Dismantling the Single Bullet Theory Pt 5

[Pat Speer]

Lean it forward a few degrees. Draw another line reflecting the trajectory of the bullet from the sniper's nest circa Z-190--Z-224. If you do this correctly you'll see that the bullet enters the shoulder while heading upwards in relation to the slope.

What are the odds of the back shot coming from the sniper's nest?

You're begging the question as to the veracity of the official story, Pat. Savvy "begging the question"?

What? I guess I misunderstood your complaint. I thought you said having an abrasion ring at the bottom of the back wound was a problem for the single-bullet theory. I was simply making the observation that, while there are many problems with the single-bullet theory, the abrasion ring isn't one of them.

[Cliff Varnell]

Lean it forward a few degrees. Draw another line reflecting the trajectory of the bullet from the sniper's nest circa Z-190--Z-224. If you do this correctly you'll see that the bullet enters the shoulder while heading upwards in relation to the slope.

What are the odds of the back shot coming from the sniper's nest?

You're begging the question as to the veracity of the official story, Pat. Savvy "begging the question"?

What? I guess I misunderstood your complaint. I thought you said having an abrasion ring at the bottom of the back wound was a problem for the single-bullet theory. I was simply making the observation that, while there are many problems with the single-bullet theory, the abrasion ring isn't one of them.

It's a problem for the authenticity of the photo, is it not?

[Malcolm Ward]

The next day, Dr. Malcolm O. Perry, a doctor who had operated on Kennedy at Parkland, contacted Humes and informed him of the neck wound.⁽¹⁶⁾ A different autopsy report was prepared which accounted for the wound. The wound had to be shown as an exit, in that an entry would suggest more than three shots. Therefore, the new report was written by memory because the President's body was already in state at the White House. The revised version stated that a bullet entered the President's back high enough to travel downward and still exit from his throat .⁽¹⁷⁾ This contradictory report was the source upon which all of the Commission's findings concerning the President's wounds were based.

In addition, there is even more evidence which points to the neck wound as an entry, unquestionably refuting the idea that only three shots were fired. If Kennedy's neck wound was one of entry, then one bullet could not have caused that wound and all of Connolly's wounds. The doctors at Parkland concluded that the neck wound was one of entry and the doctors at Bethesda, on whose opinion the Warren Report was based, did not even examine it.^{(18 )}Dr. Charles A. Crenshaw, one of the doctors present at Parkland, said, "I identified a small opening . . . at the midline of his [Kennedy's] throat to be an entry bullet hole. There was no doubt in my mind about that [neck] wound."⁽¹⁹⁾ Furthermore, the doctors at Parkland reported that the front neck wound was about five millimeters in diameter. This is a measurement nearly three times smaller than the smallest exit wound produced by the rifle tests conducted by the Commission.⁽²⁰⁾ Therefore, it is very unlikely that such a small wound, only five millimeters, could have been an exit wound.

Source:

http://www.ucumberlands.edu/academics/history/files/vol7/ChristenTomlinson95.html

[James R Gordon]

Pat,

After some reflection I believe you are right. It is unlikely that in in the few seconds after the throat shot, that the neck changed its position. I suspect that the change in the position of the neck was a result of the body being placed in the coffin at Dallas.

Looking up the Internet for “Thorburn’s Position” I happened to notice this from David Von Pein’s web site:-

“We know that the spinal cord of JFK was not physically severed, nor was it damaged in any way at all. And we know that JFK is certainly reacting to a gunshot wound to his body at the time when he exhibits the "Thorburn" type of arm-raising.”

Reference:- http://jfk-archives....rm-raising.html

Boy!, is he wrong in what he says. Clearly not done his homework. I am not sure whether JFK is, or is not, exhibiting “Thorburn’s reflex” to give it it’s proper title. That said I found the following definition of the condition on the Internet.

“A reflex position assumed by the elbows immediately after injury to the spinal cord in the lower cervical region.”

And the damage is indeed in the lower cervical region.

What I found interesting was not Thorburn’s reflex per se, but the idea of the impact of the damage to the Intervertebral Discs C06 – C07 + C07 – T01. In seems absolutely logical to assume that the damage we see in X-AUT-8+9 had impact on the cervical nerves in that area. David Von Pein is absolutely wrong when he suggests that no damage was done there. Serious damage was clearly done. I have pointed out in previous posts the direct link to Spinal Cord from these Intervertebral Discs. There is a very high probability, seeing the damage that C7 sustained, that damage of some kind was also inflected on the Spinal Cord.

