The Testirnony of Marina Oswald Before the Orleans Parish Grand,olury

BySteve Jones

Over the years Marina Oswald has been an told, After some confusion as to the exact na- would continue to leave in the moming as if enigma to many JFK assassination research- ture ofthis connection,Assistant DA Andrew going to work and wouldn't retum home un- ers. She has been accusedof being a Soviet Sciambraasked, " In other words, you were til dinner time, or sometimesnot until late in agent,a pawn of U.S. intelligence,or simplya left with the distinct impressionthat shewas the evening. Was Oswald simply too embar- confused and fiightened young woman who in some way connected to the CIA?" "Yes," rassed to tell his wife that he had lost his iob was caught up in an overwhelming national Marina answered. and was spending his days looking for anorirer tragedy.Her Statementsregarding the assas- Marina testified that while living in Dallas one? Was he enjoying his newfound freedom sination have contradicted themselves at vari- she had an English tutor by the name of and having fun exploring the sights and ous times ald she has vacillated back and fonh George "Boja," clearly a transcription error for soundsof the Big Easy?If so, how did he sup- as to whether she believes her husband Lee George Bouhe. And to my knowledge, the fol- port his family with no visible source of in- was guilty or innocent of the assassinationof lowing is new information. Garrison tells come? Or was Oswald involved in undisclosed PresidenrKennedy. Her Warren Commission Marina that Bouhe's next door neighbor is intelligence acdvities? Remember that it was testimony has been closely scrutinized by none other than Jack Ruby. Marina already during this time in August 1963 that Oswald many, but until recently her testimony before knew this and told Garrison that after the as- was positively identified as being in the com- the Odears Parish Grard Jury on February 8, sassination,Bouhe visited her to tell her that pany of Clay Shaw and David Ferrie in Clin- 1968 has been unavailable for public con- it was just a coincidence that he happened to ton, Louisiana during a CORE vote! sumption. I read Marina Oswald's testimony live next door to her husband's killer. Garrison registration drive. with the hopes that it would shed some light tells Marina that not only were Bouhe and Marina described a fascinating story related into both the mystery of Marina and the as- Ruby neighbors,but also that they were in- to Lee's employment status. One day while sassinationitself. deed acquainted with each other and shared a walking through downtown New Orleaas she The testimony was plagued with commu- common swimming pool at the small apan- decided to pay a surprise visit to her husband nication problems that popped up from time ment complexwhere they lived.This is an im- at work. Someone at the Reilly Coffee Com- to time. In 1968, Marina's English was still portant lead possibly linking Ruby to Oswald pany told her that no one by the name of raw and at dmes she had to have questions that needs to be followed up with funher re- Oswald worked there. Garrison asked Marina repeated,or answeredin such a manner that search.Incredibly, Marina then rells Ganison how she could have done this when she sooke indicated she really didn't understand the that Bouhe knew Lee and that the two ofthem no Englishat the time. Sheexplained thai she quesdon being asked. Nevertheless, some didn't get along well. But the context in which knew a little English, enough to be able to imponant information can be gleaned from Lee and Bouhe knew each other is never men- ask for her husband. She also said that she her testimony. tioned. Who referred Bouhe to Madna? How could read some English that she leamed ftom Ma na's testimony gives further corrobo- long did this rutoring last? Did the tutoring reading the labels on ircms at the grocery ration to the beliefheld by seriousassassina- occur between 1962 and early 1963,or in the store. This is how she was able to recognize tion researchers that Ruth Paine was indeed fall of 1963 when Marina lived with the the Reilly Coffee Company street sign. affiliated with the ClA. Previous Probearticles Paines?None ofthis is explainedin the testi- Marina could not recall ifthis incident oc- demonstrate how Ruth's relationship with the mony. Bouhe was a member of the Dallas curred