JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Wide view of U.S. House Committee JFK Assassination Hearing. U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) questioning acoustic experts Ernest Aschkenasy and Mark Weiss about areas of lee-way in their analysis, adjustments for temperature and location. Achkenasy clarifies that no adjustments were made. They only noticed that the map was not a complete survey of the area and provides examples of discrepancies. Rep. Dodd asks whether a re-enactment using microphones and recorders would narrow the precision of their predictions. Weiss thinks the re-enactment would only serve to match their predictions.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) questioning acoustic experts Ernest Aschkenasy and Mark Weiss about moving the concluded location of the grassy knoll shooter. Weiss responds that the shooter could move only within a radius of five feet from the concluded location and that after that matching wave patterns cannot be produced. Rep. Dodd wants Weiss explain with the chalk board as an illustrating surface what sort of movement of the knoll shooter's concluded location would make a wave pattern that does not resemble that recorded on the tape; adult African American female assists Weiss with microphone.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Acoustics expert Ernest Aschenasy refers the U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) to a map that shows a five foot wooden fence. Aschenasy draws a larger reproduction of the fence on the chalkboard and the place where the rifleman would have to fire from.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Acoustics expert Ernest Aschkenasy returns to witness table, rejoining Mark Weiss. U.S. House Representative Floyd Fithian (D-IN) brings up earlier committee review of photographs that show suspicious characters and objects around the grassy knoll, Chief Counsel Professor, Robert Blakey, jumps in and says that these photographs had been discounted by committee panels as inconclusive. He then asks for Exhibit 155 to be displayed.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Chief Counsel, Professor Robert Blakey returns to his seat; zoom out to show hearing room. U.S. House Representative Floyd Fithian (D-IN) asks how the limited sensitivity of the microphone, which recorded the assassination, and the fact that it was obscured in its recording by the motorcycle windshield, effected Mark Weiss and Ernest Aschkenasy's conclusion that it was in fact a gunshot that was recorded. Weiss responds that these factors were of little significance to their conclusion. The timing remains constant, with amplitude or strength being affected.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Floyd Fithian (D-IN) quotes from Dr. James Barger's earlier testimony about his acoustical analysis of the assassination tape. Rep. Fithian wants to know how Mark Weiss and Ernest Aschkenasy accounted for what Barger called false alarms or noises that resembled gun shots. Weiss responds that their analysis was done with a much smaller window of error and this allowed them to be certain the noises they were analyzing were gunshots. Rep. Fithian quotes Dr. Barger's once more regarding the possibilities of false arms or noises before confirming the analysis of Weiss and Aschenasy was conducted within a smaller window of error.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Committee Chairman Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA). Rep. Edgar discusses with Mark Weiss the effect that different temperatures would have on his and Ernest Aschkenasy's conclusions. Rep. Edgar uses the variable of ten degrees to say that the motorcycles placement would be moved "plus or minus two feet". Weiss says, though he would want to re-do the calculations before giving a firm answer, it would be in the correct range. Weiss provides details of how sound is measured and the effect temperature has on sound.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) references a piece of paper that states the tower at the Texas Book Depository had a temperature reading of 68 degrees. However he doesn't not know where the measurement was taken and is aware of temperature difference between ground level and a tall building. Mark Weiss states that if the variation is three degrees, then the effect his and Ernest Aschkenasy's conclusions would be negligible.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) posits the idea that an analysis done in "test tube" settings, environmental factors at the time of the assassination would impact the calculations and conclusions. Mark Weiss responds that he and Ernest Aschkenasy feel that they accounted for all factors necessary.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Mark Weiss dismisses the amount of people in Dealey Plaza at the time of the assassination as being a factor in acoustics calculations. U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) asks about the possibility that the shot in question was an acoustical mirage or the the refraction of one of the other shots. Weiss responds that if it was it would have had to have some how come from the grassy knoll area, furthermore he adds these mirages occur over much larger physical spaces.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Floyd Fithian (D-IN). Rep. Fithian confirms with Ernest Achkenasy and Mark Weiss that it would have been easy for a police officer to accidentally turn on his microphone. Achkenasy tells an anecdote from an officer to illustrate how is easy it is to a police officer to accidentally turn on his microphone. Rep. Fithian then asks if there were any changes to Dealey Plaza over the years that would have effected the echo structure. Weiss says no. Rep. Fithian mentions a testimony from Dr. James Barger regarding an overhead sign. Weiss explains that sign did not exist in 1963, but there were weak echoes from the cylindrical columns holding up the sign.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT) asks whether the construction of the new Hyatt hotel made any difference in their testing. Mark Weiss states it did not. Rep. Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Rep. Robert Edgar (D-PA). Rep. Edgar tries to make some analogies between falsely diagnosed sounds and ships being misdirected by foghorn. Mark Weiss and Ernest Aschkenasy are not; laughter in BG. Rep. Edgar then asks if either of them are aware of blips on a radar not being accurate. Weiss responds that he has some knowledge of radar, but asks for further explanation. Aschkenasy clarifies that the "squiggly lines" on the radar scope do not signify supersonic waves, but recorded sound waves.