Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli
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Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli
Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli. The note is written in pencil on a small piece of paper.In response to Detective Jim Leavelle’s testimony during Ruby’s trial for the murder of Oswald in 1964, Ruby passed this note to his attorneys, suggesting that his hat would have obscured his face. Text of letter: "R (circled) IMPORTANTThe gun did not have a hammer, and is almost impossible to stop from firing even if you grasp same. Also I was wearing a hat, so how could he tell the expression on my face, and he was hand-cuffed to the prisoner"
Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli
March 1964
Paper, Adhesive, Foamcore
6 x 4 in. (15.2 x 10.2 cm)
Anthony Pugliese Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
2008.005.0002.0002
This note was displayed in the Museum's temporary exhibition, "Jack Ruby: The Man in That Hat" from October 2010 to August 2011 and was displayed in the Museum's permanent exhibit from 2013 to 2015. We removed it from display earlier this year to protect it from prolonged exposure to light. In its stead, we have displayed a reproduction of this note. - Lindsey Richardson, Curator of Collections
Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli
Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli. The note is written in pencil on a small piece of paper.In response to Detective Jim Leavelle’s testimony during Ruby’s trial for the murder of Oswald in 1964, Ruby passed this note to his attorneys, suggesting that his hat would have obscured his face. Text of letter: "R (circled) IMPORTANTThe gun did not have a hammer, and is almost impossible to stop from firing even if you grasp same. Also I was wearing a hat, so how could he tell the expression on my face, and he was hand-cuffed to the prisoner"
Handwritten note from Jack Ruby to his lawyer Melvin Belli
March 1964
Jack Ruby trial
Attorney
Ruby, Jack
Belli, Melvin
Leavelle, Jim
Dallas
Paper, Adhesive, Foamcore
6 x 4 in. (15.2 x 10.2 cm)
Anthony Pugliese Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
2008.005.0002.0002
This note was displayed in the Museum's temporary exhibition, "Jack Ruby: The Man in That Hat" from October 2010 to August 2011 and was displayed in the Museum's permanent exhibit from 2013 to 2015. We removed it from display earlier this year to protect it from prolonged exposure to light. In its stead, we have displayed a reproduction of this note. - Lindsey Richardson, Curator of Collections
Related objects
T30 Amicus Curiae Brief for Jack Ruby by Melvin M. Belli, Sr.
02/28/1965
Photograph of courtroom sketch of Melvin Belli and his son during Ruby trial
02/24/1964
T29 Photocopy of a two-page letter to Judge Joe B. Brown from Melvin Belli
11/27/1964
Photograph of courtroom sketch of Melvin Belli during the Jack Ruby trial
03/11/1964