before or after mid-July when her hus- Oswalds and her subsequent behavio! after White Russian community. George De Mo- band had supposedly been fired ftom his job. ttte assassinationfit the pattem of an intelli- hrenschildt claimed that Bouhe had intro- If this event happenedbefore July 19 then it Senceagent or asset,She was most cenainly duced him to Lee Haryey Oswald. When opens up the possibility that Lee never really an FBI informant and collaborated with the questioned Bouhe denied this. His denial and worked at Reilly at all and that his "employ- FBI in manipulation of the evidence of his attempt to minimize his connectionsto ment" there v/as simply a cover for his other Oswald'spossessions after the assassinadon Oswald and Ruby make him and interesting activities. Once again, as in the Bouhe story (seeProbe back issues May-June '96, Nov-Dec character. we are left with kntalizing clues but no de- '96, Jan-Feb'97, Nov-Dec'97, March-April During the tesdmony, Mdina insists that finitive answers. Marina sums up her knowl- '98) . Without being asked,Marina volunteered she was completely in rhe dark about her edge of ke's daily acrivities by saying, " he to one ofthe jurors, "I wasadvised by the Se- husband's day-to-day activities during the tried to hide all of his activities from me. he cret Service not to be connected with her summer of 1963 when they lived in New Or- would say I have to sneak out and he would (Ruth Paine).... She was sympathizing with leans.Marina relatedhow Lee never told her go." the ClA." Marina was told by the Secret Ser- he had lost his iob at the Reilly Coffee Com- Over the yearsMarina has claimed that she vice that Ruth Paine had something to do with pany on July 19, 1963.She didn't leam about took the infamous backyard photograph that the CIA but was either unable to aniculate that until after the assassination.For the appeared on the cover oflfe magazine. Mary exacdy what that connection was, or was not month and a half following his dismissal,Lee contimted,od pqe 4

March-April, SOOO kind then the Manlicher-Carcano used. Ma- rina claimed innocence ofanything other than clesseVentrrra Marina what Lee had told her about the incident. continuedfrom page3 Marina also admitted that one week oriot to her tesdmony she was visited by a United and. the GII'K Statesattomey and an official from the photographic expens have claimed, for rea- Jus- tice Depanment.Naturally Garrisonwas sus- sons too detailed to describe here, that the picious of this and askedher if the visit had Gase Part I photograph is a fake. This has led some re- - an,'thing to do with her upcomingGrand searchers to doubt Marina's veracity regard- Jury testimony. Marina said that the govemment ing this incidenl Her grand jury testimony Bylim DiEugenio officials talked to her about retuming some sheds linle light on this controversy. At first of Lee's belongings to her More than four she said that she took the picture at the room- yearsgo by and they chooseseveral days after Our readersknow that two issuesago, our ing house on Beckley Street where Lee rented she is subpoenaedto visit her about her cover story consistedof highlights from the a room for the last six weeks of his life. Even husband'spossessions? Ganison clearly saw memorableJesse Ventura interview in Pl4y- the juror questioningher knew that this was through that one but didn't pressthe matter bot. highly unlikely and tried to refresh her fufther. Marina ended her testimony by say- As we noted, with that riveting dialogue, memory. At this point Marina appearedto ing that she believed that her husband Lee the Minnesota govemor becamethe highest becomevery confused and said, " [W]e moved killed President Kennedy. When Garrison electedofficial to unleashan unqualified and on Beckley and then went to Ergen" probably askedifshe was ever told anything about the vehement attack on the Warren ReDortand meaningElsbeth, the s$eet where the couple its conclusions.Venrura's diarribe agiinst rhe briefly lived when they first moved to Dallas. no-conspiracyverdict, plus his various other Shenever definitely said that she took the pic- outspokenand controversialopinions created ture in the backyard of their home on Neeley a media furor He was on the cover of News- Sueet (where the photo was clearly taken), week,was a gueston David Letterman'sshow Giving Madna the benefit of the