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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. II - Page 382« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Lt. Col. Pierre A. , Physician, U. S. Army Finck)

The Chairman.
You may; yes sir.
Colonel FINCK. The textbook of legal medicine, pathology and toxicology by Gonzalez, Vance, Halpern and Umberger does not give a scheme like I have shown to you today, but describes similar criteria.
As you know, one of the authors of the book I mentioned is still chief medical examiner of New York City, with 20,000 medical-examiner cases a year.
Mr. Specter.
Doctor Finck, after the path C-D described in No. 385, would that be a straight line starting with the weapon itself, or was that line deviated in any way or altered when it passed through the body of President Kennedy?
Colonel FINCK. For practical purposes line C-D is a straight line with little or no deviation, the bullet not having hit bony structures.
Mr. Specter.
Dr. Finck, have you had an opportunity to examine Commission's Exhibit 399?
Colonel FINCK. For the first time this afternoon, sir.
Mr. Specter.
And based upon your examination of that bullet, do you have an opinion as to whether in its current condition it could have passed through President Kennedy at point C-D in 385 and then inflicted the wound in the back and chest of Governor Connally?
Colonel FINCK. Yes; I do. This is a bullet showing marks indicating the bullet was fired. The second point is that there was practically no loss of this bullet. It kept its original caliber and dimensions. There was no evidence that any major portion of the jacket was lost, and I consider this as one bullet which possibly could have gone through the wounds you described.
Mr. Specter.
And could that bullet possibly have gone through President Kennedy in 388?
Colonel FINCK. Through President Kennedy's head? 388?
Mr. Specter.
And remained intact in the way you see it now?
Colonel FINCK. Definitely not.
Mr. Specter.
And could it have been the bullet which inflicted the wound on Governor Connally's right wrist?
Colonel FINCK. No; for the reason that there are too many fragments described in that wrist.
Mr. Specter.
And is the condition of Exhibit 399 consistent with the type of a wound which Doctor Humes described on Governor Connally's rib?
Colonel FINCK. Yes.
Mr. Mccloy.
I have a question.
The Chairman.
Go right ahead.
Mr. Mccloy.
From your examination of Exhibit 399, can you identify the caliber of that bullet?
Colonel FINCK. The caliber of this bullet, if I could measure it, but I cannot touch it.
The Chairman.
We can.
Colonel FINCK. I would say it is consistent with a 6.5 mm.
Mr. Mccloy.
Are you familiar with the Mannlicher 6.5 rifle?
Colonel FINCK. I am familiar with the caliber 6.5. I can draw the calibers for you on the blackboard.
Mr. Mccloy.
What is the initial velocity of a 6.5 mm. bullet of that character?
Colonel FINCK. Of the order of 2,000 feet per second.
Mr. Mccloy.
And you say there would not be a substantial diminution of that velocity either at the point of impact or at the point of exit?
Colonel FINCK. That is correct.
Mr. Specter.
One more question, Mr. Chief Justice.
On 388, point A to B, what is your view, Dr. Finck, as to whether or not that is represented by a straight line going back to the point of origin of the weapon?
Colonel FINCK. The difficulty in interpreting the path in line A-B of Commission's Exhibit 388 is that, one, there is, as stated before, a large wound of exit, and, two, there is a secondary path as indicated by the fragments recovered. So we can have an assumption and state that the general direction, the general path, the general angle of this missile was from behind and above, and that the bullet, markedly fragmented, went out of the President's head
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