Post by Rob Caprio on Jun 5, 2022 12:39:32 GMT -5
All portions ©️ Robert Caprio 2006-2024
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The Warren Commission (WC) claimed that Lee Harvey Oswald (LHO) assassinated President John F. Kennedy (JFK), wounded Governor John B. Connolly (JBC), killed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit (JDT), attempted to assassinate retired General Edwin A. Walker (EAW), and that he went to Mexico City, Mexico.
Of course they provided absolutely no supporting evidence for any of these claims in the twenty-six volumes. This post doesn't deal with any these topics, but rather drills down to a very specific topic that sheds light on how the WC dealt with issues that didn't fit their theory.
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Evaristo Rodriguez was a bartender at the Habana Bar in New Orleans, Louisiana. In August 1963, Rodriguez would wait on two people at the bar. The WCR gives us these details.
Quote on
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/pages/WCReport_0175a.gif
Rodriguez' identification of Oswald was uncorroborated except for the testimony of the owner, Orest Pena; according to Rodriguez, Pena was not in a position to observe the man he thought later to have been Oswald. Although Pena has testified that he did observe the same person as did Rodriguez, and that this person was Oswald, an FBI interview report indicated that a month earlier Pena had stated that he "could not at this time or at any time say whether or not the person was identical with Lee Harvey Oswald." (WCR , p. 325)
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0175a.htm
Quote off
I like how the WC writes that Rodriguez’ statement is uncorroborated, but then admits that there is corroboration. They then try to discredit Orest Pena's corroboration by saying that he contradicted himself as he told the FBI that he couldn't say that the non-Latin man was LHO.
It is ironic that Pena should be disqualified as a witness because he allegedly contradicted himself, but no such action would be applied to Marina Oswald, Ruth Paine, Helen Markham, Howard Brennan, Johnny Brewer and Mary Bledsoe. The WC was only discerning when the witness was saying something that didn't match their preconceived theory.
This is all besides the point anyway and shows how the WC used tricks to distract. Even if Pena wasn't a hundred percent sure, how does this alter Rodriguez’ original statement? It doesn't of course, but that was the trick the WC was attempting to pull off.
In fact, Pena would testify that it was the FBI that got it wrong in terms of what he said.
Mr. LIEBELER - When you talked to the FBI on June 9, 1964, you told them, did you not, that you had never told anybody that Oswald had been in the bar?
Mr. PENA - That I never told anybody?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA – That's not true.
Mr. LIEBELER – Didn't you tell that to the FBI?
Mr. PENA – I don't think that's so. That I never told anybody?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA - I didn't told anybody before?
Mr. LIEBELER – I have a report before me, Mr. Pena, of an interview of you in the presence of your attorney, Mr. Tamberella, which was made by Mr. De Brueys and Mr. Wall. That was in the FBI office on June 9, and on page 2 of this particular report, which is page 14 of the larger report, it says, and I quote: "Orest Pena specifically stated he had never told anyone, including Carlos Bringuier, that Oswald had been in the Habana Bar with a Mexican prior to the assassination of President Kennedy. He also said he never heard his brother, Ruperto Pena, say that Oswald had been in the bar with a Mexican. He also stated that he had no information that the FBI was ever looking for a Mexican who had ever patronized his bar." Did you tell the FBI that?
Mr. PENA – I don't think so.
Mr. LIEBELER - In fact, you did tell Bringuier that you had seen Oswald in the bar?
Mr. PENA – When we were talking after the assassination, we were talking about it.
Mr. LIEBELER – Did you tell the FBI agents back in December that Oswald had been in the bar and that you had seen him?
Mr. PENA – Yes.
This testimony shows that the FBI, via Agents Warren De Brueys and Mr. Wall, falsely reported that Pena had not told anyone that he had seen LHO in the Habana Bar, but as we just saw Pena never said that. This again illustrates that the FBI (or at least portions of it) was willing to misrepresent what was said in order to hide any information that may show LHO in a conspiratorial manner. He had to remain a lone wolf.
If Pena was not misquoted then we see a good reason for his possible change of heart in this part of his testimony.
