Benjamin Cole

DZ--- Thanks for your comment. I am unsure of the meaning of your comment.

KE-- Keep on truckin' IMHO, you, as an independent observer, will be subject to partisan detractors, and their commentary. The Jan. 6 committee was indisputably a political body, and conducted a politicized investigation. There was no adversarial process, or minority report---the same format as the Warren Commission, btw. How to explain the Jan. 6 committee censoring and suppressing the video of Jacob Chansley, aka Mr Buffalo Horns, being solicitously ushered around the Capitol, and even to the Senate chambers and gallery, by numerous Capitol Police officers who heavily outnumbered the docile and diminutive Chansley? The numerous uniformed Capitol Police officers did not even remove Chansley's flag pole from him, later described as a "weapon" by federal prosecutors, adding to the charges against Chansley. The Chansley video surfaced only after the other major political party gained control of House properties, and released the video. And only after Chansley was in prison. As I say, never trust a government investigation, and especially one from an overtly political body. Even an adversarial process might not reveal the truth...but might get you closer.

Bill Fite--- Thanks for your comment. You make a good point. Th literature seems to concur the NAA tests are sensitive. Unfortunately, the chain of evidence on the LHO paraffin mask...is non-existent. An ordinary DPD officer took the paraffin mask home for several days or weeks, before the purported mask was sent on to Guinn, who ran the NAA tests. I think I remember something about the DPD officer washing the mask. Ask Pat Speer. In other event, there is no assurance the mask tested by Guinn is, or is not, the true LHO mask. On top of that, LHO may have simply covered his cheek with paper or saran wrap while firing. If we assume LHO was a CIA asset, and very interested in and trained in spycraft...he may have used techniques to foil detection. Which leads to a stray thought....suppose you were to shoot someone with a .38 revolver, and then throw onto the ground .38 "auto" shells before running off? Then if you were arrested later, the "auto" shells would appear to be evidence you were not the shooter. Just wondering if someone shot Tippit with a revolver and tossed "auto" shells on the ground nearby... Endless inquiries...that is the JFKA.... Thanks for your collegial commentary.

In other words, we have no evidence the paraffin cast sent to Guinn is, or is not, the actual paraffin mask used on LHO.

Yes, as I recall, the purported LHO plaster cast (not truly plaster but a waxy-type material?) fell into the hands of DPD officer for a while (many days or weeks?) before belatedly finding its way to a testing lab run by Guinn (the erstwhile bullet guy, as I recall). I gather the DPD guy thought an LHO cast would be valuable as a souvenir. I wonder if it is the "real" LHO plaster cast. The chain of evidence was broken, as I recall. In addition, though you say there is no evidence LHO washed his face...it is certainly possible he did. Also, see my related post for all the ways in which a false negative can be had in testing for GSR. Franky, I do not know what to make of the FBI test-firing the M-C rifle and finding it left no GSR traces. Well, each to his own. IMHO, I would not exonerate, or convict, LHO on the cheek evidence. Add on: Gloves will prevent GSR deposits, and so will covering the face while shooting.

KE--Keep truckin' I like to see many points of view. That is what a forum is for. I actually stopped supporting Bernie Sanders when he caved into the wokesters, and said millions, even tens of millions of desperate illegal immigrants, did not pose a threat to US wages. He knows better (and said so for decades) but wanted the nomination. I still admire the guy. Jeez, at his age he had a heart attack and kept campaigning. Pardon the pun, his heart is in the right place. I wonder why so many old pols no longer retire.

LHO's landlady said she was glued to the TV (naturally enough) when LHO entered, and as I recall, she was in the living room in the front of house, by the front door. So, would she have noticed LHO taking one minute in the bathroom? Further down the hall. Or, there were bathrooms in the Texas Theater. Anyway see my related post. Even wiping ones face with a cloth can remove GSR. The GSR test strikes me as very iffy. Even perspiration can remove GSR, while shooting with the wind (as opposed into the wind) can limit exposure. Von Pein has links to tests that showed no doses of GSR using the M-L rifle. Yes, take with a grain of salt. "The Warren Commission Report, Pages 561-562.... "In a third experiment, performed after the assassination, an agent of the FBI, using the C2766 rifle, fired three rounds of Western 6.5-millimeter Mannlicher-Carcano ammunition in rapid succession. A paraffin test was then performed on both of his hands and his right cheek. Both of his hands and his cheek tested negative." ---30--- The cheek test was administered by the DPD past the number of hours it is considered conclusive. I would not declare LHO innocent or guilty based on a GSR test administered on LHO when it was, given all the variables.

