Mr. Murray.

May I say for the. record, Mr. Chairman, that I definitely and clearly saw what appeared to me to be a palmprint in the port of Exhibit 142 which was designated with a "B," and less clearly, but nevertheless I did see, the fingerprint on the other portion of the bag.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Mr. Latona----

Mr. Latona.

"B" is the finger, and "A" is the palm.

Mr. Murray.

Yes; that's correct. And the palm "A"--there I definitely saw what appeared. to be a palmprint, and more faintly I saw a fingerprint in the portion marked "B."

Mr. Dulles.

And these are exhibits----

Mr. Eisenberg.

This is Exhibit 142.
(At this point Representative Boggs entered the hearing room.)

Mr. Dulles.

Both the palmprint and the fingerprint are on Exhibit 142.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Yes--marked "A" and "B" respectively.
Mr. Latona, one further question on this subject. When you testify in court, do you frequently testify on the basis of the photographs rather than the original object?

Mr. Latona.

If the originals are available, I would prefer that they be. brought into court. If they are not, then photographs are used--plus the original negative of the latent prints which were photographed.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Now, Mr. Latona, I hand you Commission Exhibit 139 which, for the record, consists of the rifle found on the sixth floor of the TSBD building, and which ,was identified yesterday as the rifle and the day before yesterday--as the rifle which fired the fatal bullets, and I ask you whether you are familiar with this weapon?

Mr. Latona.

Yes; I am.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And did you examine this weapon to test--did you examine this weapon to determine whether there were any identifiable latent fingerprints on it?

Mr. Latona.

I examined the weapon to determine whether there were any identifiable latent prints on the weapon.

Mr. Eisenberg.

When did you receive the weapon?

Mr. Latona.

On the morning of November 23, 1963.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And when did you proceed to make your examination?

Mr. Latona.

I proceeded to make my examination that same day that I received it.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Can you tell us what techniques you used?

Mr. Latona.

Well, the technique that I used first was simply to examine it visually under a magnifying glass, a hand magnifying glass, primarily for the purpose of seeing, first of all, whether there were any visible prints. I might point out that my attention had been directed to the area which we refer to as the trigger guard on the left side of the weapon, Commission Exhibit 139.

Mr. Eisenberg.

The trigger-guard area?

Mr. Latona.

The trigger-guard area.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Which actually, in the case of this particular weapon, is the area in which the magazine is inserted at the 'top; is that correct? You are looking at the weapon now, and the magazine comes out the bottom of what is called the trigger-guard area, which would be a trigger guard on another weapon.

Mr. Latona.

That's correct. There had been placed over that area a piece of cellophane material. My attention had been directed to it, to the effect that a prior examination had been made of that area, and that there were apparently certain latent prints available visible under that area. I first examine most prints to see----

Mr. Dulles.

Who placed the cellophane material there, in your opinion?

Mr. Latona.

Well, I was told--my information was simply that the Dallas Police Department had done so. I have no personal knowledge as to who did it, other than information that the Dallas Police had examined the weapon and they had found these visible marks on there, that they had developed the prints.
Now, by what means they did it, I do not know, but I would assume they used a gray powder.

Mr. Dulles.

What was the purpose of putting the cellophane there?