Mr. LIEBELER - You don't have any criticism of the FBI as far as the investigation of the Kennedy assassination was concerned except that you just don't like to talk to the FBI any more; is that right?
Mr. PENA - You mean after the assassination?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA – After the assassination, they came and asked me so many times about the same thing, lemonade, it just looked silly to me. They came over so many times, I said, I better do something about it. I called my lawyer and said, "Look! I don't know anything else about this. I want you to go with me there and put it clear that that's what I know about it and I don't want no more part of that."
Clearly Pena was being intimidated as the FBI agents kept coming to question him about the same thing. The issue of lemonade was very important so of course the WC made no mention of it in their report. Why was the lemonade important? Because the bar didn't serve lemonade, thus, they had to specially make a drink for LHO or the lookalike.
Mr. LIEBELER - Would you tell us now what you told them at that time?
Mr. PENA - Well, they asked me in connection with the Mr. Kennedy, the late President Kennedy's assassination, and also if I know anything about it. I told them I didn't know anything about it. They asked me if I saw Oswald; so I said I saw him once…My bartender, Evaristo Rodriguez, said he was with only one man, so I don't know exactly. It was something that happened in my place of business; a customer asking for a lemonade; a man. They don't usually do that. That was the first time in 7 years I have been in business that a customer asked for a lemonade. So my bartender... he came to me and said, "The customer wants a lemonade. Do we do that?" I said, "Sure." He didn't know how to make it, so I said, "Take a glass of water, couple of spoons of sugar, some lemon." He say, "How much should I charge ?" I said, "Twenty-five cents." He went back and made a lemonade and put it to Oswald. Then Oswald got mad. Said 25 cents was too much for the lemonade, and then he asked for a tequila for his friend.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did Oswald ask for the tequila or did his friend?
Mr. PENA - I don't know exactly. I was away from there. I didn't pay any attention. They got mad about the 25 cents for the lemonade and 50 cents for the tequila, so they asked my bartender, Evaristo, why I charge so much for the drinks and I was a capitalist charging too much for the drinks…Then I don't know whether he left or something, but he vomited after that; Oswald did. I don't know anything but they walked away; that's all. When the assassination happened, they put the pictures over on the television, so I saw Oswald and said, "That's the man who came to my place one time, the man who ordered the lemonade." Evaristo came and said, "Look! That's the man that assassinated Mr. Kennedy is the one that was here one time."
Mr. LIEBELER - You told this to Rodriguez?
Mr. PENA - No; he told me. I identified to him by the television. I saw him that day.
When you read this testimony it becomes clear that this was another LHO impersonation. Why? First of all, one of the men (possibly “LHO”) orders a drink not on the serving list of the bar so that this would make them stand out. Pena said that in his 7 years of operating the bar he had never had a customer ask for a lemonade. This was meant for effect.
Secondly, the men argued over the $.25 price for the lemonade and $.50 for the Tequila. Again this was for effect and meant to leave an impression. To further leave an impression they accuse Pena of being a capitalist again portraying themselves as either socialist or communist.
Finally, the man who looks like LHO vomits. Who could forget this action?
What did the WC say about this incident? Here is their brief and misleading statement.
Quote on
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/pages/WCReport_0175a.gif
When present at Pena's bar, Oswald was supposed to have been intoxicated to the extent that he became ill, which is inconsistent with other evidence that Oswald did not drink alcoholic beverages to excess. (WCR, p. 325)
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0175a.htm
Quote off
This statement is very misleading as it states that the man believed to be LHO was ill because he was intoxicated, but that was inconsistent with other evidence that showed LHO did not drink alcoholic beverages. This is misleading because it is most likely that the evidence provided by Pena said that the LHO lookalike had a lemonade and did not drink any alcohol. The WC again was trying to make uncomfortable information go away by ignoring the actual evidence.