Here is some more: "It is also important to note that the absence of GSR does not prove that a person did not fire a gun, since the residual chemicals can be removed by wiping, hand-washing, wind, rain, etc. See State v. Lambert, 341 N.C. 36 (1995) (“negative gunshot residue test could be explained by defendant's wringing of her hands and the use of her hands to wipe tears from her face”)." https://ncpro.sog.unc.edu/manual/611-1 ---30--- I think those of us in the CT side (includes me) have to release this contention, that the negative cheek test proves anything. It should also be clear, LHO could have fired a rifle and gun that day in service of an intel agency, or perhaps was a flat-out patsy.

Matt- Do you think what HRC/DNC did to Bernie Sanders was justifiable?

KH-- What HRC did to Bernie Sanders...oooof. Have you ever seen Liz Cheney and HRC in the same room at the same time? No one else has either. Is Liz Cheney really just HRC with glasses and wig? You have added a great deal of balance and color to the EF-JFKA. I may disagree with you at times, but then that is what a forum is for...not to be a feculent darkened echo chamber, but a room open to sunshine and many points of view. "Keep truckin,'" as old guys say.

Of interest to the JFKA community has always been the "negative" GSR test on LHO's cheek, taken late 11/22/63. One problem was that the GSR test was administered on LHO was done past the length of time such tests were considered informative. Then-- GSR tests results are considered reliable, and should be admitted into evidence. Gunshot residue can be removed by actions such as washing hands, wiping clothing, or brushing it off, so the absence of residue does not prove that the person did not recently fire a gun. https://ncpro.sog.unc.edu/manual/611-1#:~:text=GSR tests results are considered,not recently fire a gun. So, if LHO wiped his face with cloth, or rinsed his face off in a bathroom at his rooming house or the Texas Theater.... Then from my neighbors in the Philippines-- "National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) forensic chemist Leonora Vallado testified that excessive perspiration or washing of hands with the use of warm water or vinegar may remove gunpowder nitrates on the skin." https://crimephilippines.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/gunshot-residue-analysis/ LHO was running around.... IMHO, the GSR test on LHO's cheek is not informative. In addition, LHO, if he was a CIA asset, may have known to simply cover his cheek with paper or saran wrap while firing.

Thanks for your question. There were two possible sources for what registers as gunshot residue (GSR). Firing guns, but also working with print materials. In addition, in general, the GSR tests not the palms, but the outside of hands for GSR. LHO may have had what registers as GSR on his hands from working in the TSBD, or possibly from firing a handgun at Tippit. If LHO washed his face with his palms (more of a rinsing of the face to freshen up) then the GSR would have been left on the outside of his hands. In addition, if he covered his cheek with paper while firing a rifle, then his hands might have been exposed, but not his face. If LHO was a CIA asset, as many of us suspect, he was likely aware that GSR on his hands was explainable by his work at the TSBD. But less explainable on his face. LHO taking an intentional missed shot at the President makes sense, if he was part of a false flag op to be blamed on Castro. Just IMHO. (Some assert it was not LHO who confronted Tippit. It sure is a cloudy situation, with the usual muddled witness statements. The strange shells at the scene add to the confusion, as does the initial ID of the shells as "auto" when LHO carried a revolver. In addition, it sure looks like LHO's wallet was planted at the scene. I keep an open mind, and wonder if LHO, having deduced he had been framed for JFK's murder, was approached by Tippit, and then shot Tippit. That would result on GSR on his hands.) Add on: GSR tests results are considered reliable, and should be admitted into evidence. Gunshot residue can be removed by actions such as washing hands, wiping clothing, or brushing it off, so the absence of residue does not prove that the person did not recently fire a gun. https://ncpro.sog.unc.edu/manual/611-1#:~:text=GSR tests results are considered,not recently fire a gun. Jeez, by wiping his face with a cloth, LHO might have removed GSR from his face. I have provided you with the source. I would say the GSR test on LHO's cheek is not conclusive of anything.

Note to anyone: Perhaps the purported rifle was secreted into the TSBD the night before, and assembled. The telescopic sight was likely not used. If what I suspect is correct, LHO didn't need the scope, since he was intentionally missing on his single shot in the rough direction of the President. This may have been the Tague shot. Just IMHO, per usual.

Pat Speer did a pretty good job on LHO's cheek, and the gunshot residue test was administered too many hours after the event to be considered accurate. In addition, upon researching, I found out that washing the face, or even perspiration, can remove the gunshot residue from the face. LHO may have washed his face at his rooming house, in a bathroom at the TSBD before leaving the building, or at the Texas Theater. If he was running around after the JFKA, maybe perspiration did the trick. Moreover, if LHO was a trained CIA asset, then covering the face with paper (in the TSBD, lots of it) or saran wrap before firing would also work, something he would know. In addition, if the TSBD was "exhaling" when LHO fired the rifle, that may have blown residue outward from him. In the literature, there is discussion about firing into and away from the wind and getting no gunshot residue dose in the latter case. This is all IMHO. I respect your opinion on what happened to LHO on 11/22/63. It is just a different opinion than mine.

