July 29, 1994 - Part 3
July 29, 1994 - Part 3
(13:15:07) Senator BOND. Mr. Chairman, that's my problem. 55 Mr. COLOMBELL. Senator, I'm sorry we don't have the information you wanted. We met with the staff of the Committee yesterday to discuss possible areas and the focus of this hearing. We did not think that was going to be one of the areas, Had we known so, we could have possibly made an effort to have that information for you, but we will have that information for you, I will assure. Senator BOND. Mr. Chairman, I'd say that's fair because we have just found out who these gentlemen are. I did not have the information, until you told us, as to what Mr. Monroe's responsibilities were. Obviously we have more work to do. The CHAIRMAN. I think the witnesses' answers are responsive and they have said that they'll go back and provide that information. If they bad known about it before right now they would have had it prepared for you now, so I think we have to leave it at that, Senator BOND. One final thing. Our staff asked that you bring all the information that you had on this matter. You did not withbold anything in your possession that relates to this inquiry; is that fair? Mr. MONROE. Absolutely not, Senator. Senator SARBANES. Mr. Chairman, could I make an inquiry? The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Senator SARBANES. Does the Committee have other FBI reports of interviews that were done in Little Rock with respect to this matter? Senator BOND. Yes. Brantley Buck was interviewed in Little Rock. The CHAIRmAN. Is there anyone on this side who seeks recognition? Senator Dodd. Senator DODD. Dr. Hirsch, you have been a pathologist since 1969; is that correct? Dr. HIRSCH. Longer than that. I've been a full-time career forensic pathologist since 1969. Senator DODD. It's fair to say you've been involved in literally hundreds of cases involving homicides? Dr. HIRSCH. Thousands. Senator DODD. Thousands. And Mr. Monroe and Mr. Colombell, bow long have you been with the agency, the Bureau? Mr. MONROE. I've been with the Bureau about 29 years. Mr. COLOMBELL. I've been an agent 30 years. Senator DODD. Is it fair to assume you've been involved in hundreds if not thousands, of investigations? Mr. MONROE. Mr. Colombell more than myself, but those rough figures are probably in the ballpark, sir. Senator DODD. It's your conclusion, as has been stated, that Mr. Foster committed suicide. There's no doubt in any of your minds ,!about that? Mr. MONROE. No doubt. Mr. COLOMBELL. No doubt at all. Senator DODD. While I understand there may be-and I presume .,this is true in any investigation-things that could have been done a bit better with 20/20 hindsight, but in your professional capacity 56 I want to use the word "significant"---were there any "signifi- cant" irregularities in the Park Service Police's investigation? Mr. MONROE,. Your question, Senator, bad to do with the Park Police and the response that I have to that is we do not know of any significant irregularities. Senator DODD. Mr. Colombell? Mr. COLOMBELL. Senator, I do not know of any. Senator DODD. Dr. Hirsch, in your examination of the Park Service's handling of this matter, did you encounter any significant irregularities in how they conducted their work? Dr. HIRSCH. The objective evidence, photographic evidence, principally provided to me, which is the work product of the Park Police, was adequate to give me an opportunity to form an independ. ent opinion and make an independent evaluation about the observations at the scene of Mr. Foster's death. From that standpoint, their work was adequate. Could it have been better? Of course. My work can be better, too, but the objective documentation, which is the important thing to me, I just don't have to take somebody else's word for it is there and it unequivocally establishes very important features about the investigation of Mr. Foster's death. Senator DODD. You said, Mr. Monroe, in your testimony that you questioned approximately 125 people including friends, family, and White House colleagues and there was documentary photographic evidence as well as the autopsy report; analyzed blood, DNA, fin. gerprints, handwriting tests were performed, and a forensic pathology panel was convened. The second question I have, has to do with whether or not, in your views, those of you who looked at this, was there any correlation between Mr. Foster's tragic suicide and Whitewater?