Advanced Search
JFK Assassination Hearings - H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T Cornwell explains that the three photographic exhibits were taken from a motion picture. Cornwell confirms that H.B. McClain, police motorcyclist on U.S. President John F. Kennedy's motorcade, saw the motion picture yesterday.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Michael Baden (Part III)
Exhibit introduced which Baden explains is a diagram prepared by the Parkland surgeons of the path of the bullet through Connally for the Warren Commission - the panel agreed with the diagram's interpretation (11:08:00) Klein and Baden discuss a Dr.GREGORY who worked on Connally's wrist - he was unavailable for interview by the panel as he is deceased - Baden describes the bullet's path through Connally's wrist (11:09:45) Baden shows how the suit jacket sleave of Connally reflect the bullet's entrance location in the wrist (11:11:15) New exhibit introduced - a blow up of an X-ray of Connally's wrist, the fracture of which is very evident - Baden identifies and describes it, pointing out white spots which represent fragments of the bullet left in the wrist (11:12:40) Baden explains the report of Dr. SHIRES (?) who worked on Conally's thigh and holds up Connally's trousers which have in them, in the corresponding place to the bullet hole in the thigh, a hole in them (11:15:00)
LAWMAKERS - "JFK State of the Union"
U.S. President John F. Kennedy delivering State of the Union Address to joint session of Congress, calling for the creation of the Peace Corps. Congressmen listening to President Kennedy speak.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss (Part IV)
(02:02:40) Opens to discussion between E. ASCHKENASY, MARK WEISS, and Representative FLOYD FITHIAN about the acoustic tests and evidence used in these tests (02:03:48) Committee Chairman LOUIS STOKES recognizes Representative ROBERT EDGAR, Edgar says that his questions will be of a more technical nature as he is representing his and the questions of various scientists and legal experts who have all reviewed earlier testimony and reports of Weiss and Aschkenasy, Edgar's first question is how much of a factor was temperature in the experiments of Weiss and Aschkenasy - Weiss explains how they took it into account in their analysis (02:07:56) Edgar asks if the temperature during the assassination would have effected the speed at which the sound waves traveled - Asckenasy responds that its effect would have been insignificant because of the short distance and time in which the sound waves traveled and echoed (02:12:30) Stokes asks whether Weiss and Aschkenasy can determine the trajectory of the bullet - Weiss responds that the data they analyzed provides no more information on this other than the fact that the microphone picked up a shock wave meaning the gun fired from the knoll would have been in the general direction of the motorcade (02:15:06) Stokes recognizes Representative RICHARDSON PREYER, Preyer asks how Weiss and Aschkenasy accounted for the fact that the police tape of the assassination was recorded at a 5% slower speed than it happened in real-life - Weiss explains how they factored this into their analysis (02:19:35) Preyer asks about the use of new technologies to eliminate from the tape low level noises - Weiss says that they did not do this in their analysis (02:20:49) Stokes recognizes Representative SAMUEL DEVINE, Devine confirms that in sinking the tape to the Zapruder film one would have to take into account the fact that the shot was traveling at a super sonic speed and therefore would have likely hit its target before the sound was heard, he then asks Weiss if different experts can interpret facts differently - Weiss responds that this is true only if there is room within the facts for different interpretations (02:23:16) Stokes recognizes Delegate WALTER FAUNTROY, Fauntroy cofirms new technology or methods that have not undergone scientific scrutiny were not used in reaching Weiss and Aschkenasy's conclusions, Fauntroy then asks the Committee where they got their temperature figure for that day in Dallas (02:24:10) Blakey gives the committee the source of the temperature, Blakey then asks if one knows all the factors that the committee has come to about the three other shots fired by Oswald, their velocity, trajectory and points of impact could one then determine the temperature from this - Weiss seems disturbed by the proposition, he says it is possible to do but would involve a lot of new calculations and take some time (02:26:38) Fauntroy confirms that Aschkenasy and Weiss could calculate the temperature from the above given information - Weiss says they could do it but goes on to stress the relative insignificance of the temperature in their calculations (02:28:54) Edgar jumps in with another temperature question which Weiss and Asckenasy fend off (02:30:47) Stokes recognizes Representative CHRISTOPHER DODD who asks first about discrepancies between the map used in the men's calculations, Dodd then asks if a recreation with a motorcycle, gun shot and microphone would help substantiate things - Weiss responds that such a recreation would only give you a very similar echo structure to the one Weiss and Aschkenasy produced - Dodd then asks about the effect of moving the concluded location of the grassy knoll shooter - Weiss' response is cut short by the end of the tape
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Cyril H. Wecht (Part II)
