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July 29, 1994 - Part 5
(16:45:31) Ms. BRAUN. Yes. 103 Senator MURRAY. So from your perspective, do you feel that anyone was trying to obstruct you in trying to get information that night? Ms. BRAUN. No, I wouldn't say they were, Senator MuRRAY. And then the President of the United States showed up. Ms. BRAUN. That's correct. Senator MURRAY. That must have been a very surprising moment Ms. BRAUN, It was unexpected. [Laughter.] Senator MURRAY. Did anyone ask you to leave? Or did you just come to the conclusion that Ms. BRAUN. No one asked us to leave. We just were not able to really get any information. The two people that we would have liked to speak to, the President was consoling, which is understandable-those being Lisa Foster and her daughter Laura. At that point, we just kind of assumed we would come back at a later date and get the information that we were trying to seek. Senator MURRAY. And finally to all three of you, is it your opinion that Vince Foster committed suicide? Ms. BRAUN. Yes. Mr. ROLLA. Yes. Dr. BEYER. No question. Senator MURRAY. Thank you. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Faircloth, Senator FAIRCLOTH. Yes, I do have one or two more. Mr. Rolla, someone from the Park Police called you and said they would break into your desk to get these papers. Someone from the White House called the Park Police to get these papers. Who called you? Mr. ROLLA. Who called me? Senator FAIRCLOTH. Yes. Who was it called you and told you they were going to break into the desk? Mr. ROLLA. It was Lt. Cass. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Who? Mr. ROLLA. Lt. Robert Cass, my Lieutenant. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Oh, your Lieutenant from the Park Service? ROLLA. No. Park Police. Senator FAIRCLOTH. The Park Police. OK right, Mr. Rolla, I am a little confused about one thing. This not an important question, but I will try to clear my mind. I am confused about the layout at Fort Marcy Park. I understand that are two cannons in the Park. One is nearer the parking lot, other is farther away near Chain -Bridge Road. When you found Mr. Foster's body, which cannon was it located near? ROLLA. It was near the second one which is closer to Chain Bridge Road, but it is not-it's hard to tell the difference. It is not right next to it. It is elevated, and the trees and the foliage are so thick at that time you could not even see the roadway. But it was at the second cannon. FAIRCLOTH. Mr. Chairman, here is something that we have not heard mentioned. With all of the lawyers that were at the Fosters' house that night, and all of the lawyers in the White House, I don't see why it ever proceeded to the point it did. The U.S. Park Police had no business being the lead investigate in Vince Foster's tragic death anyway. In fact, it would have against the law for them to do so. Under the law, the FBI responsibility to investigate this case from beginning to end. to say why the FBI has the duty to investigate this case un law. An FBI investigation is what everybody would expect wehn Foster ter died. He was a hi gh Government official. His body was found on Federal land and the Park Police do not have a lot of training in investigating homicides. It is not their normal operation. "fall, Foster was a high Government official, and there is First 10 a law called the Presidential and Presidential Staff Assassination, Statute. It covers the President, the Vice President, and the top 25, appointed people in the White House. Foster was one of the top 25 What the law says is that a killing or an assault on a high Government official shall be investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. So the FBI was required by law to investigate because Foster was a high Government official. Then there is the law establishing the FBI. The FBI has the general authority to investigate crimes against the United States, and that would include possible homicides committed on Federal land. A national park like Fort Marcy is Federal ]an . It is a so true that at on Federal land they do not necessarily have to be a high Government official. Another part of the same law allows the FBI to investigate possible Federal crimes involving a Government officer or official.
Last Streetcar in Berlin
"West Berlin's final tram trundles its way to the terminal for the last time in the midst of great pomp and nostalgic ceremony. Streetcar buffs buy collector's items before the closedown." TLS idle streetcars, crowds milling about. Panning MS man & woman in Victorian dress (fashion, clothes, clothing). CU streetcar conductor with long, upturned, waxed mustache. TLS/MSs crowd around stands, rummaging through memorabilia. CU hands sorting through brass tags and station stop signs. MS conductor with strange moustache cranking. TLSs flower-adorned streetcar makes it way through the crowd. Dignitaries wave from the last car. Onlookers wave and take pictures.