For example we all know the image of Z 260 when JFK’s finger is pointing to his throat. Some have suggested that this shows him pointing to the wound in his throat. He may well be also doing that, however the C7 nerve also controls the middle finger. I suggest that the movement of his finger is more a response to the damage to to the Cervical nerves connected to Intervertebral Discs C07 – T01 than an intent to point to the injury he has just sustained.

The “Thorburn Reflex” type reaction that we see after Z224/5 does not relax until after the head shot. In those moments before the head shot Jackie attempts to get JFK to lower his left arm. Right up until the head shot JFK resists, or more accurately his arm resists. I am beginning to wonder if the real reason he slumps to his left is a consequence of the arm resisting being pulled down. It is clear that what made JFK raise his arms in this way, is a direct consequence of the damage to the Cervical Nerves as a result to the damage inflicted on Intervertebral Discs C06 – C07 + C07 – T01.

And that is proof that the Cervical nerves as well, to some degree, the Spinal column have been damaged by the bullet’s impact on C7 Transverse Process.

It takes the damage from the head shot and the total destruction of nerves system for the arms to relax.

James.

[Malcolm Ward]

James,re

For example we all know the image of Z 260 when JFK’s finger is pointing to his throat. Some have suggested that this shows him pointing to the wound in his throat. He may well be also doing that, however the C7 nerve also controls the middle finger. I suggest that the movement of his finger is more a response to the damage to to the Cervical nerves connected to Intervertebral Discs C07 – T01 than an intent to point to the injury he has just sustained.

I think you have a good point,surely if JFK was pointing he would use is index finger has most people do.I think it could indeed be a neurological response.Well spotted.

[James R Gordon]

Thanks John,

Since I noted the damage to the C6 muscle, I have been looking in detail what would be the consequence of that damage.

I have to thank you for alerting me to the importance of the cervical nerves. That opened up a new avenue to be study.

What surprises me, is that the HCSA had very well qualified medical personnel studying this aspect of the case, yet their conclusions don't begin to examine the consequences of the throat wound: either as the SBT or as a frontal entry wound. For example they do mention the cervical nerves, but make no attempt to explore how their damage helps to explain what we see.

James.

[Pat Speer]

James, while the passage of a bullet by the spine or nerves would almost certainly cause a reaction, the "Thorburn's reaction" or "response" pushed by Lattimer and Posner is a hoax.

From patspeer.com, chapter 12;

Actually, Posner and the single-assassin community's propping up of Lattimer and his "Thorburn theory" to help sell the single-bullet theory is worse than their simply being silly. Lattimer's "Thorburn theory," holding that Kennedy's arms immediately locked into place after being hit, was, and is, a hoax. A careful viewing of the Zapruder film shows that although Kennedy’s elbows remain slightly bent after frame 224 for the phenomenal length of five seconds, his arms themselves are far from locked and drop almost immediately. Even more damaging, as discovered by Millicent Cranor and reported by Wallace Milam, the position described by Thorburn in the 1800's was not an immediate locking of the arms, but a position assumed over a couple of days as the afflicted patient sunk into paralysis and death.

Still another argument against Lattimer’s “Thorburn theory", and one all my own, comes from the presumption that the immediate paralysis described by Lattimer would also cause Kennedy to lose control of his bodily functions. If this is so, then it would seem significant that Kennedy’s x-rays, as interpreted by all three x-ray professionals present at his autopsy, Dr. John Ebersole, Jerrol Custer, and Edward Reed, revealed a significant amount of fecal matter in his colon. That’s right; I’m using fecal matter to combat fecal matter.

And I'm not afraid to sling it... Is it just a coincidence that Gerald Posner, the primary spreader of Lattimer's manure, was in 2010 exposed as one, let's say, lacking in ethics, after it became clear he'd been routinely plagiarizing the works of others in his columns for the Daily Beast? I suspect not.

As far as the "middle finger", is that really what we're looking at? I'm not so sure. It seems too long. What is shown in the frames leading up to this one?

