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
As the names imply, in the criminal files are the fingerprints of
criminals, people who have had a prior criminal record or whose
fingerprints have been received in connection with an investigation
or interrogation for the commission of a crime. In that file we have
approximately 15 million sets of fingerprint cards, representing
approximately 15 million people.
In our civil files, in which are filed the fingerprints of the
various types of applicants, service personnel and the like, we have
fingerprints of approximately 62-1/2 million people.
Mr. EISENBERG. Returning to palmprints, then, as I understand
your testimony, they are not as good as fingerprints for purposes
of classification, but they are equally good for purposes of
identification?
Mr. LATONA. For purposes of identification, I feel that the
identifications effected are just as absolute as are those of
fingerprints.
Mr. EISENBERG. Are experts unanimous in this opinion, Mr. Latona?
Mr. LATONA. As far as I know, yes.
Mr. EISENBERG. Now, Mr. Latona, I hand to you an object which I will
describe for the record as being apparently a brown, homemade-type of
paper bag, and which I will also describe for the record as having been
found on the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository Building
near the window, the easternmost window, on the south face of that
floor.
I ask you whether you are familiar with this paper bag?
Mr. LATONA. Yes, I am. This is a piece of brown wrapping paper that we
have referred to as a brown paper bag, which was referred to me for
purposes of processing for latent prints.
Mr. EISENBERG. And you examined that for latent prints?
Mr. LATONA. Yes; I did.
Mr. EISENBERG. Mr. Chairman, may I have this admitted into evidence as
Commission Exhibit 626?
The CHAIRMAN. It may be admitted.
(The item referred to was marked Commission Exhibit No. 626 and
received in evidence.)
Mr. EISENBERG. Mr. Latona, do your notes show when you received this
paper bag?
Mr. LATONA. I received this paper bag on the morning of November 23,
1963.
Mr. EISENBERG. And when did you conduct your examination?
Mr. LATONA. I conducted my examination on that same day.
Mr. EISENBERG. When you had received it, could you tell whether any
previous examination had been conducted on it?
Mr. LATONA. When I received this exhibit, 626, the brown wrapper, it
had been treated with black dusting powder, black fingerprint powder.
There was nothing visible in the way of any latent prints on there at
that particular time.
Mr. EISENBERG. Were you informed whether any fingerprints had been
developed by means of the fingerprint powder?
Mr. LATONA. No; I determined that by simply examining the wrapper at
that particular time.
Mr. EISENBERG. Could you briefly describe the powder process?
Mr. LATONA. The powdering process is merely the utilizing of a
fingerprint powder which is applied to any particular surface for
purposes of developing any latent prints which may be on such a
surface.
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