This brings us to a final question. If the LHO lookalike wasn't drinking alcohol and wasn't intoxicated, what made him get ill and vomit? I think this further supports the notion that this was a staged incident to again leave a footprint of LHO with either a Latin type or types.
thumbs.dreamstime.com/x/la-habana-hemingway-cigar-bar-new-orleans-louisiana-city-usa-68768219.jpg
The Warren Commission (WC) claimed that Lee Harvey Oswald (LHO) assassinated President John F. Kennedy (JFK), wounded Governor John B. Connolly (JBC), killed Dallas Police Officer J.D. Tippit (JDT), attempted to assassinate retired General Edwin A. Walker (EAW), and that he went to Mexico City, Mexico.
Of course they provided absolutely no supporting evidence for any of these claims in the twenty-six volumes. This post doesn't deal with any these topics, but rather drills down to a very specific topic that sheds light on how the WC dealt with issues that didn't fit their theory.
*******************************************
Evaristo Rodriguez was a bartender at the Habana Bar in New Orleans, Louisiana. In August 1963, Rodriguez would wait on two people at the bar. The WCR gives us these details.
Quote on
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/pages/WCReport_0175a.gif
Rodriguez' identification of Oswald was uncorroborated except for the testimony of the owner, Orest Pena; according to Rodriguez, Pena was not in a position to observe the man he thought later to have been Oswald. Although Pena has testified that he did observe the same person as did Rodriguez, and that this person was Oswald, an FBI interview report indicated that a month earlier Pena had stated that he "could not at this time or at any time say whether or not the person was identical with Lee Harvey Oswald." (WCR , p. 325)
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0175a.htm
Quote off
I like how the WC writes that Rodriguez’ statement is uncorroborated, but then admits that there is corroboration. They then try to discredit Orest Pena's corroboration by saying that he contradicted himself as he told the FBI that he couldn't say that the non-Latin man was LHO.
It is ironic that Pena should be disqualified as a witness because he allegedly contradicted himself, but no such action would be applied to Marina Oswald, Ruth Paine, Helen Markham, Howard Brennan, Johnny Brewer and Mary Bledsoe. The WC was only discerning when the witness was saying something that didn't match their preconceived theory.
This is all besides the point anyway and shows how the WC used tricks to distract. Even if Pena wasn't a hundred percent sure, how does this alter Rodriguez’ original statement? It doesn't of course, but that was the trick the WC was attempting to pull off.
In fact, Pena would testify that it was the FBI that got it wrong in terms of what he said.
Mr. LIEBELER - When you talked to the FBI on June 9, 1964, you told them, did you not, that you had never told anybody that Oswald had been in the bar?
Mr. PENA - That I never told anybody?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA – That's not true.
Mr. LIEBELER – Didn't you tell that to the FBI?
Mr. PENA – I don't think that's so. That I never told anybody?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA - I didn't told anybody before?
Mr. LIEBELER – I have a report before me, Mr. Pena, of an interview of you in the presence of your attorney, Mr. Tamberella, which was made by Mr. De Brueys and Mr. Wall. That was in the FBI office on June 9, and on page 2 of this particular report, which is page 14 of the larger report, it says, and I quote: "Orest Pena specifically stated he had never told anyone, including Carlos Bringuier, that Oswald had been in the Habana Bar with a Mexican prior to the assassination of President Kennedy. He also said he never heard his brother, Ruperto Pena, say that Oswald had been in the bar with a Mexican. He also stated that he had no information that the FBI was ever looking for a Mexican who had ever patronized his bar." Did you tell the FBI that?
Mr. PENA – I don't think so.
Mr. LIEBELER - In fact, you did tell Bringuier that you had seen Oswald in the bar?
Mr. PENA – When we were talking after the assassination, we were talking about it.
Mr. LIEBELER – Did you tell the FBI agents back in December that Oswald had been in the bar and that you had seen him?
Mr. PENA – Yes.
This testimony shows that the FBI, via Agents Warren De Brueys and Mr. Wall, falsely reported that Pena had not told anyone that he had seen LHO in the Habana Bar, but as we just saw Pena never said that. This again illustrates that the FBI (or at least portions of it) was willing to misrepresent what was said in order to hide any information that may show LHO in a conspiratorial manner. He had to remain a lone wolf.
If Pena was not misquoted then we see a good reason for his possible change of heart in this part of his testimony.
