JFK's fatal head wound: The truth for those who want to know (very graphic)

jmasland.com & others | 11/22/03

[Wolfstar]

The Zapruder film proves itself to be authentic. There is no possibility that any frames could have been cut out of the film or altered. Why/how? Every time a frame was exposed, part of the background scene was exposed onto both the next frame and the previous frame in the sprocket hole areas. This is because the sproket holes are between frames, as shown below:

The head shot, frame-by-frame:

Frame 312

Frame 313

Frame 313 enlarged:

Frame 314

Frame 315

Frame 316

Frame 317

Frame 318

Frame 319

Frame 320

The head wound:

The large flap of skull, skin and other tissue blown out above and just in front of the president’s right ear. The flap stayed attached and hung over the president's right cheek. On the ride to Parkland, Mrs. Kennedy attempted to put it back in place. What the doctors saw at Parkland was the wound partially closed with the shattered pieces at the top rear of the wound missing. Hence, some doctors recalled a wound in that area:

[Ophiucus]

I don't think the film was altered. From what I understand the conspiracy arguments against the film are that frames where switched and that the film was developed at the firm that developed film for the CIA.

I do consider the possibility of more shots than accounted. The single bullet theory is laughable, in my opinion. I would like to see an analysis of Connelly, the film, and damage to the degree of Kennedy. All I have seen is a theory about a magic bullet and defense of that theory that doesn't convince me. Connelly getting hit more than once would account for his injuries easily.

[Ophiucus]

Continued heavy bleeding would also largely depend on the subject remaining alive, no?

Basically. Some bleeding can occur afterwards but not "heavey bleeding," usually.

Once Kennedy got hit by that head shot (regardless of which direction one wishes to believe it came from) that was his moment of death

As a practical comment - ok, but not really. Essentially, death doesn't occur until the heart has stopped and resuscitation efforts fail (many states include the absence of brain activity for the official definition). Was Kennedy a goner with the head shot, yep, but you don't give up.

[Ophiucus]

thanks to both of you for your intelligent, reasoned and reasonable posts.

Thanks - that's part of the fun of Free Republic.

[gdc61]

every mention of time i've seen refers to 8 seconds. Oswald most likely saw the fatal hit and stopped shooting. From watching the films i'd guess he had even more time than that.

[gdc61]

the italian bolt action 6.5mm carcano holds 5 bullets in a push-through clip that when empty is ejected from the bottom of the rifle by a new 5 round clip inserted in the top. i have never heard whether or not they found any left over ammo but i would assume he would have had a full clip when he started and only stopped firing when he saw the fatal shot.

[luvbach1]

The Zapruder film (never in dispute in any quarter to my knowledge)obviously shows Kennedy's head exploding, so autopsy photos showing a small entrance wound are, to put it mildly, irrelevant.

[chicagolady]

anyone with a brain that could think for themselves for 1 minute!

[chuckwalla]

Why wasn't the car full of matter then.
The seat area in front of JFK should have been full of brain matter not the trunk area.
Why didn't jackie have her dress full of matter then?
If the apple was not stationary it would have followed the bullet just as JFK's head did. Back and to the left.
There is no way the apple would go toward the direction the bullet came from.
What is it with this propulsive force of the spray.
There is no force exerted by the spray to counteract a bullet traveling at 2000fps with mass of 160 grains.
If there is please explain where it comes from.

[DCCoolBreeze]

How can you say that. Basic physics and the concept of energy and force shows that the fatal head shot came from either the front or the side. I am a chemical engineer and I have yet to see a line of momentum go any other direction than 180 degrees of the originating force. His head does not move from back to front but from right to left. Physics 101. I hit you in the face. Your head moves back not forward. There was more then one shooter. Now from there is another story.

[DCCoolBreeze]

Whackos??? Oswald could not have caused the final fatal shot. It is physically impossible. The head moved from right to left; thus establishing a force directed from right to left ( or partially front-right to back-left). It is scientifically impossible for a bullet to come from behind and cause the head to move from right to left. IMPOSSIBLE. Now this proves their were more then one shooter. The bullet that went through Kennedy's neck was from the rear.

Now who the other shooter was and his/her purpose is all speculation. That will probably be always unknown but there e is no doubt that there was more than one shooter. PERIOD. Physics 101 Pal.

