[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           KEY DOCUMENTS PROVE INNOCENCE OF JOSEPH OCCHIPINTI

                                 ______


                      HON. JAMES A. TRAFICANT, JR.

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 8, 1994

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, as part of my continuing efforts to bring 
to light all the facts in the case of former Immigration and 
Naturalization Service agent Joseph Occhipinti, I submit into the 
Record a copy of a sworn affidavit made out by one Ramon Rodriguez:

            Affidavit--State of New York, County of Richmond

       RAMON RODRIGUEZ, being duly sworn deposes and says:
       1. I am a Dominican National presently residing in New York 
     State.
       2. I have made previous sworn affidavits in reference to 
     matters concerning Joseph Occhipinti to members of the staff 
     of Staten Island Borough President Guy V. Molinari.
       3. On August 4, 1992 I was given a polygraph test by the 
     F.B.I. at their office at 95-25 Queens Blvd.
       4. I was given the test by one F.B.I. agent. No one else 
     was present in the room during the polygraph test.
       5. The F.B.I. agent who gave me the test did not indicate 
     one way or the other if this test was being video and or 
     audio taped.
       6. The questions on this test concerned my previous 
     affidavits and about a tape recorded conversation between 
     Elias Taveras and myself. Mr. Taveras testified for the 
     government in the trial of Joseph Occhipinti.
       7. The agent who gave me the polygraph test did not 
     question me about a certain tape recorded conversation 
     between myself and Jose Prado who testified for the 
     government against Joseph Occhipinti.
       8. I have since learned that the F.B.I. claims that I 
     failed the polygraph test regarding the validity of the tape 
     recorded conversation (that I provided to Mr. Molinari) 
     between Elias Taveras and myself.
       9. I declare that this conversation between Elias Taveras 
     and myself in which Mr. Taveras admitted committing perjury 
     at the Occhipinti trial, was validly recorded by me and that 
     this tape was an accurate version of our conversion.
       10. I believe the F.B.I. deliberately used techniques and 
     methods known to them, that caused me to fail the polygraph 
     test.
       11. I feel that the polygraph examiner and myself did not 
     have a valid understanding of each other due to language 
     differences. I speak spanish and some english. The polygraph 
     examiner did not speak spanish. No interpreter was provided 
     but one was offered to me.
       12. The polygraph examiner did not ask the questions in an 
     even voice tone. During the entire test he varied his tone 
     and he varied the intensity of his questions.
       13. Due to the manner in which the polygraph examiner asked 
     me certain questions I feel that my answers were improperly 
     recorded due to a startled reaction on my part as a response 
     to the change in voice tone and emphasis by the F.B.I. 
     examiner.

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