Opens with analysis of X-ray of Govenor JOHN CONNALLY'S wrist displayed on exhibit easel - Dr. CYRIL H. WECHT arguing that bullet that broke this "large" bone and previously broke the rib of govenor could not have emerged in such good shape (16:29:30) Good quote by Wecht about discovery of operating surgeon working on Conally's chest found five inches of that rib bone "literally pulverized" (16:30:37) DONALD PURDY asks Wecht if it is his opinion that bullet 399 could not have broken Connally's rib - Connally answers that bullet 399 could have caused damage to rib alone, Purdy asks could it have caused the other injuries to Connally as well - Wecht answers yes (16:31:00) Wecht returns to seat from exhibits and Purdy asks if possible that the bullet hitting Connally's back could have passed through anything else - Wecht answers no (16:32:38) Wecht claims that fact that scar on Conally's back is in a horizontal plane is more consistent with the shot being fired from the right rear side, entering with some degree of a tangential nature (16:32:38) Purdy inquires about Wecht's disagreement with forensic findings that there was only one bullet fired, he asks if president struck by second bullet how soon after was this shot fired - Wecht answers simultaneous to other shot (16:32:55)
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Cyril H. Wecht (Part II)
Wecht states that the wrist alone would have caused more deformation than is present in bullet 399 (16:49:40) Cornwell asks for bullet 399 back from Wecht (16:50:45) Camera on Wecht as Cornwell drops bullet after asking if he dropped it the 2 foot distance from his hand to the desk if it would damage the bullet, Cornwell then asks what the velocity of the fall was (16:52:10) Cornwell wants to know velocity at which bullet would deform - Wecht says he cannot put forth guess, but that the government should have done velocity tests with Mannlicher-Carcano rifle - Cornwell asks if Wecht can calculate the velocity at which the bullet would deform - Wech says it's possible - Cornwell asks if Wecht can calculate velocity necessary to shatter bone - Wecht says it's possible (16:53:10) Cornwell asks if velocities calculated above are different, could the bullet shatter bone but not be deformed - Wecht says he cannot answer such a hypothetical question (16:55:12) Turn to exhibit 254, an image of five bullets with various degrees of deformities - Cornwell asks Wecht to explain the relation of deformity to velocity of bullet - explained by Wecht bullets used in tests conducted by Warren Commission, fired out of Mannlicher-Carcano rifles at goat carcasses and human wrists - Cornwell asks for estimates of bullets' speed at various points in path through Connally - Wecht gives estimates based on assumption that bullet traveled through Kennedy first (16:56:25)
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Cyril H. Wecht (Part II)
Cornwell wants to know if comparison between bullet 399 with images of bullets in exhibit worthwhile as velocities between two could be different - Wecht answers no and goes on to explain velocities of bullets in image and what they were fired at (16:58:35) Cornwell wants to know what effect it would have on Wecht's doubt of the single bullet theory if it could be proved that bullet 399 did hit Connally's wrist - Wecht insists a test should be done in which velocities of bullets fired at cadaver wrists according to different bullet scenarios and judge by the results whether bullet 399 was possible as the "single bullet" (16:59:00)
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss (Part III)
(01:09:03) Weiss explains further that they know that the wave pattern corresponds to a gun shot because of the uniqueness of its echo pattern, Weiss then goes on to explain in detail a unique attribute of the gun shot waves which was due to the fact that the initial sound was obstructed from reaching the microphone by the motorcycle windshield (01:16:07) Chairman LOUIS STOKES tells Weiss and Aschkenasy the "historical importance" of their testimony in stating that there was a shot fired from the grassy knoll and therefore a second shooter and likely a conspiracy, Stokes then asks what sort of scrutiny will Weiss and Aschkenasy's work come under - Weiss gives a long response, listing all the factors that he and Aschkenasy took into account when conducting their analysis, Weiss feels confident they left nothing out (01:22:12) Stokes confirms with Weiss that the two men have determined that 4 shots were fired in Dealey Plaza (01:23:23) Stokes asks if Weiss and Aschkenasy did anything in their tests that could not have been done in 1963 - Weiss responds no (01:25:00) Stokes asks why Dr. JAMES BARGER did not come to the same conclusions as Weiss and Aschkenasy - Weiss explains that his tests left him with a significantly larger margin of error (01:28:31) Stokes recognizes Representative RICHARDSON PREYER who first confirms that the acoustic tests performed by the two men are objective science, and then asks if the what Weiss has identified as a bullet shot could not have been a motorcycle back-firing - Weiss said it could have been, but that it would have to have been a motorcycle up on the grassy knoll, this receives much laughter from the gallery (01:33:00) Preyer asks about the number of peaks above the noise level Weiss affiliated with the gun shots - Weiss explains the peaks and their relation to his calculations
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden (Conclusion)
Hearing room with adult Caucasian men and women walking around an emptied hearing room. Hearing host Sanford Ungar recaps the presentation of the Zapruder film and the testimony of Robert Groden, who describes himself as a photo optical technician, and is a critic of the Warren Commission.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden (Conclusion)
