February 15, 1969
MRS. FRANCES GAYLE NEWMAN, a witness for the State, after first being duly sworn by the Minute Clerk, was examined and testified on her oath as follows:
DIRECT EXAMINATION BY MR. ALFORD:
Q: State your full name, please.
A: Frances Gayle Newman.
Q: Mrs. Newman, it is very important that everyone in the courtroom be able to hear you so I will ask you to speak into the microphone as loudly as possible. These gentlemen have to be able to hear you. If you don't understand a question I don't mind you asking us to repeat it.
A: Okay.
Q: State your full name once again.
A: Frances Gayle Newman.
Q: Where do you live, Mrs. Newman?
A: Dallas, Texas.
Q: Where in Dallas?
A: 227 East Green Drive.
Q: Mrs. Newman, did you live in Dallas, Texas in 1963?
A: Yes, sir. I am a native of Dallas.
Q: Did you have occasion on November 22, 1963 to go to Dealey Plaza in Dallas, Texas?
A: Yes, sir, we did.
Q: And for what purpose did you go there?
A: We went to Dealey Plaza so we would have a chance to see President Kennedy as he came through town.
Q: Did you in fact observe the Presidential motorcade?
A: Yes, sir, we did. We went out to the airport to see and we were unable to see him so we went to Dealey Plaza.
Q: And in whose company were you in, if anyone?
A: My husband and my two children.
Q: Would you speak just a little louder please, ma'am?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What was your husband's name?
A: William E. Newman, Jr.
Q: And where is he today?
A: He is home sick.
Q: Mrs. Newman, I am going to ask you to please step up, step down from the witness chair and step over here, please. Mrs. Newman, I direct your attention to what for purposes of identification is marked State 34 and ask you whether or not you recognize the scene depicted in this photograph?
A: Yes, I do.
Q: What is this a picture of?
A: A picture of the Triple Overpass and where we were standing at the time of the assassination.
Q: What is this area commonly called lin Dallas?
A: Dealey Plaza.
Q: Mrs. Newman, I'm going to give you a small flag which has your name on it and a pin and I direct your attention to the large plaque over here marked State 35 and ask you to please place, stick this pin in the location or approximate location where you and your husband were standing at the time you observed the motorcade.
A: (The witness complies.)
Q: Mrs. Newman, I also direct your attention to this mockup which has been marked State 36, and I give you this small emblem and I would request you to locate yourself on this mockup, your approximate location.
A: Right in there, right in front of that sign there.
Q: Do you see any other signs on the mockup?
A: Oh, wait, I am too far down. Right in here.
Q: You may return to the witness chair. Mrs. Newman, at what location was the Presidential limousine at the time you were first able to observe it?
A: They were, when we first were able to see them, the limousine as it turned the corner from Houston onto Elm Street.
Q: And did the Presidential limousine remain in your line of vision?
MR. DYMOND: Object to leading the witness.
BY MR. ALFORD:
Q: To what point on Elm Street did you lose sight of the Presidential limousine, if in fact you did?
A: It was after it passed us and went under the Triple Overpass.
Q: Mrs. Newman, while you were in Dealey Plaza did anything unusual occur?
A: Yes, sir, the President was shot.
Q: Did you hear any unusual noises?
A: I heard three of what I thought at first were firecrackers -- three shots.
Q: Did you hear the first of these noises?
A: Yes, sir. Now, do you want me to tell you where the President's car was when I first heard the noises?
Q: If you can.
A: The President's car was maybe 100 or 150 feet from us when I first heard the noise and the first two noises were close together, just seconds apart.
Q: Were you looking at the President at the time you heard the first report?
A: Yes, sir, I was.
Q: Were you able to observe any reaction on his part?
A: Yes, sir, at the time of the first noise he threw his hands up.
Q: Could you simulate what you observed?
A: He threw his hands up like this and sort of turned his head.
Q: Did you have occasion to hear a second report?
A: Yes, sir, I did.
Q: Before I go into that, were you able to observe Governor Connally after the first report?
A: Yes, sir, I saw Governor Connally with the first shot seemed to turn a little bit like this. (Indicating.)
Q: You said you then heard a second report?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Were you able to observe any reaction on the part of Governor Connally then?
A: Yes, sir, at the time of the second shot Governor Connally grabbed his stomach.
Q: Did he do anything else?
A: Well, his eyes just got real big and he sort of slumped down in the seat.
Q: Were you able to hear a third report?
A: Yes, sir, we heard a third report, it was a short time, not maybe 10 or 12 seconds after the first two shots.
Q: And what were you able to observe the effects of this shot then?
A: Yes, sir, that shot when it happened, the President's car was directly in front of us and it was about a lane's width between us, it wasn't in the lane next to the curb it was in the middle lane, and at that time he was shot in the head right at his ear or right above his ear.