Mr. LIEBELER - You don't have any criticism of the FBI as far as the investigation of the Kennedy assassination was concerned except that you just don't like to talk to the FBI any more; is that right?
Mr. PENA - You mean after the assassination?
Mr. LIEBELER - Yes.
Mr. PENA – After the assassination, they came and asked me so many times about the same thing, lemonade, it just looked silly to me. They came over so many times, I said, I better do something about it. I called my lawyer and said, "Look! I don't know anything else about this. I want you to go with me there and put it clear that that's what I know about it and I don't want no more part of that."
Clearly Pena was being intimidated as the FBI agents kept coming to question him about the same thing. The issue of lemonade was very important so of course the WC made no mention of it in their report. Why was the lemonade important? Because the bar didn't serve lemonade, thus, they had to specially make a drink for LHO or the lookalike.
Mr. LIEBELER - Would you tell us now what you told them at that time?
Mr. PENA - Well, they asked me in connection with the Mr. Kennedy, the late President Kennedy's assassination, and also if I know anything about it. I told them I didn't know anything about it. They asked me if I saw Oswald; so I said I saw him once…My bartender, Evaristo Rodriguez, said he was with only one man, so I don't know exactly. It was something that happened in my place of business; a customer asking for a lemonade; a man. They don't usually do that. That was the first time in 7 years I have been in business that a customer asked for a lemonade. So my bartender... he came to me and said, "The customer wants a lemonade. Do we do that?" I said, "Sure." He didn't know how to make it, so I said, "Take a glass of water, couple of spoons of sugar, some lemon." He say, "How much should I charge ?" I said, "Twenty-five cents." He went back and made a lemonade and put it to Oswald. Then Oswald got mad. Said 25 cents was too much for the lemonade, and then he asked for a tequila for his friend.
Mr. LIEBELER - Did Oswald ask for the tequila or did his friend?
Mr. PENA - I don't know exactly. I was away from there. I didn't pay any attention. They got mad about the 25 cents for the lemonade and 50 cents for the tequila, so they asked my bartender, Evaristo, why I charge so much for the drinks and I was a capitalist charging too much for the drinks…Then I don't know whether he left or something, but he vomited after that; Oswald did. I don't know anything but they walked away; that's all. When the assassination happened, they put the pictures over on the television, so I saw Oswald and said, "That's the man who came to my place one time, the man who ordered the lemonade." Evaristo came and said, "Look! That's the man that assassinated Mr. Kennedy is the one that was here one time."
Mr. LIEBELER - You told this to Rodriguez?
Mr. PENA - No; he told me. I identified to him by the television. I saw him that day.
When you read this testimony it becomes clear that this was another LHO impersonation. Why? First of all, one of the men (possibly “LHO”) orders a drink not on the serving list of the bar so that this would make them stand out. Pena said that in his 7 years of operating the bar he had never had a customer ask for a lemonade. This was meant for effect.
Secondly, the men argued over the $.25 price for the lemonade and $.50 for the Tequila. Again this was for effect and meant to leave an impression. To further leave an impression they accuse Pena of being a capitalist again portraying themselves as either socialist or communist.
Finally, the man who looks like LHO vomits. Who could forget this action?
What did the WC say about this incident? Here is their brief and misleading statement.
Quote on
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/pages/WCReport_0175a.gif
When present at Pena's bar, Oswald was supposed to have been intoxicated to the extent that he became ill, which is inconsistent with other evidence that Oswald did not drink alcoholic beverages to excess. (WCR, p. 325)
historymatters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wr/html/WCReport_0175a.htm
Quote off
This statement is very misleading as it states that the man believed to be LHO was ill because he was intoxicated, but that was inconsistent with other evidence that showed LHO did not drink alcoholic beverages. This is misleading because it is most likely that the evidence provided by Pena said that the LHO lookalike had a lemonade and did not drink any alcohol. The WC again was trying to make uncomfortable information go away by ignoring the actual evidence.
This brings us to a final question. If the LHO lookalike wasn't drinking alcohol and wasn't intoxicated, what made him get ill and vomit? I think this further supports the notion that this was a staged incident to again leave a footprint of LHO with either a Latin type or types.