Mr. Ball.

Please stand up and hold up your fight hand.
(Witness complying.)

Mr. Ball.

Do you solemnly swear the testimony you will give here today will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?

Mr. Hicks.

I do.

Mr. Ball.

Will you state your name, please, and your address?

Mr. Hicks.

J. B. Hicks, 4318 Matilda, Dallas.

Mr. Ball.

What is your occupation?

Mr. Hicks.

I am with the police department, city of Dallas.
Mr. BALL. You are with the special section of the department?

Mr. Hicks.

The identification bureau; yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

How, long have you been with the identification bureau?

Mr. Hicks.

Let's see, about, a little over 7 years now.

Mr. Ball.

Tell me about yourself--where you were born.

Mr. Hicks.

I was born in Irving, Tex., which is a suburb out here of Dallas, September 29, 1918.

Mr. Ball.

What was your education?

Mr. Hicks.

I finished high school, sir.

Mr. Ball.

Then what did you do?

Mr. Hicks.

Then--you mean where I went to work and from there?

Mr. Ball.

Yes.

Mr. Hicks.

I worked a short while for Sanger Bros., I believe 3 or 4 months or so, then I was employed by Higgenbotham- Bailey Logan Co. which is a wholesale company here in Dallas; from there I went to work with the police department where I have been for a little over 22 years now.

Mr. Ball.

What kind of work do you do with the crime lab?

Mr. Hicks.

I do the usual, oh, photography work, fingerprint comparisons, darkroom work and anything that might come under the crime lab; the crime scene, search duties.

Mr. Ball.

You work under Lieutenant Day?

Mr. Hicks.

I work under Lieutenant Day; yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

On November 22, 1963, were you on duty?

Mr. Hicks.

No, sir; I was off duty that day.

Mr. Ball.

But you were called back to duty?

Mr. Hicks.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

What time of day?

Mr. Hicks.

I had--my wife, I believe it was called me from her work. She had heard, of the happening and knowing that I was off, of course, she figured I would be called, so when she called me, I called in to Lieutenant Knight, who is also in the identification bureau, and told him that I was getting ready and if they needed me to report, to call me and tell me where to go to, and so he did. Oh, I don't know exactly how long it had taken place and the exact time that he did call me. The time right there, I can't recall. I know I did get to work somewhere around 3.

Mr. Ball.

Where did you go to work, at the crime lab?

Mr. Hicks.

No, sir; they told me to report directly to Elm and Houston.

Mr. Ball.

Did you go down there?

Mr. Hicks.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Ball.

When you went down there what did you find?

Mr. Hicks.

Lieutenant Day--well, first I saw Chief Lumpkin, who told me Lieutenant Day was there in the building and to report to him on the sixth floor, I believe it was and he and Detective Studebaker, I believe it was were the two that were still on that particular floor.

Mr. Ball.

Day and Studebaker?

Mr. Hicks.

Yes.

Mr. Ball.

Did you do some work with them?

Mr. Hicks.

Yes; there was--well, no. Lieutenant Day was dusting several items around there for fingerprints at the time and Mr. Studebaker had taken some pictures and was still taking a few others. I assisted him in moving the equipment back and forth and I don't know, I don't believe I actually took any of the pictures upstairs; however, I was there when some of them were taken.