5/9/2015 Extra Bullets and Missed Shots in Dealey Plaza

EXTRABULLETSANDMISSEDSHOTSINDEALEYPLAZA

MichaelT.Griffith
2001
@AllRightsReserved

SecondEdition
Revisedon4/28/2001

Withthediscoverythatthesinglebullettheoryisveryprobablyaphysicalimpossibility,itis
perhapsappropriatetoreviewtheevidenceofextrabulletsandmissesinDealeyPlaza.Sinceit
nowseemsclearthatthesinglebullettheoryisimpossible,wecanbeveryconfidentthatmore
thanonegunmanfiredatPresidentKennedy.Wecanalsobevirtuallycertainthat,contraryto
thelonegunmantheory,morethanthreebulletswerefiredduringtheshooting.Thisbeingthe
case,researchersneedtotakeanotherlookattheaccountsofextrabulletsstrikinginDealey
Plazaduringtheshooting,andtoreconsidertheimplicationsofthesubsequentfindingof
additionalbulletsandweaponsinthearea.

ExtraBulletsandWeapons

*AmongthefilesreleasedbytheAssassinationRecordsReviewBoard(ARRB)between1994
and1996wasanFBIevidenceenvelope(FBIFieldOfficeDallas89431A122).Althoughthe
envelopewasempty,thecoverindicatedithadcontaineda7.65mmrifleshellthathadbeen
foundinDealeyPlazaaftertheshooting.Theenvelopeisdated2December1963,sotheshell
wasfoundsometimebetween11/22/63and12/2/63.Nothingwasknownaboutthediscoveryof
thisshelluntiltheFBIevidenceenvelopewasreleasedalongwithotherassassinationrelated
files.

*OtherdocumentsreleasedbytheARRBdiscussaJohnsonsemiautomatic30.06riflethat
wasapparentlysuspectedofhavingbeenusedintheassassination.Onecaninferfromthe
documentsthattheriflemighthaveevenbeenfoundinDealeyPlaza,althoughthedocuments
neveractuallysaywheretheweaponwaslocatedonthedayoftheshooting.Thedocuments
stronglylinkthisrifletotwomenwhohavelongbeensuspectedofbeinginvolvedinthe
assassinationplot,LoranHallandJerryPatrickHemming.ThefilesalsorevealthattheFBItook
astronginterestinthehistoryandownershipofthisriflewithinhoursoftheshooting.Aman
namedRichardHathcock,wholivedinCaliforniaatthetime,hadkepttherifleinhisofficefora
while.Thedayaftertheassassination,anFBIagentquestionedhimabouttheweapon.Among
otherthings,theagentwantedtoknowifHathcockhadanemployeenamedRoyPayne,who
apparentlyknewagreatdealabouttherifle.Inoneofthereleasedfiles,wereadthatHathcock
saidthefollowing:

It'smyopinionthatthereasonhe[theFBIagent]wantedtoseeMr.Paynewas
becausePayne'sfingerprintsundoubtedlywerealloverthatriflefromhishaving
handleditmanytimes.It'salsomyopinionthatunlessthatparticularriflehad
beenfound[nearthesceneofthecrime]orinsomewayinvolvedinthiswhole
thing[theassassination],thattheFBIwouldhavenointerestinit.(HSCA180
1010710443)

Thisriflehadquiteahistory.ItwasusedinCIAconnectedantiCastroraidsinCuba.Roy
Paynesaidtheweaponcould"putaholeinadimeat500yards"(HSCA1801010710440).
LoranHallandanunidentifiedHispanicmantooktheweaponfromPayneaboutaweekbefore
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theassassination.Hall'sassociate,JerryHemming,isknowntohavebeeninDallasontheday
oftheshooting,andHallhimselftoldHathcockfivedayspriortotheassassinationthathehad
tocatchaflighttoDallas(HSCA1801010710440).

*In1975amaintenancemannamedMorgan,whileworkingontheroofoftheCountyRecords
BuildinginDealeyPlaza,founda30.06shellcasinglyingunderalipofroofingtaratthebaseof
theroof'sparapetonthesidefacingtheplaza,accordingtohisson,DeanMorgan.Theshell
casingisdated1953andmarksonitindicateitwasmadeattheTwinCitiesArsenal.Oneside
ofthecasinghasbeenpittedbyexposuretotheweather,suggestingthatitwasexposedonthe
roofforsometime.Thecasing,whichisstillinMorgan'spossession,hasanoddcrimparound
itsneck(Marrs317Roberts8081).