Buckpasser Retires
"Buckpasser, third-ranked money winner in racing history retires from the track because of an arthritic foreleg. The colt was Horse of the Year in 1966 and won close to $1.5 million." MS/CUs thoroughbred horse Buckpasser in yard outside stables, white man wearing sunglasses (trainer Eddie Neloy?) holding reigns.
United States Grand Prix
"The U.S. Grand Prix is won by Scotland's Jim Clark, averaging close to 121 mph. England's Graham Hill is second, New Zealand's Dennis Hulme, third." Aerial of parking lot at racetrack. Sideview MS driver JIM CLARK suiting before race. MS driver DENNY HULME (Dennis Hulme) sitting in race car, donning gloves. MS driver JACK BRABHAM easing into racer. The cars are small, bullet shaped and have very wide tires. MS driver (Jim Clark?) sitting at wheel of Lotus racer. TLS crowd sitting in bleachers. TLS man jumping in the air, waving checkered flag to start the race, Dunlop sign over starting gate. Various shots of race. Subjective POV staggered line along the racetrack zipping by. Aerial shot of race. TLS man jumping, waving checkered flag at finish line as winning car passes. MS Jim Clark kissing Miss U.S. Grand Prix woman, holding trophy in winner's circle. MS Jim Clark and GRAHAM HILL posing in winner's circle.
Viet Dogs: Trained for Sentry & Guard Duty
"Trained German Shepherd dogs prove themselves in Vietnam during scout and sentry duty. Several have been wounded and killed in action while protecting U.S. bases from sneak attack." MS/TLSs German Shepherd dog running obstacle course, climbing stairs, jumping though obstacles & over walls and balancing across wood fence. MS U.S. Army soldier dressed in thick bite-proof foam padding suit, "imitating a Viet Cong," jumping & screaming at trained dog, encouraging him to attack; MS/CUs dog attacking padded hand of soldier, trainer eventually calling the dog off. CU U.S. Army dog trainer; MS German Shepherd dog sitting, panting, long tongue lolling, hanging down. H/a TLS GI dressed in black pajama top and straw hat (I guess indiscriminately imitating the entire male Vietnamese population) antagonizing muzzled dog; leashed dog pulls trainer, chases & attacks "Viet Cong."
July 29, 1994 - Part 5
(16:50:30) Park Police enforcement authority is much more limited. The Park Police authority comes from the National Park Service Act and the law says "may conduct investigations of offenses against the United States committed in that System," which refers to the Park System, "in the absence of an investigation by any other Federal law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the offense committed or with the concurrence of such agency." So any way you look at it, the Park Police are a secondary investigative agency. The National Park Service law says that even if the Park Police investigate a possible crime in a national park, the jurisdiction of the FBI or anybody else is not limited by that investigation. In other words, most any other investigative arm of the Federal Government can override the Park Police. Given these legal justifications for the FBI to have been and should have been the lead investigative agency, why were the Park Police in charge of the investigation? Does anybody know that? Mr. ROLLA. Do you want an answer? Senator FAIRCLOTH. Excuse me? Mr. ROLLA. Do you want an answer? Senator FAIRCLOTH. Yes, I want an answer. Mr. ROLLA. Because it was an apparent suicide, not a homicide. We do have training in homicide and death investigation. In fact, we probably handle more routine death investigations than FBI agents handle. We see the same training as Metropolitan Police. We receive training from the FBI in death investigations. 105 The FBI was notified of this. They reviewed it, and they found no evidence of foul play or anything other than a suicide, and they left it to us. They were brought in. Senator FAiRcLoTH. In other words, you called-when did you call the FBI? Mr. ROLLA. I didn't call them, Senator FAiRcLoTH. Who did call them? Mr. ROLLA. I would imagine reports were Faxed to them. I don't know. An official probably called the FBI. Senator FAIRCLOTH. When did he call? Mr. ROLLA. I believe they were notified the next day. Ms. BRAUN. I was going to say, that question would A probably be better asked to Capt. Hume. Senator FAIRCLOTH. And the FBI said, we don't want to get into it? You, the Park Police, are wonderful and you are experts in this, and you get on with it? Is that what they said? Mr. ROLLA. I believe when the FBI agents were here before they told you that the next day they were notified and they were brought up to the White