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

Interview at 6:00 P.M., November 23, 1963

At 6:00 P.M. on November 23, 1963, in Captain Fritz’s office, Oswald was shown the enlargements of the photographs depicting him holding a rifle and pistol. Oswald sneered at the images, claiming they were fakes produced by superimposing a rifle and pistol onto earlier police photographs of him. He engaged Fritz in an extended argument about photographic enlargement processes and refused to identify the images as himself or to disclose the location shown in the photograph. Despite Fritz’s patience and tenacity, Oswald provided no further information, and the interview was terminated at about 7:15 P.M.

Preliminary Special Dallas Report # 3

A Preliminary Special Dallas Report # 3, designated CO-2-34,030, dated November 29, 1963, from the U.S. Secret Service to Chief Inspector Kelley. The report covers Oswald’s third interview on the morning of November 24, 1963, and the circumstances immediately following his shooting and death, and is signed “TJK:VS” by Inspector Kelley.

Interview at 9:30 A.M., November 24, 1963

The third interview began at approximately 9:30 A.M. on Sunday, November 24, 1963, in Captain Fritz’s office, with Postal Inspector Holmes, SAIC Sorrels, Inspector Kelley, and four Homicide Squad members present. When asked to identify where the photograph of him with the gun had been taken, Oswald refused to discuss the matter. Questioned about communism, Oswald stated he was a Marxist but not a Marxist-Leninist. He described his involvement with the Fair Play for Cuba Committee in New Orleans, including his arrest for disturbing the peace during a demonstration, and denied knowing or seeing Alex Hidell. Oswald offered political commentary, stating Cuba should have full diplomatic relations with the United States and predicting no change in American policy toward Cuba under President Johnson. He described himself as an avid reader of Russian literature and a subscriber to The Militant. Asked whether, as a Marxist, he believed religion was an opiate of the people, Oswald affirmed this and suggested the Catholic Church was incompatible with communism. An Enco street map of Dallas found among his effects bore markings, which Oswald attributed to his job search. Kelley then privately approached Oswald, identifying himself as Secret Service and offering to interview him once counsel was obtained; Oswald declined pending attorney consultation. Captain Fritz terminated the interview after determining Oswald would not cooperate.