Post by John Duncan on Nov 7, 2020 22:01:05 GMT -5
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kennedysandking.com/images/ctka/public/2015/images_jcarter4/4-133B.jpg
This is from “Harvey & Lee" by John Armstrong, pp. 497-99, 501-04.
kennedysandking.com/images/ctka/public/2015/images_jcarter4/4-133B.jpg
This is from “Harvey & Lee" by John Armstrong, pp. 497-99, 501-04.
The number of "backyard photographs" ALLEGEDLY taken by Marina has always caused researchers to question her credibility, reliability, and truthfulness. When the FBI first questioned Marina she was very precise and said she had taken ONLY ONE photograph, 133-A, which subsequently appeared on the cover of Life Magazine.
On February 3, 1964 Marina was questioned by the WC about the "backyard photos." She said, "At the time that I was questioned (by the FBI) I had even 'forgotten' that I had taken TWO PHOTOGRAPHS. I thought there was only one. I thought that there were two identical pictures, but they turned out to be two different poses." Marina was still lying. Marina destroyed a photo of Oswald holding a rifle over his head on the evening of November 23, and a week later was shown two different photos, 133-A and 133-B, by the Secret Service (a total of 3 backyard photos). Her evasiveness and ever-changing testimony caused Counsel Norman Redlich to say, "She has repeatedly lied to the Secret Service, the FBI, and this Commission on matters which are of vital concern."
The WC ACCEPTED Lyndal Shaneyfelt and Marina Oswald's testimony and concluded, "One Sunday, while his wife was hanging diapers, Oswald asked her (Marina) to take a picture of him holding a rifle, a pistol and issues of two newspapers later identified as the WORKER (of March 24, 1963) and the MILITANT of (March 11, 1963)."
In April 1967 George DeMorenshildt returned from Haiti and found a 4TH "backyard photograph" among the items he LEFT in storage. The photograph is nearly identical to CE 133-A but Oswald's arms appear to be higher. On the backside of the photo were two notations handwritten in Russian Cyrillic script. "Hunter of facists ha-ha-ha!!!," and "To my friend George from Lee Oswald- 5/IV/63." The date April 5, 1963 was only a few days after the photos were ALLEGEDLY taken. (The DeMorenshildt's went to Haiti in May of 1963).
In 1976, during the Schweiker-Hart assassination investigation, a 5TH "BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPH" was found and identified as 133-C. Mrs. Geneva Ruth Dees, the widow of former Dallas Police Officer Roscoe Anthony White, found the photo among her deceased husband’s possessions.
According to Mrs. Dees this photo was acquired by her husband during the course of his employment with the Dallas Police Department. The photograph was similar to the other backyard photos except that it was much clearer, which indicates that it may have been a first generation photo.
In 1978 the HSCA questioned Marina about the "backyard photographs."
Marina. "That is the pictures that I took."
The HSCA then showed Marina a 4TH backyard photograph, found by George DeMorenschildt in 1967, and directed her attention to Russian writing on the backside.
HSCA. "I am now going to show you a photograph which was not seen by the WC...if you will direct your attention to the reverse side, that is where my questions will be directed...Do you see the phrase that is written on the upper right-hand?...Well first of all, what does it say.?"
Marina. "For hunter of facists, ha, ha, ha."
HSCA. "Now, if you will look in the lower left-hand corner, it says, 'To my friend, George. From Lee Oswald.' And there is a date '5', then 'IV/63.' Do you recognize that handwriting?"
Marina. "No."
The HSCA discussed with Marina, in detail, who might have written this caption on the photo. Marina denied writing the caption and HSCA member Mr. Firthian, who knew a limited amount of Russian, commented that the caption was, "Clearly either written from someone who doesn't know Russian, or the two words are written by different people...."
