Post by John Duncan on Oct 16, 2019 21:13:18 GMT -5
This is from John Armstrong's book "Harvey and Lee" and pertains to the cameras allegedly found among LHO's possessions and the BYPs.
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On November 22 and 23rd the Dallas Police confiscated Oswald's possessions from his rooming house and the Paine's garage. They obtained three cameras which were listed on the Dallas Police inventory of November, 23, 1963. One of the cameras was an American-made "Stereo Realist." A second camera was listed as a "Small German camera and black case on a chain." The Stereo Realist was a dual-lens camera which used 35mm film and took "3-D" photographs. The Russian-made camera was a Cuera 2 that also used 35mm film. The small German camera was a miniature Minox spy camera that used special cartridge film that only could be processed through Minox Laboratories and produced a photograph that was similar in size to a 35mm photo. None of these cameras were capable of producing a finished print the size and shape of the "backyard photos," which was developed from 620 roll film.
On November 26, 1963 the Secret Service questioned Marina about two of the cameras found by Dallas Police, but said nothing about the "Small German camera and black case on a chain" listed on the DPD inventory. Marina said that her husband bought one camera in Russia.and a second one in the United States. She said that one of the.cameras was small and the other was a box camera. She added that she was not proficient with operating any cameras, as she never had the opportunity to do so.
When Secret Service agents showed Marina the two backyard photos she APPEARED TO BE MOMENTARILY STUNNED and began to cry. After composing herself Marina said she recognized the background of the pictures and identified the location as the duplex where the lived on Neely Street. Two weeks later, on December 8, 1963, Ruth Paine gave Robert Oswald a gray-colored plastic Imperial Reflex camera. This camera allegedly belonged to Lee Harvey Oswald, but instead of giving the camera to the Dallas Police or the FBI, Mrs. Paine gave it to Robert Oswald. Robert kept the camera for two months and finally turned it
over to the FBI in February 1964.
On February 1, 1964 FBI agents interviewed Marina and again questioned her about cameras owned by Oswald. Marina changed her story slightly, and told the agents her husband haD two cameras; one had been purchased in Minsk, Russia in September 1961 (the Russian-made Cuera 2), and THE OTHER WAS PURCHASED BY OSWALD PRIOR TO HIS ENTRYINTO THE US MARINE CORPS (A U.S.-made camera with his brother, Robert. When Oswald and Marina moved to the US (June 1962) Robert returned the camera. Marina was then shown a photograph of the two cameras confiscated by Dallas Police (the Cuera 2 and the Stereo Realist). She said the Cuera 2 appeared to be the Russian camera and the Stereo
Realist appeared to be the American-made camera.
On February 3, 1964 Marina testified before the Warren Commission in Washington, D.C. The Commission had the two backyard photos allegedly found by the Dallas Police in Ruth Paine's garage (CE 133-A an 133-B) and needed Marina to identify the camera used to take the photos.
Mr. Thorne. "Exhibit 136 is a camera within a leather case."
Marina. "This is a RUSSIAN CAMERA."
Mr. Rankin. "Is that the camera you used to take the pictures you have referred to?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER exactly whether it was an American camera or this."
Mr. Rankin. "I offer in evidence Exhibit 136."
Mr. Thorne. "Exhibit 137 is a camera in a leather case." (the STEREO REALIST camera)
Mr. Rankin "Have you ever seen that camera before?"
Marina. "NO."
Mr. Rankin. "do ou know what happened to the American camera that you referred to?"
Marina. "I DON'T KNOW."
After telling the FBI that the Stereo Realist appeared to be Oswald's American-made camera only two days earlier, Marina now told the Commission she had never seen the Stereo Realist Camera. A photograph of Exhibit 137 was not published in the Warren Volumes nor was Exhibit 137 identified on the WC's list of Exhibits (published as Exhibit No. 3154 in Volume 26).
On February 8, 1964 Marina left Washington, D.C. and returned to her manager's home in Dallas (Jim Martin). The next day, after conferring with Robert Oswald, Marina and her two children moved into Robert's home at 1009 Sierra Drive in Denton, Texas. During this time Robert Oswald had possession of the Imperial Reflex camera that was given to him on December 8, 1963 by Ruth Paine.
