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THE REMOVAL OF THE MOTORCYCLES FROM THE SIDE OF JFK'S LIMO, THE REPOSITIONING OF THEM AND THE REDUCTION OF THEIR NUMBER
By Gil Jesus 2/21/02
Secret Service Agent Sam Kinney contradicted Gerald Posner's contention that the President and his staff had requested the bubbletop removed, the agents off the running boards, and the motorcycles moved to the back of the limousine. (Posner p. 223)
According to researcher Vince Palamara, who has done enormous amounts of research on the Secret Service role in the assassination of the President, no less than nine agents told him that Kennedy NEVER restricted the agents or interfered with them doing anything. There were NEVER any orders from him to have the men removed from the running boards of the limo or do anything with regards to security. Kinney also told Palamara that Presidential Assistant Kenny O'Donnell did not interfere with these matters either. Kinney was quite adamant that Kennedy did not make any requests to move the motorcycles to the rear of his limo.
It certainly is backed up by the Dallas Police, who said after the assassination that the motorcycles were moved to the rear of the car at the request of the Secret Service. In addition, the Secret Service reduced the number of motorcycles that the Dallas Police had planned to ride beside the President's limo from four on each side to two on each side.
DPD motorcycle officer Marrion L. Baker---To the Warren Commission: [from 3 H
244]
Mr. Baker: At this particular day in the office up there before we went out, I was, my partner and I, we received instructions to ride right beside the President's car.
Mr. Belin: About when was this that you received these instructions?
Mr. Baker: Let's see, I believe we went to work early that day, somewhere around 8 o'clock.
Mr. Belin: And from whom did you receive your original instructions to ride by the side of the President's car?
Mr. Baker: Our sergeant is the one who gave us the instructions. This is all made up in the captain's office, I believe.
Mr. Belin: All right.
Mr. Dulles: Captain Curry?
Mr. Baker: Chief Curry; our captain is Captain Lawrence.
Mr. Belin: Were these instructions ever changed?
Mr. Baker: Yes, sir. When we got to the airport, our sergeant instructed me that there wouldn't be anybody riding beside the President's car.
Mr. Belin: Did he tell you why or why not?
Mr. Baker: No, sir.
Mr. Ball: Did you at any time come abreast of the President's car in the motorcade?
Mr. Martin: No, sir.
Mr. Ball: Were you under certain instructions as to how far behind the car you were to keep?
Mr. Martin: Yes, sir.
Mr. Ball: What were those instructions?
Mr. Martin: They [Secret Service]instructed us that they didn't want anyone riding past the President's car and that we were to ride to the rear, to the rear of his car, about the rear bumper.
Mr. Ball: I think that's all, Officer.
"[DPD Captain Perdue] Lawrence then said there would be four (4) motorcycles on either side of the motorcade immediately to the rear of the President's vehicle [as borne out by his 11/21/63 report]. MR. LAWSON [OF THE SECRET SERVICE] STATED THAT THIS WAS TOO MANY, that HE [Lawson]thought two (2) motorcycles on either side would be sufficient, about even with the rear fender of the President's car." [emphasis added]
The Dallas Police had originally planned to put four motorcycles on each side of the President's car.
In addition to DPD motorcycles officers B.W. Hargis and B.J. Martin, H.B. MCLAIN AND J.W. COURSON WERE SLATED TO RIDE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF JFK'S LIMOUSINE. Also, in addition to DPD motorcycle officers D.L.Jackson and J.M. Chaney, C.A. HAYGOOD AND M.L. BAKER WERE SLATED TO RIDE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF JFK'S LIMOUSINE.
Mr. Curry: In the planning of this motorcade, we had had more motorcycles lined up to be with the President's car, but the Secret Service didn't want that many.
Mr. Rankin: Did they tell you why?
Mr. Curry: We actually had two on each side but we wanted four on each side and they asked us to drop out some of them and back down the motorcade, along the motorcade, which we did.
Mr. Rankin: How many motorcycles did you have?
Mr. Curry. I think we had four on each side of him.
Mr. Rankin. How many did you want to have?
Mr. Curry: We actually had two on each side side but we wanted four on each side and they asked us to drop out some of them and back down the motorcade along the motorcade, which we did.
Mr. Rankin: So that you in fact only had two on each side of his car?
Mr. Curry: Two on each side and they asked them to remain at the rear fender so if the crowd moved in on him they could move in to protect him from the crowd.
