Hypnotized by the DA During Probe: Russo
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2 DAILY NEWS, FRIDAY, MARCH ] Hypnotized by the DA During Probe: Russo By WILLIAM FEDERICI and ANTHONY BURTON Staff Correspondents of THE NEWS - New Orleans, March 16—Perry R , star witness of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, ed on the stand today that the district attorney had had him hypnotized two or three times while questioning him about an asserted plot to kill President Kennedy. But Russo denied that he had been under hypnosis when testifying, and finished two clays of grueling cross-examination here this afternoon seemingly unshaken. A three-judge panel conducting the hearing still has to decide whether there is enough evidence against busi- nessman Clay Shaw, 54, accused as one of the plotters, to Dishwasher warrant a trial. But the defense failed to crack Russo, who has testified he was present when Shaw, Lee Harvey Os- Has a Story wald and an ex-pilot named David Ferrie, now dead, dis- Boston, March 16 (special) —A hotel dishwasher said here cussed ways of assassinating Kennedy. today that he was going to fly Russo, 25, an insurance to New Orleans to give "ex- plosive information" about the salesman from Baton Rouge, assassination of President Ken- was virtually unruffled by nedy. Although there was skepti- today's probing questions in cism about what the dishwasher, comparison with yesterday, Ajit1 8, a 01, a - r 1. Tes ni Boston's when he was visibly shaken South End, might have to a number of times. offer, New Orleans District At- Although he admitted that torney J. '.7.. 4. oli ","1._. Garrison had had him hypno- Strout's f .dr • tized; he calmly denied that he had been under hypnosis either cution and..., ' „4ti .. d_ the_ when he described the plot to while. the preliminary hearing Tuesday hearing wou d continue a or during today's hearing. He Presiding Judge Bernard J. Ba- denied also that he had at- gert mentioned the possibility of tempted suicide while in high night and even Sunday sessions. school. He said he had been given no role in the alleged plot Before defense attorney Irvin and had not taken part in the Dymond let Russo go, he took the discussion. witness once more through his story of hearing a plot discussed The Tape Recording in F'errie's apartment in Septem- Yesterday, he was obviously ber, 1963. nervous when confronted with a Adds Some Details tape recording of a Feb. 24 TV Perry Russo Russo added more details as he interview in which he seemed to A better day on stand contradict his testimony that he repeated his testimony that Fer- rie had talked of catching Ken- had known Oswald. His ex- earlier that it was the same planation, repeated today, was nedy in a crossfire and of sac- that he had known the alleged man. rificing one plotter to the po- assassin as Leon Oswald in New At least three more witnesses Orleans and had not been certain have been subpenaed by the prose- (Continued on page 16, col. 1) hypnotized by the DA • During Probe: Russo (Continued from page 2) to kill President Kennedy had t-. succeeded?" Dymond asked? "No, lice so that the others could es- sir," Russo answered. Ca cape. "Did you ever ask him any He said Ferrie referred to a questions about the assassina- woman who had managed to get tion ?" close to President Kennedy while "No, sir." he was visiting New Orleans. Russo said Ferrie was not the Ferris, who died about three sort of person you quetioned. weeks ago, said that if she could The witness then told of being get so close it would be easy to hylinotized ,three times by Dr. ARCH ARCH kill a President. Esmond Fatter at the instance of M Then, Russo said, Fe,rrie men- Garrison's office, but that he had "absolutely not" been under hyp- tioned the visiting President of nosis when he testified about the Y, Y, Mexico and said he could be killed if there were two or more per- asserted plot to kill Kennedy. "Are you hypnotized right DA sons in the plot. Russo quoted Ferrie as saying "the first would now?" Dymond demanded. Again RI just fire a shot and the impact Russo replied firmly, "Absolutely would cause everyone to look not." F round and the front man would The defense asked him if he S, S, had ever heard of post hypnotic then make the necessary shot and suggestion and Russo said he do the job." had. NEW Scapegoat Not Specified Dymond then took the witness Russo testified that the plot- back to the fist time he said he ters did not say who would be had seen Shaw. This was at a facrificed and did not describe ceremony here in 196 attended by the role each participant would President Kennedy. On Tuesday, play. Russo testified he had noticed "I didn't get the impression Shaw because of Shaw's large that all three would actively par- stature and because he was not ticipate," he said. looking at the President. In the morning session, Russ6 Thought_He Was an Agent denied that he ever attempted suiside by jumping through a Today he said he thought at high-school window. that time that Shaw might be a Again asked by Dymond why Secret Service man. Dymond then he had not come forward with asked him about his next meeting his story before, Russo replied with Shaw. This was a Ferrie's that he was "no authority" on apartment when, Russo testified, the assassination. He said he was the alleged assassination plot was only 22 at the time and not pre- discussed. pared to fight the federal gov- 'Weuldn't you have felt awfully ernment, which was satisfied that unueasy being present in a group Oswald had acted alone. "I was while the assassination of the just a voice in the wilderness," he President was being planned if said. you thought one of them was an Then Thought of Helping agent of the Secret Service?" Russo replied that by the time the It was after Garrison told discussion o fthe plot began, he newsmen that Ferrie was in- no longer believed Shaw was a volved that he decided "I might Secret Service man. be able to help, since I knew Russo said that after. the Gar- Ferris and something of his rison probe began, he identified friends." Shaw through a one-way mirror Russo said he and Ferrie never in the DA's office. discussed Kennedy after Novem- "What part were you to play ber 1963. "He seemed to me broken after the assassination," in the assassination ?" Dymond the witness said. "He didn't like asked. "I had no part, nothing, what was going on. He was Russo replied. starting to build up a resentment "Had you said that you wanted against authority. He was no to see President Kennedy killed?" longer a spectacular person." "I never said that," Russo "Did Ferrie ever say his plan answered. .