It should be pointed out that the polygraph, often referred to as “lie detector” is not in fact such a device. The instrument is designed to record under proper stimuli emotional responses in the form of physiological variations which may indicate and accompany deception. The FBI feels that the polygraph technique is not sufficiently precise to permit absolute judgements of deception or truth without qualifications. The polygraph technique has a number of limitations, one of which relates to the mental fitness and condition of the examinee to be tested.
During the proceedings at Dallas, Texas, on July 18, 1964, Dr. William R. Beavers, a psychiatrist, testified that he would generally describe Jack Ruby as a “psychotic depressive.” In view of the serious question raised as to Ruby’s mental condition, no significance should be placed on the polygraph examination and it should be considered nonconclusive as the charts cannot be relied upon.[A17-134]
Having granted Ruby’s request for the examination, the Commission is publishing the transcript of the hearing at which the test was conducted[A17-135] and the transcript of the deposition of the FBI polygraph operator who administered the test.[A17-136] The Commission did not rely on the results of this examination in reaching the conclusions stated in this report.
APPENDIX XVIII
Footnotes
For references to the testimony of witnesses before the Commission, the following citation form is used: number of volume, “H” (for “Hearings before the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy”), page number, and the name of the witness in parentheses, e.g., 7 H 441 (O’Donnell). Commission exhibits are referred to by the capital letters “CE” and number; deposition exhibits by the name of the witness, the capital letters “DE,” and the number or letter of his exhibit, e.g., CE 705; Sorrels DE 1. References to audiovisual sources for one Dallas broadcasting station (WFAA) are cited as follows: PKT for video tapes, PKF for films, and PKA for audio tapes. The video and audio reels and tapes of other stations are cited by number, e.g., WFAA-TV reel PKT 10; KBLD-TV reel 13.
FOREWORD
[F-1] Executive Order No. 11130 is set forth as [app. I].
[F-2] The White House press release is set forth as [app. II].
[F-3] Senate Joint Resolution 137 (Public Law 88-202) is set forth as [app. III].