ExtraMisses

Theterm"extramisses"impliesthatonemisshasalreadybeendocumented.Thismissisthe
bulletwhichstruckthesouthMainStreetcurbinDealeyPlazaduringtheshooting.Itlanded
about25feetfromJamesTague,whowasstandingnexttothetripleunderpass.Thebullet
madeavisiblescarinthecurb,andthemarkwasimmediatelyrecognizedbythosewhosawit
asafreshbulletmark.(Themarkmighthavebeenmadebyasizeablefragmentfromabullet
thatstrucknearby.)

WarrenCommission(WC)supportersstraintoexplainthismark.Mostofthemnowdenyitwas
madebyabullet.Instead,theysay,itwascausedbyafragment.Buttheclosestbullettheycan
producefromwhichthisfragmentcouldhavecomeisthemissilethatstruckthePresidentinthe
headatframe312intheZapruderfilm.However,themarkonthecurbwasover200feetfrom
thelimousine'spositionatZ312.Inaddition,afragmentfromtheheadshotwouldhavejust
finishedplowingthroughahumanskull,and,tomakemattersworse,wouldhavehadto
somehowflyoverthelimo'ssupportbarandwindshieldjusttoclearthecar.

AnothertheoryhasbeenadvancedbyGeraldPosnerinhisbookCaseClosed.Posneropines
thatthesixthfloorgunmanfiredataroundZ160,thatthismissilestruckabranchofthe
interveningoaktree,thattheleadcoreseparatedfromthebullet'sjacketasaresultofstriking
thetreebranch,andthatthisleadfragmenttraveledover400feetandstruckthecurb!Even
manyWCsupportersrejectthisforced,unlikelytheory.TheWCstatedthatthesixthfloor
gunmanwouldhavehadaclearviewofthelimousineuntilZ166(seealsoCE889).

Now,letusconsidersomeoftheaccountsofextramissesstrikinginDealeyPlazaduringthe
shooting:

*DallaspolicemanJ.W.Foster,whowaspositionedontopofthetripleunderpass,sawabullet
strikethegrassonthesouthsideofElmStreetnearamanholecover,about350feetfromthe
TSBD.Hereportedthistoasuperiorofficerandwasinstructedtoguardthearea(Shawand
Harris7275Marrs315).

Journalistsandbystanderswerekeptatadistancefromthespotwherethebulletlanded.An
unidentifiedblondhairedmaninasuitwasphotographedbendingdown,reachingouthisleft
handtowardthedugoutpointonthegroundasiftopickupsomething,standingbackup,
apparentlyholdingasmallobjectinhishand,andthenputtinghishandinhispocket(Shawand
Harris7374).Theholemadebythebulletwasevenphotographed,andthepictureappearedin
theFortWorthStarTelegramon11/23/63.

InhisWCtestimony,OfficerFosterdeniedabulletwasrecoveredfromnearthemanholecover,
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thoughhedidnotexplainwhatthemaninthesuitpickedupandputintohispocket.Fosterdid,
however,saythatabullet"hadhittheturfthereatthatlocation[nearthemanholecover]."

Contemporarypressaccountsreportedthatabulletwasretrievedfromthedugoutholeinthe
grassnearthemanholecover.Forexample,whentheFortWorthStarTelegrampublisheda
photooftheholeinthegrass,itincludedthefollowingcaption:

OneoftheriflebulletsfiredbythemurdererofPresidentKennedyliesinthegrass
acrossElmStreet....

ThenextdaytheDallasTimesHerald,inreferringtotheholeinthegrass,reported:

DallasPoliceLt.J.C.Dayofthecrimelabestimatedthedistancefromthesixth
floorwindow...tothespotwhereoneofthebulletswasrecoveredat100yards.

NewsmanRichardDudmansaidthefollowingaboutthismissandtherecoveredbulletinthe
12/21/63issueoftheNewRepublic:

OnthedaythePresidentwasshotIhappenedtolearnofapossiblefifth[bullet].A
groupofpoliceofficerswereexaminingtheareaatthesideofthestreetwherethe
Presidentwashit,andapoliceinspectortoldmetheyhadjustfoundanother
bulletinthegrass.

RichardTrask,dismissingallevidencetothecontrary,arguesthattheblondhairedmandidnot
pickupabulletfromtheholeinthegrass(Trask497498,542543).Traskrestshiscase
almosttotallyonthefactthatthetwoofthephotographerswhotookpicturesoftheevent,Jim
MurrayandBillAllen,laterdeniedthatabulletwasfound.ButneitherMurraynorAllencould
saypositivelythatabulletwasnotfoundrather,theysimplydidnotbelievethatabullethad
beenfound.Nordideitherofthemexplainexactlywhatitwasthattheunidentifiedmanpicked
upandputinhispocket.Traskconcedesthatthephotographicrecordoftheeventdoesnot
refutetheaccountsofabulletbeingrecoveredfromtheholeinthegrass.Healso
acknowledgesthatinthephotosthelefthandoftheunidentifiedmaninthesuitis"cupped"
afterhestandsup,whichwouldcertainlysuggesthewasholdingsomething.

