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. EISENBERG. Before we go any further may I have this admitted into
evidence?
Representative FORD. It will be. What is the number?
Mr. EISENBERG. That will be No. 637.
(The document referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 637, and
received in evidence.)
Mr. EISENBERG. Mr. Latona, could you describe to us what a lift is?
Mr. LATONA. A lift is merely a piece of adhesive material which is used
for purposes of removing a print that has been previously developed
on an object, onto the adhesive material. Then the adhesive material
is placed on a backing, in this case which happens to be the card.
The adhesive material utilized here is similar to scotch tape. There
are different types of lifting material. Some of them are known as
opaque lifters, which are made of rubber, like a black rubber and white
rubber, which has an adhesive material affixed to it, and this material
is simply laid on a print which has been previously developed on an
object and the full print is merely removed from the object.
Mr. EISENBERG. When you say "the print" is removed, actually the
powder----
Mr. LATONA. The powder that adhered to the original latent print is
picked off of the object.
Mr. EISENBERG. So that the impression actually is removed?
Mr. LATONA. That is right.
Representative FORD. Is that a recognized technique?
Mr. LATONA. Yes; it is.
Representative FORD. In the fingerprinting business?
Mr. LATONA. It is very common, one of the most common methods of
recording latent prints.
Mr. EISENBERG. Who did you get this exhibit, this lift from?
Mr. LATONA. This lift was referred to us by the FBI Dallas office.
Mr. EISENBERG. And were you told anything about its origin?
Mr. LATONA. We were advised that this print had been developed by the
Dallas Police Department, and, as the lift itself indicates, from the
underside of the gun barrel near the end of the foregrip.
Mr. EISENBERG. Now, may I say for the record that at a subsequent point
we will have the testimony of the police officer of the Dallas police
who developed this print, and made the lift; and I believe that the
print was taken from underneath the portion of the barrel which is
covered by the stock. Now, did you attempt to identify this print which
shows on the lift Exhibit 637?
Mr. LATONA. Yes; I did.
Mr. EISENBERG. Did you succeed in making identification?
Mr. LATONA. On the basis of my comparison, I did effect an
identification.
Mr. EISENBERG. And whose print was that, Mr. Latona?
Mr. LATONA. The palmprint which appears on the lift was identified by
me as the right palmprint of Lee Harvey Oswald.
Mr. EISENBERG. Now, Mr. Latona, as I understand it, on November 23,
therefore, the FBI had not succeeded in making an identification of
a fingerprint or palmprint on the rifle, but several days later by
virtue of the receipt of this lift, which did not come with the weapon
originally, the FBI did succeed in identifying a print on Exhibit 139?
Mr. LATONA. That is right.
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