House to review the stuff, anti' it was an apparent suicide and they were not going to be involved in the investigation. They told you that. Senator FAIRCLOTH. I have another question, just to clarify another question. Who called your lieutenant to call you so that someone could get into your desk? Who called your lieutenant? Mr. ROLLA. I don't know. Senator FAIRCLOTH. Do we know whether Robert Fiske asked the Park Police, not the FBI, asked why the Park Police rather than the FBI were investigating Foster's death? Mr. ROLLA. Because we had jurisdiction. I don't know if he asked anybody. senator FAIRCLOTH. All right. Thank you. CHAiRmAN. Senator Sarbanes. Senator SARBANES. Mr. Chairman, in light of the, in effect, state- I think rather than question that Senator Faircloth just put, would like to read from the Fiske Investigative Report, an in fairness I think to the two witnesses who are at the table. Park Police Investigation: Investigative Jurisdiction. Because Foster's death occurred in a National Park, the Park Police as part of the Department of the Interior had jurisdiction to conduct the investigation. Police Chief Robert E. Langston stated that the Park Police have historically and primary investigative jurisdiction for crimes or possible crimes committed with- Federal parks. FBI would have had primary investigative jurisdiction if the circumstances fell within the Presidential and Staff Assassination Statute, Title 18 U.S. Code, 1751. That statute makes it a Federal crime to, among other things, kill the President, Vice President, or specified number of persons appointed by the vice President. The statute further provides that violations shall be in-vestigated by the FBI. Based on a preliminary inquiry by the FBI which failed to indicate any criminal activity, the FBI's inquiry into this matter was closed, he then goes on to say: At the request of this office, the FBI re-entered this investigation in February of 1994. So you in effect, were carrying out an historically traditional Park Police activity and responsibility, as I understand it Was that your understanding? 106 Ms. BRAUN. That's correct. Mr. ROLLA. It is a routine function. Death investigation is a routine function of the Park Police.
Churches & cemetaries of Hawaii On Preview Cassette 215181
Australia
Chicago, Illinois
Preview Cassette 220546 Chicago, Illinois Bahai Temple, Wilmette, Illinois
Chicago Grant Park
Preview Cassette 220546 Chicago Grant Park - 1970 Looking down Michigan Avenue, pan over to Grant Park. Young people sitting on the grass, having picnic. Other people resting. Young people napping on bench.. These could be students from the Art Institute or young office workers from the loop. Old men sittingon a bench. Groups of sailors taking in the sites. Highrise buildings seen from the park.
Chicago
POV driving along busy Michigan Avenue, passing the Art Institute of Chicago on the right (circa 1959). Michigan Avenue bustling with taxi cabs, buses & delivery trucks. GV pedestrians crossing street headed in the direction of the Wrigley Building seen in BG. 4K UHD transfer also available (not represented in screener here)
Chicago
Preview Cassette 220546 Chicago - Aerial view of buidlings, possibly from a the Hancock building. Ground level shot of Prudential building.
Aerial Chicago lakefront
Preview Cassette 220546 Aerial Chicago lakefront
PREVIEW TAPE# 210280 Marine memorial (Iwo Jima)
The Art Institute of Chicago
TLS pedestrians walking in front of Michigan Avenue entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago. MS people seated on steps. MS GV visitors on the steps of the Art Institute. GV traffic on Michigan Ave. Low angle MS American flag flying on pole. GV buildings and traffic on Michigan Ave.
Aerial Kansas
ON PREVIEW TAPE 992009 Aerial Kansas
Chicago
Chicago
The Art Institute of Chicago
Exterior GVs "The Art Institute of Chicago" on building facade. MS lion entrance statue in silhouette as young woman passes out flyers on the street. Traveling shot past Michigan Avenue entrance with the lion statues.
Aerial Kansas
ON PREVIEW TAPE 992009 Aerial Kansas some shots shake alot, like watching modern tv editing
Michigan Art
Michigan Art fair '30's
Field Museum - Chicago Skyline
Preview Cassette 220546 Interior of Field Museum of Natural History. Stanley Field Hall with taxidermy elephants. Exhibit case with a portion of a tree. Exhibit cases with gems and minerals. Exhibit cases with taxidermy birds. Pacific Island regalia in case in Stanley Field Hall. Elepahnts in Stabley Field Hall. Pan across Grant park, with Petrillo band shell. Skyline in background.