Mr. Rankin. Who asked him to stay at the rear fender?
Mr. Curry: I believe Mr. Lawson.
Mr. Rankin. The Secret Service man?
Mr. Curry: Yes, sir.
Mr. Griffin: At the time of your first meeting with Chief Batchelor were you given any special instructions about the protection of the President?
Captain Lawrence: None.
Mr. Griffin: When was the next time you received some instructions from one of your superiors?
Captain Lawrence: The next time was, to the best of my knowledge, the motorcade assignments--possibly 2 days before the President arrived---I asked how we would escort this motorcade.
Mr. Griffin: And with whom did you discuss that?
Captain Lawrence: Chief Lunday and Chief Batchelor.
Captain Lawrence: I was told that there would be these lead motorcycle officers, and that we would also have these other officers alongside the President's car and the Vice President's car, and some of the others that would be in the motorcade, and approximately how many officers would be needed for the escort, and at that time I had prepared a list of 18 solo motorcycle officers, this included three solo sergeants. I was also instructed that about this motorcade--that when it reached Stemmons Expressway, Chief Batchelor told me that he wanted a solo motorcycle officer in each traffic lane, each of the five traffic lanes waiting for the motorcade, so that no vehicles, on Stemmons Expressway would pass the motorcade at all and he wanted these solo motorcycle officers to pull away from the escort and get up there on Stemmons Freeway and block the traffic, and some of these officers, he stated, would pull past the Presidential car.
Mr. Griffin: When did that conversation take place?
Captain Lawrence: That conversation took place about the 20th of November---2 days before.
Mr. Griffin: Now, did you receive another set of instructions or orders after that?
Captain LAWRENCE. Yes; on the evening of November 21, this was the first time that I had attended any security meeting at all in regards to this motorcade. At approximately 5 p.m. I was told to report to the conference room on the third floor, and when I arrived at the conference room the deputy chiefs were in there, there were members of the Secret Service--Mr. Sorrels, Captain Gannaway, Captain Souter of radio patrol, and Capt. Glen King, deputy chiefs,
assistant chiefs, and Chief Curry, and one gentleman, who I assume was in charge of the security the Secret Service. This was the first time I had attended any conferences in regard to the security of this escort, and I listened in on most of the discussion and I heard one of the Secret Service men say that President Kennedy did not desire any motorcycle officer directly on each side of him, between him and the crowd, but he would want the officers to the rear. This conversation I overheard as Chief Batchelor was using a blackboard showing how he planned to handle this--how plans had been made to cover the escort.
Mr. Griffin: Was there ever any discussion that you heard about taking
precautions designed to prevent some sort of assault on the President that would be more severe than simply placards, picketing, and people throwing rotten eggs and vegetables, and things like that?
Captain Lawrence:. Not to my knowledge, other than the fact that the Secret
DULLES: Do you recall that any orders were given by or on behalf of the
President with regard to the location of those motorcycles that were particularly attached to his car?'
LAWSON: NOT SPECIFICALLY AT THIS INSTANCE ORDERS FROM HIM. [emphasis added--- careful not to perjure himself, Lawson would go on to say "it was my UNDERSTANDING that he did not like a lot of motorcycles surrounding the car"]
Chief Curry named Lawson by name as the Secret Service man who both cut the motorcycle escort from four on each side to two on each side and then deployed them to the rear of the President's limo. Capt. Lawrence said that the safety and security of the President "were mentioned", probably by one of the Dallas Police Brass. After the attack on Adlai Stevenson, they had reason to be worried. In addition, Capt. Lawrence's testimony was that Lawson said that the President did not want any motorcycle officer directly on his side. This is Lawson at his lying best. Kennedy said no such thing, and when faced with the possibility of perjuring himself before the Commission or telling the truth, Lawson tells the Commission the truth. But Capt. Lawrence is supported by a
THE REMOVAL OF THE MOTORCYCLES FROM THE SIDE OF JFK'S LIMO, THE REPOSITIONING OF THEM AND THE REDUCTION OF THEIR NUMBER
By Gil Jesus 2/21/02
Secret Service Agent Sam Kinney contradicted Gerald Posner's contention that the President and his staff had requested the bubbletop removed, the agents off the running boards, and the motorcycles moved to the back of the limousine. (Posner p. 223)
According to researcher Vince Palamara, who has done enormous amounts of research on the Secret Service role in the assassination of the President, no less than nine agents told him that Kennedy NEVER restricted the agents or interfered with them doing anything. There were NEVER any orders from him to have the men removed from the running boards of the limo or do anything with regards to security. Kinney also told Palamara that Presidential Assistant Kenny O'Donnell did not interfere with these matters either. Kinney was quite adamant that Kennedy did not make any requests to move the motorcycles to the rear of his limo.
