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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. XIV - Page 572« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Dr. William Robert Beavers)

Mr. Specter.
How would you characterize his condition in your opinion as he sat here today during the polygraph examination?
Dr. BEAVERS. Based on--let's see if I can give the specific things that make me come up with this opinion--the relationship that he has with the prosecuting attorney, the relationship he has with his attorneys; there are certain kinds of actions and behavior in these two relationships which fit better in my opinion with the continuation of a covert delusional system concerning threat to his race, his family, based on his presumed activity in a conspiracy, then it would fit with rational realistic appreciation of the factors in his environment.
Mr. Specter.
Were you present today, Dr. Beavers, during the entire course of the polygraph examination?
Dr. BEAVERS. Yes, I was.
Mr. Specter.
In your opinion, was Mr. Ruby in contact with reality during the course of the polygraph examination?
Dr. BEAVERS. In the greater proportion of the time that he answered the questions, I felt that he was aware of the questions and that he understood them, and that he was giving answers based on an appreciation of reality.
Mr. Specter.
Was there any element of a delusional state present in the answers which he gave during the course of this polygraphic examination?
Dr. BEAVERS. I felt the only time that there were questions which tapped any of the underlying delusional systems were the questions relating to his opinion about the safety of his defense counsel and the safety of his family, either past or present.

It seemed to me, because he was fairly certain in his answers during the trial run, and then following this during the actual run of the polygraph, there was so much hesitation and uncertainty which resulted in no answers, that we were seeing a good deal of internal struggle as to just what was reality.
His explanation following this, following the run of the polygraph, I don't think enlightened us very much in terms of what it was he was actually feeling or thinking.
Mr. Specter.
But would you have concluded that he was delusional had he stated that his family and his attorneys were in danger?
Dr. BEAVERS. I've got to think about that. You can't answer it "Yes"--if it had been as strong a question as it might have been possible to frame, but I feel that to get a perfectly accurate idea of what he meant by it would require more than a "Yes" or "No" answer, but this would have been one of things that had he answered it directly, that would have led me to think that he had an area here where reality in the testimony was poor.
Mr. Specter.
Well, does his refusal to answer that question during the course of the polygraph examination, subject to the analysis that the polygraphic examinations can bring to bear, indicate that he is not in a delusional state?
Dr. BEAVERS. I'm not sure I follow you here.
Mr. Specter.
Well, perhaps I can rephrase that.
During the course of the polygraphic examinations, he is subject to certain checks on truthfulness, at least to some extent.
Dr. BEAVERS. I see what you're getting at now.
That would be an assumption, I think, on both our parts that I wouldn't make as to why he didn't answer. It possibly could have been his trying to protect in some way an answer from the polygraph.
I felt it equally likely that it was the fact that it was the second time through on the Same question which he had answered first and then there had been a lot of thinking going on, was a great deal more opportunity for uncertainty.
Mr. Specter.
So, you think his first answer that his family and counsel were in danger, indicated to some extent at least, a delusional state, and then after he had had an opportunity to consider it, that he became uncertain because of the greater opportunity to focus on what in your opinion was a delusion to start with?
Dr. BEAVERS. Yes. This thing to me is complicated, maybe because for example, if I can digress for a moment.
Mr. Specter.
Yes; feel free to do that.
Dr. BEAVERS. Chief Holman has told me a number of times and I have seen it in a sense, he feels that this man has tried to seem delusional. On the other
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