I can see it now. I hit you in the face and your head jets forward...yah right. I shoot a can on a post and the can jets forward not backwards. I hit a tennis ball and it goes toward my racket instead of away from my rack. I hit a stationary golfball. It goes backwards instead of forward...makes sense to me...plenty of real-life examples...

[ntnychik]

I wondered about that "gray area" at the base of JFK's head, too. After repeatedly watching Lancey Howard's film loop + the Oct. '64 Life Magazine photos, I believe what is seen is Mrs. Kennedy's glove as she wraps her arms around her husband's neck.

[Az Joe]

no...No....NO!!!

On the Zapruder film JFK's head moves forward several inches because of the impact of the bullet from the rear and only THEN does it move backward and to his left. That was because of the neuro-muscular spasm that occurred and the "jet effect" of his head contents spraying out TO THE FRONT!

If he was hit from the front or the side where is the exit wound? Huh?! HUH??!!

[DCCoolBreeze]

yes yes yes...I do not see his head move forward; however, I will watch the video again. What I see is Kennedy who has been shot in the throat leaning forward when the last shot hit him. His head then jets sideways. In reference to the location of the exit wound, where is the gaping hole in the front of his head. Had he been shot from behind, there would have been a gapping hole in the front of his head. I am a chemical engineer (physics knowledge) who served in an Army combat arms unit (infantry experience). I have seen the results of a bullet to the head. Depending on the caliber of the round and the velocity of the bullet, the results will very; however, given the caliber and speed of the round in this case, the round would have blown a large hole in the exit wound on any "hard" surface. There is no large wound on either the front or the back of the head. This should be of concern to anyone who is familiar with ballistics. The exit wound in the neck is what would be expected since the neck is primarily soft tissue.

If you talk with anyone with a CSI background, you will learn that the "splatter" will go in all directions with the majority moving in the same direction of the force. If you watch someone do a cannonball in the pool at an angle. You will see some splash to the rear but most will be to the front where the momentum is directed. What about the "jet effect" to the rear where Mrs. Kennedy was picking up material? What was that from??

Finally, I believe with the information we have today, we can state positively that there was more than one shooter. Where the speculation comes in is who did it. I believe that this we may never know. You hear all sorts of speculation...but that is just what it is speculation.

[Az Joe]

Not convinced. His head DOES move forward. There is evidence of an entrance wound in the back of the head.

[archy]

Back, and to the left.

After he got one in the back, but not the one that got Governor Connally, or damaged the windshield.

[razorback-bert]

Why only three rounds in the rifle, there no others in the magazine? There was never a box of bullets found matching in Olswalds possessions.

When and where did he site in the scope?

Downhill and moving away has always been considered a tough shot.

I have noted that on all the recreations lately, the scope never leaves the target, which is not true to life.

[SunkenCiv]

I agree. The police ran up the grassy knoll and there was no one up there, no one running away from the fence, no smell of firearm discharge, no casings...

That has always been a difficulty for those trying to sell the idea of a grassy knoll shooter. I thought the X-Files offered a (quite fictional) way around that difficulty by putting the assassin inside that drainage thing on the knoll itself, but of course I'm not too sure that didn't come out of the paranoi- er, conspiracy literature.

I was amused by a book I saw at the enormous chain bookstore the other day. I started to read a chapter I selected from the TOC, and found a guy ranting about how a 6.5 millimeter fragment wasn't removed from what was left of the brain tissue, as if it were significant.

[SunkenCiv]

I agree. The police ran up the grassy knoll and there was no one up there, no one running away from the fence, no smell of firearm discharge, no casings...

That has always been a difficulty for those trying to sell the idea of a grassy knoll shooter. I thought the X-Files offered a (quite fictional) way around that difficulty by putting the assassin inside that drainage thing on the knoll itself, but of course I'm not too sure that didn't come out of the paranoi- er, conspiracy literature.

I was amused by a book I saw at the enormous chain bookstore the other day. I started to read a chapter I selected from the TOC, and found a guy ranting about how a 6.5 millimeter fragment wasn't removed from what was left of the brain tissue, as if it were significant.

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, JFK was hit from behind, not by Lee Harvey Oswald, by a shooter firing from the county records building, using two shots (JFK rocked a little in his seat because of his back trouble, and the first shot went a little awry, striking the president and then the governor, as the Zapruder film shows), and the whole thing was arranged by LHO's employer, Carlos Marcello. For an interview with the shooter, see Hugh McDonald's book of the mid-1970s.

[SunkenCiv]

And the brains were on the back of the car because...

Never seen Gallagher live?