July 29, 1994 - Part 5
July 29, 1994 - Part 5
(16:40:36) So there was some kind of rush to get these personal effects, But again, everything in the wallet, including personal papers had already been Xeroxed. We had copies of everything if we needed it. Again at this time we were still conducting our death investigation based on an apparent suicide, and there was no reason to keep anything that we bad copied. We had the information at our bands. Senator MACK. I guess I am a little surprised after reading the deposition with the comments about someone suggesting the were going to break into your desk to get these items. Apparently that is wrong? Mr. ROLLA. No, that is right, It was locked in my desk, and I bad the key. But I had an extra key there. When they called me, they told me they needed them. I said, well it's locked in my desk. I lave the key at home. I forgot I had a second key there. Then, again, people are surprised about the White House, but I guess President Clinton wanted to give these things to Mrs. Foster and present them in a way of personal friends They were going to to break my desk open to get that at key, to get the evidence out of the locker, until I remembered I had another key. Senator MACK. And that didn't surprise or shock you at all that night? --ROLLA. I wasn't happy about my desk going to be broken (laughter) -but-I'm not trying to be funny, but it just doesn't shock me that in this case, again, this is high White House officials This is not a normal case. This doesn't happen with a homicide I'm working, or other suicides or death investigations I've done. 'Nobody knows an thing about those. Nobody cares. This case, the White House is involved. They want it. The President Was personal friends, He wants to present it. No, it didn't surprise me the White House was sending somebody down there. One way or another they were going to get that. That didn't surprise me. Whether they had to come and pick me up and bring me or they were going to break my desk open, that didn't surprise me. Senator MACK. I gather not much surprises you? Mr. ROLLA. No. Senator MACK. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CHAIRMAN. Senator Murray. Senator MURRAY. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I echo Senator Dodd's words. I know how difficult this has been and how tough it is to go back to a year ago and try to remember everything that occurred on an evening. There have been some hints that there may have been some kind, of obstruction to your access to information the night of the Foster suicide, and I just want to walk back through that with you for minute. When you arrived at the Foster home and informed Mrs, Foster that her husband had apparently committed suicide, what was her: reaction? Ms. BRAUN. It was a normal reaction of grief. She was hysterical," visibly shaken, as Investigator Rolla said, she collapsed on the' stairs. It wasn't an unusual reaction for somebody being told that their husband was dead. Senator MURRAY. Then over the next hour, other people showed up at the scene. And Sgt. Braun, you testified that Webster Hubbell pushed you out of the way at the Foster home. Do you think our he did that in an attempt to cover something up? What was your reaction? Ms. BRAUN. As I said previously, I really hadn't gotten far enough with any kind of questioning. I was trying to build rapport, I really don't know what his purpose was in pushing me away. I think it was, in and of itself, rude but I think it was done to com-* fort Sheila Anthony. Senator MURRAY. I can imagine your feeling that it was rude, I can also imagine what it would be like to be a wife sitting in a home and someone knocks at your door and it's two police officers telling you that your husband has committed suicide. When friends show up, my immediate reaction would be to go to' my friends, not to two police officers I haven't ever seen before. Do you think that was perhaps her reaction? Ms. BRAUN. No. I wasn't really having any difficulty in talking to Sheila Anthony. I just didn't get very far, Oh, Mrs. Foster? Senator MURRAY. Mrs. Foster. Ms. BRAUN. No. I didn't have much contact with Mrs. Foster. John did a better job in speaking with Mrs. Foster, Senator MURRAY. I would think that most people would not be thinking about a police investigation the moment they have heard about a death of someone they loved. They would be thinking about the tragedy and how they are going to deal with that. I mean, it is surprising to me that an investigation would occur so immediately. I am not a policeman or a lawyer so I don't know what is normal. But it just seems to me that my own personal reaction would be, I don't want to talk about this to two people I don't know. I want to be with people that I know and I love. Wouldn't you assume that's correct?