doubt, one and madethe roundsofthe network and cable can saythat perhapsbecause ofher poor En- newsmagazineprograms. Probecovered the glish shedidn't understandthe question.The last items and found Venturaquite bracingin other possibilityis that her confusionwas not his refusalto backdown from his opinionson genuine and that she was hiding sornething. the case. It's hard to tell ftom reading the transcript. JFK The publishersofPloyboy know when they Garrison was very interested in pursuing have a good thing in hand, i.e. a subjectthat the issueof Oswald'sManlicher-Carcano rifle will sell more magazines.So on the cover of and askeda lot ofquestions about it. Marina assassinationother what federal the March issue, the magazinestated that it srated that l€e kept the rifle in a closet in their law enforce- ment agenrstold her, she replied, was running more ofthat interview which was apartment on Magazine Street, She claimed "no." Although Marina Oswald offers us conducted by semi-regular correspondent to have seen him clean it severaltimes. but some importantrevelations here, what impressed Larry Grobel.This segmentis basicallya sec- never saw him fire it, or knew of him ever me the most abouther testimonyis the tion ofouttakes from the interview Although firing it. Garrisonseems especially interested mannerin which District Attomey not as long o! as interesting as the first in- in leaming how the rifle got ftom New Or- Jim Garrisonand his staffconductedthe questioning. stallment,Ventura and Grobelstill manageto leans back to Texas.Marina claimed that Lee While always couneous, rhey aggressivelyprobed touch on someelements oftheJFK case.And did all ofthe packingof their belongingsinto areasof investigation that were ignored Venturamakes some interesting comments on Ruth Paine's stationwagon (Ruth drove from by the Warren the contemporaryscene in general. lrving, Texas to New Orleans to pick up Ma- Commission. Garrison sawthat the circumstan- rina and take her back with her) and that Rurh dal evidenceclearlypointed to Oswaldbeing a U.S. intelligenceagent, and persued On the Media did all the unpacking in lrving. The dfle was he that aagleas thoroughly as possible.He was mak- probablyin the carbecausethere is no indica- lustlike the media-they callthemselves experts ing connectionsbetween Ruby tion that Lee took it with him ro Mexico City and Oswald and onelections and yet not one ofthem could predict wasonto the Paines.In shon,Jim ot madeother arrangementsfor it's uansport Garrisonwas mywin. Now they re being questioned bythe pub. doing what two official govemmenr you to the Paine'shome. After the assassination, inquiries licand don t likeit. Why do thinkthey attack never did-honestly investigate menowl Ruth expressedshock and indignadon that Lee the Kenaedy assassination.Thanks to the new file releases, had kept a rifle in her garage.But if Ruth did On CampaignFinance Restrictions we now know much more about the unpacking,then how could she have not how the U.S. govemment its -lwouldliketo see more restrictions on carn- known of the rifle? and allies in the news media DUt pulled out all the stopsin trying to destroyJim paigning,where youie not allowed to startcam- Marinaclaimed thatafter the assassination, paigning Galrison'sinvestigation. lfGarrison had been forany oflice until so many days before the FBI told her that Leewas alsoa suspectin lheelection.Right now it s:Buytheelection. Who -Edwin allowed to bring his caseto court withour in- the atremptedshooting of General canraise the most money?This isone area in which terference,it is very likely Walker the previous Aplil. It was only after his areasof inquiry I believein socialism.ll you achieve major party would have further explained the FBI told her this that Marina volunteered the factors and status.each candidate should be given an equal actorsbehind the Kennedyassassination. her own story that indeed her husband had That amountof money from the government.. is why thirty yearslater disinformants told her that he had shot at Walker. When are still trotted out to impugn his character On Term Limits Ganison pointed out that the slug found in and cred- ibility. One canonly imagine Walker's house was a completelv different what might have -lt sliketerm lir.rits. Eighty- five percent ofAm eri- been. 4 canswant term limits. yet you never see them lifsrcb-Apru, SOOO