AUDREY BELL

HSCA Record Number 180-10090-10264  Agency File Number  000915

     Originator-HSCA

     From:     Bell, Audrey N.

     To:

     Date:     03/12/77

     Pages:    7

     Subjects: 

Bell

, Audrey N.

               Connally, John

               
Parkland
 Staff

               
Parkland
 Methodology

               Medical Evidence

               Bullets

     Release Date:  10/25/93

     Contents: Transcript of tape recorded interview of Audrey N. Bell, R.N., by               Howard Gilbert and Jack Moriarty of the JFK Task Force for the             HSCA on March 12, 1977; Saturday, at 6:35 p.m.  Document in full follows typed exactly as original:

Interview of:  Audrey N. Bell

By Howard Gilbert and Jack Moriarty (JFK Task Force)

Date:     March, 12, 1977, Saturday

Time:     6:35 p.m.

Location: Apartment of Miss Bell

          4317 

Hartford

 - 

Apt. #
103

          

Dallas
, 
TX

Also present:  Miss Bell's sister

G:   Now, Miss Bell, you can observe that we are tape recording a statement from you, can you not?

B:   Yes.

G:   And this is done with your permission, is that correct?

B:   Yes.

G:   Now, prior to our taping this statement, we chatted for some 15 - 20 minutes, is     that correct?

B:   Yes.

G:   All right.  Now, Miss Bell, I want to direct your attention to November 22, 1963,    and ask where you where employed at that time.

B:   
Parkland
 
Memorial
 
Hospital
, 

Dallas

.

G:   And in what capacity were you employed?

B:   Supervisor of the operating rooms and recovery rooms.

G:   Now do you recall the incident where Gov. Connally was operated on on [sic]     that day? 

B:   Yes.

G:   And do you recall who the orthopedic surgeon was?

B:   Yes, Dr. Charles Gregory.

G:   And who was the thorasic [sic] surgeon?

                      [end of page one of interview]

2.

 B:   Dr. Robert Shaw.

G:   Now, you have informed me that certain foreign bodies were taken from the body  of Gov. Connally.  Is that correct?

B:   Yes.

G:   And what is the procedure that was used at the hospital for the removal and     recovery of foreign objects.

B:   On that, ah, the procedure is that the objects were removed by the surgeon, and      either placed in a container or given to the scrub nurse to place in a container on  the scrub nurse's table.  Then they are taken. . . . . . . .

G:   Wait just a minute, would you describe the type of container that they would be      placed in?

B:   A small glass container about one ounce medicine glass.

G:   Similar to a size and shape to a shot glass?

B:   That's right.

G:   All right, after the objects are placed into the container by either the doctor of the    scrub nurse, what then occurs?

B:   On that particular case they were given to me, and I took them in my office and      prepared one of our foreign body envelopes. . .

G:   Foreign body envelopes?  What is that, would you explain that?

B:   We had a foreign body envelope in which we could record the name of the    patient, the hospital identification number, the foreign body with the description,  whether there were any markings on it, who the surgeon was, and we signed it  off ourselves.

G:   Would you describe on the envelope the number of objects placed within the      envelope?

B:   Yes.

G:   And with respect to the objects taken from Gov. Connally's body, who prepared   that particular envelope?

B:   I did.

G:   Was that done in your own hand?

B:   Yes.

[end of page two of document]

                                                                                     3.

     G:   And did you place the objects that you took from the operating room in the      envelope yourself?

B:   Yes.

G:   Did you seal it yourself?

B:   Yes.

G:   And did you place the description of those objects on the envelope?

B:   Yes.

G:   Now, to the best of your present recollection, how many individual foreign      objects were placed into that envelope?  Taken from Gov. Connally's body?

B:   Four or five, I am not sure at this particular time.

G:   Do you have a recollection as to whether or not those objects were metalic [sic]     objects?

B:   Yes, they were metalic [sic].  Grayish in color, as well as I recall.

G:   All right, and after you placed them into the foreign body envelope and sealed  that envelope, what did you do with it?

B:   I delivered them to the FBI, and he signed for them, this was a deviation from our   procedure, he signed, ah, there was a, took an inter-office memorandum and      wrote on there about my delivering those to the FBI.  I believe Mr. Sorrels, and  signed it, this. . . . . . .

G:   Now, you believe that it was Mr. Sorrels?

B:   I believe so, I recall this name.  I recall this name.

G:   You recall the name but you're not positive at this point that it was Sorrels?

B:   No, No [sic].  I'm not sure.

G:   But it was someone from the FBI who showed you identification. . .

B:   The FBI or Secret Service, that I gave it to.  And I think it was the FBI.

G:   Did they show you identification?

B:   They probably did.  I saw so much ID that day that, ah, bacause [sic] we had so      many of these people in surgury [sic].

[end of page three of document]

4.

G:   When the envelope was turned over, it was in a sealed condition, is that right?

B:   It was sealed.

G:   And if the envelope was to be produced today, and the envelope described the    number of metalic [sic] objects, that would have been the number that you  yourself  ascertained went into the envelope at the time that you sealed it?

B:   Yes.

G:   You're sure of that.

B:   Well, that's what I put into it, I don't what [sic] would have happedned [sic] to it      since then.

G:   Fine.  Now, you're best recollection you indicated to me was how many specific  types of foreign objects were numbered?

B:   Four or five.

G:   All right.  Now, I have asked you to, on a piece of paper, with a pencil, to draw,   to draw for me if you would, the smallest size, on a one surface size, of the             foreign objects.  Would you do that again, please?

B:   It's difficult.

G:   All right.  Now, would you please put a large circle around that?  And would you     write your name next to it, please?  And would you place todays [sic] date, which    is March 12th.  Now you have written that in pencil, have you not?

B:   That's right.

G:   Will you circle the entire thing that you have done with a blue felt tip pen?  And   would you write on there, Exhibit A.  Now, Mr. Moriarty, I'm going to ask that you   also sign that sheet of paper at this point.  Now, If [sic] I understand you correctly, you're saying that of the objects, the foreign bodies that you placed  into the envelope, the small penciled diagram that you have just drawn, indicates the smallest, in your recollection, of the foreign objects that would have gone in.

B:   Yes.

G:   Would you fill in the blue ink the little circle describing the object that you      have drawn in pencil.  In other words, just kind of color it in blue, so that we     have it as a permanent record.

[end of page four of document]

5.

G:   All right.  Thank you.  Now, you're. we may have said this, we indicated that we     were taking this statement at your residence, which was 4317 

Hartford

, your     home phone is 526-5369?  And your present office address is, rather telephone  number is 637-3820, x 317?

B:   Yes.

G:   And you are presently employed by who?

B:   Children's medical center.

G:   And you are the what?

B:   Supervisor of the operating suite.

G:   All right.  Now is there anything that you would like to add, with respect to what   we have discussed here?  To make your statement more complete, or to explain anything that we have discussed while the tape recorder has been on?

B:   Just that, it has been many years, and this is all just trying to recollect what     happened on that date.  I could not swear, you know, I cannot be absolutely certain, of the number of small fragments.

G:   Your best recollection is. . . . . . . .

B:   But my recollection is 4 to 5.

G:   Mr. Moriarty, do you have something to add?

M:   No, I haven't.

G:   Then, it is now 6:45 p.m. and this is the termination of the tape.

[end of page five and final page of document]

[Note:  Audrey Bell's drawing of the metallic fragments is not attached to the interview]