Whoever wrote the caption on the backside of the photo knew the importance of placing the date after March 31 (when the photos were allegedly taken), but prior to April 10 (when someone shot at General Walker). The caption written in Russian script, "Hunter of fascists ..Ha, Ha, Ha," was probably intended to alert investigators who saw the photo that Lee HARVEY Oswald was gunning for the fascist
"General Edwin Walker." It appears as though this photo was planted among George DeMorenschild'ts possessions while he was in Haiti, for the purpose of showing that Oswald was capable of killing for political reasons.
The HSCA then showed Marina a 5TH backyard photograph, identified as 133-C, and she immediately claimed that she had taken this photograph. The HSCA, already aware there were numerous "backyard photographs,' asked Marina how many photographs she took of Oswald:
HSCA. "Now, can you recall how many photographs you took, how many poses?" What we have here are two, two poses (133-A and 133-B). Can you recall whether you took any others.?"
Marina. "No, I don't."
HSCA. You don't recall?"
Marina. "I DON'T RECALL."
Marina had no choice but to answer, "I don't recall," because she had no idea how many other "backyard photographs" might appear. Marina's ever-changing story about the number of photograph's she took (1,2,3,4,5...?) clearly shows that she was either lying, OR HAD NOT
TAKEN ANY OF THE "BACKYARD PHOTOS" AND THEREFORE HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY WERE TAKEN.
Establishing The Date Of The "Backyard :Photos"
The WC needed to show that the backyard photos were taken while the Oswalds lived at 214 W. Neely in Dallas. The date had to be after March 20 when Klein's so-called mailed the rifle to Oswald, but before he moved to New Orleans on April 24th.
Commission Atty. Rankin asked Marina, "Do you recall the day that you.took the picture of him with the rifle and pistol?" Marina answered, "I think that was TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY , POSSIBLY THE BEGINNING OF MARCH." Rankin immediately realized there was a problem because MARINA COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS BEFORE THE RIFLE WAS SHIPPED TO OSWALD ON MARCH 20.
The backyard photos were enlarged by the FBI in order to determine the names of the newspapers that Oswald was holding in his hand. The newspapers were identified as the Militant and the Worker. The Worker was mailed to Oswald on March 24, and arrived in Dallas on or about March 27, 1963. THIS LIMITED THE DATES OF THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS TO BETWEEN MARCH 27, AND APRIL 24.
Marina then testified the backyard photographs were taken on a Sunday, about 2 weeks before the attempted shooting of General Edwin Walker (which occurred on April 10, 1963). The only Sunday which followed March 27 and was "about two weeks before the attempted shooting of Gen. Walker," was on March 31. This was HOW the WC determined the backyard photos were taken.
DID Marina Destroy One Or More Of The "BY Photos?"
The first version was already considered with two smaller photos being destroyed at the urging of Marguerite when her husband was arrested that were in the family album.
On February 5, 1964 Marina told a SECOND VERSION to the WC and said,."I SHOWED LEE'S MOTHER THE PHOTOGRAPH, where he is photographed with a rifle, and told her he had shot at Walker and it appeared he might
have been shooting the President. On the next day (Saturday, Nov. 23) I DESTROYED ONE PHOTOGRAPH, which I had. I THINK I HAD TWO SMALL ONES. When we were in the HOTEL I burned it." The WC did not think to ask Marina how she was able to have this conversation with
Marguerite Oswald, since Marguerite did not speak Russian and Marina claimed she could not speak English.
On February 10, 1964 the short, dumpy, heavy set "Marguerite Oswald" imposter told the WC, "I want to tell you about destroying the picture. Now that was in MRS. PAINE'S HOUSE....He ws holding the rifle UP....(Mr. Rankin...had asked, 'Crosswise, with both hands on
the rifle?'....WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE RIFLE."
On February 27, 1964, two weeks after "Marguerite Oswald" appeared before the Commission, Marina changed her story for a THIRD TIME. This time she told the FBI that she burned TWO photographs on November 23, 1963 at the PAINE RESIDENCE, probably so her statement would agree with "Marguerite Oswald's" testimony.
