Courtroom sketch of a prospective juror from the Jack Ruby trial

Object number1997.053.0004

DateFebruary 1964 - March 1964

ClassificationsArt

Artist Charles Fisher

ObjectCourtroom sketch

Credit LineCharles Fisher Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumPaper

Dimensions14 × 17 in. (35.6 × 43.2 cm)

Terms

Collections

DescriptionCourtroom pencil sketch on paper by Charles Fisher. The sketch shows an unknown prospective juror during the trial of Jack Ruby in February or March of 1964. The sketch shows an African American woman with short hair wearing glasses. She is shown looking towards the viewer's left. The caption in the bottom right reads "Prospective juror (passed)," and the caption in the upper right reads "Adams." The artist's signature: "C. Fisher" is at bottom right, next to the prospective juror's left arm. Charles "Chuck" Fisher was the art director at KRLD-TV in 1963. Fisher made the pencil sketches during the trial of Jack Ruby for KRLD-TV after the judge barred cameras from the courtroom.

Curatorial Commentary

Jury selection in the Jack Ruby trial took place between February 17 and March 3, 1964. During that two-week period, 162 prospective jurors were interviewed, which District Attorney Henry Wade informed the news media was not a Dallas County record. Of the 162 individuals interviewed for the Ruby trial, twelve were accepted, eighteen were challenged by the defense team, eleven were challenged by the prosecution, sixty-two were ruled out because they were against the death penalty, fifty-eight were ruled out because they held fixed opinions on the case, and one was excused due to illness. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator