(Testimony of Cortlandt Cunningham Resumed)
Mr. Eisenberg.
In other words, their hands were cleaned before they fired the weapon?
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes.
Mr. Eisenberg.
But then some of them fired a revolver and still didn't get a residue, as I remember your testimony?
Mr. Cunningham.
That is correct.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Did you make a test with the exhibit, with the rifle, 139, to determine whether that left a powder residue on the right cheek?
Mr. Cunningham.
We did.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Will you describe that test?
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes; this time we ran a control. We were interested in running a control to find out just what the possibility was of getting a positive reaction after a person has thoroughly washed their hands. Mr. Killion used green soap and washed his hands, and we ran a control, both of the right cheek and of both hands.
We got many reactions on both the right hand and the left hand, and he had not fired a gun that day.
Mr. Eisenberg.
This was before firing the rifle?
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes, sir. That was before firing the rifle. We got no reaction on the cheek.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Also before firing the rifle?
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes.
We fired the rifle. Mr. Killion fired it three times rapidly, using similar ammunition to that used in the assassination. We reran the tests both on the cheek and both hands. This time we got a negative reaction on all casts.
Mr. Eisenberg.
So to recapitulate, after firing the rifle rapid-fire no residues of any nitrate were picked off Mr. Killion's cheek?
Mr. Cunningham.
That is correct, and there were none on the hands. We cleaned off the rifle again with dilute HCl. I loaded it for him. He held it in one of the cleaned areas and I pushed the clip in so he would not have to get his hands near the chamber--in other words, so he wouldn't pick up residues, from it, or from the action, or from the receiver. When we ran the casts, we got no reaction on either hand or on his cheek. On the controls, when he hadn't fired a gun all day, we got numerous reactions.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Are there any further questions on the paraffin test?
Representative Ford.
Based on your testimony this morning, and what you have told us in the last few minutes, why are paraffin tests conducted and how extensively are they?
Mr. Cunningham.
Many local law-enforcement agencies do conduct these tests, and at their request the FBI will process them. They take the cast and we will process them.
However, in reporting, we give them qualified results, since we frequently will get some reaction. Numerous reactions or a few reactions will be found on the casts. However, in no way does this indicate that a person has recently fired a weapon. Then we list a few of the oxidizing agents, the common ones, such as in urine and tobacco and cosmetics and a few other things that one may come in contact with. Even Clorox would give you a positive reaction.
Representative Ford.
Is this a test that has been conducted by law-enforcement agencies for some time. Is it a new test?
Mr. Cunningham.
No, sir; the first test that I reported on here were conducted in 1935.
There may be some law-enforcement agencies which use the test for psychological reasons.
Mr. Dulles.
Explain that.
Mr. Cunningham.
Yes, sir; what they do is they ask, say, "We are going to run a paraffin test on you, you might as well confess now," and they will--it is--
Mr. Dulles.
I get your point.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Following up Congressman Ford's question, does the FBI run paraffin tests except on request from other law-enforcement agencies?
|
