Mr. Latona.

We know, too, that we developed two other fingerprints on this by chemicals. How long a time had elapsed since the time this print was placed on there until the time that it would have soaked in so that the resulting examination would have been negative I don't know, but that could not have been too long.

Mr. Eisenberg.

When you say "not too long," would you say not 3 weeks, or not 3 days, or not 3 hours?

Mr. Latona.

Very definitely I'd say not 3 days. I'd say not 3 weeks.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And not 3 days, either?

Mr. Latona.

No; I don't believe so, because I don't think that the print on here that is touched on a piece of cardboard will stay on a piece of cardboard for 3 days.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Would you bring that any closer?

Mr. Latona.

I am afraid I couldn't come any closer.

Mr. Eisenberg.

3 days?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

That would be the outermost limit that you can testify concerning?

Mr. Latona.

We have, run some tests, and usually a minimum of 24 hours on a material of this kind, depending upon how heavy the sweat was, to try to say within a 24-hour period would be a guess on my part.

Mr. Eisenberg.

I am not sure I understand your reference to a minimum of 24 hours.

Mr. Latona.

We have conducted tests with various types of materials as to how long it could be before we would not develop a latent print.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Yes?

Mr. Latona.

Assuming that the same print was left on an object or a series of similar prints were left on an object, and powdering them, say, at intervals of every 4 hours or so, we would fail to develop a latent print of that particular type on that particular surface, say, within a 24-hour period.

Mr. Eisenberg.

So that is a maximum of 24 hours?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

You would not care, you say, though----

Mr. Latona.

No.

Mr. Eisenberg.

To employ that here, but your experiments produced a maximum time of 24 hours.

Mr. Latona.

Bear that out; yes. Like I say, undoubtedly this print was left on there----between the time that the print was left and the time that it was powdered could not have been too long a time. Otherwise, the print would not have developed with the clarity that it did.

Mr. Eisenberg.

You identified that, I believe, as the right palmprint of Lee Harvey Oswald?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

What portion of the right palm was that, Mr. Latona?

Mr. Latona.

It happens to be the center part of the palm close to the wrist.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Can you show how the palm must have lain on the 649, the part of the 648 carton, to produce that print?

Mr. Latona.

It would have been placed on there in this fashion.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Now, you are pointing so that your hand is parallel with the long axis of the box, and at right angles to the short axis?

Mr. Latona.

Yes.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And just the bottom of the palm rests on the box, isn't that correct?

Mr. Latona.

That is right.

Mr. Eisenberg.

Now, before going to this fingerprint or this palmprint rather, Mr. Latona, we have palmprints, a palmprint here on this 649, and a finger and a palm on 641, and those are the only identified prints on these two objects.
Is it possible that Lee Harvey Oswald could have touched these two cartons at other places without leaving identifiable prints?

Mr. Latona.

He could have.

Mr. Eisenberg.

And how would that come about?

Mr. Latona.

Simply by the fact that he did not have any material on his finger at the time he touched the box.