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Warren Commission Report: Page 222« Previous | Next »

(CHAPTER V - Detention and Death of Oswald)

Despite Vaughn's denial the Commission has found no credible evidence to support. any other entry route. Two Dallas detectives believed they observed three men pushing a WBAP-TV camera into the basement minutes before the shooting', while only two were with the camera after Oswald had been shot.155 However, films taken in the basement show the WBAP-TV camera being pushed past the detectives by only two men.156 The suspicion of the detectives is probably explained by testimony that a third WBAP-TV employee ran to help steady the incoming camera as it entered the basement, probably just before the camera became visible on the films.157 Moreover, since the camera entered the basement close to 4 minutes before the shooting,158 it is virtually impossible that Ruby could have been in the basement at that time.


The possibility that Ruby entered the basement by some other route has been investigated, but the Commission has found no evidence to support it. Ruby could have walked from the Western Union office. to the Commerce Street ramp on the other side of the building in about 2 and a half minutes. 159 However, during the minutes preceding the shooting video tapes show the armored truck in the entranceway to this ramp with only narrow clearance on either side. (See Commission Exhibit. No. 2710, p. 223.) Several policemen were standing near the truck and a large crowd of spectators was gathered across the street.160 It is improbable that Ruby could have squeezed past the truck without having been observed. If Ruby entered by any other means, he would have had to pass first through the Police and Courts Building or the attached Municipal Building, and then secondly through one of the five doors into the basement, all of which, according to the testimony of police officers, were secured. The testimony was not completely positive about one of the doors.161


There is no evidence to support the speculations that Ruby used a press badge to gain entry to the basement or that he concealed himself in a police car. Police found no form of press card on Ruby's person after his apprehension, nor any discarded badges within the basement.162 There is no evidence that any police officer admitted Ruby on the pretense that he was a member of the press or any other pretense.163


Police vehicles in the basement were inspected during the course of the search supervised by Sergeant Dean.164 According to Patrolman Vaughn, the only vehicles that entered the basement while he was at the top of the Main Street ramp were two patrol cars, one of which entered twice, and a patrol wagon which was searched by another policeman after it entered the basement. All entered on official police business and considerably more than 4 minutes before Oswald was shot.165 None of the witnesses at the top of the Main Street ramp recalled any police car entering the basement in the 4-minute period after Ruby left the Western Union office and preceding the shooting.166 The possibility that Ruby could have entered the basement in a car may therefore be completely discounted.

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