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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. V - Page 80« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Dr. Alfred G. Olivier)

Mr. Specter.
And what bullets were used?
Dr. OLIVIER The 6.5 millimeter Western ammunition lot 6,000.
Mr. Specter.
And what distance was utilized?
Dr. OLIVIER. On the goat the distance was 70 yards.
Mr. Specter.
And was there any covering over the goat?
Dr. OLIVIER Yes. There was a suit, shirt, and undershirt.
Mr. Specter.
What was the entrance velocity of the bullet?
Dr. OLIVIER. Striking velocity for an average of 11 shots was 1,929 feet per second.
Mr. Specter.
And what was the exit velocity?
Dr. OLIVIER. The exit velocity was 1,664 feet per second.
Mr. Specter.
I now hand you a box containing a bullet, which has been marked as Commission Exhibit No. 853, and ask you if you have ever seen that bullet before?
Dr. OLIVIER. Yes; I have.
Mr. Specter.
And under what circumstances have you previously seen that bullet?
Dr. OLIVIER. This was the bullet that was fired through the goat. It went through the velocity screens into some cotton waste, dropped out of the bottom of that and was lying on the floor. It was picked up immediately afterwards still warm, so we knew it was the bullet that had fired that particular shot.
Mr. Specter.
Was that fired through the goat depicted in the photographs and X-ray, 851 and 852?
Dr. OLIVIER. Yes; that was the goat.
Mr. Specter.
Would you describe for the record, verbally please, the characteristics of that bullet?
Dr. OLIVIER. The bullet has been quite flattened. The lead core is extruding somewhat from the rear. We weighed the bullet. It weighs 158.8 grains.
Mr. Specter.
I now hand you Commission Exhibit 399, which has been heretofore in Commission proceedings identified as the bullet found on the stretcher of Governor Connally, and ask if you have had an opportunity to compare 399 with 853?
Dr. OLIVIER. Yes; I have.
Mr. Specter.
And what did you find on that comparison?
Dr. OLIVIER. The bullet recovered on the stretcher has not been flattened as much, but there is a suggestion of flattening there from a somewhat similar occurrence. Also, the lead core has extruded from the rear in the same fashion, and it appears that some of it has even broken from the rear.
Mr. Specter.
Is there some flattening on both of those bullets in approximately the same areas toward the rear of the missiles?
Dr. OLIVIER. In the bullet, our particular bullet is flattened the whole length, but you say towards the rear?
Mr. Specter.
You say our bullet; you mean 853?
Dr. OLIVIER. Yes, 853 is flattened. No. 399 is flattened more towards the rear.
Mr. Specter.
Are there any other conclusions which you have to add to the tests performed on the goat?
Dr. OLIVIER. Well, again in this test it demonstrates that the bullet that was stable when it struck in this fashion again lost very little velocity in going through that much goat tissue.
Incidentally, the amount of goat tissue it traversed was probably somewhat less than the Governor, but in any case it indicates the bullet would have had a lot of remaining velocity and could have done a lot of damage.
Another thing that hasn't been brought up is the velocity screen immediately behind the goat, the imprint of the bullet left on it was almost the length of the bullet.
Mr. Specter.
What does that indicate?
Dr. OLIVIER. This indicates that the bullet was now no longer traveling straight but either traveling sideways or tumbling end over end at the time it hit the screen.
Mr. Specter.
And that was after the point of exit from the goat?
Dr. OLIVIER. Yes.
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