Hello,
I did some further investigation into why I am so dimissive f Howard Donahue and Bonar Menniger’s book “Mortal Error.” I read this back in the late 1990’s and have an opinion myself. Two facts come to my mind. The first did the Secret Service clam up and conspire to keep this secret? The two people in the front seat would have had an earache after the gun went off, if it did so.
The second, and you want mme to bring facts, comes from OPJ.GOV. Wriersnof these type of conspiracy books ignore facts that contradict them, so here is my reason. The 1963-1964 analyses of Kennedy assassination evidence included an analysis of the various bullet fragments, using emission spectrography. The results showed that all of the bullet-lead specimens were qualitatively generally ‘similar’ in elemental composition and ‘could be’ all of the same brand of ammunition. This is from analysis in 1963 or probably 1964. This was the bullet found on the Connaly stretcher. The bullet fragments on the INSIDE of the windshield of Kennedy’s limo. These frgments could only have come from the head shot. Also compared were the bullets left behind on the 6th floor. The testing was from using emmission spectography. In 1977 bullet analysis, using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was done as this is more accurate. I studied chemistry in college and understand these tests. They can’t say definitely 100 %, that they are all from the same batch when the lead is analyzed, but what are the odds that the SS bullets were of the same analysis percentages. From what I remember Menninger ignored this info and did not address it. Laser Ablation would be used today and would have been more accurate in the lead content, and also the impurities of other compounds in the lead, such as copper, etc.
Thanks for your more detailed explanation and why you dismiss Donahue’s theory. I don’t know if you would consider re-reading the Menninger book with a fresh set of eyes to test your previously formed opinions about the assassination via Donahue’s work, and whether Donahue’s work is still not worthy of some consideration.
Your question is a good one about why no agent in the front seat had an earache if Hickey shot the AR15. I’ll read the book again this holiday and confirm that it is not reported in there. It certainly would bolster Donahue’s theory. It’s absence, does challenge his theory, but I do not believe it is fatal to his theory.
With regards to the chemical analysis of the bullet fragments and the Connolly slug. You state that based on the 1963 - 64 spectrographic analysis, the windshield fragments could ONLY have come from the head shot. That is the Warren Commission’s conclusion. But Menninger wrote about those fragments too - that the car fragments probably did not come from the head shot, ...
“According to the [Warren Commission], the fragments found in [JFK’s limo] were remnants of the bullet that hit Kennedy in the head. Donahue’s research, however, suggested this claim was not supported by the facts. The fragments appeared to be free of blood, bone, brain tissue and hair, indicating they PROBABLY did not pass through [JFK’s] skull, and one was deformed in such a fashion as to show it likely hit something very hard, such as the pavement on Elm Street.
“Perhaps it was only investigative ineptitude that allowed the Commission to ignore these facts, as they had numerous eyewitness reports that suggested [Oswald’s] first shot missed. Because [Dr Humes (who was in charge of JFK’s autopsy)] never identified the ricochet fragment on Kennedy’s skull in his autopsy report, investigators may well have been unaware of it and as a result unable to interpret the other clues that suggested the first shot went wide...” pp 113 - 114
Hence, your noting the chemical similarity between the Connolly stretcher slug and the fragments found in the car from the 1963 - 64 spectrographic tests would support Donahue’s analysis/theory that the fragments are probably from the ricochet. Without JFK’s brain/tissue matter on the fragments on those fragments, one cannot conclude they could only have come from the head shot.
As far as “Why did the SS clam up and conspire to keep this a secret?” There are many possible reasons but is not worth opining on them here today. But SS clamming up and keeping things secrets, lying by omission, etc ... that is not beyond the realm of possibility for them or any branch and agency of the givernment. Just ask Trump, Comey, Clapper, FISA court, General Flynn, et al for their opinions on whether the givernment people lie, falsify sworn affidavits, lose key evidence, suppress evidence but tell a court they have disclosed everything in their files, etc etc etc and more etc. Lying has been around as long as humans - feral givernment is no exception.