Image of Dallas Police Chief Jesse Curry talking to reporters

A visibly upset Dallas Police Chief Curry made a very brief announcement after Oswald was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital. Curry simply stated: "Oswald expired at 1:07PM." An unknown reporter, apparently confused, questioned: "He died?" Curry then clarified: "He died at 1:07PM. We have arrested the man. The man will be charged with murder. The suspect's name is Jack Rubenstein, I believe. He goes by the name of Jack Ruby. That's all I have to say. I have no other statement to make at this time." The announcement took less than thirty seconds. As he was removing a microphone from around his neck, Curry was asked to repeat his statement for the reporters who missed it initially. Curry, clearly unhappy at having to repeat himself, tersely provided the same statement almost verbatim, adding only that Jack Ruby was "a local Dallas man." He ignored all other questions. Curry's full exchange with reporters at this very brief press conference took just over one minute. - Stephen Fagin, Curator

Jack Beers was the only photographer who reported being present when the photograph was taken, but there could have been another photographer who was present and did not write about the event in their record. Additionally, other prints in the collection show a similar image of Curry at the same press conference. On the back of these prints, a rubber stamp was applied that reads, “PHOTO BY TOM C. DILLARD.”  This could either mean that Tom Dillard was also at the press conference and took photographs or the stamp could have been applied at a later time to another photographer’s work. - Stephanie Allen-Givens, Collections and Exhibits Manager