When I studied Kennedy's wounds, I came to suspect that a bullet or fragment descended within Kennedy's neck from the entrance by the EOP. This suspicion was informed by my study of the cerebellum, and cerebellar damage.

From patspeer.com, chapter 17:

Since a bullet shooting down the neck at Z-224 would have brushed past the cerebellum, I decided to look back through the literature to see if there was any indication something like this occurred. I found that when discussing the brain photos with the ARRB in 1996, Dr. Humes acknowledged, “the right cerebellum has been partially disrupted, yes.” I also found that Dr. Peters, one of the President’s doctors in Dallas, was shown the autopsy photos in 1988 and shared Humes’ appraisal. He wrote writer Harry Livingstone that “the cerebellum was indeed depressed on the right side compared to the left.” I then recalled the HSCA’s declaration that “the posterior-inferior portion of the cerebellum” was “virtually intact…It certainly does not demonstrate the degree of laceration, fragmentation, or contusion (as appears subsequently on the superior aspect of the brain) that would be expected in this location if the bullet wound of entrance were as described in the autopsy report.” This time, however, I noticed the qualifiers. They said “virtually intact,” which indicates some damage. They also said there was certainly not the degree of damage necessary to be consistent with the autopsy report, which makes sense. After all, the bullet trajectory implied in the autopsy report would have the bullet heading straight into the cerebellum. These statements by the HSCA led me to believe the damage apparent on the cerebellum is consistent with a bullet’s having headed down into the neck.

Dr. Humes certainly thought so. When interviewed by the HSCA Forensic Pathology Panel on 9-16-77, and asked by Dr. Coe if he thought the "destruction" apparent on the underside of the brain was a "post-mortem artifact" from the removal of the brain, or was caused by the bullet, Humes responded "I think it was partly caused by the bullet."

Upon re-reading the supplementary autopsy report from 12-6-63, moreover, I noticed that there were seven slices of tissue removed from the brain for microscopic examination, including one from the “right cerebellar cortex.” I then noticed that the other six were all from areas reported to be damaged. When I re-read the report I realized that a line I had read many times meant something completely different than I’d previously believed. The report states “When viewed from the basilar aspect the disruption of the right cortex is again obvious.” As “the basilar aspect” means “underneath” and “cortex” means “outer layer,” this is quite possibly a reference to the cerebellum as well as the cerebrum.

The results of the microscopic examination of the brain confirm, furthermore, that the cerebellum was damaged: “Multiple sections from representative areas as noted above are examined. All sections are essentially similar and show extensive disruption of brain tissue with associated hemorrhage.” Later, during his March 16, 1964 testimony before the Warren Commission, Humes confirmed yet again that the cerebellum was damaged. He noted that "the flocculus cerebri was extensively lacerated." There is no flocculus cerebri. There is however, a flocculus cerebelli. It is on the underside of the cerebellum. While some researchers insist Humes meant to say the "falx cerebri," a covering of the brain, was extensively lacerated, it seems obvious that he would be much more likely to say (or have mis-recorded by a court reporter) "cerebri" instead of "cerebelli" than he would be to say (or have mis-recorded) "flocculus" instead of "falx".

There's also this. On page 159 of his book The Death of a President, published 1967, William Manchester reports: "The last bullet has torn through John Kennedy's cerebellum, the lower part of his brain." Well, so what? Who the heck is Manchester? He could just be repeating nonsense he read in the paper. Well, this is what. Manchester's book was authorized by the Kennedy family. It was supposed to answer a lot of the questions. As a result, Manchester was given unparalleled access. Including access to doctors speaking with nobody, and I mean nobody, else. The Sources section of his book lists 5 interviews with Kennedy's physician, Dr. Burkley, between October 1964 and July 1966. Burkley inspected the autopsy photos in 1965. Did Burkley tell Manchester the cerebellum was damaged? And, if not, who did?

Inquiring minds want to know... Which brings us back to our discussion...