Thanks for correcting my aging memory. Ugh, even yet a ghoulish and unsettling topic.

Keep posting Keven. I note how you correctly spell your first name. Lots to talk about out there, big election coming up.

Maybe so. I will review Chap 4 of your formidable website. Is there something about Jack Dougherty we should know?

I guess we are in different pages on this one, and that is fine, that is what the EF-JFKA is for, to see different viewpoints. I will say, in the intervening years, many witnesses have corrected what they said were incorrect affidavits and so on. AKAIK, no one has said, "Actually, I did see LHO when gunshots rang out, and he was on the steps. The FBI did not let me say that before." I am not saying I am right and you are wrong. We just have different takes on this one.

The strange thing is, no one witness ever said, "As shots rang out, I exchanged glances with LHO" or anything to that effect. During the shooting, no one recalls seeing LHO. During the shooting, LHO is invisible. He also does not show up on any photos of the motorcade, or even in the aftermath of the shooting (in that pre-smartphone era). This leads me to believe either LHO was on the TSBD/6, or had been sequestered by ruse. That is, to make LHO the patsy you could not have him on the sidewalk taking pictures of JFK (as one would expect of LHO, since he liked cameras and politics and even liked JFK). If you think LHO is totally innocent, then perhaps he was lured inside the TSBD somewhere, along the lines of, "There is phone call for you, important." My preferred explanation is LHO was the gunman witnessed by numerous people sticking a rifle out of the window at TSBD/6. He was responsible for the Tague shot, an intentional miss. If LHO was not the TSBD/6 gunsel, who was it and how did they leave the building w/o being observed?

Thanks for posting. Yeah, that is what I remember from Tink too. Interestingly, Tink does not say the GK shooter hit JFK (as I recall). That is my preferred explanation of the JFKA. The GK shooter either missed, or was an intentional smoke-and-bang show, a diversion from the real shooters behind JFK.

KH-- You are right on this one. The founder of Wikipedia has refuted his own creation. The intel state can afford to put a dozen guys onto Wikipedia, and it keep it reading the way they want. Keep posting. I enjoy reading your commentary, even if I disagree at times, and you provide necessary balance to the EF-JFKA.

Thanks for your response. I do not say you are confused, only that we are on different pages. I advise anyone to spend a year or two immersed in Mideast media (not Western media), which you can do now with Google translate and other translation devices. This translation site is really great btw, https://www.deepl.com/translator And then study the 57 Muslim nations--how are women, sexual minorities and religious minorities treated? Is there freedom of speech? Are the 57 nations largely (uniformly?) autocratic, but defend the autocracy behind a theological shield? If nothing else, try reading this on Yemen and Houthis, written by an international labor guy: https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2024-01-15/houthis-and-yemen I hope, at least, you will have a more balanced view of who the Houthis "rebels" are. IMHO, the left-wing, which poses itself as concerned with the human condition, and has at times done good deeds...has stepped into kaka with its apologies for Islamia. In the US, the left-wing easily demonizes and stereotypes "white Christians." Then goes mute on Islam as practiced worldwide today. So it goes...

RR- Well, this is not really the right forum for an extended debate on GG. I do not say you are poorly informed, only that we are not on the same page on GG. I do wonder about left-wing political figures and media commentators, who should uphold Western traditional liberal (small "l") values (freedom speech, women's and sexual minority rights, freedom of religion, even abortion rights, etc.) who have to somehow co-exist with Muslim traditional values, which are often antithetical to Western liberal values.

"According to the 2021 census, 6.5% of the population in England and Wales identify as Muslim. In Rochdale, which has just elected George Galloway to be its MP, the proportion of the population identifying as Muslim is far higher – at 30.5%." So Galloway says the Moscow theater massacre was a false flag. I wonder why.

Immediately after the horrible Moscow concert hall massacre, on X-twitter the Islamists were calling it a Russian or US intel false flag. This was faster than the Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil calling LHO the commie killer of JFK, after the JFKA. Instant soup. The convert-massacre suspects are all Tajikistans, if what Moscow says it true. They appear to be Muslim terrorists, who did the deed for $5000 each. Galloway has been discredited too many times to remember, and appears to be a horrible bigot. The JFKA community has enough problems with credibility. Hooking the wagon to someone like Galloway and Muslim terrorists....