This, he said, was a Secret Service decision.
It certainly is backed up by the Dallas Police, who said after the assassination that the motorcycles were moved to the rear of the car at the request of the Secret Service. In addition, the Secret Service reduced the number of motorcycles that the Dallas Police had planned to ride beside the President's limo from four on each side to two on each side.
DPD motorcycle officer Marrion L. Baker---To the Warren Commission: [from 3 H
244]
Mr. Baker: At this particular day in the office up there before we went out, I was, my partner and I, we received instructions to ride right beside the President's car.
Mr. Belin: About when was this that you received these instructions?
Mr. Baker: Let's see, I believe we went to work early that day, somewhere around 8 o'clock.
Mr. Belin: And from whom did you receive your original instructions to ride by the side of the President's car?
Mr. Baker: Our sergeant is the one who gave us the instructions. This is all made up in the captain's office, I believe.
Mr. Belin: All right.
Mr. Dulles: Captain Curry?
Mr. Baker: Chief Curry; our captain is Captain Lawrence.
Mr. Belin: Were these instructions ever changed?
Mr. Baker: Yes, sir. When we got to the airport, our sergeant instructed me that there wouldn't be anybody riding beside the President's car.
Mr. Belin: Did he tell you why or why not?
Mr. Baker: No, sir.
DPD motorcycle officer Billy Joe Martin----To the Warren Commission: [6 H 293]
Mr. Martin: No, sir.
Mr. Ball: Were you under certain instructions as to how far behind the car you were to keep?
Mr. Martin: Yes, sir.
Mr. Ball: What were those instructions?
Mr. Martin: They [Secret Service]instructed us that they didn't want anyone riding past the President's car and that we were to ride to the rear, to the rear of his car, about the rear bumper.
Mr. Ball: I think that's all, Officer.
Asst. Chief of DPD Charles Batchelor, Deputy Chief George L. Lumpkin, Deputy Chief M.W. Stevenson--- 11/30/63 report to Chief Curry: [21 H 571]
The Dallas Police had originally planned to put four motorcycles on each side of the President's car.
DPD Captain Perdue Lawrence Exhibit re: motorcycle distribution DATED NOVEMBER 21, 1963, the day before the assassination [handwritten comments from 7/24/64; 20 H 489; same as HSCA JFK Exhibit F-679]:
DPD Chief Jesse Curry---To the Warren Commission: [4 H 171]
Mr. Rankin: Did they tell you why?
Mr. Curry: We actually had two on each side but we wanted four on each side and they asked us to drop out some of them and back down the motorcade, along the motorcade, which we did.
Mr. Rankin: How many motorcycles did you have?
Mr. Curry. I think we had four on each side of him.
Mr. Rankin. How many did you want to have?
Mr. Curry: We actually had two on each side side but we wanted four on each side and they asked us to drop out some of them and back down the motorcade along the motorcade, which we did.
Mr. Rankin: So that you in fact only had two on each side of his car?
Mr. Curry: Two on each side and they asked them to remain at the rear fender so if the crowd moved in on him they could move in to protect him from the crowd.
Mr. Rankin. Who asked him to stay at the rear fender?
Mr. Curry: I believe Mr. Lawson.
Mr. Rankin. The Secret Service man?
Mr. Curry: Yes, sir.
DPD Captain Perdue W. Lawrence--- To the Warren Commission: [7 H 580-581]
Captain Lawrence: None.
Mr. Griffin: When was the next time you received some instructions from one of your superiors?
Captain Lawrence: The next time was, to the best of my knowledge, the motorcade assignments--possibly 2 days before the President arrived---I asked how we would escort this motorcade.
Mr. Griffin: And with whom did you discuss that?
Captain Lawrence: Chief Lunday and Chief Batchelor.
Mr. Griffin: Was anybody from the Secret Service present at that time?
Captain Lawrence: Not at that time no.