At the risk of pulling a Lattimer, who foolishly tried to link Kennedy’s movements after first struck to something he described as a Thorburn’s response, I decided to see if the President’s behavior after frame 224 of the Zapruder film was consistent with that of someone suffering damage to the flocculus in particular, and the cerebellum in general. According to Neuroscience in Medicine (2008) "damage to the flocculus, nodulus, and uvula result in a pronounced loss in equilibrium, including truncal ataxia... ("Truncal ataxia" is an "Impairment of the ability to perform smoothly coordinated voluntary movements.") The description continues: "There is an inability to incorporate vestibular information with body and eye movements." Well, thankfully, Wisegeek.com helps put this in layman's terms: "Damage to the flocculus can cause jerky eye movements and difficulty maintaining balance." Now this is quite interesting. Kennedy appears to reach for his neck, but miss, and then lean to his left in the frames after Zapruder frame 224.

An observation by Dr. William Kemp Clark contained in Warren Commission Exhibit 392 becomes relevant at this point. When describing Kennedy's appearance upon treatment at Parkland Hospital, he noted: "His eyes were divergent, being deviated outward; a skew deviation from the horizontal was present." Well, it seems more than a coincidence then that numerous scientific articles cite a correlation between damage to the flocculus and downbeat nystagmus, in which the eyes drift slowly upward, before returning to their target. Neurological Differential Diagnosis, 2005, goes even further, moreover, and notes both that the "flocculo-occulomotor tract" has "the only direct cerebellar connection with the eye muscle nuclei" and that "clinical lesions and stimulation experiments" of the cerebellum may "result in a divergence of the eyes." Well, let's put it together. Damage to the flocculus can cause a divergence of the eyes.

Well, then what about damage to the cerebellum in general, as opposed to damage specific to the flocculus? According to multiple sources, the symptoms of cerebellar damage include a weakness to the side of the body suffering the damage (ipsilateral hypotonia), a tendency to not stop a movement at its proper point (dysmetria), an inability to grasp objects (ataxia), an abnormal head attitude, and disturbances in speech, eye movement, and equilibrium. Between Zapruder frame 224, when the President seems to suffer a wound on his throat, and 313, when he is obviously hit in the head, the President reached in the direction of his throat without grabbing anything, lifted his arms past his throat, slumped to his left (perhaps as over-compensation for the sudden weakness on his right), and stared down without letting out so much as a scream. Ironically, a November 24, 1963 article in the New York Times by Dr. Howard Rusk described this very phenomenon. Mistakenly believing the theory proposed by the Dallas doctors on the afternoon of the 22^nd, that one shot hit Kennedy in the throat and exploded out the back of his head, Dr. Rusk explained brain injuries as follows: “If the injury is in the posterior portion of the brain, where the bullet that killed the President made its exit, the cerebellum is damaged. Then the individual is left with ataxia, evidenced by severe intention type of tremors that occur when one tries to perform a basic act or grasp an object. Damage to the cerebellum is also usually accompanied by a loss of equilibrium."

Should one not be entirely satisfied with the explanation that Kennedy's strange movements were brought about by damage to his cerebellum, however, there is an additional explanation for his movements that can be added into the mix. This explanation, moreover, is equally suggestive he was struck in the skull before frame 313 of the Zapruder film. Since Brock’s Injuries of the Brain and Spinal Cord made note that “Posterior basilar fractures tend to gravitate towards the large foramina”, I decided to see if there were any behavioral symptoms for a fracture in this area. And I found something which again dropped my jaw. (My jaw has been dropped so many times during this investigation that it's a wonder it hasn't been broken.) Jugular Foramen Syndrome is described by Blakiston’s Pocket Medical Dictionary as “Paralysis of the ipsilateral glossopharyngeal, vagus, and spinal accessory nerves, caused by a lesion involving the jugular foramen, usually a basilar skull fracture.” According to the online article Craniofacial and Skull Base Trauma by Dr. Harry Shahinian and the Skull Base Institute the paralysis of the vagus nerve would manifest itself through a paralysis of the vocal cords, and a paralysis of the spinal accessory nerves would manifest itself through a paralysis of the neck muscle that flexes the head (the sternocleidomastoid) as well as a weakness of the trapezius muscle, which rotates it. The result is a “weakness in contralateral head rotation and shoulder elevation.” Contralateral, of course, means affecting the opposite side of the body. As we know all too well, Kennedy turned toward his left and dipped his left shoulder in his final silent moments.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Pat Speer

[Malcolm Ward]

Pat,re

As far as the "middle finger", is that really what we're looking at? I'm not so sure. It seems too long. What is shown in the frames leading up to this one?

On my hands my middle finger is the longest finger.

