Does Altgens 6 deserve another look? (for a shooter)

[Chris Newton]

I'd like to propose a new look at an old piece of evidence.

Earlier this month Dr. Randolph Robinson released a report suggesting the dicta belt recordings match Zapruder and reveal 5 shots.

Summarized in a Powerpoint here: jfkproject.org

(register for free to download the "Math Synch" powerpoint - for those of you with Mac's it works just fine in Keynote)

Larry Sabato has also released a report this month stating that the "open mike" on extant dicta belt recording couldn't possibly have recorded the sounds of gunfire because the motorcycle that the microphone was located on was no where in the vicinity of the motorcade.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/

I don't want to debate, in this thread, which theory is correct. They both can't be correct. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that, yet again, by another amazing coincidence, acoustical events that match well to the extant Zapruder film would appear magically on some unrelated recording taken the same day in another location. If so, add this to the long list of frustrating coincidences.

What I would like to discuss is the famous Altgens photo of the Limo, the front of the TSBD and especially the Dal-Tex Building. If Robinson's theory is correct then the Dal-Tex shooter must be in the open window behind the fire escape and therefore he is in or near that window in that photograph.

This picture is, in my opinion, the best quality photo taken during assassination and the best a chance we might have of capturing an actual "shooter" on film outside of Mormons polaroid.

The man on the fire escape is a clue. It seems to me that he is no longer watching the motorcade. He seems to be looking downwards and making the type of motion that one would make if they were sitting on stairs and quickly had to crab walk upwards and backwards. His legs seems to be blurred, giving the appearance of motion.

The window behind the fire escape at first glance has some light colored anomalies, several bright objects appear in the right half, the left being entirely black. These anomalies seem to be separate from the structure of the fire escape.

I've played around with Unger's version of Atgens using some fairly good software tools, iPhoto and GIMP (open source version of photoshop).

http://www.jfkassassinationforum.com/Unger_Altgens6.png

I'm going to post some of my findings. Hopefully I can be as clear as Jack White used to be but his skills were way superior than mine.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Chris Newton

[Greg Burnham]

I downloaded the PowerPoint from JFKproject.org just fine, but when I try to open the file I get a message saying that it is password or Digital Rights Management protected. It says that to get access to the presentation I need a different version that is not so protected.

Figures.

[Cliff Varnell]

Here's some work on the subject of a shooter in Altgens.

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=15516&hl=

[Chris Newton]

Cliff,

Thanks for that link. I'm not a fan of the the ballistics theory but this quote is interesting:

...A Deeper, Darker Truth by Donald Phillips which presents the work of Photonic expert Tom Wilson. In one chapter, Tom analysed an enlargement of Atlgens photograph #5. Tom Wilson's conclusion of the Dal-Tex second floor open window shows a man with a beard looking with his left eye through a device...

(which I think was misquoted - Altgens #6 is more likely)

Looking at the left side of the window (as we view it) the shape I see could be a shooter. There is a diagonal anomaly which is light in color that resembles the forearm of a person in a firing position (if the person were a southpaw). I think a professional shooter would rest their forearm on a table or desk inside the window - the ledge would be the last resort for a rest as that would expose the shooter.

I'm familiar with video and photographic noise so I downloaded about 20 different versions of Altgens 6 - Poor copies, good copies, weirdly cropped copies, a newsprint copy and I see the same anomalies in that area. So, however unscientific my collection is, I'm fairly certain that I'm not wasting my time looking at something that wasn't there on the negative.

[Cliff Varnell]

Cliff,

Thanks for that link. I'm not a fan of the the ballistics theory but this quote is interesting:

...A Deeper, Darker Truth by Donald Phillips which presents the work of Photonic expert Tom Wilson. In one chapter, Tom analysed an enlargement of Atlgens photograph #5. Tom Wilson's conclusion of the Dal-Tex second floor open window shows a man with a beard looking with his left eye through a device...

(which I think was misquoted - Altgens #6 is more likely)

Looking at the left side of the window (as we view it) the shape I see could be a shooter. There is a diagonal anomaly which is light in color that resembles the forearm of a person in a firing position (if the person were a southpaw). I think a professional shooter would rest their forearm on a table or desk inside the window - the ledge would be the last resort for a rest as that would expose the shooter.

I'm familiar with video and photographic noise so I downloaded about 20 different versions of Altgens 6 - Poor copies, good copies, weirdly cropped copies, a newsprint copy and I see the same anomalies in that area. So, however unscientific my collection is, I'm fairly certain that I'm not wasting my time looking at something that wasn't there on the negative.

Chris,

What I find compelling about the "blood soluble" ballistics theory is that it is consistent with the nature of the back wound -- shallow, no exit, no round recovered during the autopsy.

Altgens #6 is crucial in understanding the shooting sequence, imo.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Cliff Varnell

[Chris Newton]

I agree that Altgens #6 is crucial and deserves much attention. I'm not sure I'm qualified to be the one to do it. I'm much more comfortable debating ballistics and I have my own thoughts on the weapons which I've posted elsewhere in this forum. Shooting is in my blood, I grew up in a family that was gun oriented with a very long history of military service. My grandmother used to throw clay pigeons for me when I was about 7 or 8 years old. My friends will all say I'm the last person they'd ever want shooting at them. I might've been a great sniper but I chose to shoot the biggest direct fire weapons in our inventory, tanks. Later in my military career, in the Army National Guard, I was was an Infantry squad leader so I know a little about tactics and the art of the ambush.

The sixth floor eastern-most window of the TSBD never made any sense to me. I would have engaged the motorcade on Houston if I was unfortunate enough to be a lone assassin in that spot.

That window in Altgens #6 is specifically pointed out as the most likely spot in Robinson's presentation and I've always been curious about it.

[Cliff Varnell]

Chris,

Thank you for your service to our country.

The central issue in the killing of JFK, for me, is that he suffered two shallow wounds with no exit, no bullet recovered during the autopsy.

He was hit in the throat first @Z190, and then in the back (according to SS SA Glen Bennett) after Z255. This doesn't seem to follow a "first-shot/kill-shot" scenario.

Edited October 22, 2013 by Cliff Varnell

[Chris Newton]

Cliff,

Great! If we can find a shooter in Altgens #6 then at least part of your theory might be proven correct.

Unfortunately, Robinson attributes Kennedy's back wound to a shot from the TSBD because of the autopsy testimony as to the entry angle of the wound.

The gist of Robinson's presentation is that there were least 5 shots from 3 locations according to the recorded audio when synchronized with the extant Zapruder film. The weapons even having distinctly different sounds, as one might expect.

It's an interesting presentation but what I'd like to concentrate on is this: Is there a shooter or possible shooter visible in Altgens #6?

[Cliff Varnell]

Cliff,

Unfortunately, Robinson attributes Kennedy's back wound to a shot from the TSBD because of the autopsy testimony as to the entry angle of the wound.

The Western end of the TSBD as a shooting location would better satisfy the autopsy testimony.

But what of the wound itself -- shallow, no exit?

That isn't consistent with medium powered conventional firearms, is it?

Edited October 22, 2013 by Cliff Varnell