The Bus Stop Farce

[Martin Weidmann]

Mrs. Roberts' affidavit:

I noticed he had a jacket he was putting on. I recall the jacket was a dark color and it was the type that zips up the front. He was zipping the jacket up as he left.

Note the details: dark coloured - zipper type - zipping it as Oswald left.

Being half blind does not make her half-witted.

Being half blind does not make her half-witted.

Never said it did, but good observation is not a quality many people are blessed with;

Mrs. ROBERTS. He just walked in---he didn't look around at me---he didn't say nothing and went on to his room.
Mr. BALL. Did he run?
Mrs. ROBERTS. He wasn't running, but he was walking pretty fast---he was all but running.
Mr. BALL. Then, what happened after that?
Mrs. ROBERTS. He went to his room and he was in his shirt sleeves but I couldn't tell you whether it was a long-sleeved shirt or what color it was or nothing, and he got a jacket and put it on---it was kind of a zipper jacket.
Mr. BALL. Had you ever seen him wear that jacket before?
Mrs. ROBERTS. I can't say I did---if I did, I don't remember it.
Mr. BALL. When he came in he was in a shirt?
Mrs. ROBERTS. He was in his shirt sleeves.
Mr. BALL. What color was his shirt? Do you know?
Mrs. ROBERTS. I don't remember. I didn't pay that much attention for I was interested in the television trying to get it fixed.

She was shown the grey jacket (CE 162) during her testimony ;

Mr. BALL. I'll show you this jacket which is Commission Exhibit 162---have you ever seen this jacket before?
Mrs. ROBERTS. Well, maybe I have, but I don't remember it. It seems like the one he put on was darker than that. Now, I won't be sure, because I really don't know, but is that a zipper jacket?
Mr. BALL. Yes---it has a zipper down the front.
Mrs. ROBERTS. Well, maybe it was.
Mr. BALL. It was a zippered jacket, was it?
Mrs. ROBERTS. Yes; it was a zipper jacket. How come me to remember it, he was zipping it up as he went out the door.
Mr. BALL. He was zipping it up as he went out the door?
Mrs. ROBERTS. Yes.

Her powers of observation seem to have failed her when seeing the color of the jacket, so all you really got left is a "maybe it was" because she remembered seeing Oswald zipping up a jacket.... 

And that's the same woman who, according to the LNs did not see a police car in front of the house, nor did she see Oswald standing at the bus stop.

Hardly sound and conclusive evidence of Oswald leaving the rooming house with a grey jacket that was later found in a car park and called in as being white.

[Jerry Freeman]

Hardly sound and conclusive evidence of Oswald leaving the rooming house with a grey jacket that was later found in a car park and called in as being white.

Mr. BELIN. Do you remember what color his trousers were?
Mrs. DAVIS. [Virginia] I think they were black. Brown jacket and trousers.

[Jerry Freeman]

On the Lane audio recording [heard by the Commissioners]...Mrs Markham said that there was no one else around when the cop was shot. So how accurate was that?

Jack Moriarty [HSCA]- Did you not report this information [to the Tippit shooting] to the authorities?
Jack Ray Tatum-There were more than enough people there and I could not see what I could contribute.
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/russ/testimony/tatum.htm

[Bill Brown]

Set aside the description of color for a minute.

And why would you want to set aside such a crucial part of the description?

Virginia Davis and Barbara Davis saw the same man cut across their front yard.  They stood beside each other and watched this guy flee the scene.  Virginia stated the jacket that he was wearing was light colored. Barbara said it was dark.  They were referring to the same jacket.

Are you seriously asking why we'd set aside description of color for a minute?

[Bill Brown]

Mrs. Roberts' affidavit:

I noticed he had a jacket he was putting on. I recall the jacket was a dark color and it was the type that zips up the front. He was zipping the jacket up as he left.

Note the details: dark coloured - zipper type - zipping it as Oswald left.

Being half blind does not make her half-witted.

Bingo.  We have a winner.

[Martin Weidmann]

Virginia Davis and Barbara Davis saw the same man cut across their front yard.  They stood beside each other and watched this guy flee the scene.  Virginia stated the jacket that he was wearing was light colored. Barbara said it was dark.  They were referring to the same jacket.

Are you seriously asking why we'd set aside description of color for a minute?

Yes I am, as it goes to the credibility of the witness as it demonstrates just how bad most people are at sound observation. The Davis sisters only saw the killer passing by for a second or two. Not enough for them to register the color of his jacket, yet we are to believe they registered his face well enough to pick him out of a line up. Really?

[Martin Weidmann]

Bingo.  We have a winner.

Cherry picking a little piece out of the evidence and ignoring the bigger picture isn't very persuasive.

[Bill Chapman]

Yes I am, as it goes to the credibility of the witness as it demonstrates just how bad most people are at sound observation. The Davis sisters only saw the killer passing by for a second or two. Not enough for them to register the color of his jacket, yet we are to believe they registered his face well enough to pick him out of a line up. Really?

Most people can't take in everything at once. But clothing wouldn't exactly be top priority in a scene with shots fired and a guy with a gun walking by.