The death of Vincent Guinn's NAA junk science

[Vince Palamara]

 

[George Govus]

Thanks. This dates to from between 2003 and 2011 during Olbermann's MSNBC tenure. It wasn't this bit that got Keith fired, was it? The bullet fragments in the National Archives could still be re-tested, even if destructively, and potentially demonstrate that there was more than one shooter with one Mannlicher Carcano rifle.* That's a more promising way forward than exhuming Kennedy's body, it seems to me.

*They never tested the rifle they found to make sure it had been fired that day. Isn't that so?

[Pete Mellor]

3 hours ago, George Govus said:

*They never tested the rifle they found to make sure it had been fired that day. Isn't that so?

Agree George.  I've always wondered why a simple smell test on the end of the rifle wasn't done.  If it was I have never come across any statement of that.

I suppose they found the Carcano & two and two made four.

[Pat Speer]

6 hours ago, Pete Mellor said:

Agree George.  I've always wondered why a simple smell test on the end of the rifle wasn't done.  If it was I have never come across any statement of that.

I suppose they found the Carcano & two and two made four.

I've read a boatload of books on forensics, and there was no legally recognized test on whether or not a rifle had recently been fired. It would seem, however, that Fritz or Day or someone would have given it a quick smell test, just to see, but we can probably assume they found a rifle on the same floor as they found some shells, made a connection, and just didn't bother. 

I mean, even if one were to assume everything was on the up and up--which I don't--one can not escape that the DPD police were incredibly half-assed and borderline incompetent. 

As a reminder, this is the official story...

1. They found a paper bag by where they found the shells and assumed this bag had been used to transport the rifle, but forgot to take a picture of this bag in place or anywhere within the depository.

2. They found a palm print on a box they assumed the assassin had sat upon, but failed to take a picture of this box in situ, or the raised print on the box while intact. Instead they tore a corner off the box and brought it into the department, only to return a few days later and place this torn-off corner back on the box for pictures. 

3. They knew a chemical test was the preferred test to find prints on cardboard, but failed to perform such a test on the boxes they assumed had been a rifle rest, and left the boxes behind until the FBI asked for them days later. 

4. That night, while inspecting the rifle, Lt. Day found several prints on the rifle barrel, but failed to take photographs of these prints before handing it off to the FBI, or write a note to the FBI alerting them to these prints. He did, however, take numerous photos of the prints on the trigger guard, which the FBI (apparently falsely) claimed were too smudged for identification. 

 

 

 

[James DiEugenio]

BTW, although the two teams of statisticians and metallurgists get the credit for this, Wallace Milam was the first guy to create a dent in the field.

This was back in the early to mid nineties.

He brought up some questions about the methodology of Guinn's testing.  He challenged Ken Rahn to find two MC WCC cartridges and compare the metallurgy.

Then Art Snyder got into it a bit more, he was a physicist.  Then the dam broke.

Edited June 29, 2022 by James DiEugenio

[Micah Mileto]

Any chance of a simple mercury test on Dr. McClelland's bloody apron?