Mr. Latona.

A lift is merely a piece of adhesive material which is used for purposes of removing a print that has been previously developed on an object, onto the adhesive material. Then the adhesive material is placed on a hacking, in this case which happens to be the card. The adhesive material utilized here is similar to scotch tape. There are different types of lifting material. Some of them are known as opaque lifters, which are made of rubber, like a black rubber and white rubber, which has an adhesive material affixed to it, and this material is simply laid on a print which has been previously developed on an object and the full print is merely removed from the object.

Mr. Eisenberg.

When you say "the print" is removed, actually the powder----

Mr. Latona.

The powder that adhered to the original latent print is picked off of the object.

Mr. Eisenberg.

So that the impression actually is removed?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Representative Ford.

Is that a recognized technique?

Mr. Latona.

Yes; it is.

Representative Ford.

In the fingerprinting business?

Mr. Latona.

It is very common, one of the most common methods of recording latent prints.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Who did you get this exhibit, this lift from?

Mr. Latona.

This lift was referred to us by the FBI Dallas office.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And were you told anything about its origin?

Mr. Latona.

We were advised that this print had been developed by the Dallas Police Department, and, as the lift itself indicates, from the underside of the gun barrel near the end of the foregrip.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Now, may I say for the record that at a subsequent point we will have the testimony of the police officer of the Dallas police who developed this print, and made the lift; and I believe that the print was taken from underneath the portion of the barrel which is covered by the stock. Now, did you attempt to identify this print which shows on the lift Exhibit 637?

Mr. Latona.

Yes; I did.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Did you succeed in making identification?

Mr. Latona.

On the basis of my comparison, I did effect an identification.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And whose print was that, Mr. Latona?

Mr. Latona.

The palmprint which appears on the lift was identified by me as the right palmprint of Lee Harvey Oswald.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Now, Mr. Latona, as I understand it, on November 23, therefore, the FBI had not succeeded in making an identification of a fingerprint or palmprint on the rifle, but several days later by virtue of the receipt of this lift, which did not come with the weapon originally, the FBI did succeed in identifying a print on Exhibit 139?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Which may explain any inconsistent or apparently inconsistent statements, which I believe appeared in the press, as to an identification?

Mr. Latona.

We had no personal knowledge of any palmprint having been developed on the rifle. The only prints that we knew of were the fragmentary prints which I previously pointed out had been indicated by the cellophane on the trigger guard. There was no indication on this rifle as to the existence of any other prints. This print which indicates it came from the underside of the gun barrel, evidently the lifting had been so complete that there was nothing left to show any marking on the gun itself as to the existence of such even an attempt on the part of anyone else to process the rifle.

Mr. Dulles.

Do I understand then that if there is a lifting of this kind, that it may obliterate----

Mr. Latona.

Completely.

Mr. Dulles.

The original print?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

So that you personally, Mr. Latona, did not know anything about a print being on the rifle which was identifiable until you received, actually received the lift, Exhibit 637?

Mr. Latona.

On the 29th of November.