In 1978 the HSCA asked Marina similar questions about the destruction of one of the backyard photographs:
HSCA. "Regarding all of the photographs, the different poses that we have seen, the photos you took of Lee, did you ever destroy any photograph of this nature?"
Marina. Apparently I did. I FORGET COMPLETELY ABOUT IT until somebody spoke about it. I THINK I DID."
HSCA. "How many did you destroy?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER."
HSCA. "How did you destroy the photograph?"
Marina. "Well, I HAD BEEN TOLD I BURNED IT..."
HSCA. Was anyone with you when you did it?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER."
Marina's convenient lapses of memory in 1978 allowed her to claim she could not remember who was with her when photograph(s) were destroyed, how they were destroyed, or even where they were destroyed. It was Marina's continual inconsistent testimony relating to the date of the backyard photographs, the type of camera used, the number of
photographs taken, and the destruction of two, then one, and then two photographs that caused several members of the WC, and later the HSCA, to seriously doubt Marina's truthfulness and credibility.
The HSCA, frustrated with Marina's convoluted testimony, compiled a 29-page report which they titled, "Marina Oswald Porter's Statements Of A Contradictory Nature." They also wrote, "No attempt has been made to explore whether Mrs. Porter's contradictory statements were the product of deception or simple confusion."
Marina was lying because she already knew about TWO "backyard photos." She told the WC that on Saturday, November 23, "I destroyed one photograph which I had. I think I HAD TWO SMALL ONES. When we were in the hotel I burned it ("Marguerite" and Marina). "Marguerite Oswald," however, told the WC a different story. She said, "I want to tell you about destroying the picture. Now that was in Mrs. Paine's house....HE WAS HOLDING THE RIFLE UP....(Mr. Rankin had asked 'Crosswise, with both hands on the rifle').....With both hands on the rifle.' On the evening of November 23 Marina, according to her testimony, burned at least one photograph of Oswald holding a rifle over his head. But later, when shown a 2nd photograph by the FBI, Marina said she only had taken ONE PHOTO.
On November 23 the Dallas Police recovered two "backyard photos," 133-A and 133-B, but neither of these was the THIRD PHOTO described by "Marguerite" of Oswald holding a rifle ABOVE HIS HEAD WITH BOTH HANDS.
A week after the assassination SS agent Leon Gopadze showed Marina TWO "backyard photographs (133A & 133-B)," and she advised that SHE HAD TAKEN BOTH PHOTOS. A few days later Gopadze interviewed Marina again. On this occasion Marina said when he (Gopadze) first showed her the photos she did not tell him that SHE HAD THE SAME PICTURES IN SMALLER SIZES POSTED IN HER FAMILY ALBUM. She said at the suggestion of Marguerite Oswald SHE DESTROYED THE PHOTOS UPON LEARNING THAT HER HUSBAND WAS A PRIME SUSPECT IN THE SHOOTING OF THE PRESIDENT. (This was Marina's FIRST VERSION of destroying the backyard photographs.
On February 3, 1964 Marina was questioned by the WC about the "backyard photos." She said, "At the time that I was questioned (by the FBI) I had even 'forgotten' that I had taken TWO PHOTOGRAPHS. I thought there was only one. I thought that there were two identical pictures, but they turned out to be two different poses." Marina was still lying. Marina destroyed a photo of Oswald holding a rifle over his head on the evening of November 23, and a week later was shown two different photos, 133-A and 133-B, by the Secret Service (a total of 3 backyard photos). Her evasiveness and ever-changing testimony caused Counsel Norman Redlich to say, "She has repeatedly lied to the Secret Service, the FBI, and this Commission on matters which are of vital concern."
The WC ACCEPTED Lyndal Shaneyfelt and Marina Oswald's testimony and concluded, "One Sunday, while his wife was hanging diapers, Oswald asked her (Marina) to take a picture of him holding a rifle, a pistol and issues of two newspapers later identified as the WORKER (of March 24, 1963) and the MILITANT of (March 11, 1963)."
