Mr. Ruby. Well, you had better remind me again.
Mr. Herndon. Here’s the area we’re trying to cover. Here’s the question I originally asked you which created all this problem. “Between the assassination and the shooting”—now, let me start that again—“Did you tell anyone that you were thinking of shooting Oswald before you did?”
Now, I tried to put that as plainly as I could. I’m not interested here in the area of when——
Mr. Ruby. Yes, but if you’re speaking in the area of when, it’s pretty incriminating. It’s a long premeditation, then, of time element.
Mr. Herndon. I think the Commission here has its question of whether or not you did tell anybody?
Mr. Specter. Mr. Ruby, if you have no objection to answering that question, we would like you to do so now for purposes of giving us information, and then we will test you in just a minute as we go through with the polygraph, if you’re willing to answer that question?
Mr. Ruby. Clayton?
Mr. Fowler. Jack, let me say this—now, this is the very crux of your case. In other words, if there is premeditation on your part to murder or to kill, this can and will be used against you, and this information—let’s project it a little bit and say that you do get a new trial, and that between now and that the Warren Commission releases their information for public consumption or to the district attorney’s office or to anybody else, then, if your answer to these questions might be “Yes,” then it would be most difficult to appear and defend you.
Mr. Ruby. Clayton, I’m here to tell the truth. I don’t know how the heck to answer it. I appreciate you’re in a tough spot.
Mr. Fowler. Well, of course, as you can readily see, this is why we advised you not to take this.