Happy Birthday Jim Leavelle

Leavelle, frozen in time.

Happy birthday to friend Jim Leavelle celebrating his 91st birthday today. Jim is the "man in the white hat" – the centerpiece to the most famous image in photo journalism. 

Jim also served in the Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7, 1941.

The perfect southern gentleman, Jim has always remained good humored regarding his Forest Gumpian place in history.

I interviewed Jim some years back. I had just arrived in Texas and decided, what the hell, why not solve the Kennedy assassination. I ultimately interviewed serveral people who knew or had spoken with Oswald. [All of my unanswered questions were addressed in a documentary called The "Oswald's Ghost." I highly recommend it. I'll give you a hint...it was Oswald.]

Below are segments of my original interview published in 1992.

 
LeConte:  Were mistakes made the day Oswald was shot?
Leavelle: In hindsight, we needed one more officer working the exit ramp.  The officer posted there went out into the street to check traffic and Ruby slipped by in those 15 seconds.  To give you an idea of how close it was, Ruby time stamped a letter to his girlfriend at 11:17, and when he shot Oswald, the clock read 11:21.  Ruby told me he wouldn’t have gotten in if the officer had not stepped to the curb.

LeConte:  Why was the officer checking traffic?
Leavelle: We had word that the crowd was going to set fire to the truck transporting Oswald.  I didn’t want anything to do with that truck and be roasted like a pig inside.  So we were going to use  a decoy and transport Oswald in a squad car.  The officer was checking traffic because they were going to pull it around in front of the armored truck.  

LeConte:  What did you think of Oswald?
Leavelle: I’ve been with many murder suspects, but he was never belligerent.  He did hold his fist up to the FBI agent in the Russian salute and raised his voice because the agent talked to his wife without him.

LeConte:  Do you think Oswald acted alone?
Leavelle: I don’t think there’s any doubt.  There were 11 different law enforcement agencies working on the case, and none found any concrete proof of a conspiracy.  I have a bookcase full of conspiracy information that is sent to me, but I always tell them, “Show me some concrete evidence.”  It’s all hearsay from people who are dead.  I can’t question someone who is dead.

LeConte:  Do you stay in touch with anyone from that day?
Leavelle: Well, I just had dinner with Marina, Oswald’s wife.  We’ve stayed in touch over the years.  She wishes they could prove Lee’s guilt one way or another.  There’s such a stigma attached to her.  She’s a nice lady, just a victim of circumstance.

 There’s such a stigma attached to her.  She’s a nice lady, just a victim of circumstance.

Phillip LeConte:  Are you keeping busy these days?
Jim Leavelle: I spend a lot of time hunting and fishing.  My wife and I also travel a great deal.  

LeConte:  If you had to do it all again, would you still become a police officer?
Leavelle: Yes, I would.  But things have changed so much.  I just had breakfast with a group of retired police and we were talking about how much things have changed.  When we joined the force, you didn’t get anything, no uniform, or pistol, most cars didn’t even have a two way in them.  You had to go out and buy all those things yourself.

I just don’t think I could do all the social work they have to content with now.  You know, back when I was a cop, people respected police officers.  If I had to put a knot on somebody’s head arresting them, they would say, “I had that coming.”  Even with thieves, you had good rapport.  If you went to court, the guy would come up to you and say, “Well, you know I stole all this stuff, but you’re going to have to prove it.”  Now, criminals have no respect for officers.