[John Dolva]

Tom mentioned once that he saw Kennedy gripping* the lapels of his coat and trying to pull them apart. I think this is a possibility. Also Jackie seems to prop him up to some extent.

Other considerations. With the vehicle swinging a curved path the momentum would tend to drive Kennedy to the left.

He had a very substantial stiff tight brace which would possibly tend to prop up his lower body. I don't know to what degree that is relevant or how if it is fits in or not with any hypothesis'.

edit add * if this is a grip and the other fingers in shade it might not be a poining at all?

Edited May 15, 2012 by John Dolva

[James R Gordon]

Pat,

I thought I made it clear that the “Thorburn Reflex” was not necessarily my position. I certainly intended to make that clear. Having said that, what is described as this “Reflex” perfectly reflects what we see JFK doing with his arms.

The main point of my previous post was that the strange event of JFK’s arms were a direct consequence of the nerve damage when C7 was struck by the bullet. As I have pointed out the damage to that muscle is so extensive it was bound to have a consequence on the nerve structure attached to these muscle and the spinal cord directly behind the muscles. The reason I raised “Thorburn’s Reflex” was because that state suggests that once enacted it is difficult move the arms. The nerves that cause this don’t allow it. In the image below I have taken a series of frames to illustrate this point. Even with Jackie attempting to move the left arm it will not move. It is only when the head shot takes place, which destroys the entire nerve system, that the arms relax.

What I am trying to point out is that the impact with C7 did not just damage that Transverse Process, it also severely damaged the Intervertebral Disc C06 C07. And that damage had a major impact on the Cervical Nerves. It is that damage that caused the arms to rise and lock. They were only released when the entire nervous system was destroyed or severely damaged by the head shot.

With regard to the finger, I went back to the image to see whether I had miss-interpreted the image. It is clear to me that the object I pointed to cannot be anyones but JFK’s hand and most likely one of his fingers. It is clearly not anything to do with Jackie. Connally is too far away for it to be interpreted as something from him. That leaves only one possibility, it is JFK’s finger.

With regard to the damage to the Cerebellum, I only have this point. In the TV program “Nova” the Dallas doctors were taken to the National Archives to view the autopsy images. I can’t who, but after viewing one of the doctors stated that they were clearly wrong when they suggested that the Cerebellum had been damaged. The images made it clear that it was not severed.

James.

Edited May 15, 2012 by James R Gordon

[Malcolm Ward]

Pat-Re

As far as the "middle finger", is that really what we're looking at? I'm not so sure. It seems too long. What is shown in the frames leading up to this one?

Looking at the Zapruder film,what appears to be the finger shows in frames 256 till 262.But has with anything photography wise I suppose its open to interpretation.It does look like a finger to me though.

[James R Gordon]




As far as the "middle finger", is that really what we're looking at? I'm not so sure. It seems too long. What is shown in the frames leading up to this one?









Pat,



I agree that it would help to see all the images with the finger pointing: Z 256 - Z 262.



Below you will see a montage of these frames.

 I have deliberately made it a large image so as to be able to closely examine what we are seeing.

It looks to me, that it is not JFK's middle finger, but his first one.



What is your view?




James.

[Cliff Varnell]

Pat-Re

As far as the "middle finger", is that really what we're looking at? I'm not so sure. It seems too long. What is shown in the frames leading up to this one?

Looks to me (as per Gil Jesus) like he was trying to loosen his tie with his left index finger and then seized up paralyzed.

Looking at the Zapruder film,what appears to be the finger shows in frames 256 till 262.But has with anything photography wise I suppose its open to interpretation.It does look like a finger to me though.

Left index finger, looks like to me.

[John Dolva]

[Cliff Varnell]

JFK was left on his own. It was up to him to save his own life. Under those circumstances, using a paralytic for the first shot makes perfect sense. If the SS does nothing, his only defense was to duck. The paralytic shot would have removed that option. JFK was upright and immobile as the Limo creeped into the Kill Zone.

The flechette scenario fits the damage seen on the x-ray like a glove. The round entered between the 3rd and 4th trach rings with a straight shot to the right T1 transverse process right over the C7 transverse process, accounting for the T1 fracture and the air-pocket overlaying those structures. Significant possible hematoma noted on the x-ray, consistent with damaged blood vessels in the flechette's wake.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Cliff Varnell