Mr. Griffin: What were you told about the purpose of the officers that were being provided, if anything?Captain Lawrence: I was told that there would be these lead motorcycle officers, and that we would also have these other officers alongside the President's car and the Vice President's car, and some of the others that would be in the motorcade, and approximately how many officers would be needed for the escort, and at that time I had prepared a list of 18 solo motorcycle officers, this included three solo sergeants. I was also instructed that about this motorcade--that when it reached Stemmons Expressway, Chief Batchelor told me that he wanted a solo motorcycle officer in each traffic lane, each of the five traffic lanes waiting for the motorcade, so that no vehicles, on Stemmons Expressway would pass the motorcade at all and he wanted these solo motorcycle officers to pull away from the escort and get up there on Stemmons Freeway and block the traffic, and some of these officers, he stated, would pull past the Presidential car.
Mr. Griffin: When did that conversation take place?
Captain Lawrence: That conversation took place about the 20th of November---2 days before.
Mr. Griffin: Now, did you receive another set of instructions or orders after that?
Captain LAWRENCE. Yes; on the evening of November 21, this was the first time that I had attended any security meeting at all in regards to this motorcade. At approximately 5 p.m. I was told to report to the conference room on the third floor, and when I arrived at the conference room the deputy chiefs were in there, there were members of the Secret Service--Mr. Sorrels, Captain Gannaway, Captain Souter of radio patrol, and Capt. Glen King, deputy chiefs,
assistant chiefs, and Chief Curry, and one gentleman, who I assume was in charge of the security the Secret Service. This was the first time I had attended any conferences in regard to the security of this escort, and I listened in on most of the discussion and I heard one of the Secret Service men say that President Kennedy did not desire any motorcycle officer directly on each side of him, between him and the crowd, but he would want the officers to the rear. This conversation I overheard as Chief Batchelor was using a blackboard showing how he planned to handle this--how plans had been made to cover the escort.
Mr. Griffin: Was there ever any discussion that you heard about taking
precautions designed to prevent some sort of assault on the President that would be more severe than simply placards, picketing, and people throwing rotten eggs and vegetables, and things like that?
Captain Lawrence:. Not to my knowledge, other than the fact that the Secret
Service man in there--when it was mentioned about these motorcycle officers alongside the Presidents car, he said, "No, these officers should be back and if any people started a rush toward the car, if there was any movement at all where the President was endangered in any way, these officers would be in a position to gun their motors and get between them and the Presidential car," and he mentioned, of course, the security and safety of the President and those words were mentioned.
Secret Service Agent Winston G. Lawson---To the Warren Commission: [4 H 338]
President with regard to the location of those motorcycles that were particularly attached to his car?'
LAWSON: NOT SPECIFICALLY AT THIS INSTANCE ORDERS FROM HIM. [emphasis added--- careful not to perjure himself, Lawson would go on to say "it was my UNDERSTANDING that he did not like a lot of motorcycles surrounding the car"]
For a member of the United States Secret Service, an advance man on whose expertise the life of the President of the United States depends on, to say that he removed the protection of the President not because of an order, but because of an UNDERSTANDING he had, in an excessively hostile city like Dallas, is either the work of the most bumbling, inept agent in the world, or the action of a conspirator. With all of the rumors that the SS was getting on 11/21 that an assassination would be attempted in Dallas the following day, either this agent was an idiot or he was part of a plot.
memo dated 11/30/63 sent to Chief Curry by Assistant Chief Charles Batchelor,.Deputy Chief George L. Lumpkin and Deputy Chief M.W.Stevenson, all of whom were at the meeting and all of whom heard what Lawson had said.
But the Commission didsn't push the issue, it did not ask Lawson WHY he told the Dallas Police that Kennedy did not want motorcycles on the side of his limo when, by his own admission, the President did not say that. They failed to ask Lawson why he lied to the Dallas Police and why he made so many changes to the motorcade, all of which did nothing to protect the President, but all of which served to compromise the President's safety and result in his murder.
As a former military-intelligence officer, the Commission needed to investigate Lawson's background : his associations while he was in the military and after he was discharged. They needed to look at his finances, his job performance reviews and any vices or addictions that he may have had. They didn't do that.
HSCA Volume 11, page 529:
"The Secret Service's alteration of the original Dallas Police Department motorcycle deployment plan prevented the use of maximum possible security precautions.."
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