James Leavelle – The man in the hat

James Robert Leavelle (August 23, 1920 – August 29, 2019) was a Dallas Police Department homicide detective best known for being handcuffed to Lee Harvey Oswald when Oswald was shot by Jack Ruby on November 24, 1963. The moment was captured in a famous photograph that became one of the most iconic images of the 20th century.

Born in Red River County, Texas, Leavelle served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was aboard the USS Whitney during the attack on Pearl Harbor. After the war, he joined the Dallas Police Department in 1950, where he served as a homicide detective until his retirement in 1975.

On the day of Oswald’s transfer from the city jail to the county jail, Leavelle was escorting him through the basement of the Dallas Police Headquarters. As they moved through the crowd, nightclub owner Jack Ruby stepped forward and fatally shot Oswald at point-blank range. Leavelle, wearing a light-colored suit and cowboy hat, was photographed reacting to the shooting while still handcuffed to Oswald.

He passed away on August 29, 2019, at the age of 99, following complications from hip surgery. His role in this historic moment made him a widely recognized figure and the subject of numerous interviews and documentaries.

Grave of James Leavelle