Oswald’s Widow Gives Evidence In Trial

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 13

Oswald’s Widow Gives Evidence In Trial

’<N Z. Press Assn—Copy right) NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 23.

Clay Shaw has lost a bid for acquittal of a charge that he conspired to murder President John Kennedy, and the defence called as its first witness the widow of accused assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald.

Mrs Marina Oswald Porter,! who now lives in Richardson/ Texas, testified that she had never heard her late husband mention Shaw or David Ferrie and denied that Oswald had ever worn a beard or

shared a New Orleans flat with Ferrie.

Her testimony contradicted that of the prosecution’s star witness, Perry Raymond Russo, who told the 12-man jury last week that the man he knew as Oswald had worn a beard and lived with Ferrie. Ferrie, a former Eastern Airlines pilot who lost his job because of homosexual activity, was found dead in his New Orleans flat in February, 1967. Oswald, named by ithe Warren Commission as ! the lone assassin of Mr Ken- : nedy, was killed by Jack Ruby on November 24, 1963, two days after the President was assassinated in Dalias. Shaw, a 55-year-old retired businessman, was arrested by the District Attorney, Mr Jim Garrison, on March 1, 1967, and charged with conspiracy to assassinate Mr Kennedy. He has persistently maintained his innocence.

The crux of Mr Garrison’s case was based on the testimony of Russo. He told the Court last week that he overheard Shaw, Oswald and Ferrie making plans at a party in Feme’s flat in September, 1963, to assassinate Mr Kennedy. Just before Mrs Porter took the stand, the Judge, Edward A. Haggerty denied a defence motion that he order the jury to find Shaw innocent.

Mrs Porter was asked by IMr Dymond if the names Shaw and Ferrie were familiar to her. She said she did not know them. She testified that the only night her late husband spent away from home was the night Oswald was in gaol after his arrest for distributing proCastro leaflets in New Orleans in 1963.

She added that the only persons who knew that Oswald lived in New Orleans were his relatives. “Did you ever know him (Oswald) to wear a beard?” Mr Dymond asked. “No, sir,” Mrs Porter replied. Asked if Oswald had ever worn long hair, she said, “there wasn’t much to comb.” Mr Russo had testified that the man he knew as Oswald wore his hair long and was dirty and unkempt in appearance.

Mrs Porter said Oswald always wore clean clothes. Asked by Mr Dymond if Oswald ever went to Clinton, Louisiana, Mrs Porter said, “Not that I know of.” Mr Garrison produced several witnesses who testified that Oswald, Shaw and Ferrie were in Clinton in August, 1963. They said Oswald had tried to register as a voter in Clinton. The trial continues.