When?
Why are you trying to decode minutae on the z film, when the points of impact from the three shots were established for SS, FBI, etc., by Mr West ?
I'm not 'decoding minutae'. Please explain how Mr West knew the timing of the shots in order to establish the points of impact.
In terms trying to determine when the first shot occurred the testimony of Rufus Youngblood is of interest. The following excerpts are taken from his report (11/29/63):
"The motorcade then made a left turn, and the sidewalk crowds were beginning to diminish in size. I observed a grassy plot to my right in back of the small crowd of bystanders on the sidewalk- some tall buildings- a downhill grade ahead where the street went under what appeared to be a railroad overpass. We were about two car lengths behind the Presidential follow-up car at this time.
I heard an explosion--I was not sure whether it was a firecracker, bomb, bullet, or other explosion. I looked at whatever I could quickly survey, and could not see anything which would indicate the origin of this noise.
I noticed that the movements in the Presidential car were very abnormal and, at practically the same time, the movements in the Presidential follow-up car were abnormal. So I turned around and hit the Vice President on the shoulder and hollered, get down, and then looked around again and saw more of this movement, and so I proceeded to go to the back seat and get on top of him.
I then heard two more shots..." (my emphasis)
Youngblood states that after the first 'explosion' he looked around to find 'the origin of the noise'. When he turned back he noticed unnatural movement in the Presidential limo and it's follow-up car. Looking at the Z-film below, which runs to z207, there is no such abnormal movement:
So when does this 'abnormal' movement occur? Examination of Altgens 6 seems to answer this question. Obviously agents Hickey, Ready and Landis have now reacted and are looking "rear right", but looking closely at the Vice President's car reveals something quite interesting - Youngblood, sitting in the front passenger seat (left) has yet to react!:
'Ladybird' Johnson and Sen. Yarborough appear to be smiling away without a care in the world. If, as I am asserting, the first shot occurred at z223, this picture was taken between 1.5 to 2 seconds after that shot. The next shot, the infamous headshot, is about 3 seconds away (assuming Altgens 6 is z255). Youngblood begins his reaction to the first shot before the second shot, presumably at some point in the three seconds after Altgens 6.
From this it seems reasonable to assume that the 'abnormal' movement has just occurred in Altgens 6 (this is supported by the testimonies of Landis, Ready and Hickey). Youngblood is noticing this movement and is just about to sound his warning. It is also reasonable to assume from this evidence that the first shot is the one that causes JFK's hands to move to his throat as seen in Altgens 6.
