T25 Report of Psychiatric Examination of Jack Ruby by Dr. Louis Jolyon West

Object number2002.034.0002

Date04/26/1964

ClassificationsDocuments

Author Louis Jolyon West

ObjectDocument

Credit LineThe Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza Collection

MediumPaper

Dimensions13 × 8 1/2 in. (33 × 21.6 cm)

Terms

Collections

DescriptionReport of Psychiatric Examination of Jack Ruby by Louis Jolyon West, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine in Oklahoma City, dated Sunday, April 26, 1964. The report discusses Dr. West's psychiatric examination of Ruby, conducted the day after Ruby attempted suicide by banging his head on the walls of his jail cell. Dr. West describes Ruby's delusions that outside his jail cell is a widespread massacre of the Jewish people, caused by the fact that the nation now blames Ruby for the Kennedy assassination. Ruby distrusts the doctor since he denies that these massacres are happening. Dr. West concludes with a diagnosis of acute psychosis, a paranoid state, and suicidal tendencies. He recommends that Ruby be transferred to a mental facility for proper assessment and treatment. The report is signed by Dr. West and David Candish, Notary Public. The report is typed and five pages long.

Curatorial Commentary

In a Museum oral history recorded less than two months before his death, defense attorney Phil Burleson discussed Jack Ruby's delusions, which included his belief in the widespread murder of Jewish people:

"[Jack Ruby] became erratic. It was worse after the sentence, during the course of the appeal. He was of the opinion the Jews were being killed by the thousands.... I would go see him--again, this is after the verdict--and he said, 'I saw them kill Earl last night.' And I said, 'No, they didn't kill Earl.' \'"Yeah, I saw them kill him.' And I'd get on the telephone and get Earl on the telephone, and he'd talk to Earl and they'd talk about things that only he and Earl would know about. He'd hang up and say, 'That wasn't Earl...'

At that point, he was totally out of it. I mean, this is after many, many, many months of him seeing Earl being killed and [sister] Eva being killed and hundreds of Jews being killed, and that [Lyndon] Johnson was involved in the assassination of the President. I can't even remember all of the accusations that he made during that period of time." - Stephen Fagin, Curator