After living in Robert Oswald's home for only two days (February 10-11, 1964), Marina moved out and was interviewed a week later by FBI agents on February 18. When asked about her husband's cameras she again said that Oswald owned two cameras and was shown photographs of the Cuera 2 and the Stereo Realist for identification. Marina said the Russian-made camera belonged to her husband, but the American-made STEREO REALIST CAMERA DID NOT. She then told the FBI agents, WITHOUT PROMPTING, that PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE WALKER HOUSE WERE TAKEN WITH AN AMERICAN-MADE CAMERA. How did she know??
Six days later, on February 24, 1964, Robert Oswald gave a cheap, plastic, Imperial Reflex camera to FBI agent Bardwell Odum. FBI agents soon questioned DPD detectives who had searched the Paine's on November 22 and 23rd (Stovall, Adameik, Rose, Moore). The detectives told the FBI agents that they had not seen the Imperial Reflex at Ruth Paine's, but said if they had seen it, they would have brought it in. Curiously, Detective John McCabe of the Irving Police Department said that he saw the camera at Ruth Paine's, but thought it was of no evidentiary value. *The FBI and the WC should have asked Robert Oswald why he failed to give the camera to the FBI for 2 and a 1/2 months.
On February 27, only three days after Robert Oswald gave the Imperial Reflex to the FBI, Marina was again questioned by FBI agents about the type of camera that she ALLEGEDLY used to take the backyard photographs. MARINA WAS NOT SHOWN PHOTOGRAPHS NOR TOLD THE NAME OF ANY CAMERA, yet speaking through FBI interpreter Anatole A. Boguslav, MARINA VOLUNTEERED THAT SHE HAD TAKEN THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS WITH AN IMPERIAL REFLEX CAMERA.
On June 11, 1964, Marina was questioned by the WC about the Imperial Reflex, but VERY,VERY, BRIEFLY:
Mr. Rankin. "Mrs. Oswald, will you examine the cameras of your husband And tell us which one took the pictures what showed your husband with the rifle and the pistol, as you will recall?"
Marina. "Yes."
Mr. Rankin. "With one of these cameras?"
Marina. "This is the FIRST AND LAST TIME IN MY LIFE I ever took a photograph and it was done with this gray camera."
*Gray camera?? Marina had apparently alaready forgotten the name of the camera.
Mr. Redlich. "Mr. Rankin, the Commission exhibit numbers of the two cameras, one is CE No. 136 (Cuera 2) and one is CE No. 750 (Imperial Reflex)."
Mr. McKenzie "And the gray camera she is referring to, Mr. Rankin, for the purpose of the record is CE No. 750, isnt' that right, Mrs. Oswald?"
Marina. "Yes."
Mr. Rankin. "That is the gray camera you just said you took pictures with, is that correct?"
Marina "Yes. The other camera also belonged to Lee but I don't use it."
Mr. Rankin "TURNING TO ANOTHER SUBJECT NOW..."
A photograph of the Stereo Realist camera was not shown to Marina on June 11, 1964. Two months later, on August 12, the Stereo Realist was turned over to Ruth Paine, who claimed it was her camera. The questions researchers ask are, "Why was there no communication between the Paines and Dallas Police, FBI, or WC requesting that the Stereo Realist be returned before August, 1964? Why did neither Ruth nor Michael Paine ask to have the Stereo Realist camera returned during their numerous interviews by the Dallas Police, SS, or the FBI?? Why were neither Ruth nor MIchael Paine shown the Stereo Realist camera (CE 137) during their WC testimony and asked if this camera belonged to them?"'
In 1978 Marina was questioned by the HSCA about the Imperial Reflex (CE 750) and her answers were limited to, "I don't remember, I believe so, I can't answer, etc."
HSCA. "Mrs. Porter, I would like to show you five different cameras at the current time and ask you if you recognize any of them and if so which ones."
Marina. "I DON'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THEM."
HSCA. "Well, have you ever used a camera similar to any of those?"
Marina. "Well, I used a camera once in my life when I took a picture of Lee but I don't know what the camera looks like?"
HSCA. "You don't remember what the camera looks like,"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "Have you any memory?"
Marina. "I have been told what button to push and that is all I recall."
HSCA. "Do you know if you haVe ever seen cameras like that before,.not if you have used them but if you have ever seen them before?"
Marina. "Well, I have seen some people wear a camera like that around their neck, a tourist."
HSCA. "This camera here, does this look at all familiar to you?"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "Which is identified as CE No. 750?"
Marina. "No, I DON'T RECALL."
