Warren Commission (06 of 26): Hearings Vol. VI (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (06 of 26): Hearings Vol. VI (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. Do you think it is possible that Governor Connally could
have been struck by two bullets, one entering his back and emerging
from his chest and the second going into his wrist?
Dr. SHIRES. I'm sure it is possible, because missile sites are so
variable, depending upon the size of the bullet, the speed at which
it travels, whether it was tumbling or not. We have seen all kinds of
combinations of entrance and exit wounds and it's just impossible to
state with any certainty, looking at a given wound, what the nature of
the missile was, so I am sure it is possible.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you think it is possible that, assuming a missile being
a bullet 6.5 mm. with a velocity of over 2,000 feet per second, and
the distance between the weapon and the victim being approximately 160
to 250 feet, that the same bullet might have passed through President
Kennedy, entering his back near the midline and emerging from his neck,
and then entering Governor Connally in the back and emerging from his
chest, into his wrist, through his wrist and into the thigh?
Dr. SHIRES. I assume that it would be possible. The main thing that
would make me think that this was not the case in that he remembers so
distinctly hearing a shot and having turned prior to the time he was
hit, and in the position he must have been, particularly here in Figure
5, I think it's obvious that he did turn rather sharply to the right
and this would make me think that it was a second shot, but this is
purely conjecture, of course.
Mr. SPECTER. Well, is there anything, aside from what he told you, that
is, anything in the characteristics of the wounds on President Kennedy
and the wounds on Governor Connally which would lead you to conclude
that it was not the same bullet?
Dr. SHIRES. No--there is nothing. It could have been--purely from the
standpoint of the wounds, it is possible.
Mr. SPECTER. You referred just a minute ago to his turning position?
Dr. SHIRES. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. Is the postulation of a turning by Governor Connally
necessary to explain the point of entry in the back, exit in the chest,
entry in the wrist, and exit in the wrist, and entry into the thigh, in
order to have that line--to state it differently, is it necessary to
postulate turning by the Governor?
Dr. SHIRES. Depending upon the angle of the trajectory--I suppose not.
I don't know what the angle of the trajectory was from where the bullet
was fired.
Mr. SPECTER. Assuming an angle of declination of approximately 45
degrees?
Dr. SHIRES. This, I don't know without drawing it out, but as long as
his right arm is drawn in front of him next to the exit wound on the
chest, he is in a sitting position, if the angle of declination was
right, then I think he could have received this facing straight forward.
Mr. SPECTER. Now, on the wrist, would that be palm of the wrist, back
of the wrist, or how?
Dr. SHIRES. I don't understand.
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