Marina Oswald Porter, 2-8-68, Orleans Parish Grand Jury
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ORLEANS PARISH GRAND JURY FEBRUARY 8, 1968 SPECIAL INVESTIGATION PRESENT: MR. JIM GARRISON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, MESSRS. JAMES ALCOCK, RICHARD BURNES, ALVIN OSER,\ANDREW SCIAMBRA, ASSISTANT -DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, MEMBERS OF THE ORLEANS PARISH GRAND JURY MARINA OSWALD PORTER Reported by: Maureen B. Thiel Secretary Orleans Parish Grand Jury MARINA OSWALD PORTER, who after being duly sworn by the Foreman of the Orleans Parish Grand Jury, was questioned and answered as follows: MR. ALCOCK: We are going to ask you quite a few questions and let me say at the outset I have, as a matter of law, to advise you of your Constitutional rights, that anything.that you might say which would incriminate you or tend to incriminate you, you have a right to not answer. Do you understand that? This Grand Jury is looking for truth and any questions they ask you, if you don't answer it truthfully and don't answer truthfully knowing you don't answer truthfully, you can be charged with perjury and perjury carries a sentence of up to 5 years in the penitentiary. Also, if you answer a question which you are not completely sure of and you answer it as a fact that is also perjury. Just don't answer any question --. that you don't know the answer to, just say you don't know the answer. Is that clear? A. Yes. Q- State your full name? A. Marina Porter. Q* Where do you live? A. 733 Scottdale, Richardson, Texas. Q- How long have you been living there? A. We live in Dallas quite a while, little bit close to year. Q* You have been living in Dallas area since the assassination? A. Yes. Q* You never left that area at all? A. No. Q Have you spoken to any FBI agent or anybody from the federal government since receiving our subpoena? A. No. -2- Q* Not at all? A. No. Q* You have not been contacted by the FBI or the Secret Service? A. No. Q* Have you been contacted by anyone who represented himself or herself as being a member of the CIA? A. No. Q* Do you know what the CIA is? A;> Yes. Central Intelligence Agency. Q- You have not had any conversation with any of these people since receiving our subpoena? A. No. Q- When was the last time you spoke with anybody from the Federal Bureau of Investigation? A. They called me once before the Warren Commission was public but not since then. Q- How about the Secret Service? A. The same. Q* Have you ever spoke anyone who identified himself or herself as a member of the CIA? A. No. Q- Have you been to Washington or in the Washington area since giving your testimony to the Warren Commission? A. No. Q- Have you seen Ruth Paine recently? A. Not recently. I saw her after, once. -3- Q* You haven't seen her in the last two years? A. Yes. Q* Where? A. I saw her once and she came to my house. Q- Was that in Richardson? A. I don't think I was married then. Q* Did you all discuss the assassination on that visit? A. No, it was a very short visit. Q* When was the last time you saw Robert Oswald.? A. Maybe one month before Ihmarried. Q* When were you married? To Kenneth Porter? A. June lst, more than two years ago. Q- That was the last time you saw Robert Oswald? A. Yes. Q* Have you corresponded with Robert Oswald dr Ruth Paine? A. No. Q* When was the last time you saw deMorenschid? A. Before the assassination. Q. Did you see him at all after the assassination? A. No. Q* Did you'correspond with him at allafter the assassination? A. No. Q* Are you per'sonally corresponding with anybody in Russia -4- at the present time? A. I send letters to my stepmother and stepsister, but I never get an answer from them. Q- When did you speak to the lawyers who represent Clay Shaw? A. It was before this Christmas, they came to see me in Dallas I do not remember the day. Do you remember the names? No. How many were there? Three of them. Did they interview you in the presence of your husband? No. Was it in the presence of an attorney? I was home alone and I talk to them and they advise my husband at his place of work. Did they inform you at the time that you would be a defense witness? In the coming trial? A. No, they asked me to testify for Clay Shaw, if I would. A. What are you supposed to testify about? A. They say if I have something to tell. Q* They didn't ask you any specific questions or go into any specific areas where they thought you might help them? A. They asked me if I had ever seen Mr. Clay Shaw and I said no. Q- Did they ask you if you ever knew or had seen David Ferrie? A. Yes, and a few more names. Q- Did they-show you any pictures? - 5 - A. No. Q- Did you know who they were referring to when they said Clay Shaw? A. I heard his name on the TV. Q* Had you ever seen his picture? A. I don't think so. I am not sure, maybe the Warren Commission showed me his picture but I do not remember it. Q* You think the Warren Commission might have shown you his . picture? A. I don't know, they showed me so many pictures. Q* Well when Mr. Shaw's attorneys were out there they didn't show you any pictures of%any kind? A. I don't remember, I don't think so. MR. GARRISON: How did they have an idea what your testimony would be if they didn't show you any pictures, do you-know? A. Bhey asked me if I know this man and I said no, and they asked me if I would be willing to testify, I never see this man before, but if I be any help . Q- But they didn't show you any pictures? A. I don't think so. Q* Have you corresponded or heard from them since they visited you in Dallas? A. No, I did not. I think they visit my husband at his work. Q* Have you ever met Sergio Arcacha? A. No. Q- In Dallas or New Orleans? A. No. -6- MR. ALCOCK: Do you know who we are referring to when we say Sergio Arcacha? A. Not really. I think one of the conspirators. Q- When we ask you if you had ever seen Sergio Arcacha, does a p&cture come into your mind? A. No. Q* Then you don't know whether you have seen him or not? A. No. I have heard the name. Q- If we could show you a picture could you tell us? A. Yes. \ JUROR: Is this your first trip to New Orleans? A. I used to live in New Orleans for a while. MR. ALCOCK: Marina, I would like to hear from you about when you first met Lee in Russia, what were you doing and what was he doing and how did you happen to meet? A. I had dates with one of my boy friends and was introduced by his friend to Lee at a dance. It was in a dance party for medical students. How did Lee happen to be there, do you know? one We had mutual friends/of my boy friends knew him. How was he introduced to you, just an American over there in Russia? No, I did not know he was American. Was his Russian that good at the time? No, he speak with accent. So many nationalities in Russia and Baltic countries, they all have accents. Where was he working at the time? -7- A. Radio factory. Q- What was he doing? What were his duties? A. Maintenance, mechanical worker Q. Where was he living at the time? A. He lived in apartment house. Q* Was he living by himself at the time? A. (Inaudible) . Q* Were you and Lee about the same age? A. No, I think he little bit older. He was born 1939 and I 1941. -. Q* Have you ever seen this rnhn (showing picture) A. No. Q- Have you ever seen a picture of him before that you can recall? A. No sir. I don't pay too much attention, maybe I saw him in the news. Q* Have you ever seen him in person? A. No. Q* You never saw him at any time here in New Orleans when you were living here, that you can recall? A. No. Q- You were living here in the summer of 1963, is that correct? A. Yes. Q- When you met Lee and he was working in this factory, do you know if he had any other income besides what he was earning in * the factory? A. Later on he said first year he was living in Russia the government paid him some kind of pension or something, it was not enough, they usually support tourists and refugees. The Russian government? -8- A. No, the Russian government. Q* Did he ever say anything about any money he received from any American agency? A. No. Q* What generally did you all do on weekends? A. We visit friends and my aunt, and to the movies and theatre and walk in the streets, like you do here in America.