Mr. Fritz. No.
Mr. Ball. Did you give any instructions to the press conference?
Mr. Fritz. Yes, sir; the chief told me he wanted him brought down for a press conference, and I told my officers to take them down and I asked the chief to let me put it on the stage. I was a little bit afraid something might happen to him in front of that stage, someone in the crowd might hurt him but he said no, he wanted him out there in the front, and I told him I would like to put him on the stage so that the officers could jerk him inside the jail office if anything happened but he said no, he wanted him in front, so I told the officers to take him down.
I went down later to see how everything was going but I couldn't get in. The crowd had jammed clear back out into the hall.
Mr. Ball. Do you know what time you sent him up to the jail?
Mr. Fritz. I have it here, I think—12:05; yes, sir.
Mr. Ball. 12:05?
Mr. Fritz. Yes, sir.
Mr. McCloy. May I ask you a question?
Mr. Fritz. Yes, sir.