Post by Michael Capasse on Dec 6, 2020 12:03:31 GMT -5
Tippit Shell Game
At the time of the Tippit shooting there were 3 witnesses in the immediate area, Domingo Benavides,
William Scoggins and Helen Markham. Of these witnesses, Benavides was the closest, Helen Markham was the furthest away.
This aerial map indicates how far Helen was from the scene, while Scoggins, not much closer, had already ducked behind his cab.
NO mark is made for Domingo's truck on this Commission exhibit and no reason is given why. A better indicator is here.
There is no FBI statement from Domingo, no police statement with Leavelle even though he was readily accessible at home.
He would not participate in a police line up viewing, refusing to go with Mr. Callaway as instructed by Leavelle.
Stranger still, no followup statement with Bartwell Odem in the summer months of '64 when the FBI needed to close the chain of custody.
Benavides had ducked under the dash, then watched the killer discard the shells and try to reload as he ran toward Patton St.
The man made obvious moves doing this and Domingo saw where they were thrown. In short time, he located them, grabbed a stick
and put them in a Winston cigarette pack. He told Attorney Belin he found 2 shells.
Notice Belin loaded the first question regarding the amount, "two shells", then never asked him if he found any others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Domingo Benavides | WC Testimony
Mr. BENAVIDES - Then I seen the man turn and walk back to the sidewalk and go on the sidewalk and he walked maybe 5 foot
and then kind of stalled. He didn't exactly stop. And he threw one shell and must have took five or six more steps and
threw the other shell up, and then he kind of stepped up to a pretty good trot going around the corner.
Mr. BELIN - You saw the man going around the corner headed in what direction on what street?
Mr. BENAVIDES - On Patton Street. He was going south.
Mr. BENAVIDES - At the time I walked out, I guess I was scared, so I started across the street--alley between the
two houses to my mother's house, and I got in the yard and I said I'd better go back, or Just caught myself until I got over there,
I guess, so I went back around there.
Mr. BELIN - When you went back, what did you do? First of all, was there anything up to that time that you saw there or
that you did that you haven't related here that you can think of right now?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Well, I started--I seen him throw the shells and I started to stop and pick them up,
and I thought I'd better not so when I came back, after I had gotten back, I picked up the shells.
Mr. BELIN - All right. Now, you said you saw the man with the gun throw the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - Now you saw him throw two shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - You saw where he threw the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - Did you later go back in that area and try and find the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes. Well, right after that I went back and I knew exactly where they was at,
and I went over and picked up one in my hand, not thinking and I dropped it, that maybe they want fingerprints off it,
so I took out an empty pack of cigarettes I had and picked them up with a little stick and put them in this
cigarette package; a chrome looking shell.
Mr. BELIN - A chrome looking shell?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - About how long did it take you to locate the shells once you stared looking for them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Just a minute. I mean not very long at all. Just walked directly to them.
Mr. BELIN - You saw where he had thrown them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - One of them went down inside of a bush, and the other one was by the bush.
Mr. BELIN - When you put these two shells that you found in this cigarette package, what did you do with them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I gave them to an officer.
At the time of the Tippit shooting there were 3 witnesses in the immediate area, Domingo Benavides,
William Scoggins and Helen Markham. Of these witnesses, Benavides was the closest, Helen Markham was the furthest away.
This aerial map indicates how far Helen was from the scene, while Scoggins, not much closer, had already ducked behind his cab.
NO mark is made for Domingo's truck on this Commission exhibit and no reason is given why. A better indicator is here.
There is no FBI statement from Domingo, no police statement with Leavelle even though he was readily accessible at home.
He would not participate in a police line up viewing, refusing to go with Mr. Callaway as instructed by Leavelle.
Stranger still, no followup statement with Bartwell Odem in the summer months of '64 when the FBI needed to close the chain of custody.
Benavides had ducked under the dash, then watched the killer discard the shells and try to reload as he ran toward Patton St.
The man made obvious moves doing this and Domingo saw where they were thrown. In short time, he located them, grabbed a stick
and put them in a Winston cigarette pack. He told Attorney Belin he found 2 shells.
Notice Belin loaded the first question regarding the amount, "two shells", then never asked him if he found any others.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Domingo Benavides | WC Testimony
Mr. BENAVIDES - Then I seen the man turn and walk back to the sidewalk and go on the sidewalk and he walked maybe 5 foot
and then kind of stalled. He didn't exactly stop. And he threw one shell and must have took five or six more steps and
threw the other shell up, and then he kind of stepped up to a pretty good trot going around the corner.
Mr. BELIN - You saw the man going around the corner headed in what direction on what street?
Mr. BENAVIDES - On Patton Street. He was going south.
Mr. BENAVIDES - At the time I walked out, I guess I was scared, so I started across the street--alley between the
two houses to my mother's house, and I got in the yard and I said I'd better go back, or Just caught myself until I got over there,
I guess, so I went back around there.
Mr. BELIN - When you went back, what did you do? First of all, was there anything up to that time that you saw there or
that you did that you haven't related here that you can think of right now?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Well, I started--I seen him throw the shells and I started to stop and pick them up,
and I thought I'd better not so when I came back, after I had gotten back, I picked up the shells.
Mr. BELIN - All right. Now, you said you saw the man with the gun throw the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - Now you saw him throw two shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - You saw where he threw the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - Did you later go back in that area and try and find the shells?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes. Well, right after that I went back and I knew exactly where they was at,
and I went over and picked up one in my hand, not thinking and I dropped it, that maybe they want fingerprints off it,
so I took out an empty pack of cigarettes I had and picked them up with a little stick and put them in this
cigarette package; a chrome looking shell.
Mr. BELIN - A chrome looking shell?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN - About how long did it take you to locate the shells once you stared looking for them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - Just a minute. I mean not very long at all. Just walked directly to them.
Mr. BELIN - You saw where he had thrown them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - One of them went down inside of a bush, and the other one was by the bush.
Mr. BELIN - When you put these two shells that you found in this cigarette package, what did you do with them?
Mr. BENAVIDES - I gave them to an officer.