If you have issues viewing or accessing this file contact us at NCJRS ...

important to point out that the United States Marshal's
Service, because Mr. Rispo is living under an assumed
name and has a new identity, has requested that he
testify in this fashion so that photographs today do
not disclose his current appearance.
ACTING CHAIRMAN SKINNER: Mr. Harmon, let me
just make a comment here because there has been inquiries,
The united States Marshal's Service and the investigative
agencies that have the responsibility for protecting
witnesses under Federal Witness Protection Programs have
a very difficult job. They unanimously requested this
Commission, in calling witnesses who were subject to
such protection, have asked that they use thiE type of
dress to ensure that this witness' -- most of whom have
been relocated into other locations -- so that this
witness' picture in his changed identity is not dis­
closed on national television for everyone throughout
the United States to see.
It is the position of this Commission that we
should honor the request. We would prefer that there
were a better way to do it; there is not. But it is
the responsibility of this Commission to protect wit­
nesses such as the one here today and to do everything
we can humanly do to ensure that these witnesses are
179