JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Charles S. Petty and Larry Sturdivan
JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. Charles S. Petty and Larry Sturdivan
Establishing shot of hearing room, House committee assembling and audience congregating, host (SAMFORD UNGAR) introduces hearing, it is the third day of the hearings (I 09:00:18 - O 09:00:39) Shot changes to that of host and panel,JACOB COHEN - Professor of American Studies, Brandeis University & DAVID LIFTON - "writer and long time critic of Warren Comission" (David Lifton speaks about how he disagrees with all the panel's findings, he contends that everything is a mere continuation of a the cover-up conspiracy - he appears in several tapes of the JFK Assassination Hearings. They summarize and discuss yesteday's hearing which they see as challenge to Warren Comission's finding and single bullet theory (I 09:00:39 - O 09:10:10) Shot changes to that of committee (09:10:11) Chair recognizes Professor ROBERT BLAKEY - chief counsel - who introduces CHARLES S. PETTY - forensic pathologist - and lists his extensive credentials (09:10:31) Petty sworn in by committee chair (MR. BLAKE) and chair recognizes Rep. RICHARDSON BREYER to question Petty (09:11:24) Breyer asks Petty if he has ever expressed any opinion about injuries or results of JFK autopsy in any way, Petty responds he has never uttered a single word about it and had not himself formed an opinion about it (09:13:50) Breyer asks if Petty beleives in the single bullet theory, Petty answers yes (09:15:30) Petty summarizes flight of bullet through JFK and then Governor JOHN CONNALLY and its physical effects - answers DR. CYRIL H. WECHT's objections (previous day of hearings) to what Wecht thought was an impossible path for one bullet, explains that bullet only slightly deformed upon entry into Connally's thigh (I 09:16:20 - O 09:24:28) Petty: "This is the behaviour of a full metal jacket bullet" - explains nothing odd about its path as military ammunition designed with strong casing to penetrate bodies straight through (09:24:38) Petty answers why Conally did not drop Stetson hat upon having wrist shot - "There is great variation in how individuals react to receiving wounds" (09:28:17) Petty discounts Dr. Wecht's suggestion that a frangible bullet was fired from the right side into JFK's head by saying no fragments of such ammunition were found (09:28:56) Petty, sarcastically: "Does that answer your question?" - the last 7 minutes of testimony have all been Petty answering if he beleived in the single gun theory (09:32:33) Breyer asks if bullet went through wrist bone - Petty answers no - it did not directly penetrate it (09:32:47) Breyer asks if from the evidence there is the possibility of a second shot from the president's right-front - Petty responds that there were only wounds from the back, one in the shoulder and one in the back of the head (09:34:40) Chair extends opportunity to Petty (as obligated) for five minutes of closing statements to supplement his testimony - Petty uses it to thank committee and pat their back - (09:36:17) Petty dismissed and Professor Blakey begins summary of what testimony and witnesses are to follow and what questions are currently on the board: was it a single bullet, why did Kennedy's head move in opposite direction of bullet, what is able to be determined about rifle found in book depositry? (09:37:28) Blakey explains science of wounds ballistics - the Warren Commission ordered tests that were conducted in sixties by Wounds Ballistics Branch of the U.S. Army Chemical Research and Development Labratory at the Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland in which aneasthisized goats were shot at different distances and bullet velocities - Warren Commission claimed tests substantiated single bullet theory - Blakey goes on to say that H.P. White Labratory of Belair (?) Maryland was solicited by House Select Committee to do same sort of experiments - company turned down offer saying tests were too theoretical - cannot recreate situation (09:41:05) Blakey: "The experiment could only yeild a statement about probabilities" - could only prove that the incident "could" have occurred not that it "did" (09:45:17) Professor Blakey introduces LARRY M. STURDIVAN and lists credentials - physical scientist with wounds ballistic branch of Aberdine Proving Grounds Vulnerability Labratory - part of tests conducted at request of Warren Commission Warning issued that during the following testimony films of goat executions will be shown which could offend sensitive viewers, Army also wants it stated to public that it no longer does such tests (09:47:15) Committee calls and swears in Sturdivan (09:48:02) Chair recognizes Council CHARLES MATTHEWS (09:48:25) Sturdivan explains background and job at Aberdine Proving Grounds - applies mathematics to wounds, produces predictive models for behaviour of bullets (I 09:48:28 - O 09:53:20) Matthews asks abouts test conducted with Oswald's rifle - Sturdivan describes tests (00:53:25) Woman brings to Sturdivan large models of bullet and cartridge (09:54:45) Sturdivan gives the physics of a fired bullet, how it moves through and out the gun and in the air - demonstrating with one of the models (I 09:55:10 - O 09:57:45) Matthews asks if the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle has a stable path - Sturdivan answers yes, very stable - perhaps most stable of any rifle he's tested (09:58:40) Sturdivan explains how experiments are done to determine characteristics of bullet's flight - exhibit used - photo of bullet in flight (09:58:40) Matthews asks if human cadavers are used in tests conducted at the Abedine Proving Grounds - Sturdivan answers "not as a matter of course" (10:01:03)