(Testimony of Dr. Robert Roeder Shaw)
Mr. Specter.
Dr. SHAW. We know that the angle of declination was a downward one from hack to front so that I think this is consistent with the angle of declination of the wound that the Governor sustained.
Senator COOPER. Are you speaking of the angle of declination in the President's body?
Dr. SHAW. Of the first wound?
Mr. Specter.
Yes.
Dr. SHAW. First wound.
Mr. Specter.
What you have actually seen from pictures to show the angle of declination?
Dr. SHAW. That is right.
Mr. Specter.
In the wounds in the President's body?
Dr. SHAW. Yes; that is right. I did not examine the President.
Mr. Dulles.
And that angle taking into account say the 4 feet difference between where the President was sitting and where the Governor was sitting, would be consistent with the point of entry of the Governor's body as you have shown it?
Dr. SHAW. The jump seat in the car, as we could see, placed the Governor sitting at a lower level than the President, and I think conceivably these two wounds could have been caused by the same bullet.
Mr. Specter.
Do you have anything else to add, Dr. Shaw, which you think would be helpful to the Commission in any way?
Dr. SHAW. I don't believe so Mr. Specter.
Mr. Specter.
May it please the Commission then I would like to move into evidence Commission Exhibits Nos. 679 and 680, and then reserve Nos. 681 and 682 until we get the photographs of the X-rays and I now move for admission into evidence Commission Exhibits Nos. 683 through 689.
Senator COOPER. They have all been identified, have they?
Mr. Specter.
Yes, sir; during the course of Dr. Shaw's testimony.
Senator COOPER. It is ordered then that these exhibits be received in the record.
(The documents referred to, previously identified as Commission Exhibits Nos. 679, 680, and 683-689 for identification were received in evidence.)
Mr. Mccloy.
Just one or two questions. It is perfectly clear, Doctor, that the wound, the lethal wound on the President did not--the bullet that caused the lethal wound on the President, did not cause any wounds on Governor Connally, in your opinion?
Dr. SHAW. Mr. McCloy, I couldn't say that from my knowledge.
Mr. Mccloy.
We are talking about the, following up what Mr. Dulles said about the angle of declination, the wound that came through the President's collar, you said was consistent between the same bullet. I just wondered whether under all the circumstances that you know about the President's head wound on the top that would also be consistent with a wound in Governor Connally's body?
Dr. SHAW. On the chest, yes; I am not so sure about the wrist. I can't quite place where his wrist was at the time his chest was struck.
Mr. Mccloy.
Now perhaps this is Dr. Gregory's testimony, that is the full description of the wrist wound, that would be his rather than your testimony?
Dr. SHAW. I think he could throw just as much light on it as I could. And more in certain aspects.
Mr. Mccloy.
It did hit bone?
Dr. SHAW. Obviously.
Mr. Mccloy.
And there must have been a considerable diminution in the velocity of the bullet after penetrating through the wrist?
Dr. SHAW. Yes.
Mr. Dulles.
The wound inflicted on it, the chest wound on Governor Connally, if you move that an inch or two, 1 inch or the other, could that have been lethal, go through an area that could easily have been lethal?
Dr. SHAW. Yes; of course, if it had been moved more medially it could have struck the heart and the great vessels.
Mr. Mccloy.
Let me ask you this, Doctor, in your experience with gunshot wounds, is it possible for a man to be hit sometime before he realizes it?
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