(Testimony of Paul Morgan Stombaugh)
Mr. Stombaugh.
I make a hair match, I know that any case might go to court, and of course I want to be absolutely certain in my mind.
In these cases I am referring to right now, the hair sample from the victim and the hair sample from the suspect were pubic hairs. They were so similar to each other that I could not find any pubic hairs that I could match with the suspect's pubic hairs, and be certain in my mind that these hairs came from him rather than her. I couldn't do this.
So, therefore, I sent the evidence back without further conclusion. This has happened in approximately three cases. However, I would like to point out that I could not take his, the suspect's pubic hairs, and the victim's pubic hairs and completely match them up under a microscope slide such as the match shown in the chart. They did not absolutely match, but they were too similar for a good determination to be made.
Mr. Eisenberg.
What proportion of the 1,500 cases that you have described--approximately 1,500 cases--have involved Negroid as opposed to Caucasian hairs, just roughly?
Mr. Stombaugh.
I would say about approximately a third. Of course, a lot of these cases we don't know the race. They don't list the race, but in examining the hairs I can tell the race----
Mr. Eisenberg.
So in l,000-odd cases of the Caucasian hair examinations you haven't 2 matches between hairs from different individuals?
Mr. Stombaugh.
That is correct.
Mr. Eisenberg.
And in the 500-odd cases of Negroid, 500-odd cases involving hairs from two different Negroid individuals, you have found three cases where although the hairs were not identical they were so close that you felt you didn't want to go further in your examination, is that correct?
Mr. Stombaugh.
That is correct.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Is that a fair recapitulation?
Mr. Stombaugh.
Yes.
Mr. Dulles.
Could I just ask a question here?
There is a distinction then, as I gather from your testimony, an understandable one, between the comparison of hairs and, say, the comparison of fingerprints, because obviously the hair that you find on the victim has left the assailant and, therefore, you are not looking at the same hair but you are looking at a different hair?
Mr. Stombaugh.
That is correct.
Mr. Dulles.
And that, therefore, distinguishes testimony in regard to hair, we will say, with regard to fingerprint examination?
Mr. Stombaugh.
Yes, sir; that, and also a fingerprint will remain the same throughout one's life. It will never change. A hair will.
Mr. Dulles.
I see.
Mr. Stombaugh.
You can see my hair, I am starting to get white at the temples. Mine is changing characteristics.
Mr. Dulles.
We all do.
But is there---let's say you examine 100 hairs, let's say, that are found on the victim, and 100 hairs that are different hairs that are found on the assailant; let us say that there are certain characteristics common to all of these hairs.
Do you get my question? Let's say 10, not 100, whatever number you want to take.
Mr. Stombaugh.
Ordinarily, you would find one or two.
Mr. Dulles.
That have certain characteristics. You have pointed out on exhibit--on the left-hand side of Exhibit 672, the circle you have made on 672, circle A.
Is there a common characteristic that you have marked on one of the other hairs? I believe the hair marked with the "A," was taken from Oswald himself, the hair on which you have marked that particular characteristic.
Is there any corresponding characteristic that should be marked or indicated on a hair that was found on the blanket?
Mr. Stombaugh.
Well, I testified as to all the characteristics I found.
Mr. Dulles.
Yes.
Mr. Stombaugh.
Now, the difficulty in using a photomicrograph, you are
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