asking that we consider all three en bloc. Mr. Blakey. In the interest of time, they are interrelated and could be passed en bloc although I notice that the second resolution for the release of information in connection with the up and coming hearings applies both to King and Kennedy. It is, nevertheless, basically a technical resolution. Mr. Edgar. If I may make one point before we move on that issue. I had made the suggestion to our ¢hairman and to Bob Blakey and perhaps we should discuss it before we have a final vote on the resolution and that is that we might consider changing a previous decision that we had made to interrogate Mr. Ray only from nfhe o'clock to twbjhre o'clock on the first to days and then eifpht hours on the enida day. In line with some of the security concerns I was making the suggestion that we try to get the inter- views over in the first twp days, perhaps doing the cross examina- tion over twd days, the 16th and 17th, holding the 18th as an option day. If we finish on the 17th, Ray could be returned. If we need the 18th, we could use it. I think there is going to be a lot of pressure in terms of legislative pressure and pressure to get out and the 18th may not be the most receptive day to have the eifft-hour session. Also, if we did two 8thour sessions, that would give us 16 hours. If we do it as presently determined, we would have only 14 hours of cross examination of Ray. I just think that the public and the ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC.
MW 12 13 14 15 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 20 21 @ 22 23 24 25 press is going to be interested in what Ray has to say and that we ought not to shape the appearance of Ray simply because of public/press input. I guess what I am suggesting is that the first two. days we go with the thr$e: hour time commitment and the second pyo days we go with an ej Kt hour time commitment. S) I also think that we may run into some public perception if we have the preliminaries and Ray's statement, etc., and we get to the hour of eleven o'clock and we are just then beginning to cross examine Ray and then all of us get up and leave at twhyde o'clock on the first day. It is going to look silly in my opinion. Mrs. Burke. Mr. Chairman, may I get this straight? “Chairman Stokes. Mrs. Burke. Mrs. Burke. The first day is going to be a summary briefing. Is that on the 14th? Chairman Stokes. The first day. Mr. Blakey. If I might outline the entire week. | The first day the primary witness is Dr. Abernathy and he basically will set the crime scene in terms of one who was there as an eyewitness The second witness who will take part of the first day and part of the second day will probably be Mr. Eddie Evans, our chief investigator, who will summarize the evidence that was in the possession of the Memphis Police Department and set the scene in terms of the dimensions of the buildings and description of the buildings. The third witness will be the head of the medical ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 32727666586 Page il
9 5 z 6 a 5 7 a S 8 N oO a 9 Zz fs) 5 10 g jen} 4 11 4 g 12 | @:" A MN a 14 a te S 15 eI fo z 16 DN § iV aI oI BH 618 ee} E > #29 3 20 21 eo ” 23 24 25 10 panel that will go into the details of Dr. King's death from a medical point of view. GY) those three witnesses should cover about the sfx hours of the first fe) days, the assumption being that we should be able to get in a full half day each day. The third day would be the first day that Mark Lane and Mr. Ray would appear. Mr. Lane and Mr. Ray have tentatively agreed to have an opening statement not to exceed an hour. Realistically it will probably take an hour and a half. That would then give us on the current schedule about an hour and a half of initial cross=examination on the first day with some flexibility that the twbie o'clock period is not some- thing like from Cinderella that everybody turns into a pumpkin at ewbfre. OT | ' Then the fourth day would be the continuation of the basic cross examination, the hope being that the ghairman's work could be done in eye days and the committee would then begin on the third day of the cross:examination and go the full day. That last day the Congress is not in session and it should not be subjected to interruptions at any time. The ghairman has graciously indicated that he would be will- ing to continue his cross examination for the first tyo days without regard to the state of the floor. That would then give us an uninterrupted basically cross=examination for thrée days. The thought that militates against running two full days the first tyo days is if you run those days there will be interruptions on ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 3272766686 Page 12
“VI 12 13 14 15 16 17 300 7TH STREET, S.W. , REPORTERS BUILDING, WASHINGTON, D.C. 20024 (202) 554-2345 20 21 @ 22 | 23 24 25 li the flcor. The floor will cause people to come in and go out with just heavy voting and that will break the continuity and character of the crosssexamination. Y ux. Fithian, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Stokes. Mr. Fithian. Mr. Fithian. Two quick observations. One, I am not arguing for or against, I go with either way. I don't think we have any assurance that given the legislative pressure we are not going to start at the House at nffe or opp o'clock on some of those days. Second, just an observation. Gratuitous as it may seem, I have spent probably hg or Sigg hours this year waiting for this committee to get started. This morning is an example that if we conduct ourselves in the public hearing the way we have this year, I think we will go a long way to convince the American people that we don't give very much of a damn for this investiga- tion. I would hope that we would keep in mind that when we are ‘going to start at nfhe o'clock and the floor is going to go in at fh o'clock that the nifte to fi hour is the most productive hour we have. If we have someone like Mark Lane and James Earl Ray before us or any other witness before us and the national media or other media want to give this serious attention and we kind of 28 straggle.in to get this off at nine—thirty or vf or whatever, I just think there are some very reluctant to participate in that scene, Mr. Chairman. Chairman Stokes. Mr. Fithian, let me apologize to you and ALDERSON REPORTING COMPANY, INC. Docld: 327766686 Page 153