Skip to main content
Advanced Search
Photograph of courtroom sketch of Belli protesting language used by Alexander
Photograph of courtroom sketch of Belli protesting language used by Alexander

Photograph of courtroom sketch of Belli protesting language used by Alexander

Object number2014.034.0033
Date02/25/1964 - 02/28/1964
ClassificationsArt
Artist Howard Brodie
ObjectCourtroom sketch
Credit LineTonahill Family Partners Collection/The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
MediumPaper
Dimensions14 3/4 × 19 5/16 in. (37.5 × 49.1 cm)
Collections
DescriptionPhotograph of courtroom pencil sketch on paper by CBS News courtroom artist Howard Brodie. The sketch shows defense attorney Melvin Belli protesting language used by Assistant District Attorney Bill Alexander during the Jack Ruby trial on February 28, 1964. The sketch shows Belli on the left pointing towards Alexander, who is standing on the right with his back to the viewer. In between the two figures is defense attorney Joe Tonahill, who is in the midst of standing. All three attorneys are standing behind the attorney's table while part of the judge's bench is visible in the background. Handwritten captions along the top edge of the image reads "Belli to protest Alexander gets insulting," "Lord's name in vain," "Reynolds." Underneath the figures of Tonahill and Alexander are the respective labels "Tonahill" and "Wm. F. Alexander Asst DA." The artist's signature "Howard Brodie, Dallas, 2/28/64" is located in the lower right under the sketch. 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
Although the courtroom sketch is dated February 28, 1964, this incident depicted actually occurred on February 25, 1964. During the jury selection process for the Jack Ruby trial, chief defense attorney Melvin Belli accused Assistant District Attorney William "Bill" F. Alexander of having used an offensive expression "Jew boys" at a hearing several weeks prior during Ruby's Change of Venue hearing. It is recorded in court documents from January 20, 1964 (https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/5519) that Alexander, when interviewing Dr. Walter Bromberg, the Clinical Director of the Pinewood Psychiatric Hospital, asked if a person of "Anglo-Saxon descent" would react differently than "a Jewish boy from Chicago." Belli used this phrase during jury selection on February 25, 1964 (https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/41844) out of context to accuse Alexander of being insulting while Alexander was questioning a prospective juror. Alexander reacted angrily by saying "By God..." when defense attorney Joe Tonahill interrupted with "Judge, you going to let him take the Lord's name in vain?" Judge Joe B. Brown's only response was: "I don't want any more outbursts," after which everyone seemed to calm down. Belli brought up the incident again on March 12, 1964 (https://emuseum.jfk.org/objects/5511) when he interrupted District Attorney Henry Wade's cross-examination of Dr. Bromberg in order to goad Alexander.   - Stephanie Allen-Givens, Collections and Exhibits Manager
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