arren member agrees with report findings
By Jim Zalewski
It has been nearly 12 years since that fateful day
in Dallas, Nov. 22. Many will never forget their initial
reaction to the news that President John F. Kennedy
had been shot by a sniper.
One former Lincoln resident, Jay Rankin, has even
more reason to remember the events of those three
chaotic days in November 1963.
Rankin, a New York attorney, was a member of
the Warren Commission, the group that studied the
events surrounding the assassination. In a telephone
interview Wednesday, he discussed some of the
commission's work.
Despite the new flame of interest in Kennedy's
assassination, which was fanned by the showing of
frames of the Zapruder film of the shooting on NBC's
"Tomorrow" show, Rankin said he has no doubts in
the findings of the Warren Commission.
"I totally agree with all of the findings published
in the report," he said. "There is no doubt in my
mind that we carefully examined all of the evidence
that was available."
Single bullet
Unlike others, Rankin said he is convinced that a
single bullet could inflict the damage it did to
Kennedy and former Texas Gov. John Connally.
"We spent a great deal of time on this, possibly
more than any other single issue," Rankin said. "We
examined many standards. From the expert
testimony we received from technicians and the
evidence that we had of the effects of that bullet,
there was no question that a bullet could physically
do what the commission said it did."
Rankin was not quite as assertive when questioned
about Kennedy's sudden backward lurch, that was
seen in the Zapruder film. According to the Warren
Commission's report, he should not have moved in
that direction, since the shots allegedly fired by Lee
Harvey Oswald came from behind.
"We never had any occasion to explain the
backwards movement," he said. "It could be easily
explained as a nervous reaction. In fact, we
questioned doctors on this matter. They said such a
nervous reaction often occurs."
The Warren Commission, which worked about one
year before releasing the report, also dismissed the
possibility of a conspiracy. Rankin said he agrees with
this finding.
Negative matter '
"We never could aggregate any evidence of a
conspiracy " he said. "Trying to prove that something
was there that wasn't is a negative matter. And
negative matters are very difficult to prove."
Neither the Central Intelligence Agency nor any
other government agency attempted to hasten a cover
up of the shooting or the subsequent investigation,
Rankin said.
When asked why the Zapruder film was not
supposed to be shown to the public, Rankin said the
Commission made that decision as a concession to the
Kennedy family.
"The Kennedy family asked us to prohibit the
showing of this film," he said. "They did not want
the public to remember the President as he was in the
movie, all shot up."
Rockefeller Commission
Rankin said he has not seen the full report released
recently by the Rockefeller Commission, a
government commission created to see if the Warren
Commission erred.
"I- don't think any- new evidence has been
rpoduced," he said. "I see no need for a restudy of
the case. I won't comment on the Rockefeller
Commission report until I read it in its entirety."
Rankin, who was asked by former Chief Justice
Earl Warren to serve on the Commission, said he also
rejects the theory that more man one sniper fired at
the presidential motorcade.
"We thoroughly searched the area around and
adjacent to the grassy knoll near the overpass,"
Rankin said. "We found no evidence to lead us to
believe that there was more than one man firing at
the President."
"Ruby's entrance. . .the route of the
motorcade. . .all of this has been published and is part
of the records," he said. "I don't want to repeat it.
The public can look at it themselves."
"It has been my position in the past not to
comment on this, and I prefer to keep it that way,"
he said. "I think all of the actions taken by the
Warren Commission we;e very thorough.
"Of course there is always the possibility that new
evidence will be uncovered. A lot of time has elapsed
since then, but nothing new has been found yet. I
believe right now the findings of the Warren
Commission will stand the test of any disbelievers."
Friday
12 pan. Human Rights
Committee Nebraska Union
Pewter Room
12 p.m.-Shelton
School-6th Grade Union
North Conference Room
3 p.m. Vice Chancellor
Acker-Union 203
3 p.m. -Exxon
Foundation-Piaget
Program-Union 243
6 p.m. -Athletic
Department-Football Clinic
Dinner-Union Harvest Room
6:30 p.m.-Block &
Bridle-Dinner-Union
Centennial Room
7:30 p.m.-Nebraska
Human Re sources
Foundation-PDP-Union
Auditorium.
8 p.m.-77je Sound of
Musc-Community Playhouse
10 a.m. to 4j).m.-Union
Program Council Art Lending
library Picture Return-Union
South Conference Room
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friday, may 2, 1975
daily nebraskan
page 3