Murraysaidheaccepted"thelaterspeculation"thattheholeandaccompanyingmoundinthe
grassweremadeby"brainmatterfromKennedy'sskull."Arewetobelievethattheunidentified
maninthesuitpickedupbrainmatterandputitinhispocket?Iftheholewasmadebybrain
matter,whydidtheDallaspolicemaintainaguardovertheholeforthenextseveralhours?
WhydidnotasinglepoliceorFBIreportmentionthefindingofbrainmatteratthislocation?
Andwhataboutthecrediblecontemporaryaccountsthatabulletwasrecoveredfromtheholein
thegrass?What'smore,howwouldbrainmatterfromKennedy'sskullhavemadeitalltheway
tothatlocation,muchlesstohavearrivedtherewithenoughforcetodigintothegrass?

Allensaidhedidn'tbelieveabulletwasfoundbecauseneitherWalthers,Foster,northeblond
hairedmanspecificallymentionedhavingjustpickedupabulletafterthemanstoodup.Butthis
wassurelyaratherweakreasonforconcludingthemandidn'tpickupabullet.Furthermore,as
mentioned,whennewsmanRichardDudmanenteredtheareaatthesideofElmStreetwhere
thePresidenthadbeenshot,apoliceinspectorinformedhimthattheyhad"foundanotherbullet
inthegrass."Inpointoffact,thediscoveryofthebulletinthegrassnearthemanholecover
wasphotographedandwidelyreportedinthepress.Itwas,however,quicklydismissedand
thenignoredbyfederalinvestigatorsbecausetheywerealreadycommittedtoascenarioofonly
threeshotsfiredbyalonegunmanfromthesixthflooroftheBookDepositoryBuilding.
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Inthephotostakenofthisevent,i.e.,thefindingandremovalofthebullet,onecanseeOfficer
FosterandacivilianclothedDeputySheriffBuddyWalthersstandingoverthespotwherethe
bulletlanded,alongwiththeunidentifiedmaninthesuit.Ithasbeensuggestedthattheman
wasafederalagentofsomekind.Giventheman'sdressandappearance,thisisnotan
unreasonablesuggestion.DallaspolicechiefJesseCurrybelievedthemanwasanFBIagent,
andsomeresearchershavetentativelyidentifiedthemanasFBIAgentRobertBarrett.

Asmentioned,theidentityoftheblondhairedmanisunknown.Therecoveredbulletwasnever
enteredintoevidence,anditspresentwhereaboutsarenotknown.

*OfficerFosteralsoreportedthatabulletstrucktheconcretepartoftheabovementioned
manholecover.Itisnotknownifthiswasthesamemissilethatmadethedugoutholeinthe
grassafewfeetfromthemanholecover.Thebulletmighthaveskippedoffthemanholecover
andthenimbeddeditselfinthegrass.Or,themarkontheconcretecouldhavebeenmadebya
separatebullet,andthuswouldrepresentanothermissfiredfromthesameapproximate
location.Thesewercoverandtheholeintheturfwereabout35feetapart,andthelatterwas
fartherdownthesideofElmStreet(thatis,itwasslightlyfartherawayfromtheTSBDthanwas
thesewercover).

Abouttwoandahalfhoursaftertheshooting,DealeyPlazawitnessJohnMartincameacross
themarkonthemanholecover.Heimmediatelyidentifieditasabulletmark.Hethentolda
policeman,"youbettergetyourbossdownheretocheckthisthingout,becausethatwillshow
wherethebulletcamefrom"(Trask573).

ResearchershavenotedthatthephotoofthemarkindicatesitdidnotcomefromtheTSBD.
ThemarkcanbeseenonthetwelfthphotopageinthesecondsetofphotographsinHarrison
LivingstoneandRobertGroden'sbookHighTreason.Onecanreadilyseethattheangleofthe
markdoesnotlineupwiththeBookDepository,butthatitdoeslineupwiththeCountyRecords
Building.Itmightbeworthrecallingthata30.06riflecartridgecasingwaslaterfoundontheroof
oftheCountyRecordsBuilding.