On CS-16-562 Reel 1 Eating, drinking, sailing, etc. White guy dressed as Satan cooks for two middle-aged white couples. Numerous shots of boats being unloaded on docks, feighters and ships sailing on Mississippi River, passing ports, etc.
The Big Easy
New Orleans (1977): Bourbon Street, street scenes, tourists, topless clubs, Absinthe Club, street sign at intersection of Bourbon & St. Louis streets,
July 29, 1994 - Part 5
(16:55:37) Senator SARBANES. Fine. Thank you very much, I think that an. swers that point. I just want to make a couple of observations, Mr. Chairman The Chairman. Senator Sarbanes Senator SARBANES. -because I know we are late in the day. First of all, I must say to the two Park Police that others have commented about the difficulty of your job. I find it difficult to cornprebend arriving at someone's home to tell them-it's a little bit like what Senator Murray was saying-telling them that a suicide has taken place, and that their husband or father is gone; and then -- I understand what you were trying to do-but then to proceed into an investigation. It just seems to me that the emotional reaction to the news, the shock of it, and the horror of it, and the tragedy of it is such that it would make the questioning very difficult to handle. I would think that the sort of responses that Senator Murray outlined would be natural responses, and I am frank to say I understand an effort to delay a public announcement in order to get to the man's mother so she does not learn about it over the television. I think that is quite understandable. Now, Ms. Braun, Senator Mack said to you "is it usual to have statements of the death of a victim released by the White House" and you said "no." Correct? Ms. BRAUN. Well Senator SARBANES. Let me ask you this question, It is not usual to have a suicide victim who works at the White House, either, is it? Ms. BRAUN. It is very unusual. Senator Sarbanes. Now let me ask you, Mr. Rolla, about these personal effects. I take it the key to the locker was in your desk? Is that the fact? The personal effects were in the locker? Mr. ROLLA. They were in a locked locker, and I had the key. Senator SARBANES. You had a key, and there was another key to the locker in your desk? Mr. ROLLA. There was one key to the locker, and that was locked in my desk. I had two keys to my desk. Senator SARBANES. OK Mr. ROLLA, One was with me, and other I forgot that I had saved and locked in a briefcase at work. Senator SARBANES. So this, quote, sort of "breaking into your desk," that was just to get the key to open the locker? Right? Mr. ROLLA. That is correct. Senator SARBANES. Now you recalled that you had another key down there? Is that right? Mr. ROLLA. Right. Senator SARBANES. Where was that key located? Mr. ROLLA. After I got through the original phone calls and it started to sink in, I remembered I had a second key to my desk. It's in a briefcase I keep at work that had a combination lock. I 107 gave them the combination to the briefcase so they could retrieve the other key. Senator SARBANES. So they got the key out and got the personal effects out of the locker. Mr. ROLLA. Correct. senator SARBANES. You bad no problem with returning the personal effects because everything in the personal effects that you thought was relevant to the investigation you bad made either copies of or notations of So you had the information that you thought might be relevant or needed with respect to the personal effects? Is that correct? Mr. ROLLA, I had the information I needed, but in another circumstance I wouldn't have returned the personal effects then, that way. I would have saved it for myself to return. It gives me a second opportunity to meet with the family and talk to them and reinterview them about other things. SenatorSARBANES. I see. Mr. ROLLA. That was not my first choice to do that, but again I was at home and had not much say in the matter. SenatorSARBANES. OK. Thank you very much. The CHAIRMAN. Senator DAmato. Senator D'AMATo. Mr. Chairman, I have not engaged in any questions as it relates to this aspect of our hearings and our witnesses, but I would just like to make an observation. It seems to me the kinds of things they have told us and reported to us are things that we could absolutely understand, or at least this Senator could. I mean, the fact of a death, the body being found, a I loved one, I wouldn't let you speak to my sister or my friend. I would tell you this isn't the time. I think you have to understand that. I certainly do; and I believe that to be the case. I think to try to read any more or any less into that aspect would do us a disservice, to be candid with you. I think sometimes we have a tendency when we look at things, literally what do you mean, et cetera, when you give your depositions the scene that is described had to be horrific. It bad to be horrifie for that family. Web Hubbell I have no great grief for, but Sheila Anthony was his comrade, his friend, his sister's friend, worked with him, and would see Kim coming in and putting his arms around and saying come on over here. I certainly do not think he meant to be abusive and I think Ms. Braun recognizes that. \