A Defendant Who Wants Attention

Just as loquacious as Marguerite Oswald was Jack Ruby, who appeared in court in an effort to get his forthcoming trial moved out of Dallas.

Ruby told reporters that he has been reading the Bible ("The truth has come to me during incarceration") and delivered a disjointed discourse on the meaning of patriotism and hatred: "I think after being incarcerated as long as I have, I know that most people don't know how small is the minority of people in the world who create hatred. They are the cancer on our free society. So many of our great people have been hurt by them.

"I am not frightened. I am a Godfearing man, but who wouldn't have difficulty in my situation? I know that I face a serious charge. I am a 100% American who loves his country. I love my President. I have intestinal fortitude. I want to do so much for democracy . . ." When photographers yelled, "Jack! Jack! Look this way, Jack!" Ruby replied, "That's right, I'm Jack, I'm Jack." But at another point, he admonished the photographers: "Instead of yelling, 'Jack, Jack,' say, 'Mr. Ruby, turn this way,' and I'll be happy to."

Acrimony. Despite all Ruby's efforts to gain attention, it was really a lawyers' week in Judge Joe Brown's small courtroom. Chief Defense Attorney Melvin Belli and his assistant, Texas Lawyer Joe Tonahill, subpoenaed more than 150 witnesses to help prove the defense contention that Ruby cannot get a fair trial in Dallas. Belli brought only 41 of them to the stand. Most of them agreed that it would be difficult to find twelve unprejudiced men for a jury; but then again, they thought it would be possible. Department Store Operator Stanley Marcus, for one, thought it would be "more likely" that Ruby would get a fair trial somewhere else but under cross-examination admitted that a fair trial was at least conceivable in Dallas.

Belli had an acrimonious confrontation with Dallas Public Relations Man Sam Bloom, who has taken on the job of handling technical arrangements for the trial, including issuance of press credentials. During one exchange, Bloom snapped: "Don't bark at me, Mr. Belli." Cried Belli: "Don't smile at me, Mr. Bloom." Belli kept trying to make Bloom admit that Dallasites really wanted to try Ruby in their city, convict him, and thereby get rid of some sort of guilt complex. But Bloom was insistent: "I don't think Dallas has any sins."

Invitation to Insult. At last, Judge Brown handed down a decision that was at best indecisive. He ordered attorneys to begin this week to select a jury. The questioning of prospective jurors, said Brown, "is the true test of whether this trial should be changed to another city." If an impartial panel cannot be selected, he might then order a change of venue.

That seemed almost an invitation to Melvin Belli. Said he: "We are going to do everything this side of insulting a prospective juror in order to determine if they do or do not have a conscious or unconscious prejudice."

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