The First Shot

[Andrew Mason]

Highly dishonest.  She didn't say her identification of herself was based on the figure wearing a headscarf.

She actually did say exactly that:  "I wish I still had that headscarf because that headscarf is how I can identify myself in the Zapruder film." [YouTube video at 17:45]

[John Iacoletti]

Thanks. I was having trouble locating the spot where she mentioned the scarf. Fair enough, but she didn’t say that was the sole basis for her identification. And it is the only visible blue scarf in the line of people, so she must remember wearing a blue scarf. We don’t know the color of Simmons’ scarf. Dan is calling Westbrook’s recollection “faulty” merely because he believes it’s someone else.

[Andrew Mason]

Thanks. I was having trouble locating the spot where she mentioned the scarf. Fair enough, but she didn’t say that was the sole basis for her identification. And it is the only visible blue scarf in the line of people, so she must remember wearing a blue scarf. We don’t know the color of Simmons’ scarf. Dan is calling Westbrook’s recollection “faulty” merely because he believes it’s someone else.

The fact is that there are several women in the zfilm wearing headscarves. If she is identifying herself by the headscarf alone there would have to be something distinctive about it. But there doesn't appear to be.

It should be noted that the family of Gloria Calvery identified her as the 9th person east of the Stemmons sign in the zfilm. Based on Karen Westbrook's height, she would be the third person east (left) of Gloria Calvery (12th person from the Stemmons sign). Coincidentally that person is wearing a light scarf and a black coat....

[John Iacoletti]

The fact is that there are several women in the zfilm wearing headscarves. If she is identifying herself by the headscarf alone there would have to be something distinctive about it. But there doesn't appear to be.

It’s the only blue one I see.

It should be noted that the family of Gloria Calvery identified her as the 9th person east of the Stemmons sign in the zfilm.

You mean her son Chris, who was born in 1977.

Based on Karen Westbrook's height, she would be the third person east (left) of Gloria Calvery (12th person from the Stemmons sign). Coincidentally that person is wearing a light scarf and a black coat....

Only if you assume that “was with” necessarily means side by side. If that is even Calvery. Also, if Westbrook remembers standing next to Calvery, then that doesn’t work.

[Andrew Mason]

It’s the only blue one I see.

It is not apparent that she remembered the colour. Maybe she wished she had the scarf to see whether it was light blue like that seen in the zfilm. In fact, since the colour is the only distinguishing feature of the scarf, that is probably what she meant.

You mean her son Chris, who was born in 1977.

He knew what she looked like and I expect had seen many pictures of her from around that time.

Only if you assume that “was with” necessarily means side by side. If that is even Calvery. Also, if Westbrook remembers standing next to Calvery, then that doesn’t work.

I don't recall her saying that she remembered who stood beside her independently of seeing the zfilm. She thought she recognized the person beside her (ie. the person who she thought was herself) as "Gloria Calvert" (sic) in the zfilm.

[Jack Nessan]

Greer said he heard three shots and felt a concussion at the time he heard the second shot.  Nellie Connally heard and observed the effects of each of three shots striking in the car. Gov. Connally heard the first and third shots.  He did not hear the second shot but he felt its impact.
She said she couldn't tell if she heard the third shot because the visual effect of it dominated her perception of the event.  She never said a third shot did not occur. See 13:37 of the interview:

The explanation offered by the Connallys is certainly possible. But I suppose you think they were spouting drivel as well.

G Newman: Went from “A third shot rang out.” to “I can’t tell you I even heard that third shot.” A very definitive description of the sound of a third shot followed by Gayle never really heard one at all. It “rang” out. That is about hearing a shot instead of not seeing one.

 At 23:30 Gayle describes 1 shot and blood in the 11/22/63 interview, not the two shots described in the 50th anniversary interview.

During the interview, Bill repeatedly told Jay Watson he did not know about a third shot despite being pressed by Watson to include a third shot. Bill described JBC reacting to the first shot. After the first shot “he did not know which man was hit first”


At 21:00 Bill Newman describes, within minutes of the assassination, exactly what took place. JFK and JBC were wounded at the same time by the first shot and that there were only two shots.

Gayle is talking about one initial shot in 11/22/63, not two like the 50th anniversary interview.

 

Greer, despite adding a third shot to his WC testimony, he still claimed he accelerated after the second shot, exactly the same as Kellerman’s testimony. After Greer’s testimony to the WC, Arlan Specter wrote a memo to Rankin in which he stated “Mr Greer told me on March 3rd he recollected two shots, but testified he heard three shots.” 


It has been explained to you ad nauseum, JBC’s words after he was wounded and Nellie’s and Jackie subsequently identifying after which shot it occurred. The Connally’s explanation is possible? Really that is your analysis?

Nelly told the press immediately after the assassination she did not know about a third shot.

Drivel is the idea of this bizarre explanation for JBC's wounds.

Can you really not understand these witnesses also spoke to the press as well as the FBI, Sheriff’s Dept, police and others?

[John Iacoletti]

It is not apparent that she remembered the colour. Maybe she wished she had the scarf to see whether it was light blue like that seen in the zfilm. In fact, since the colour is the only distinguishing feature of the scarf, that is probably what she meant.

If that’s the case, then the scarf couldn’t have been her only basis for identifying herself, as there are several scarf-wearing figures in Zapruder.

He knew what she looked like and I expect had seen many pictures of her from around that time.

Pictures of the oh-so-distinctive back of her body?

[Andrew Mason]

If that’s the case, then the scarf couldn’t have been her only basis for identifying herself, as there are several scarf-wearing figures in Zapruder.

The colour would help identify her as there is only one of that light blue colour.  If she wanted to see the scarf to help identify her in the Zapruder film, she must have been unsure of the colour.

I did notice in high resolution zfilm frames that the colour of the dress or coat worn by the 12th person east of the Stemmons sign (three east of the woman identified by Calvery's son as his mother Gloria Calvery) is a rather distinctive pattern that appears to be dark blue and dark green:



Since that would appear likely to be Karen Westbrook if the person indicated by the arrow is Gloria Calvery, perhaps someone could ask her if she recognized that garment.  I hadn't been able to see that pattern in other frames of the zfilm that I have, which make it look black.

Pictures of the oh-so-distinctive back of her body?

She had a distinctive large build and there is no one else that fits that build.  He also identified her in the Betzner photo which shows her face. He may have had a higher resolution frame than this:



in which case he may have been able to see if she was wearing glasses.