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

Interrogation Sessions

Between about 2:30 p.m. Friday and 11:15 a.m. Sunday, Oswald was interrogated for roughly 12 hours total. On Friday he was questioned intermittently for more than 7 hours and given 8–9 hours to rest that night; on Saturday he was questioned for about 3 hours across three sessions; and on Sunday he was questioned for less than 2 hours. The interrogations took place in Fritz’ small 14-by-9½-foot office, which was typically crowded with as many as seven or eight people, including Dallas detectives, FBI and Secret Service investigators, and occasionally a post office inspector and the U.S. marshal—more than 25 different persons participated overall. Captain Fritz conducted most of the questioning but was frequently called away, leaving others to question Oswald in his absence. Interrogators disagreed on whether the corridor chaos affected the atmosphere inside; Oswald remained calm most of the time but refused to answer any questions he deemed pertinent to the investigation. As Chief Curry later acknowledged, “we were violating every principle of interrogation.”

Oswald’s Legal Rights

All available evidence indicates Oswald was not subjected to physical hardship during detention; he was fed, allowed to rest, and had his handcuffs switched from behind to front at his request. He made no complaints to officers about his treatment, and the visible marks over his right eye and under his left—sustained during his arrest at the Texas Theatre—were seen by all who encountered him. Before his first Friday interrogation, Fritz warned Oswald that he was not required to speak and that any statements could be used against him. He was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Johnston for the Tippit murder at 7:10 p.m. and for the President’s murder about 6½ hours later, and on each occasion was advised of his right to counsel and to remain silent. Nevertheless, Oswald was never represented by counsel; at the midnight press conference he protested the lack of legal representation. ACLU representatives who visited Friday evening were assured Oswald had been informed of his rights and was free to seek a lawyer. On Saturday he repeatedly tried without success to reach New York attorney John Abt, declined an offer of counsel from H. Louis Nichols of the Dallas Bar Association, and as late as Sunday morning told Postal Inspector Harry D. Holmes he preferred to obtain his own lawyer.