Q: Did you have your eyes upon the President at the time of these shots?
A: Yes, sir, I did.
Q: And were you able to clearly observe the effects of that shot?
MR. DYMOND: Object to leading the witness.
THE COURT: Rephrase your question, Mr. Alford.
BY MR. ALFORD:
Q: Approximately in feet can you estimate how far you were from the Presidential limousine at the time of the third noise?
A: We were approximately 10 feet. The Presidential limousine was directly in front of us. The President was directly in front of us but 10 feet out in the street.
Q: Now what was the effect of this shot upon the President's head if you were able to observe?
A: The President, his head just seemed to explode, just bits of his skull flew in the air and he fell to the side.
Q: Now what did you do at that time, if anything?
A: At that time we both had a child and we got down on the ground and covered our children with our bodies because we thought we were in a crossfire, the noise --
MR. DYMOND: Object and ask the witness be instructed to not give opinions --
THE COURT: I overrule your objection, Mr. Dymond.
MR. DYMOND: To which ruling Counsel reserves a bill of exception making the question, the objection, the reason for the objection being that this is a conclusion and opinion on the part of the witness, and the Court's ruling and all the testimony to this point and the testimony of this witness.
BY MR. ALFORD:
Q: Where did the noise sound to you to come from?
A: Sounded it was coming from directly behind us.
Q: Mrs. Newman, I now show you a photograph previously marked State 41 and ask you to inspect this photograph and I ask you whether or not you can locate yourself in this photograph?
A: Yes, sir, I can.
Q: Will you please place an X immediately above your head. Now, Mrs. Newman, I now show you what for purposes of identification has been marked State 48 and I ask you whether or not you can locate yourself in this photograph. Were you able to locate yourself?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Mrs. Newman, did you have occasion to testify before the Warren Commission?
A: No, sir, I did not.
MR. ALFORD: Thank you.
CROSS-EXAMINATION BY MR. DYMOND:
Q: Mrs. Newman, did you give a statement to the Federal Bureau of Investigation?
A: The only statement I gave was given to the Sheriff's Department the afternoon of the assassination.
Q: You did give a statement to the Sheriff's Department?
A: I did.
Q: Did you give a written statement or verbal?
A: It was a verbal statement and they had a secretary to type it and I read it and signed it.
Q: You then gave a typed-up signed statement?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Mrs. Newman, when did you and your husband first learn that President Kennedy was to visit Dallas on this occasion?
A: Probably a week in advance.
Q: About a week in advance of November 22?
A: Yes, uh huh.
Q: As I understand your testimony you heard one noise that sounded like a firecracker?
A: No, sir, I beg your pardon, I heard three noises.
Q: You heard one noise that sounded like a firecracker and then a little later on you heard two more close together?
A: No, sir, I heard two close together and then one.
Q: I see. The first two were close together?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: And the second one was -- the third one was seconds later?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Would you mind as best you can by slapping the side of the Judge's bench show us just how you heard those shots?
A: The first two (tap, tap) and then there was a pause, and I don't know exactly how many seconds, but then there was another shot.
Q: You would not pretend to know how many seconds between the second and third one?
A: Not between the second and third one, no, sir.
Q: In other words in your Direct testimony when you said that 10 to 12 seconds elapsed after the first two shots before you heard the third, that was strictly an estimate?
A: Yes, sir, it was more an estimate than a direct fact because I don't know 'cause I didn't time it.
Q: Of course you were very excited at that time, were you not?
A: I don't believe I was very excited until after it all happened and then I realized what happened.
Q: You say it appeared to you that the President's head just exploded, is that correct?
A: Not his head but more or less his ear and head and fragments and things flew up and his brain matter and blood started coming out.
Q: It appeared to you that it hit in the vicinity of the ear?
A: Above the ear not behind the ear, the ear itself but not behind the ear.
Q: Some of the witnesses to this shooting have described the appearance of the President's head in that it appeared to be a red halo and did you observe any such effect?
A: No, sir, I didn't.
Q: Were you able to see any blood or other matter that escaped from the President's head?
A: Yes, sir, I did.
Q: Would you describe that as best you can?
A: From what I remember when the President was hit bits flew up and then white matter came out and then blood.
Q: Did you see any of that fly forward, Mrs. Newman?
A: As well as I could remember it flew straight up.
Q: As I understand your testimony when the President -- right after this third shot that he raised up and fell over to the side, is that correct?
A: Yes, sir.
MR. DYMOND: That is all, Mrs. Newman.
THE COURT: Is Mrs. Newman excused from the effects of the subpoena?
MR. DYMOND: Yes.
MR. ALFORD: Yes.
THE COURT: Mrs. Newman, you are excused.