Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Appendix XI: Oswald Interrogation Reports

Appendix XI compiles reports relating to the interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald at the Dallas Police Department. Oswald was interrogated for approximately 12 hours between 2:30 p.m. on Friday, November 22, 1963, and 11:15 a.m. on Sunday, November 24, 1963. There were no stenographic or tape recordings of these interviews. Several investigators present at the interrogations prepared memoranda of their recollections prior to testifying before the Commission. The appendix presents the most important of these reports, beginning with Capt. J.W. Fritz’s report.

Capt. J.W. Fritz Interrogation Report

Capt. J.W. Fritz of the Dallas Police Department submitted a detailed report titled “Interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald.” The report describes the investigation at the Texas Book Depository Building on November 22, 1963, including the discovery of three empty cartridge cases, the rifle found partially hidden under boxes, and the notification from Mr. Roy S. Truly that Oswald had left the building. Fritz then traveled to City Hall with Dets. R.K. Sims and E.L. Boyd, where he learned of Officer J.D. Tippit’s shooting in Oak Cliff and that Oswald had been brought in as a suspect. Fritz instructed officers to bring Oswald to his office, and during the interview he was joined by FBI agents Jim Bookhout and James P. Hosty, who had been requested by Gordon Shanklin, Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas office. The report covers multiple interrogation sessions over November 22-23, 1963, including showups, complaints signed before the District Attorney’s office, and Oswald’s arraignments before Judge David Johnston.