HSCA. "Did you ever see any of the cameras before you in the possession of Lee?"
Marina. I DO NOT RECALL now at all the camera we used to have. The camera could be here but I would not recognize it at all."
HSCA. You just don't remember?"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "If I show you this camera which was CE No. 750 (Imperial Reflex) and raise the top part so you can see there is a viewfinder and ask you just to look at the camera, would that refresh your recollection that was the camera you allegedly took the photographs of Lee with?"
Marina. "Well, I honestly do not remember if I look straight at the object or look down."
HSCA. "Was it (the Imperial Reflex) the same one he had in Russia or a different one, do you know?"
Marina. "I BELIEVE SO."
HSCA "To your knowledge, did he own-well, did he own a camera?"
Marina. "I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER."
HSCA. "When you lived in Texas did he own a camera?"
Marina. "I DON'T RECALL....I do believe he probably had. But I would not recognize the camera. If somebody said was that yours, I would not claim it."
HSCA "Did he ever to your knowledge have any photography equipment like developing or other photography equipment.?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER." Didn't he work once once with some kind of photograph? He could use their equipment."
HSCA. "I can't answer that question, I have to ask you the.questions. Do you remember what color the camera was?"
Marina. "I think it was BLACK." (The Imperial Reflex was gray).
For 2 1/2 months Marina said that Oswald owned only two cameras (Cuera.2 and Stereo Realist). But after Marina resided in Robert Oswald's home for two days, and after Robert gave the camera to the FBI on February 24, Marina changed her story. She told the FBI, through an interpreter; that an Imperial Reflex camera had been used to take the "backyard photos" and the Walker photos. How Russian-speaking Marina was able to remember the English name of the "Imperial Reflex" camera she allegedly used only once in her life a year earlier, remains unknown. It appears as though, Marina, after living at Robert Oswald's was told the name of the "Imperial Reflex" camera and told to say that it was the camera she used to take the "Backyard" and "Walker" photos.(John Armstrong, "Harvey & Lee", pp. 492-496)
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On November 22 and 23rd the Dallas Police confiscated Oswald's possessions from his rooming house and the Paine's garage. They obtained three cameras which were listed on the Dallas Police inventory of November, 23, 1963. One of the cameras was an American-made "Stereo Realist." A second camera was listed as a "Small German camera and black case on a chain." The Stereo Realist was a dual-lens camera which used 35mm film and took "3-D" photographs. The Russian-made camera was a Cuera 2 that also used 35mm film. The small German camera was a miniature Minox spy camera that used special cartridge film that only could be processed through Minox Laboratories and produced a photograph that was similar in size to a 35mm photo. None of these cameras were capable of producing a finished print the size and shape of the "backyard photos," which was developed from 620 roll film.
On November 26, 1963 the Secret Service questioned Marina about two of the cameras found by Dallas Police, but said nothing about the "Small German camera and black case on a chain" listed on the DPD inventory. Marina said that her husband bought one camera in Russia.and a second one in the United States. She said that one of the.cameras was small and the other was a box camera. She added that she was not proficient with operating any cameras, as she never had the opportunity to do so.
When Secret Service agents showed Marina the two backyard photos she APPEARED TO BE MOMENTARILY STUNNED and began to cry. After composing herself Marina said she recognized the background of the pictures and identified the location as the duplex where the lived on Neely Street. Two weeks later, on December 8, 1963, Ruth Paine gave Robert Oswald a gray-colored plastic Imperial Reflex camera. This camera allegedly belonged to Lee Harvey Oswald, but instead of giving the camera to the Dallas Police or the FBI, Mrs. Paine gave it to Robert Oswald. Robert kept the camera for two months and finally turned it
over to the FBI in February 1964.
On February 1, 1964 FBI agents interviewed Marina and again questioned her about cameras owned by Oswald. Marina changed her story slightly, and told the agents her husband haD two cameras; one had been purchased in Minsk, Russia in September 1961 (the Russian-made Cuera 2), and THE OTHER WAS PURCHASED BY OSWALD PRIOR TO HIS ENTRYINTO THE US MARINE CORPS (A U.S.-made camera with his brother, Robert. When Oswald and Marina moved to the US (June 1962) Robert returned the camera. Marina was then shown a photograph of the two cameras confiscated by Dallas Police (the Cuera 2 and the Stereo Realist). She said the Cuera 2 appeared to be the Russian camera and the Stereo
Realist appeared to be the American-made camera.
