NCJ Number
45928
Date Published
1978
Length
334 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY OF THE ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY FOCUSES ON THE SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICOLEGAL ASPECTS OF THE TRAGEDY. A NUMBER OF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ANALYZED WITHIN MEDICOLEGAL DATA
Abstract
PRIMARILY BASED ON AN EVALUATION OF THE MEDICOLEGAL FACTS MADE AVAILABLE BY A FORENSIC SCIENTIST AND A PRACTICING DEATH INVESTIGATOR, THE STUDY IS CONCERNED WITH THE AUTOPSY REPORT AND THE HANDLING OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE IN THE KENNEDY ASSASSINATION. AN INDEPTH INTRODUCTION EXPLAINS THE BACKGROUND INFORMATION NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE MEDICOLEGAL DATA. THE BOOK INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE MURDER, A DETAILED EXPLANATION AND DELINEATION OF THE AUTOPSY PROCEDURES PUBLISHED BY THE WARREN COMMISSION, AND ILLUSTRATED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE RIFLE SAID TO BE USED IN THE MURDER AND THE BULLET SAID TO HAVE CAUSED THE FATAL WOUNDS OF KENNEDY AND THE WOUNDS OF THEN-GOVERNOR JOHN CONNALLY OF TEXAS PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL RELEASED BY THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES IS PROVIDED. THIS INFORMATION INCLUDES THE DEATH CERTIFICATE OF THE PRESIDENT, WHICH WAS MADE OUT WEEKS AFTER HIS DEATH BY HIS PERSONAL PHYSICIANS. THIS INFORMATION IS THEN USED TO INTERPRET SOME OF KENNEDY'S WOUNDS, A SCENARIO IS OUTLINED, WHICH IS BASED PURELY ON THE MEDICOLEGAL AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC DATA. THE PROCEDURAL MATTERS OF THE INVESTIGATION ARE QUESTIONED. THE WARREN REPORT IS CONSIDERED UNSUITABLE BECAUSE CONCLUSIONS FROM THIS STUDY DO NOT SUPPORT THE REPORT ON THE NUMBER OF ASSASSINS AND THE NUMBER OF BULLETS THAT HIT KENNEDY. AUTOPSY PROCEDURES AND PHOTOGRAPHIC AND X-RAY MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED IN TWO APPENDIXES. AN EXTENSIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY AND GENERAL INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (AJJ)