Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (02 of 26): Hearings Vol. II (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. Now, have you described all the times that you were absent
from the room of the autopsy?
Mr. KELLERMAN. The only other time that I was absent was when the
autopsy was about completed before the funeral directors were in, and
it was my decision to get Mr. Hill down and view this man for all the
damage that was done; so I went up to the floor where they were at and
brought him down and he inspected the incisions.
Mr. SPECTER. What was your reason for that, Mr. Kellerman?
Mr. KELLERMAN. More witnesses, Mr. Specter; I think more to view the
unfortunate happenings it would be a little better.
Mr. SPECTER. What time did that autopsy start, as you recollect it?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Immediately. Immediately after we brought him right in.
Mr. SPECTER. What time was that approximately, if you have a
recollection?
Mr. KELLERMAN. I don't have a recollection.
Mr. SPECTER. What time did it end, if you recollect?
Mr. KELLERMAN. We left the hospital for the White House at 3:56 in the
morning.
Mr. SPECTER. 3:56 a.m. on November 23?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Yes, sir.
Mr. SPECTER. Did the autopsy last all that time?
Mr. KELLERMAN. No. They were going to give these people a couple of
hours that they worked on them.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, did you observe, during the course of the autopsy,
bullet fragments which you might describe as little stars?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Yes, of the numerous X-rays that were taken mainly of
the skull, the head. The reason for it was that through all the probing
which these gentlemen were trying to pick up little pieces of evidence
in the form of shell fragments, they were unable to locate any. From
the X-rays, when you placed the X-ray up against the light the whole
head looked like a little mass of stars, there must have been 30, 40
lights where these pieces were so minute that they couldn't be reached.
However, all through this series of X-rays this was the one that they
found, through X-ray that was above the right eye, and they removed
that.
Mr. SPECTER. How big a piece was that above the right eye, would you
say?
Mr. KELLERMAN. The tip of a matchhead, a little larger.
Senator COOPER. Let me ask a few questions. Mr. Kellerman, from what
you have just said, I think it would be correct that from the time you
began to assist in removing President Kennedy from his car to the time
you left him in the emergency room that you never saw any bullet on a
stretcher, either his stretcher or Governor Connally's stretcher?
Mr. KELLERMAN. I never saw any bullet, sir.
Senator COOPER. I believe you testified that, at the time you heard
this first report, the President's car was approaching a viaduct?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Approaching, yes, but quite a little distance from it,
sir.
Senator COOPER. Can you make any estimate as to how far away it was.
Mr. KELLERMAN. I don't know the footage, Senator Cooper.
Senator COOPER. Can you see it?
Mr. KELLERMAN. Yes; oh, yes, sir.
Senator COOPER. Can you see the viaduct plainly?
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