On February 3, 1964 Marina testified before the Warren Commission in Washington, D.C. The Commission had the two backyard photos allegedly found by the Dallas Police in Ruth Paine's garage (CE 133-A an 133-B) and needed Marina to identify the camera used to take the photos.
Mr. Thorne. "Exhibit 136 is a camera within a leather case."
Marina. "This is a RUSSIAN CAMERA."
Mr. Rankin. "Is that the camera you used to take the pictures you have referred to?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER exactly whether it was an American camera or this."
Mr. Rankin. "I offer in evidence Exhibit 136."
Mr. Thorne. "Exhibit 137 is a camera in a leather case." (the STEREO REALIST camera)
Mr. Rankin "Have you ever seen that camera before?"
Marina. "NO."
Mr. Rankin. "do ou know what happened to the American camera that you referred to?"
Marina. "I DON'T KNOW."
After telling the FBI that the Stereo Realist appeared to be Oswald's American-made camera only two days earlier, Marina now told the Commission she had never seen the Stereo Realist Camera. A photograph of Exhibit 137 was not published in the Warren Volumes nor was Exhibit 137 identified on the WC's list of Exhibits (published as Exhibit No. 3154 in Volume 26).
On February 8, 1964 Marina left Washington, D.C. and returned to her manager's home in Dallas (Jim Martin). The next day, after conferring with Robert Oswald, Marina and her two children moved into Robert's home at 1009 Sierra Drive in Denton, Texas. During this time Robert Oswald had possession of the Imperial Reflex camera that was given to him on December 8, 1963 by Ruth Paine.
After living in Robert Oswald's home for only two days (February 10-11, 1964), Marina moved out and was interviewed a week later by FBI agents on February 18. When asked about her husband's cameras she again said that Oswald owned two cameras and was shown photographs of the Cuera 2 and the Stereo Realist for identification. Marina said the Russian-made camera belonged to her husband, but the American-made STEREO REALIST CAMERA DID NOT. She then told the FBI agents, WITHOUT PROMPTING, that PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE WALKER HOUSE WERE TAKEN WITH AN AMERICAN-MADE CAMERA. How did she know??
Six days later, on February 24, 1964, Robert Oswald gave a cheap, plastic, Imperial Reflex camera to FBI agent Bardwell Odum. FBI agents soon questioned DPD detectives who had searched the Paine's on November 22 and 23rd (Stovall, Adameik, Rose, Moore). The detectives told the FBI agents that they had not seen the Imperial Reflex at Ruth Paine's, but said if they had seen it, they would have brought it in. Curiously, Detective John McCabe of the Irving Police Department said that he saw the camera at Ruth Paine's, but thought it was of no evidentiary value. *The FBI and the WC should have asked Robert Oswald why he failed to give the camera to the FBI for 2 and a 1/2 months.
On February 27, only three days after Robert Oswald gave the Imperial Reflex to the FBI, Marina was again questioned by FBI agents about the type of camera that she ALLEGEDLY used to take the backyard photographs. MARINA WAS NOT SHOWN PHOTOGRAPHS NOR TOLD THE NAME OF ANY CAMERA, yet speaking through FBI interpreter Anatole A. Boguslav, MARINA VOLUNTEERED THAT SHE HAD TAKEN THE BACKYARD PHOTOGRAPHS WITH AN IMPERIAL REFLEX CAMERA.
After repeatedly failing to identify the camera used to take the backyard photos during the previous three months, Russian-speaking Marina suddenly remembered and provided the ENGLISH NAME of a little known, cheap, plastic, Imperial Reflex that she supposedly used on one occasion a year earlier. Marina should have been asked why, after 3 months, she suddenly knew the English name of the camera. She also should have been asked if she saw or discussed the Imperial Reflex with Robert Oswald or anyone else during the two days she lived at his house.
On June 11, 1964, Marina was questioned by the WC about the Imperial Reflex, but VERY,VERY, BRIEFLY:
Mr. Rankin. "Mrs. Oswald, will you examine the cameras of your husband And tell us which one took the pictures what showed your husband with the rifle and the pistol, as you will recall?"
Marina. "Yes."
Mr. Rankin. "With one of these cameras?"
Marina. "This is the FIRST AND LAST TIME IN MY LIFE I ever took a photograph and it was done with this gray camera."
*Gray camera?? Marina had apparently alaready forgotten the name of the camera.