In April 1967 George DeMorenshildt returned from Haiti and found a 4TH "backyard photograph" among the items he LEFT in storage. The photograph is nearly identical to CE 133-A but Oswald's arms appear to be higher. On the backside of the photo were two notations handwritten in Russian Cyrillic script. "Hunter of facists ha-ha-ha!!!," and "To my friend George from Lee Oswald- 5/IV/63." The date April 5, 1963 was only a few days after the photos were ALLEGEDLY taken. (The DeMorenshildt's went to Haiti in May of 1963).
In 1976, during the Schweiker-Hart assassination investigation, a 5TH "BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPH" was found and identified as 133-C. Mrs. Geneva Ruth Dees, the widow of former Dallas Police Officer Roscoe Anthony White, found the photo among her deceased husband’s possessions.
According to Mrs. Dees this photo was acquired by her husband during the course of his employment with the Dallas Police Department. The photograph was similar to the other backyard photos except that it was much clearer, which indicates that it may have been a first generation photo.
In 1978 the HSCA questioned Marina about the "backyard photographs."
HSCA. "I will show you those two photographs (133-A & 133-B) which are marked JFK Exhibit 1 and JFK Exhibit 2, do you recognize those two photographs.?"
Marina. "I sure do. I have seen them many times."
HSCA. "What are they?"
Marina. "That is the pictures that I took."
The HSCA then showed Marina a 4TH backyard photograph, found by George DeMorenschildt in 1967, and directed her attention to Russian writing on the backside.
HSCA. "I am now going to show you a photograph which was not seen by the WC...if you will direct your attention to the reverse side, that is where my questions will be directed...Do you see the phrase that is written on the upper right-hand?...Well first of all, what does it say.?"
Marina. "For hunter of facists, ha, ha, ha."
HSCA. "Now, if you will look in the lower left-hand corner, it says, 'To my friend, George. From Lee Oswald.' And there is a date '5', then 'IV/63.' Do you recognize that handwriting?"
Marina. "No."
(In the U.S. " 5 IV/63" would be read as May 4, 1963. However, in Europe (and Russia) it is read as 5 April, 1963 (the designation for the month and day are reversed). The handwriting on the backside of the DeMorenschildt's photo was neither Marina nor Lee Harvey Oswald's.)
The HSCA discussed with Marina, in detail, who might have written this caption on the photo. Marina denied writing the caption and HSCA member Mr. Firthian, who knew a limited amount of Russian, commented that the caption was, "Clearly either written from someone who doesn't know Russian, or the two words are written by different people...."
Whoever wrote the caption on the backside of the photo knew the importance of placing the date after March 31 (when the photos were allegedly taken), but prior to April 10 (when someone shot at General Walker). The caption written in Russian script, "Hunter of fascists ..Ha, Ha, Ha," was probably intended to alert investigators who saw the photo that Lee HARVEY Oswald was gunning for the fascist
"General Edwin Walker." It appears as though this photo was planted among George DeMorenschild'ts possessions while he was in Haiti, for the purpose of showing that Oswald was capable of killing for political reasons.
The HSCA then showed Marina a 5TH backyard photograph, identified as 133-C, and she immediately claimed that she had taken this photograph. The HSCA, already aware there were numerous "backyard photographs,' asked Marina how many photographs she took of Oswald:
HSCA. "Now, can you recall how many photographs you took, how many poses?" What we have here are two, two poses (133-A and 133-B). Can you recall whether you took any others.?"
Marina. "No, I don't."
HSCA. You don't recall?"
Marina. "I DON'T RECALL."
Marina had no choice but to answer, "I don't recall," because she had no idea how many other "backyard photographs" might appear. Marina's ever-changing story about the number of photograph's she took (1,2,3,4,5...?) clearly shows that she was either lying, OR HAD NOT
TAKEN ANY OF THE "BACKYARD PHOTOS" AND THEREFORE HAD NO IDEA HOW MANY WERE TAKEN.