*JustafterPresidentKennedy'slimousinepassedthefrontstepsoftheTSBD,fivewitnesses
sawabulletstrikethepavementonElmStreetneartherightrearofthelimousine.Witnesses
sawthisbulletkickupconcretetowardthecar(Weisberg187189cf.Posner324Moore198)
(Posnerattemptstoexplainthismisswithhisbulletlimbcollisiontheory.)

*Withinadayortwooftheassassination,DallasresidentEugeneAldredgesawadugout,
fourinchlongbulletmarkinthemiddleofthesidewalkonthenorthsideofElmStreet,whichis
thesidenearesttheTSBD.AldredgedidnottelltheFBIaboutthemarkuntilshortlyafterthe
releaseoftheWarrenCommissionReportbecauseheassumed,logicallyenough,thatthe
markhadsurelybeennoticedbylawenforcementofficialsandwouldbediscussedinfullinthe
Commission'sreport.Whenherealizedthatthemarkapparentlyhadbeen"overlooked,"he
immediatelycontactedtheFBIandtoldthemaboutit(Weisberg383390).Aldredgerelatedto
theFBIthatCarlFreund,areporterfortheDallasMorningNews,hadalsoidentifiedthemark
asabulletmark.

LessthanaweekafterAldredgeinformedtheFBIofthemark'sexistenceandlocation,hetook
afriendtoseeit.Theyfoundthemark,butsawthatithadbeenalteredithadbeenfilledin.
SaidAldredge,

...wewenttothesiteandfoundthemark,[whichwas]formerlyabout1/4inch
deep,hadbeenfilledinwithwhatappearedtobeamixtureofconcreteand
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asbestos....

Acrudeattempthadbeenmadetomakethealteredmarkappeartobeweather
worntomatchthesurroundingconcrete.

Initsreportonthemark,theFBIadmittedtolocatingitanddescribeditasbeingapproximately
4incheslong,1/2inchwide,and"dugout."AndwhydidtheFBIdismissthesignificanceofthis
mark?Because,explainedtheBureau,itcouldnothavebeenmadebyashotfromthewindow
fromwhichOswaldallegedlyfired.

WouldthesemissesrequireustobelievethataveritablemobwasshootingatKennedy,as
someWCdefenderssuggest?Notatall.Bulletsfiredlowerelevationsandfromotherbuildings
inDealeyPlaza,suchasthegrassyknoll,theCountyRecordsBuilding,andthesecondfloorof
theDalTexBuilding,couldhavebarelymissedKennedy'sheadandthenlandedintheplaza.A
1999trajectorytestinDealeyPlaza,usinglasers,determinedthatshotscouldhavebeenfired
fromthesecondfloorwindowoftheDalTexBuilding.

Bibliography

Groden,RobertandHarrisonEdwardLivingstone,HighTreason,BerkleyBooksEdition,New
York:BerkleyBook,1990.

Marrs,Jim,Crossfire:ThePlotthatKilledKennedy,NewYork:CarrollandGraf,1989.

Moore,Jim,ConspiracyofOne,Ft.Worth:TheSummitGroup,1991.

Posner,Gerald,CaseClosed,NewYork:RandomHouse,1993.

Roberts,Craig,KillZone:ASniperLooksatDealeyPlaza,TyphoonPress,1994.

Shaw,J.GaryandLarryHarris,CoverUp,SecondEdition,Austin:ThomasPublications,1992.

Summers,AnthonyandRobbyn,"TheGhostsofNovember,"VanityFair,December1994,pp.
86139.

Trask,Richard,PicturesofthePain:PhotographyandtheAssassinationofPresidentKennedy,
Danvers,Massachusetts:YeomanPress,1994.

Weisberg,Harold,NeverAgain:TheGovernmentConspiracyintheJFKAssassination,New
York:CarrollandGraf/RichardGallen,1995.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michael T. Griffith holds a Masters degree in Theology from The
Catholic Distance University, a Graduate Certificate in Ancient and Classical History from
American Military University, a Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts from Excelsior College, and
two Associate in Applied Science degrees from the Community College of the Air Force. He also
holds an Advanced Certificate of Civil War Studies and a Certificate of Civil War Studies from
Carroll College. He is a graduate in Arabic and Hebrew of the Defense Language Institute in
Monterey, California, and of the U.S. Air Force Technical Training School in San Angelo, Texas.
In addition, he has completed Advanced Hebrew programs at Haifa University in Israel and at
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the Spiro Institute in London, England. He is the author of five books on Mormonism and
ancient texts, including HowFirmAFoundation,AReadyReply,andOneLord,OneFaith. He
is also the author of a book on the JFK assassination titled CompellingEvidence (JFK Lancer,
1996).

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