Mr. McCloy. I understand there may be some question, there is a gap in the law there that it fits no Federal crime.
Mr. Lawson. I will have to refer to counsel here as to just where it stops, when it becomes murder actually where we have no jurisdiction, and an attempt on the life of the President.
Mr. Dulles. Let's take a less-clear case. If you suspected Mr. X was a man who was going to interfere with the President, although he had committed no overt act, could you move in then or would you call upon the local police?
Mr. Lawson. If he was a suspect, sir, and we had a belief that he might try to harm the President while he was in Dallas, I would try to assign a Secret Service agent in conjunction with local police authorities, to watch him. If it was a function where it was by invitation only or there was some kind of control as to how the people got in, you would make sure that he did not get in because you were watchful of the ticketholders, et cetera.
However the function was to be handled; if it was a ball park where anyone could buy a ticket to go in, then we would just have to have the man watched, or perhaps the local police themselves somehow could keep him from going to that ball park. But I as an agent could not.
Mr. Dulles. Even if the President were in attendance in the ball park?
Mr. Lawson. Yes, sir; unless there was some reason that I could have him arrested, I would not be able to do so. But I would have him watched if I knew that there might be a threat.
Mr. Dulles. Am I asking questions that should go to counsel?
Mr. Smith. I don't have any disagreement with what Agent Lawson has said so far.
Mr. Dulles. Is there not some confusion of jurisdiction though here?