Establishing The Date Of The "Backyard :Photos"
The WC needed to show that the backyard photos were taken while the Oswalds lived at 214 W. Neely in Dallas. The date had to be after March 20 when Klein's so-called mailed the rifle to Oswald, but before he moved to New Orleans on April 24th.
Commission Atty. Rankin asked Marina, "Do you recall the day that you.took the picture of him with the rifle and pistol?" Marina answered, "I think that was TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY , POSSIBLY THE BEGINNING OF MARCH." Rankin immediately realized there was a problem because MARINA COULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS BEFORE THE RIFLE WAS SHIPPED TO OSWALD ON MARCH 20.
The backyard photos were enlarged by the FBI in order to determine the names of the newspapers that Oswald was holding in his hand. The newspapers were identified as the Militant and the Worker. The Worker was mailed to Oswald on March 24, and arrived in Dallas on or about March 27, 1963. THIS LIMITED THE DATES OF THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS TO BETWEEN MARCH 27, AND APRIL 24.
Marina then testified the backyard photographs were taken on a Sunday, about 2 weeks before the attempted shooting of General Edwin Walker (which occurred on April 10, 1963). The only Sunday which followed March 27 and was "about two weeks before the attempted shooting of Gen. Walker," was on March 31. This was HOW the WC determined the backyard photos were taken.
DID Marina Destroy One Or More Of The "BY Photos?"
The first version was already considered with two smaller photos being destroyed at the urging of Marguerite when her husband was arrested that were in the family album.
On February 5, 1964 Marina told a SECOND VERSION to the WC and said,."I SHOWED LEE'S MOTHER THE PHOTOGRAPH, where he is photographed with a rifle, and told her he had shot at Walker and it appeared he might
have been shooting the President. On the next day (Saturday, Nov. 23) I DESTROYED ONE PHOTOGRAPH, which I had. I THINK I HAD TWO SMALL ONES. When we were in the HOTEL I burned it." The WC did not think to ask Marina how she was able to have this conversation with
Marguerite Oswald, since Marguerite did not speak Russian and Marina claimed she could not speak English.
On February 10, 1964 the short, dumpy, heavy set "Marguerite Oswald" imposter told the WC, "I want to tell you about destroying the picture. Now that was in MRS. PAINE'S HOUSE....He ws holding the rifle UP....(Mr. Rankin...had asked, 'Crosswise, with both hands on
the rifle?'....WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE RIFLE."
On February 27, 1964, two weeks after "Marguerite Oswald" appeared before the Commission, Marina changed her story for a THIRD TIME. This time she told the FBI that she burned TWO photographs on November 23, 1963 at the PAINE RESIDENCE, probably so her statement would agree with "Marguerite Oswald's" testimony.
In 1978 the HSCA asked Marina similar questions about the destruction of one of the backyard photographs:
HSCA. "Regarding all of the photographs, the different poses that we have seen, the photos you took of Lee, did you ever destroy any photograph of this nature?"
Marina. Apparently I did. I FORGET COMPLETELY ABOUT IT until somebody spoke about it. I THINK I DID."
HSCA. "How many did you destroy?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER."
HSCA. "How did you destroy the photograph?"
Marina. "Well, I HAD BEEN TOLD I BURNED IT..."
HSCA. Was anyone with you when you did it?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER."
Marina's convenient lapses of memory in 1978 allowed her to claim she could not remember who was with her when photograph(s) were destroyed, how they were destroyed, or even where they were destroyed. It was Marina's continual inconsistent testimony relating to the date of the backyard photographs, the type of camera used, the number of
photographs taken, and the destruction of two, then one, and then two photographs that caused several members of the WC, and later the HSCA, to seriously doubt Marina's truthfulness and credibility.
The HSCA, frustrated with Marina's convoluted testimony, compiled a 29-page report which they titled, "Marina Oswald Porter's Statements Of A Contradictory Nature." They also wrote, "No attempt has been made to explore whether Mrs. Porter's contradictory statements were the product of deception or simple confusion."