In 1976, the House of Representatives established a Select Committee on Assassinations to investigate the murders of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Among the things the Committee sought was a thorough examination of all the photographic evidence in the Kennedy murder. At that time it took a mainframe computer to do what probably could be done on a personal computer today — that is, scan, enhance and thoroughly analyze the images. The image enhancement would be done at the Aerospace Corporation in California. The agreement with the National Archives, which had custody of the Kennedy assassination evidence in Washington, stipulated that the photographic records must be in the custody of the Archives or an Archives employee at all times. For two days I was that employee.
The only copy of the photographs, film, x-rays, etc., was brought by courier to California and put in a safe within a secure area at the National Archives facility in Laguna Niguel, where I worked at the time. The image enhancement was being done in El Segundo near Los Angeles International Airport, some 60 miles away. Each day we opened the safe, verified that each item was present, put the briefcase and “suit” box (think of a four-inch high pizza box) into the trunk of a rented car and made the commute.
That first day (it was Easter week 1978) I followed the procedure carefully even taking the materials with me to lunch, thinking to myself “if the people around me only knew what I had.” It was fascinating to see the enhancements and hear the analysis of the few experts working on the project and sworn to secrecy (as was I). Late in the afternoon I packed everything back up, put it in the trunk, returned to the office and locked it all in the safe. I remember thinking on the way home, this stuff would be worth a million dollars or more on the black market. Am I being followed? Am I in danger?
The second morning we began the inventory. Everything was there, of course. Except — EXCEPT! — on one x-ray, right in the middle of the damaged part of President Kennedy’s skull, there was a bubble. I didn’t remember any damage to any of the x-rays. Now it looked as if this one x-ray had been too close to heat and the image had been burned. How did this happen? Where had I put the box that this could have happened? Was the computer console in the lab too hot? Was there a problem with the exhaust in the rental car that the trunk floor got excessively hot? My god, somehow I’ve damged the only copy of a piece of evidence in the most important murder of the 20th century. My boss was visibly shaken. I was hyper-ventilating. My career is over. I’m a footnote in the Kennedy conspiracy books.
There was nothing to do but put the briefcase and box in the car (inside with me this time) and make the drive to El Segundo. It was a lonely 90 minutes. Once there I trudged in and immediately confessed my crime.
“Oh, that. Some doctor got it too close to a lamp years ago.”
The photographic and forensic experts I talked to were convinced the photographic evidence at least was consistent with one shooter — Oswald. As a reward for my participation in this project I was later permitted to see some other the other evidence including Oswald’s clothing (blood stained) and his Mannlicher-Carcano rifle.
So your a believer in the magic bullet theory.
Also, was this evidence that’s not been made available elsewhere?
The photographic evidence I held for those two days was part of the Records of the President’s Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, commonly called the Warren Commission.
I have never seen any evidence nor read any theory that I thought was anywhere near as believable as the “official” explanation. Do I think there was more going on behind the scenes with Cuba, the Mafia and the CIA — well, of course. Do I think Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the meanwhile — absolutely, as did the forensic specialists I met those two days in 1978.
As far as the evidence is concerned, I thought there were still some unreleased evidence that won’t be shown to the public 80 years (or some very long time) after the incident.
The magic bullet theory has been debunked many times. The theory was created in the mistaken belief that Gov. Connelly’s seat was directly in front of , and on the same level as Pres. Kennedy’s seat. It wasn’t. It was (I think) six inches lower and four inches to the left. No magic bullet.
Actually I was being sarcastic about the magic bullet theory, after all I only know what I see in the movies.
There may indeed be evidence that is still not available to the public. Personal medical records are generally held from public view for a very long time, yours, mine or John Kennedy’s. What I saw and what the experts examined 32 years ago was not public information. That’s why I had to courier it back and forth. It may be by now, or sometime in the future, perhaps.
I can tell you JFK was undeniably and reliably dead.
Why was Oswald’s clothing bloodstained? Or was it the clothing he was wearing when he was shot?
From when he was shot on Sunday.
As you can see from the mug shot, he was beaten by the Dallas Police.
Ken-
ok, let me get this straight, you believe:
1) That a bullet can make a u-turn in mid air.
2) That a guy who finished last in marksmanship in his Marine Corp class can get off three shots in five seconds from a single bolt action Italian hunting rifle (each shot has to be individually loaded), and hit even a damn buffalo through tree foilage at 300 yards? And the photo of him with the rifle has been de-bunked (his head shows a late evening shadow, his body high noon).
3) That shell casings can land all neat in a row after being ejected from the rifle (this is how the shell casings were found – – instead of scattered).
4) That all the witnesses that said that there were men on the grassy knoll shooting are insane.
I mean, all of them. All five are crazy?
Ok, you should stop at Reason #1 and go “WHAT?! A bullet made a U-turn in mid-air? What a pile of crap.” But because authority figures said it, you apparently buy it. If the “conspiracy” theorists jumped up and screamed “SURE! Believe it! A bullet made a u-turn in mid-air,” there would be no Kennedy assasination cottage industry at all. We would laugh, and rightfully so.
Now, Ken, use your brain. Come on. Reason. Logic. A bullet made a 360 in mid-air. A U-turn. In mid-air.
Now really, you don’t believe that, do you? And I am a kook for not believeing it?
The Earth is round. Popes don’t do it in the woods. And bullets never have – – and never will – – make 360s in mid-air. Period. End of story.
Try it. Take a rifle. Fire straight. Are you ever concerned that the bullet will turn back and nail you?
Yeah. Hello. Logic and reason have to account for something in America.
5)
Oh yeah. And when you are nailed in the back of the head with a bullet, you kick back instead of forward. “Neurological anomily” is what the government said.
You lost me at 380, Bud.
My degrees are goofy. Whatever a u-turn is. Do I lose you at “a bullet takes a u-turn in mid-air”? I hope so, because it doesn’t make any sense.
360 degrees!