Hearings host Sandford Ungar says that it is obvious the questions raised today were not raised with the Warren Commission. He asks Jeremiah O'Leary of the Washington Star whether his belief in the Warren Commission's work is shaken after one day. O'Leary states that it is "salubrious" for this hearing to be out in the open. The Warren Commission operated behind closed doors as did the current committee, at first. That's not a criticism, but a necessity. That being said, this open committee is encouraging to him, and the public will learn a great deal more than before. Ungar asks Paul Hock, of the Assassination Information Bureau, whether Robert Groden accurately represented the criticism of the Warren Commission. Hoch agrees that he did, strictly within the confines of photographic evidence. O'Leary adds that he did it with a neutral tone. Ungar thanks them both and signs off.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden (Conclusion)
Jeremiah O'Leary of the Washington Star re-iterates that today is only the first day and that many technical questions raised will be answered by experts, though Robert Groden was not an expert, nor did he claim to be one. Hearings host Sandford Ungar asks Paul Hoch, of the Assassination Information Bureau, about the "umbrella man". Both understand that the original implication was the umbrella was a signal being given to shoot the President. The man was identified and found, and the story of the umbrella has been understood as a symbol of protest and nothing more. Hoch goes on to say there will be many more issues similar to this, and most will go away. Ungar asks about Joseph Milteer, a man who may have predicted or boasted about U.S. President John F. Kennedy being assassinated. Hoch is waiting on more evidence to be presented, but doesn't think that story will go away. What is most compelling to Koch is the body of evidence that needs to be examined.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Robert Groden (Conclusion)
Hearing host Sanford Ungar introduces his panel Paul Hoch, of the Assassination Information Bureau, and Jeremiah O'Leary of the Washington Star, who discuss Robert Groden's testimony. Hock and O'Leary believe the most significant point Groden brought up was the head snap in the Zapruder film. Hock believes there was a wide range in the credibility of the photos that were examined, and O'Leary, along with Ungar also mentions the detailed analysis of the visual evidence presented; critiquing the positions of Oswald, types of weapons used, and tampering of photographs.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Committee Chairman LOUIS STOKES recognizes Representative FLOYD J. FITHIAN to question the witness, Fithian asks Sturdivan to clear up a discrepancy between his description of the entrance wound in Governor JOHN CONNALLY and a description received in earlier testimony from others - Sturdivan explains where his description of the wound is coming from, a drawing done by one of the Parkland Hospital doctors of an ellipse, he then explains what the elliptical shape means as far as the bullet's path is concerned: it had an exaggerated yaw, or angle of spin, meaning it had to have hit something previous to reaching Connally.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Fithian confirms his understanding of earlier test data shown in exhibits about the effect of yaw on the bullet's path when traveling through simulated soft tissue.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Fithian asks various questions about the explosion of the head and the movement of the skull fragments - In response Sturdivan sums up Fithian's questions as whether or not the explosion of the skull would have propelled the head backwards, Sturdivan answers that the opposing velocity imparted by the propulsion of the skull fragments would have been incidental.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Fithian asks if a dry skull is harder than a living one - Sturdivan answers the opposite is true.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Sawyer confirms he understands correctly the correlation between the velocity needed for a bullet to deform and the velocity needed by a bullet to shatter a bone - Sturdivan agrees with his explanation and adds that yesterday's testimony of Dr. MICHAEL BADEN also confirms this relationship, Baden had mentioned hand gun bullets that he had examined that had broken bones but not themselves been deformed.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Edgar asks if a bullet traveling at an angle would not leave an elliptical wound - Sturdivan answers that in the case of Connally's back wound the ellipse is so severe it can only be the product of a yawed or turned bullet, meaning the bullet would have had to have hit something first before entering the governor.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Edgar makes the statement that it is too bad Sturdivan did not have access to some of the evidence while he was preparing for his testimony, namely bullet 399 - Sturdivan responds that he did have photos of evidence and information about the degree of bullet 399's deformity.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Sawyer confirms that earlier in his testimony Sturdivan had meant the bullet had yawed before entering Connally and not deformed - Sturdivan apologizes for this mistake.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Chairman Stokes asks if previous to this hearing Sturdivan had interviewed with the committee staff about the deformation of bullet 399.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Chair recognizes WALTER MATHEWS who asks that several exhibits be entered into the hearing record.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Chair recognizes Sturdivan's opportunity to supplement his testimony - Sturdivan tells the committee though he is an Army employee he is not their representative and that opinions expressed are his own, he then thanks the committee.
JFK Assassination Hearings - Larry Sturdivan (Conclusion)
Stokes recesses the hearings.