Retaining Wall

Page 432

Mr. GENZMAN. What did you do when you reached the grassy knoll?

Mr. WITT. I think I went sort of maybe halfway up the grassy area, somewhere in that vicinity. I am pretty sure I sat down.

Mr. GENZMAN. Were you waiting for the motorcade?

Mr. WITT. Yes.

(Here, he's "maybe halfway up the grassy area" which would put him between the sidewalk and the Hesters at the bench. The Moorman Polaroid taken in DP before the shots shows a person on the sidewalk who resembles TUM, but it is probably Mr. Chism.)

(snip)

Mr. WITT. Well, as I recall, the motorcade had already made the turn and was coming down Elm Street going west on Elm before I became aware it was there, and it would have been from a straightline position off to my left about like this [indicating] when I saw it.

Mr. GENZMAN. What did you do when you saw it approaching you?

Mr. WITT. I think I got up and started fiddling with that umbrella trying to get it open, and at the same time I was walking forward, walking toward the street.

(Witt has seen the head of the motorcade as it starts down Elm. He doesn't say, but he must have heard the applause on Houston and sensed the anticipation on Elm.)

Page 433

Mr. WITT. Yes. As I moved toward the street, still walking on the grass, I heard the shots that I eventually learned were shots. At the time somehow it didn't register as shots because they were so close together, and it was like hearing a string of firecrackers, or something like that. It didn't at that moment register on me as being shots.

(He's heard the first shot before he got into position, or before the President reached his position. He's no longer "fiddling with that umbrella." Since Betzner and Willis show him in position with the umbrella raised, he possibly meant he heard the beginning of "the shots" before he raised the umbrella. The entire shooting sequence did not occur prior to Z202, the moment Willis 05 captured TUM.)

Mr. GENZMAN. Did you react in any way?

Mr. WITT. No. I continued to move forward and finally got this umbrella up in the air. I think by the time I got the thing up in the air I was over and possibly standing on the retaining wall.

(This is Witt's first mention of the "retaining wall." It has nothing to do with where he stood or sat prior to the motorcade arrival. Dean, you claimed Witt "said he was walking down the grass after saying he was on the retaining wall, not before." But here, Witt is "moving forward" and raising the umbrella as he went "over" to the "retaining wall." He was headed to the "retaining wall," not leaving it behind.)

(snip)

Mr. WITT. Let me go back a minute. As I was moving forward I apparently had this umbrella in front of me for some few steps. Whereas other people I understand saw the President shot and his movements; I did not see this because of this thing in front of me, The next thing I saw after I saw the car coming down the street, down the hill to my left, ...

(Possibly, Witt thought or assumed the first loud noise he heard (presumably the first shot) wounded the President. Let's say that during Z140 to Z202, Witt wasn't looking too closely at the President. Then Witt might have assumed he missed the first bullet striking the President and the President reacting. Most think the first bullet fired missed the President, but Witt might have thought otherwise, that the first loud noise coincided with the President's reaction.)

(snip)

... I just sat down. I was standing on the retaining wall, and I just sat down, just right straight down ...

(For the second time, he mentions the "retaining wall" and it has nothing to do with where he stood or sat prior to the motorcade arrival. He's clearly describing standing on top of the curbstone wall, on the inner part of the sidewalk he approached in "walking toward the street." From standing on the curbstone, he sat " just right straight down" at the point where he then appears in Rickerby, Bothun, etc. So far, the photographic evidence seems to support Witt's claim to have been standing on the curbstone during the shots.)

Page 440

Mr. FAUNTROY. Now, do you recall seeing the motorcade approach Dealey Plaza?

Mr. WITT. Yes. As a matter of fact, it was only--it was traveling west at the time I saw it.

Mr. FAUNTROY. All right. Now, where were you at that time?

Mr. WITT. I was sitting somewhere in the grassy area there in Dealey Plaza.

(snip)

Mr. WITT. Well, as I was moving forward opening this umbrella, it was somewhere at--excuse me--it was somewhere at this point that I heard the shots, and I continued to move forward and eventually brought the umbrella up over my head. I think by this time I had already--by the time I got the umbrella up over my head, I was at the retaining wall and standing on it.

(For the third time, he mentions the "retaining wall" and it has nothing to do with where he stood or sat prior to the motorcade arrival. Again, Witt establishes himself on top of the curbstone's retaining wall. Possibly, the term "retaining wall" was well-known to an insurance agent as it is a safety feature and preventative measure. Of course, people can easily slip off such a wall and break an ankle or knee, in which case the term would be commonly-used by agents in personal insurance.)

Mr. FAUNTROY. All right. Now, the car is moving beyond you now. Are you aware that the President has been hit at this point-- after you hear these firecracker-like shots?

Mr. WITT. No, sir. I--my view of the car during that length of time was blocked by the umbrella being open. And my--the next time I saw the car after I saw it coming down on my left traveling west, the next time I saw the car was when this activity of the car stopping ...