How did the autopsy doctors determine the exact position of the back wound?

[Mathias Baumann]

As can be seen in the following photographs measurements of a point on a person's skin can vary by several centimeters depending on one's posture:

 

 

 

In the famous back wound photo Kennedy is prostrate on his belly, not sitting upright as he was at the moment he was shot.

What are the doctors doing with that ruler? Are they measuring something? Or are they manipulating his skin?

[Cliff Varnell]

1 minute ago, Mathias Baumann said:

As can be seen in the following photographs measurements of a point on a person's skin can vary by several centimeters depending on one's posture:

 

 

 

In the famous back wound photo Kennedy is prostrate on his belly, not sitting upright as he was at the moment he was shot.

What are the doctors doing with that ruler? Are they measuring something? Or are they manipulating his skin?

You're not assuming this photo is genuine, are you?

[Mathias Baumann]

19 hours ago, Cliff Varnell said:

You're not assuming this photo is genuine, are you?

Well, I guess that depends on your definition of the word "genuine". I think the photo shows Kennedy's back. And I don't think that it is a forgery of any kind.

But I'm wondering what all those hands are doing. My guess is they are pulling and pushing on Kennedy's skin in order to move the bullet hole where they want it to be. I think the wrinkles in the nape of the neck are quite telling...

What do you think?

[Lawrence Schnapf]

watch the CAPA Last Witnesses program tomorrow. we have a panel devoted to the autopsy

[Robin Unger]

Correct orientation of the "back wound" Autopsy photo.

Image colorized

 

 

[Ed LeDoux]

In the left image Boswell et al are pulling the scalp to manipulate it for the photo.

Right image Boswell is manipulating Kennedy's right shoulder to make back wound appear higher in relationship. (See left shoulder)

Thanks Robin.

Cheers, Ed

[Micah Mileto]

On 12/10/2021 at 4:59 AM, Ed LeDoux said:

In the left image Boswell et al are pulling the scalp to manipulate it for the photo.

Right image Boswell is manipulating Kennedy's right shoulder to make back wound appear higher in relationship. (See left shoulder)

Thanks Robin.

Cheers, Ed

In the uncropped versions only available at the archives, one of the hands can actually be seen inside of the empty cranium. According to Doug Horne.

Edited December 12, 2021 by Micah Mileto

[Jake Hammond]

On 11/13/2018 at 9:01 PM, Mathias Baumann said:

As can be seen in the following photographs measurements of a point on a person's skin can vary by several centimeters depending on one's posture:

 

 

 

In the famous back wound photo Kennedy is prostrate on his belly, not sitting upright as he was at the moment he was shot.

http://grassyknoll.us/sites/default/files/images/Back%20Wound/Autopsy%20Photo,%20Back.jpg

What are the doctors doing with that ruler? Are they measuring something? Or are they manipulating his skin?

This is a common mistake, he was not sitting upright when he was shot . His upper body was at almost 45 degrees . The upright posture leads to the back wound and the neck wound not lining up . I started a thread on this years ago where I tested the difference the gathering / fold of the jacket and shirt would have made . When you look closely it’s amazing how not upright he was. 

[Jake Hammond]

On 12/10/2021 at 9:59 AM, Ed LeDoux said:

In the left image Boswell et al are pulling the scalp to manipulate it for the photo.

Right image Boswell is manipulating Kennedy's right shoulder to make back wound appear higher in relationship. (See left shoulder)

Thanks Robin.

Cheers, Ed

There is a common misconception that Boswell was nefariously manipulating the cranium ( left image)  . He was simply pulling the flap that had opened like a trap door back across to its correct position for the photo. He was perfectly open about this and never disguised it. The images and witness statements are not mutually exclusive at all. The large hole in the back of the head was sort of three sides of a round square with the scalp forming the ‘ hinge’ . This hinge is at the bottom of the image as we look at it or the left side of his head if we look at the rear of the head in an upright position. 

[John Butler]

On 12/10/2021 at 4:59 AM, Ed LeDoux said:

In the left image Boswell et al are pulling the scalp to manipulate it for the photo.

Right image Boswell is manipulating Kennedy's right shoulder to make back wound appear higher in relationship. (See left shoulder)

Thanks Robin.

Cheers, Ed

Or, he could be covering other wounds with his ruler.  We are only supposed to see just one.  And, that would be this:

Just above the ruler we are supposed to see one wound.  The larger one which is closest to Kennedy's head.  Red arrow indicates the larger one.  

Kennedy was allegedly shot with a Carcano 6.5mm round.  How big was that?  Well, to put in in more familiar terms for most folks a .25 inch caliber or 6.5 mm is one quarter inch in width.  Even, if Kennedy was shot with a 30.06 (.30 cal), or 7.63mm (.30 cal), or an 8mm (.30 cal) the wound should be less than 1/3 or one third of an inch.  Basically, small.

So, how do we account for the larger appearance of the wound indicated?  It could be one of two things.  One, a larger entrance wound created by a tumbling bullet which is said to create a key-hole shaped wound.  Smaller caliber rounds such as the 6.5mm Carcano, or the M16 5.56mm were said to tumble due to being small and shot at a high velocity, 6.5mm at approx- 2400 fps and 5.56 at 3000+ fps.  

Two, it could be a larger exit wound which is generally larger than an entrance wound.  See, what I consider a wound just to it's left (right hand direction).  This appears to be a smaller keyhole shaped wound. 

If this is an exit wound (indicated by red arrow) what would be the adjacent wounds?  Entrance wounds?  This would indicate firing from the front and the back.  A crossfire.  Standard ambush technique.

Turning to Kennedy's head wound.  Isn't that a nice, dark shadow at the base of Kennedy's head?  One can't see anything as intended.  But, looking at the full crop one sees a heart shaped patch.  It could simply be there saying 'from the autopsy folks with love".  The Parkland doctors wound disappears behind a heart shaped patch as dark as the black patch we see in the Zapruder film.

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2021 by John Butler

[Ron Bulman]

How Did the Autopsy Doctors Determine the Exact Location of the Back Wound?  

Well, Humes on the autopsy sheet, in spite of burning his notes did so if I remember right.  Confirmed by JFK's physician, Dr. Burkley.  One of the autopsy attendee's said a picture was made of a probe in the wound, extending in a ways, maybe to the lung?  See maybe In The eye of History?  Humes claimed he stuck his finger in it to the first knuckle or so then it stopped (why, Not sop for a Forensic Autopsy), so he should know where it was located at least ???  The Third Thoracic Vertebrate is what they said.  Until future prez jerry ford moved it.