Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. With respect to the wound you described on the thigh, Dr.
Shaw, was there any point of exit as to that wound?
Dr. SHAW. No.
Mr. SPECTER. I now show you----
Mr. DULLES. Could I ask one more question there, how deep was the wound
of entry, could you tell at all?
Dr. SHAW. Mr. Dulles, I didn't examine the wound of the thigh so I
can't testify as to that. Dr. Gregory, I think, was there at the time
that the debris was carried out and he may have more knowledge than I
have.
Mr. DULLES. We will hear Dr. Gregory later?
Mr. SPECTER. Yes; he is scheduled to testify as soon as Dr. Shaw
concludes.
Dr. Shaw, I now show you Commission Exhibit 399 which has heretofore
been identified as being a virtually whole bullet weighing 158 grains.
May I say for the record, that in the depositions which have been taken
in Parkland Hospital, that we have ascertained, and those depositions
are part of the overall record, that is the bullet which came from the
stretcher of Governor Connally.
First, Dr. Shaw, have you had a chance to examine that bullet earlier
today?
Dr. SHAW. Yes; I examined it this morning.
Mr. SPECTER. Is it possible that the bullet which went through the
Governor's chest could have emerged being as fully intact as that
bullet is?
Dr. SHAW. Yes; I believe it is possible because of the fact that the
bullet struck the fifth rib at a very acute angle and struck a portion
of the rib which would not offer a great amount of resistance.
Mr. SPECTER. Does that bullet appear to you to have any of its metal
flaked off?
Dr. SHAW. I have been told that the one point on the nose of this
bullet that is deformed was cut off for purposes of examination.
With that information, I would have to say that this bullet has lost
literally none of its substance.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, as to the wound on the thigh, could that bullet have
gone into the Governor's thigh without causing any more damage than
appears on the face of that bullet?
Dr. SHAW. If it was a spent bullet; yes. As far as the bullet is
concerned it could have caused the Governor's thigh wound as a spent
missile.
Mr. SPECTER. Why do you say it is a spent missile, would you elaborate
on what your thinking is on that issue?
Dr. SHAW. Only from what I have been told by Dr. Shires and Dr.
Gregory, that the depth of the wound was only into the subcutaneous
tissue, not actually into the muscle of the leg, so it meant that
missile had penetrated for a very short period. Am I quoting you
correctly, Dr. Gregory?
Mr. SPECTER. May the record show Dr. Gregory is present during this
testimony and----
Dr. GREGORY. I will say yes.
Mr. SPECTER. And indicates in the affirmative. Do you have sufficient
knowledge of the wound of the wrist to render an opinion as to whether
that bullet could have gone through Governor Connally's wrist and
emerged being as much intact as it is?
Dr. SHAW. I do not.
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