Oswald in the doorway: the blog of the Oswald Innocence Campaign, by Ralph Cinque

At the Midnight Press Conference, Oswald was given little time to speak. He said that he did not know what the situation was about, that nobody had told him anything. And he asked for someone to come forward to give him legal assistance.

Now, don't you think there were lawyers watching and listening? Doesn't it seem likely that one or more would have thought to respond to his request? Of course, it would have to be a Texas lawyer. But, out of state lawyers often network with lawyers who are licensed in other states, and that's especially true of big lawyers. They practice all over the country. 

Of course, his so-called brother Robert Oswald should have gotten him a lawyer, but Robert Oswald was not out to help him, and if you read John Armstrong, you know that he wasn't really Oswald's brother. His wife Marina should have gotten him a lawyer. I realize that she had no money, but she knew a lot of people in the White Russian community of Dallas, and she presumed they were her friends and Oswald's friends. So, why didn't she try to get him a lawyer by going to them? Then there was Marguerite, but Marguerite was only interested in Marguerite. 

But, I'm thinking that any lawyer who watched the Midnight Press conference would have done so by evaluating- for himself or herself- Oswald's veracity. After all, lawyers are very well versed in the ways of lying, are they not? They are used to clients lying; witnesses lying; other lawyers lying; and even lying themselves.  I assume, therefore, that lawyers are pretty good- better than most people- at sniffing out liars.  And I also think that any defense lawyer who watched the Midnight Press Conference would have come away with the impression that Oswald was telling the truth. And wouldn't that have motivated one or more lawyers to step forward and offer their services? 

Oswald spoke to the whole country and the whole world that night. Do you mean to tell me that not one lawyer responded? Not a one? 

That seems hard to believe. So what I'm wondering is: did one or more lawyers respond, but we just don't know about it? 

By respond, I mean contact the Dallas District Attorney's office and offer his or her services to represent Oswald. Were there any calls made like that at all?

I did a Google search for this, and one of the first things that popped up was a page from OIC member Tom Rossley.

Lee Harvey Oswald claimed that the Dallas Police would not let him
have a lawyer. He repeatedly asked for "someone to come forward and
give me legal assistance". Nearly every single time he appeared before
reporters, he lamented about not having counsel on his behalf.

At the same time, the Dallas authorities were telling different
stories to those who came forward in response to Oswald's pleas. One
version was that Oswald had not asked for a lawyer. A second version
was that Oswald had declined any and all legal assistance, save for
one attorney named John Abt from New York.

While Oswald did express a preference for Abt, he also requested a
second choice --- any lawyer from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU did attempt to make contact with Oswald, but its
representatives were discouraged from doing so.

Hmmm. So, it sounds from that that there were lawyers who came forward in response to Oswald's pleas. I knew it. It's a great wide world. The idea that NOBODY would have responded? That's farfetched. 

So, it looks like Dallas authorities deliberately, and with malice aforethought, denied Oswald his Constitutional right to an attorney. And it is obvious that somebody knew that if Oswald had been allowed to speak to an attorney, that it would have taken all of about 15 minutes for that lawyer to realize that Oswald was innocent; that he was telling the truth, and that he was being framed. Just imagine how the conversation would have gone:

Mr. Mason: Mr. Oswald, my name is Perry Mason, and I am a licensed attorney here in Texas. I am offering my services to you on at least a temporary basis until firm decisions are made about your legal representation. But for now, do I have your permission to proceed?

Mr. Oswald: Yes, you do, and thank you.

Mr. Mason: Alright, I am going to ask you some questions, and I want to preface them by pointing out that it is extremely important and necessary for you to be completely honest with me. I can't help you unless you are totally honest. Do you understand that?

Mr. Oswald: Yes, I do.

Mr. Mason: Very well. Did you kill the President? 

Mr. Oswald: No, I did not. 

Mr. Mason: Do you own the rifle that they found? 

Mr. Oswald: No, I do not. I've never seen it before. I do not own any rifle. 

Mr. Mason: They have an invoice from a hardware store in Chicago which shows you having ordered it. Are you saying that that invoice is fake? 

Mr. Oswald: Yes, that is what I am saying. I never ordered any rifle. 

Mr. Mason: Where were you when the President was shot?

Mr. Oswald: I was standing in the doorway in front. I was right  outside the door. There were other people there. One of them was my boss, Bill Shelley. Do you want me to name others? OK, Billy Lovelady was there. Buell Frazier was there. He's the guy I rode to work with. So, was Joe Molina. Sarah somebody? I don't know all their names. 

Mr. Mason: Alright, so you were standing there in the doorway watching the motorcade, just like everybody else, at the time of the shots. Is that what you're saying?

Mr. Oswald. Yes.

Mr. Mason: Did you tell that to the police? 

Mr. Oswald: Yes. I told it to Captain Fritz. 

Mr. Mason: Then, I assume that they are going to try to corroborate it with Bill Shelley and the others. You assume, I presume, that they will confirm it, right?

Mr. Oswald: I have no reason to think that they wouldn't. I didn't really react with those people, but I assume they saw me. I had eye contact with Shelley, so I'm sure he is going to say that I was there. 

Mr. Mason: Did you kill Officer Tippit?

Mr. Oswald: No, I did not. I was at the theater at the time. 

Mr. Mason: Why did you go to the theater?

(RC: from this point on, I am freely speculating)

Mr. Oswald: I ran into Jack Ruby out in front and spoke with him for a couple minutes. He urged me to be concerned because of my background- having gone to Russia and been a defector. He thought there might be people who were out to hurt me. So, he wanted me to meet someone who he said was going to help me. I was to meet this person at the theater. That's why I went there. Hey, I didn't have a hankering for a war movie.

Mr. Mason: OK, I have heard enough for now. I have to leave because I have to file a temporary injunction. Here's what I want you to understand: Someone is trying to frame you. You are being targeted here. You are being set up as the patsy in this crime. And here's what I want you to do: First, I want you to trust no one besides me. And I do mean no one. Will you do that?

Mr. Oswald: OK.

Mr. Mason: And, I don't want you to provide any more information to the police unless I am present. Just tell them that you are not making any more statements without the presence of your lawyer. Will you do that?

Mr. Oswald; Yes, I will.

Mr. Mason: Are you alright? You looked banged up.

Mr. Oswald: Yeah, I'm a little banged up, but I'm alright. It's the least of my troubles. 

Mr. Mason: That was from the scuffle at the theater?

Mr. Oswald: Yes.

Mr. Mason: What about now? Is anyone physically abusing you now?

Mr. Oswald: No.

Mr. Mason: Are you being verbally abused?

Mr. Oswald: No.

Mr. Mason: OK then. I'm going to leave. I'll be back as soon as I can. If they want to talk to you again, you tell them to arrange it with me. You got it?

Mr. Oswald: Yep.

Mr. Mason: Is there anything you need? 

Mr. Oswald: No, I'm fine.

Mr. Mason: Alright, I'll be back later this evening. You're holding up, right?

Mr. Oswald: Yes, I am.

Mr. Mason, Alright, until later than.