She also said 28 inches.
Cherry picking conflicting statements isn't conclusive proof of anything.
The conflicting statement is Linnie Mae's description of LHO holding the bag with her revised estimate of a 27-to-28-inch package.
A 27- or 28-inch-long bag will not work to match Linnie Mae’s description of how LHO carried the rifle. The top of the package where she described him holding it with his right hand, would be slightly above the knee to about mid-thigh with him actually holding it lower, and additionally LHO also held the package with his left hand closer to the bottom of the package. The bottom of the package also was described as being barely above the ground.
To hold the rifle as Linnie Mae described, LHO would have had to have been bent over at the waist as he walked to the vehicle. The same would be true for Buell’s description of the package being held under the armpit. The bag as estimated is simply not long enough to fit Linnie Mae’s description.
Mrs. RANDLE. He was carrying a package in a sort of a heavy brown bag, heavier than a grocery bag it looked to me. It was about, if I might measure, about this long, I suppose, and he carried it in his right hand, had the top sort of folded down and had a grip like this, and the bottom, he carried it this way, you know, and it almost touched the ground as he carried it.
Mr. BALL. I have one question, Mr. Chief Justice.
You used an expression there, that the bag appeared heavy.
Mrs. RANDLE. Yes, sir.
Mr. BALL. You meant that there was some weight appeared to--
Mrs. RANDLE. To the bottom.
Mr. BALL. To the bottom?
Mrs. RANDLE. Yes. It tapered like this as he hugged it in his hand. It was more bulky toward the bottom than it was this way.
Mr. BELIN. Toward the top? More bulky toward the bottom than toward the top?
Mrs. RANDLE. That is right.