Mr. Redlich. "Mr. Rankin, the Commission exhibit numbers of the two cameras, one is CE No. 136 (Cuera 2) and one is CE No. 750 (Imperial Reflex)."
Mr. McKenzie "And the gray camera she is referring to, Mr. Rankin, for the purpose of the record is CE No. 750, isnt' that right, Mrs. Oswald?"
Marina. "Yes."
Mr. Rankin. "That is the gray camera you just said you took pictures with, is that correct?"
Marina "Yes. The other camera also belonged to Lee but I don't use it."
Mr. Rankin "TURNING TO ANOTHER SUBJECT NOW..."
A photograph of the Stereo Realist camera was not shown to Marina on June 11, 1964. Two months later, on August 12, the Stereo Realist was turned over to Ruth Paine, who claimed it was her camera. The questions researchers ask are, "Why was there no communication between the Paines and Dallas Police, FBI, or WC requesting that the Stereo Realist be returned before August, 1964? Why did neither Ruth nor Michael Paine ask to have the Stereo Realist camera returned during their numerous interviews by the Dallas Police, SS, or the FBI?? Why were neither Ruth nor MIchael Paine shown the Stereo Realist camera (CE 137) during their WC testimony and asked if this camera belonged to them?"'
In 1978 Marina was questioned by the HSCA about the Imperial Reflex (CE 750) and her answers were limited to, "I don't remember, I believe so, I can't answer, etc."
HSCA. "Mrs. Porter, I would like to show you five different cameras at the current time and ask you if you recognize any of them and if so which ones."
Marina. "I DON'T RECOGNIZE ANY OF THEM."
HSCA. "Well, have you ever used a camera similar to any of those?"
Marina. "Well, I used a camera once in my life when I took a picture of Lee but I don't know what the camera looks like?"
HSCA. "You don't remember what the camera looks like,"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "Have you any memory?"
Marina. "I have been told what button to push and that is all I recall."
HSCA. "Do you know if you haVe ever seen cameras like that before,.not if you have used them but if you have ever seen them before?"
Marina. "Well, I have seen some people wear a camera like that around their neck, a tourist."
HSCA. "This camera here, does this look at all familiar to you?"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "Which is identified as CE No. 750?"
Marina. "No, I DON'T RECALL."
HSCA. "Did you ever see any of the cameras before you in the possession of Lee?"
Marina. I DO NOT RECALL now at all the camera we used to have. The camera could be here but I would not recognize it at all."
HSCA. You just don't remember?"
Marina. "No."
HSCA. "If I show you this camera which was CE No. 750 (Imperial Reflex) and raise the top part so you can see there is a viewfinder and ask you just to look at the camera, would that refresh your recollection that was the camera you allegedly took the photographs of Lee with?"
Marina. "Well, I honestly do not remember if I look straight at the object or look down."
HSCA. "Was it (the Imperial Reflex) the same one he had in Russia or a different one, do you know?"
Marina. "I BELIEVE SO."
HSCA "To your knowledge, did he own-well, did he own a camera?"
Marina. "I DON'T REALLY REMEMBER."
HSCA. "When you lived in Texas did he own a camera?"
Marina. "I DON'T RECALL....I do believe he probably had. But I would not recognize the camera. If somebody said was that yours, I would not claim it."
HSCA "Did he ever to your knowledge have any photography equipment like developing or other photography equipment.?"
Marina. "I DON'T REMEMBER." Didn't he work once once with some kind of photograph? He could use their equipment."
HSCA. "I can't answer that question, I have to ask you the.questions. Do you remember what color the camera was?"
Marina. "I think it was BLACK." (The Imperial Reflex was gray).
For 2 1/2 months Marina said that Oswald owned only two cameras (Cuera.2 and Stereo Realist). But after Marina resided in Robert Oswald's home for two days, and after Robert gave the camera to the FBI on February 24, Marina changed her story. She told the FBI, through an interpreter; that an Imperial Reflex camera had been used to take the "backyard photos" and the Walker photos. How Russian-speaking Marina was able to remember the English name of the "Imperial Reflex" camera she allegedly used only once in her life a year earlier, remains unknown. It appears as though, Marina, after living at Robert Oswald's was told the name of the "Imperial Reflex" camera and told to say that it was the camera she used to take the "Backyard" and "Walker" photos.(John Armstrong, "Harvey & Lee", pp. 492-496)
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