Jack Battuello Memoir #1 - University of Illinois Springfield

Jack Battuello 7 2
Then he asked me, "DO you know Clyde Percy?--that was one of the
presidents--"Do you know Bill Kik?" And he started leading me into
questions about them. "Wl~at do you know about ,chis and what: db you
know about that, what a.bout this?" Finally one of the other lawyers--
thts all happened in a matter of five minutes--the other lawyer whispered
something Lo him. The lawyer, he was cross-examining me looked
up and said, "Did I: understand you to say that you refused to decline
to take a religious oath?" And 3: said, "Yes, sir," And every Goddamn
one of those jurors that had their chairs tipped back against the wall,
let their chairs fall ~imul~taneous in one (laughs) big clank in that
da.m jury room.
And I: thought, "Now, he's going to get himself in a little deeper.
He's going to ask me why I'm an agnostic or an atheist or an infidel,
I know he's going to ask me this." And I. said, "Yes, sir." And f
said, "I refuse to take a religious oath." And I, said, "I stated I
would be happy to make an affirmation." And he said, "Why, do you
refuse?" I said, "Because I'm agnosti.cally inclined."
Now he started to lead me into another question and the other Lawyers
(Laughs) two of them leaned over to him and he says, (laughs) "You
better stop this." I heard him whisper something, "You better stop
this or something, better get him an affirmation." And 1 heard him
say, "How do you give an affirmation." He never in all his legal
experience had ever given an affirmation, always a religious oath.
And then I heard the guy say, "Just: delete the word of God and just
substitute your word of honor." So he gave me an affirmation. (laughs)
By this time I'd chilled everybody. He didn't want to ask me any more
questions.
He asked the bailiff to take me down and the bailiff told me, "Mr.
oh, he was the chief prosecutor from Tennessee, Witiker, oh, T forget
his name, "wanted to see me in his office a.t. two o'clock, privately."
That's the only questions he asked me. Two o'clock I went in therc
and I sat with that Witiker for two and a half hours, I'm sure he
had that damn phone bugged because he wanted me to set in a certain
place, see. You know, there were chairs there but I wanted to sit
over here and he kept insisting T sit here. I said, "811 right let
thc son-of-a-bitch be taped S don't case because I'm going to tell
him something." We sat therc and honest to God we talked about
socialism in France, socialism in England, socialism in Russia and
nihilism in Russia, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harding, we talked about
everythingand Tilly was sick at the time that he came and got me and
I told him in the beginning that my wife was pretty sick and I'd certainly
like to get home if it was possible,
But afccr that conversation he thanked me, led me to the window to
get my per diem expense, three dollars a day or what ever it was and
wished Tilly well and a speedy recovery and I was released and I never
heard no more from them.
. . . 'I
Jack Battuello Memoir -- Archives, University of Illinois at Springfield