JFK in Trauma Room One: Last moments before his death

[Ray Mitcham]

Jerrol Custer is not someone on whom I would rely too heavily. His ARRB testimony was frequently at odds with the known facts. For example, there is absolutely no dispute about the fact that a tracheotomy was performed on JFK at Parkland Hospital, and yet...

GUNN: Did you ever see a wound on the front of President Kennedy's throat or the anterior of the throat?

CUSTER: Yes, I did.

GUNN: Could you describe the wound that you observed?

CUSTER: A typical bullet hole.

GUNN: How large was it?

CUSTER: I would estimate, a little bigger than my little finger in dimension, across circumference - or diameter.

GUNN: Okay. So, there was not a long incision or cut on the throat that you observed; is that correct?

CUSTER: Not at that time, I didn't.

Cleary the passage of more than 30 years had diminished the reliability of Custer's recollections.

Which is to be expected.

And it proves that the whole "You wouldn't forget something like JFK's autopsy" argument is total nonsense.

Human memory is easily influenced and alters over time.

Martin, Custer isn't necessarily incorrect. One of the Parkland doctors (can't remember who, but I'm sure with enough time i could drag it back) said that, after the tracheostomy, the cut made by Perry closed over and it looked quite neat. Maybe when Custer saw the body he missed the tracheostomy cut and just saw the bullet hole.

Edited August 19, 2015 by Ray Mitcham

[Tom Neal]

Jerrol Custer is not someone on whom I would rely too heavily. His ARRB testimony was frequently at odds with the known facts. For example, there is absolutely no dispute about the fact that a tracheotomy was performed on JFK at Parkland Hospital, and yet...

GUNN: Did you ever see a wound on the front of President Kennedy's throat or the anterior of the throat?

CUSTER: Yes, I did.

GUNN: Could you describe the wound that you observed?

CUSTER: A typical bullet hole.

GUNN: How large was it?

CUSTER: I would estimate, a little bigger than my little finger in dimension, across circumference - or diameter.

GUNN: Okay. So, there was not a long incision or cut on the throat that you observed; is that correct?

CUSTER: Not at that time, I didn't.

Cleary the passage of more than 30 years had diminished the reliability of Custer's recollections.

Which is to be expected.

And it proves that the whole "You wouldn't forget something like JFK's autopsy" argument is total nonsense.

Human memory is easily influenced and alters over time.

Martin, Custer isn't necessarily incorrect. One of the Parkland doctors (can't remember who, but I'm sure with enough time i could drag it back) said that, after the tracheostomy, the cut made by Perry closed over and it looked quite neat. Maybe when Custer saw the body he missed the tracheostomy cut and just saw the bullet hole.

Ray,

I recall that statement by a doctor, also. IIRC he stated that AFTER the removal of the trach tube the 'round' wound was plainly visible

and unaffected by the incision. He further stated that the thin line of the incision was difficult to discern. I don't recall who it was

that made the statement either, but he was responding to a question regarding a comparison of how the incision looked after the tube was

removed and the 'gash' in the throat described by Humes.

Tom