Photograph of courtroom sketch of attorneys watching films at Ruby trial

Object number2014.034.0029

Date03/06/1964

ClassificationsArt

Artist Howard Brodie

ObjectCourtroom sketch

Credit LineTonahill Family Partners Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza

MediumPaper, Adhesive tape

Dimensions15 × 19 7/8 in. (38.1 × 50.5 cm)

Terms

Collections

DescriptionPhotograph of courtroom pencil sketch on paper by CBS News courtroom artist Howard Brodie. The sketch shows Joe Tonahill, Henry Wade, and Melvin Belli during the Jack Ruby trial on March 6, 1964. The sketch shows defense attorney Joe Tonahill, District Attorney Henry Wade, and defense attorney Melvin Belli watching films of the shooting while seated in the jury box. Handwritten captions along the bottom edge of the image read "Tonahill," "They were in jury box," "DA," "Belli," "3/6/64 watching films of shooting." The artist's signature "Howard Brodie '64" is located in the lower right under the sketch and above the captions. Brodie made the original pencil sketches for CBS News during the trial of Jack Ruby after the judge barred cameras from the courtroom. Brodie then gave Joe Tonahill this photograph of a courtroom sketch as part of a collection of more than 40 in 1964.

Curatorial Commentary

Howard Brodie (1915-2010) was a sports artist for the San Francisco Chronicle when he enlisted in the U.S. Army with America's entry into World War II. He ultimately became one of the best-known sketch artists of the war, frequently published in the weekly U.S. military magazine, Yank, which ran from June 1942 to December 1945. After the war, Brodie spent the next thirty-five years as a courtroom artist, attending several notable trials including the Chicago Seven, Charles Manson and, of course, the Jack Ruby trial in 1964. For the Ruby trial, Brodie worked as a CBS-TV artist correspondent. Mr. Brodie recorded an oral history with the Museum in 2006. -- Stephen Fagin, Curator