This physiological response was in the form of a rather noticeable rise in his blood pressure. To this particular question he did answer “Yes,” and later explained that he had been arrested for dancing after curfew at his own place.
He indicated by his answer that he was somewhat embarrassed by this.
Mr. Specter. Was that for dancing after curfew or for permitting others to dance after curfew?
Mr. Herndon. I got the interpretation from his comments that it was permitting dancing, and him also being possibly involved in the party after curfew hours. This, to me, does indicate, if in fact Ruby was mentally competent, that he was capable of displaying emotional responses on the polygraph, in this instance not necessarily deception, but some concern, as portrayed by the relative rise in blood pressure.
During series 1 Mr. Ruby was also asked another relevant question, question No. 6, which was pertinent to the investigation, that question being: “Did you assist Oswald in the assassination?”
Mr. Specter. And what was his answer to that question?
Mr. Herndon. To that question he responded “No,” and if in fact he was mentally competent at the time he answered that question, the charts could be interpreted that there was no physiological response to the stimulus of the question.
Mr. Specter. When you say “could be interpreted,” Mr. Herndon, do you mean that that was your opinion or your conclusion as to whether there was a physiological response?
Mr. Herndon. I wish to qualify my opinion here based on the fact that I am responding under the hypothesis proposed by you that this chart is being interpreted, that Ruby is of sound mind, and was rational in his mental process when responding to this question.
Mr. Specter. Fine.