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar, off camera (D-PA): "Would you answer the question I wanted to ask?" Ernest Aschkenasy explains how sound waves are measured in relation to a fired bullet.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Ernest Aschkenasy uses sound wave graphs to explain echoes, impulses, before and after muzzle blasts that produces shockwaves. U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) asks if the first shot, represented in the graph, impinges on the second shot at all. Aschkenasy says no. Rep. Edgar asks, when seeing the whole tape, how many muzzle blasts were seen? Asckenasy responds that they did not look at the whole tape.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA): "But would it be your expert opinion that Dr. James Barger would be able to have described and looked at the number of muzzle blasts?" Ernest Aschkenasy doesn't understand the question, so Rep. Edgar tries to clarify his question about muzzle blasts. Aschkenasy notes that representations of muzzle blasts will not looking the same because of the orientation relative to the sound source. Rep. Floyd Fithian (D-IN) requests clarifications between shock wave and muzzle blasts. Aschenasy say shock waves produces its own echo pattern.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Ernest Aschkenasy walks back to witness table as U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) and Mark Weiss discuss the 95% probability that their results are accurate.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Robert Edgar (D-PA) begins describing different scenarios, but Mark Weiss interrupts to try and explain the difference between random and systematic events. Rep. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) asks if they can be 95% sure that it was a rifle shot. Mark Weiss, sitting next to Ernest Aschkenasy, responds: "Well, I never, I have not done any kind of consideration of certainty there. I cannot, in fact, say I am sure at all, all I can again do is point to the evidence of a shock wave preceding the muzzle blast, and, in fact, as Mr. Aschkenasy pointed out, there is even a kind of early shock wave echo.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT): "...you said to me that you did not know of anything else that could create a pattern such as we have seen here other than a rifle." Ernest Aschkenasy states that there testing was focused on locating the source of the sound, though they were satisfied enough with indication that it was a rifle that produced the sound. Rep. Dodd asks if there are test that can be done to indicate whether it was a rifle of not. Aschkenasy says there are and would need some time to come up with tests. Mark Weiss explains the sound and physics of a shockwave. Rep Dodd asks Chief Counsel, Professor Robert Blakey and Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell why an acoustical analysis of what created the sounds wasn't done.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Chief Counsel, Professor Robert Blakey states that they first began with oral testimony, eyewitness testimony that heard rifles shots. Then they consulted with Dr. James Barger to determine whether gunfire could be heard on tape. Then, the concern shifted to the direction of the shots. U.S. House Representative Christopher Dodd (D-CT), off screen: "We made an assumption that it was a shot?" Blakely denies that and states that the odds were 50-50. The determination to make was whether it was a pistol or rifle that was fired from the grassy knoll. Both were fired and the "correspondence" was to the rifle. Gary T. Cornwell, Deputy Chief Counsel notes that the marksmen for the Dallas Police Department were excellent shots, but the distances involved were not lengthy. "Roughly speaking, the ability to hit a target at those distances would be somewhat comparable whether you used a pistol or a rifle."
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Gary T. Cornwell, Deputy Chief Counsel. U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Washington D.C. Delegate Walter Fauntroy (D) who confirms with Cornwell that a pistol could fire at or above super sonic speeds. Various requests are made by Cornwall, Rep. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) of the two witnesses, Ernest Aschkenasy and Mark Weiss to appear again before the committee.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Ernest Asckenasy and Mark Weiss' opportunity to supplement their testimony and Weiss thanks the committee staff and the New York Police Department for their assistance.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) recognizes Chief Counsel Professor Robert Blakey. Blakey gives a long explanation of the work of the acoustics committee which investigated based on the tape of the assassination the question of how many shots Oswald could have gotten off within the diagnosed time frame.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Chief Counsel Professor Robert Blakey segues to calling the next witness by explaining how the acoustics committee also wanted to figure out the location of the motorcycle which recorded the assassination. H.B. McClain was the driver of that motorcycle and Blakey introduces him.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
U.S. House Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH) calls and swears in H.B. McClain. Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell is recognized to question McClain. Cornwell confirms McClain's background and that he was part of the 1963 motorcade. Cornwell introduces an exhibit into the committee's record.
JFK Assassination Hearings - E. Aschkenasy & Mark Weiss, H.B. McClain
Deputy Chief Counsel Gary T. Cornwell states that the exhibit just entered into the committee's record were the plans for the police motorcycle escort of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's motorcade. Cornwell asks H.B. McClain if the motorcade's initial plans were altered on the day of the escort using less motorcycles. Cornwell asks for McClain's position in the motorcade and McClain states that he was riding in the vicinity of the Vice-President's car. Cornwell asks who was riding behind McClain on his side and who was right in his position to the left side of the motorcade, and McClain gives the names: J.W. Courson and M.L. Baker. Cornwell discusses the positioning and spacing of motorcade from Love Field to Dealey with McClain.