July 20, 1995 - Part 2
July 20, 1995 - Part 2
(10:40:29) Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Now, there was a point where there was so many people in the house. The President had come. There were, lit erally, dozens of people who had come to the home spontaneously to comfort Mrs. Foster and Vincent Foster's two sisters, who were present there as well. Is that so? Mr. ROLLA. There wasn't dozens. We had Mr. Watkins and his wife with us, then there was Mr. Hubbell and the two sisters and maybe one of their husbands. I think there were four or five other people besides the four of us that originally got there and, at that point, about 10:50 p.m. or somewhere around there, the President walked in with one Secret Service agent. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Just the President? Ms. BRAUN. Yes. Mr. ROLLA. Yeah, he was by himself. 164 Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You don't recall anyone else who came along? Mr. ROLLA. I don't recall. He walked in, obviously a figure your eyes would turn to. He walked in Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You paid attention? Mr. ROLLA. I see the President, and he immediately walked over to Mr. BEN-VENISTE. If other people arrived with the President or more or less at the same time, your attention was on the President of the United States having arrived? Mr. ROLLA. I know he had only one Secret Service agent, which I thought was slim, but he had only one agent with him, and I don't believe anyone else was with him. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You don't know who was outside Mr. ROLLA. No. Mr. BEN-VENISTE, -in terms of Secret Service protection? Mr. ROLLA. No, I don't. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. So you wouldn't make the assumption that the President traveled there with only one Secret Service agent? Mr. ROLLA. He had one in the house. That's the only assumption, I made. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Do you have any reason to believe that the number of people who began to come to the house and to console the Fosters was in any way some orchestrated attempt to interfere with your investigation? Mr. ROLLA. No. Mr. BEN-VENISTE, That would be absurd, wouldn't it? Mr. ROLLA. Yes. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You could see how the expressions of grief and shock about this tragedy affected all of the people, including the President of the United States. Mr. ROLLA. Obviously there was grief there, but there was also * very businesslike attitude between some people who maintained * businesslike appearance, constant telephone calls, constant work. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. People had to be notified in Arkansas and around the country who knew Mr. Foster in the hope that they could be notified personally before they heard this news on the television. That wouldn't surprise you, would it? Mr, ROLLA. No. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Now, Detective Rolla, you were not present when Sergeant Braun had her conversation with Mr. Watkins at the very end of your stay there? Mr. ROLLA. I was standing next to her. We were on our way out the door. We decided it was time for us to go. I just didn't hear that' statement. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Sergeant Braun, do you recall the exact words you used to Mr. Watkins regarding Mr. Foster's office? Ms. BRAUN. No, I do not. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You don't know whether you said it would be a good idea if his office were locked or if his office were secured Ms. BRAUN. I think I probably said something to the effect--I made my request that the office be secured, and I assumed he understood what I meant. 165 Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You did not say to Mr. Watkins please ensure that no one enter the office; I want that communicated to everyone at the White House? Ms. BRAUN. No, I don't think I was that detailed with him. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. You did not say that, Mr. Rolla? Mr. ROLLA, No, I did not. Mr. BEN-VE NISTE. Mr. Hines, you did not say that? Mr. HINES. No, I did not. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. With respect to what you expected, was that at some point after you communicated this request, the office would be locked up?