Forensic Pathologists?

[Mark Knight]

Pat wrote:

Ironically, one of the top forensic pathologists in the country in 1963 was Dr. Earl Rose, of Dallas, who was all set to do Kennedy's autopsy before those pesky SS men absconded with the body.

This is a big part of what went wrong with the murder investigation. While I believe it was Kennedy's staff [Powers et al] who were the push behind getting the body out of Texas--probably reflecting the wishes of Jackie, though that's not been firmly established--it was the SS who was the "muscle" behind the decision: they had the guns at Parkland, and after the carnage that had already occurred that day, I seriously doubt that anyone wanted to play out their hand. In this particular game of "Texas Hold-'Em, " it was probably better for the local authorities to fold their hand than to "call." But history lost when they did so.

By the time the body got to Bethesda, the FBI was already locked into the LN scenario, and this information was known to those in the autopsy room. How different might the conclusions have been had this idea not already have been planted, reinforced by the presence of the FBI agents in the room during the autopsy, coloring the ultimate conclusions even before the examination had begun? One can only speculate.

While exhumation and re-examination by a forensic anthropologist might give us answers which are more fact-based than the conclusions arrived at 42 years ago, there is a certain reluctance of society to dig up persons long buried, for whatever reason. As the sole surviving member of the household, Caroline may wish to leave this ground undisturbed [literally and figuratively]. In strictly a sense of inquiry, while we might argue that the truth that could be revealed should override all other arguments, a sensitivity for the desires of the family cannot ethically be overlooked.

And with the gravesite's status as a tourist attraction, it would obviously be impossible to "discreetly" disinter the body to conduct the investigation without generating tabloid-sized headlines. Could the body be removed under the cover of darkness, the examination of the body conducted in the wee hours, and the body reinterred before sunup? Or would this open up a bigger can of worms?

[John Dolva]

Can of worms? hmmm...

Sensibilities certainly. Off the top of my head, another president conspiracy was laid to rest with the exhumation and reinterment after examination for arsenic (jackson?) 100 odd years after the fact. Family had to give permission and even though they thought they were being discreet, when they arrived to do it, the media vans were there. They did end up sneaking in the back. But it should be 'open'.

However I doubt it will happen in our life time. I don't know what the casket was made from but perhaps some imaging to create a virtual remains can at some point be developed. A few probes to the casket and click carriage return.

[Christopher T. George]

Can of worms? hmmm...

Sensibilities certainly. Off the top of my  head, another president conspiracy was laid to rest with the exhumation and reinterment after examination for arsenic (jackson?)  100 odd years after the fact. Family had to give permission and even though they thought they were being discreet, when they arrived to do it, the media vans were there. They did end up sneaking in the back. But it should be 'open'. 

However I doubt it will happen in our life time. I don't know what the casket was made from but perhaps some imaging to create a virtual remains can at some point be developed. A few probes to the casket and click carriage return.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi John

You are thinking of the the exhumation of President Zachary Taylor and the tests for arsenic poisoning led by the late Florida forensic anthropologist William R. Maples. Note too that Maples was an examiner of bones, which is what forensic anthopologists do. In the case of JFK we are probably going to need a forensic anthropologist not a forensic pathologist, since there may be little or no soft matter to examine, depending on how good the casket was that was used for JFK.

Chris

Edited August 17, 2005 by Christopher T. George