An Outline of Marina Oswald's testimony to the Warren Commission Tuesday, February 4, 1964 from volume I, pages 29 - 58
Location: 200 Maryland Ave. NE., Washington, D.C.
Present:
- Chief Justice Earl Warren, Chairman
- Senator John Sherman Cooper
- Representative Hale Boggs
- Representative Gerald Ford
- John J. McCloy
- Allen W. Dulles
- J. Lee Rankin, general counsel
- Norman Redlich, assistant counsel
- John M. Thorne (Marina's attorney)
- William D. Krimer, interpreter
- Leon I. Gopadze, interpreter
Lee was writing a book and he kept a diary.
- He started the book in Russia, wrote it longhand. He had it retyped in the U.S., probably the end of June.
- Marina doesn't know what happened to them, were probably taken by the FBI, or police, or the Secret Service.
While living on Mercedes Street, the only thing Marina and Lee quarreled about was Lee's mother.
Lee had to repay $$ to his brother Robert, and the government, but it wasn't a big deal.
Lee didn't have any close friends in the U.S., but respected and spent much time with George De Mohrenschildt.
- George and Lee conversed in Russian.
- George knew Jackie Kennedy before she married JFK.
- George said he wrote a book about physical exercise, wrote a letter to JFK hoping he would recommend the book. (but Marina didn't believe it)
- George had several daughters and ex-wives. One daughter was married to Gary Taylor.
- Marina stayed with the Taylors for a couple of days in October or November 1962.
- Gary Taylor helped the Oswalds move from Fort Worth to Dallas on Elsbeth Street.
October 1962, Lee went to Dallas to work, and Marina stayed with Elena Hall in Fort Worth for a time.
- At first Lee stayed at the YMCA, but then got an apartment.
- Lee used a post office box for his mail.
After the FBI visited Lee in Fort Worth (at Elsbeth Street) he began to change psychologically; seemed to have two different personalities; "became quite a stranger"; "kept to himself"; easily irritated.
The neighbors noticed bruises on Marina from Lee hitting her.
- Lee saw a letter Marina wrote to an old boyfriend in Russia, it was returned to the P.O. Box because the price of a stamp went up a cent.
Marina believes in God but doesn't go to church.
- She had daughter June baptized, at first didn't tell Lee.
- She doesn't have a car, and there is only one Russian church in the area.
- Lee wasn't religious.
While they were living in the apartment in Dallas, they separated for one week, Marina stayed with Mrs. Meller.
After moving to Dallas, De Mohrenschildt was the only one who remained their friend. "The others sort of removed themselves." They felt Lee didn't like them; wasn't very hospitable.
When Marina considered moving back to the Soviet Union, February 1963, it was because Lee insisted, she didn't want to. Lee told her to write a letter to the embassy.
Lee didn't drink or smoke. Marina smokes.
Marina met Ruth Paine soon after New Years 1963.
- Met her at Everett Glover's home (an American), with the De Mohrenschildts.
Ruth Paine lived in Irving. Was separated from her husband Michael Paine (he does not speak Russian).
Lee told Marina not to tell anybody about his trip to Mexico.
Exhibit #1 is Lee's handwritten note (in Russian) that he left for Marina while he was out shooting at General Walker.
- $$ is in the post office box for you.
- The Russian Embassy should help you.
- We have friends in the Red Cross, they will help you.
Paul--Pavel Golovachev, in Minsk, worked in the same factory Lee did.
After Lee was arrested on Friday for shooting JFK:
- Friday night Marina and Lee's mom, Marguerite, stayed the night at Ruth Paine's house.
- Marina showed Marguerite a photo of Lee holding the rifle, told her that Lee wanted to shoot Walker.
February 1963, while living in Dallas, Marina wrote the Russian Embassy requesting aid to go back to the U.S.S.R.
March 1963, Marina wrote her follow up letter and declaration to the Russian Embassy.
Exhibit 9, Marina's autobiography to the Russian Embassy.
- Born July 17, 1941 in Severo-Dvinsk (former Molotovsk), Arkhangelskaya Oblast.
- Lived with mother and stepfather in Leningrad.
- Went to the Leningrad Pharmaceutical School.
- Mom died in 1957.
- For 2 years (up to 1962) worked as an assistant at the pharmacy of the 3rd Clinical Hospital in Minsk.
- lived with maternal uncle Ilya Vasilevich Prusakov.
Exhibit #13, Lee's letter to the Soviet Embassy requesting an entrance visa for Marina to return to the Soviet Union. And Lee to return separately (the word "separately" was underlined).
- Marina didn't know about the letter.
- Lee may have been planning to send Marina and their daughter back, and Lee would not follow.
Exhibit #15, Lee Oswald's letter to the Soviet Embassy in Washington, D.C., November 9, 1963.
- "to inform you of recent events since my meetings with comrade Kostin in the Embassy of the Soviet Union, Mexico City, Mexico."
- Couldn't stay in Mexico, had to come back to Texas.
- Was unable to reach the Soviet Embassy in Havana, Cuba.
- The FBI isn't interested in Lee's "Fair Play For Cuba Committee" since he no longer lives in Louisiana.
- In Dallas, FBI agent James P. Hosty warned Lee that if he engages in F.P.C.C. activities in Texas will again take "interest" in him.
- Marina believes Lee typed the letter on Ruth Paine's typewriter.
Marina told Lee she didn't want to go back to Russia, he said "okay."
Lee asked Marina not to tell anybody about his trip to Mexico.
When Marina was living with Ruth Paine, and Lee lived in his apartment in Dallas, Lee used a fake name. Lee was very secretive much of the time.
Lee wanted to go to Cuba by any means, everything else was probably just a cover to get there.
Lee was crazy.
Marina is not any kind of an agent.
August 1963, in New Orleans, Lee began to study Spanish. Marina doesn't speak Spanish.
Lee got his job at the Texas School Book Depository by a neighbor's son, Wesley Frazier, who worked there.
- Marina thinks Lee started working there on October 14th, 15th, or 16th, 1963.
- Wesley Frazier would usually drive Lee to work in the mornings.
- Frazier was young, probably in his teens.
Weekend of October 25th, shortly after the Adai Stevenson incident, Lee and Michael Paine attended a meeting together, possibly the American Civil Liberties Union.
- Lee didn't like Michael Paine.
Ruth Paine's next door neighbor was Dorothy Roberts.
When being questioned by the FBI, Ruth Paine would act as Marina's interpreter.
In the U.S.S.R. Lee would stay with Marina's aunt in Minsk when Marina went on vacation.
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