The First Shot

[Jack Nessan]

Carrying on with the statements of the witnesses who were closest to the assassination. Few were closer than Bill and Gayle Newman. Hours after the assassination they were interviewed on TV about what they witnessed:
 

Bill Newman:

"The President's car was some 50 ft still yet, in front of us, coming towards us when we heard the first shot and the President - I don't know who was shot first - but the President jumped up in his seat and I thought it scared him. I thought it was a firecracker...And then as the car got directly in front of us, well a gunshot, apparently from behind us, hit the President in the side of the temple [his finger pointing to his temple]"

Bill Newman, stood feet in front of the assassination, focussing on the President, describes him reacting to the first shot ("jumped up in his seat"). This is surely a reference to JFK's hands flying to his throat. The second shot being the infamous headshot.
This is confirmed by another witness stood only feet away from the assassination. In his FBI statement given two days after the assassination, Charles Brehm states the following:

"When the President's automobile was very close to him and he could see the President's face very well, the President was seated, but was leaning forward when he stiffened perceptibly at the same instant what appeared to be a rifle shot sounded. According to BREHM, the President seemed do to stiffen and come to a pause when another shot sounded and the President appeared to be badly hit in the head. BREHM said when the President was hit by the second shot, he could notice the President's hair fly up, and then roll over to his side, as Mrs. KENNEDY was apparently pulling him in that direction.

BREHM said that a third shot followed and that all three shots were relatively close together. BREHM stated that he was in military service and he has had experience with bolt-action rifles, and he expressed the opinion that the three shots were fired just about as quickly as an individual can maneuver a bolt-action rifle, take aim, and fire three shots."

JFK reacts to the first shot (stiffens), the second shot is the headshot and then there is a third shot. Brehm is clearly familiar with rifles and was looking directly at the President at the time of the shooting.

There will always be discrepancies and contradictory statements but a pattern is beginning to emerge from the testimonies of those closest to the assassination - first shot, JFK reacts to being hit, second shot, headshot, third shot, (?). It will be important to collect more witness statements from those closest to the event but another question has now come into focus - what happened to the third shot?

There a a number of two shot witnesses or witnesses who place the second shot as the head shot, notably SA Kellerman, James Jarman, SA Hickey and SA Kinney. Gayle Newman, in the 50th anniversary interview in the 6th floor museum, stated, between the 12 to 14 minute mark, she never actually heard a third shot.


Marilyn Willis (FBI Report on 6-19-64) "...when the motorcade passed on Elm Street in front of where she was standing she heard a noise that sounded like a firecracker or a backfire. A few seconds later she stated she heard another report and saw the top of President Kennedy's head "blow off and ringed by a red halo." She stated she believes she heard another shot following this."

[Dan O'meara]

There a a number of two shot witnesses or witnesses who place the second shot as the head shot, notably SA Kellerman, James Jarman, SA Hickey and SA Kinney. Gayle Newman, in the 50th anniversary interview in the 6th floor museum, stated, between the 12 to 14 minute mark, she never actually heard a third shot.


Marilyn Willis (FBI Report on 6-19-64) "...when the motorcade passed on Elm Street in front of where she was standing she heard a noise that sounded like a firecracker or a backfire. A few seconds later she stated she heard another report and saw the top of President Kennedy's head "blow off and ringed by a red halo." She stated she believes she heard another shot following this."

Regarding witnesses who saw the President react to the first shot. I was looking at Pat Speers website where he has a quite startling list of witnesses who reported Kennedy reacting to the first shot in such a way it indicated he had been hit when compared with his known reaction from the Zapruder footage. He concludes:

"When one performs even a cursory review of the statements regarding the movements within the limousine at the time of the first shot, one finds that 44 of these indicated Kennedy had a reaction to the first shot."
http://www.patspeer.com/chapter5%3Athejigsawpuzzle

However (and I hope I'm not getting this wrong), he seems to be of the opinion that this first shot occurred at z190. At the moment I've not read enough to understand why he's come to this conclusion (if that is indeed his conclusion) but I believe the Z-Film refutes this conclusion. In the first post of this thread there is a partial Z-Film focussing on the SS men in the Presidential follow-up car. It stays with them until z207, almost one full second after z190. At least three agents describe reacting immediately to the first shot (a reaction we can see in Altgens 6) but in the Z-Film posted there is no such reaction. I find it highly unlikely there would be no reaction for almost a full second from any of these trained agents from a shot at z190.
One of the main arguments for a shot before JFK goes behind the Stemmons sign is a quick 'head-snap' from right to left, presumably a reaction to the sound of a shot. However, on closer examination I believe it can be shown no such head-snap occurs.
Look at the hairline of JFK in the following frames:



In the top pic (z207, just before he passes behind Stemmons sign) the parting in his hair on the left side of his head can just be made out. Certainly the way his fringe sweeps up to the parting is clearly visible.
In the second pic (z225, first full frame of JFK emerging from behind Stemmons) his parting is not so visible but the sweep of his hair up to it is.
In the bottom pic (z230, JFK facing straight ahead) the part of his forehead revealed by the sweep of his hairline up to the parting is no longer visible.
Far from turning to his left JFK is still looking to his right as he passes behind the Stemmons sign (z207).
There is no head-snap to the left and, therefore, no reason to suspect JFK is reacting to anything.

[John Iacoletti]

This is an example of a point easily refuted by the video evidence. Looking at the clip above it is clear that at no point after twisting in his seat does JBC offer his back up for a shot from the TSBD. From the moment he twists round until he falls in Nellie's lap his back is turned in a position as to make such a shot impossible. This is not a matter of opinion.

Yes it is.  Who said he was shot from the TSBD?

[John Iacoletti]

Ernest Brandt was one of the closest witnesses to the assassination. In the picture below he is the man in the dark suit with the dark hat. To his left is John Templin, the man he went to watch the parade with.

Here we go again.

And you know this.....how?

[Dan O'meara]

Yes it is.  Who said he was shot from the TSBD?

If you'd read through the thread you would have seen I've stated, on a number of occasions, what I've presented is based on the assumption of three shots from the TSBD.
Thanks for just joining in though.

[Dan O'meara]

Here we go again.

And you know this.....how?

This is a signed photo by Ernest Brandt identifying himself. I assume, even for you, this is good enough.
(or have I faked it  )

[John Iacoletti]

If you'd read through the thread you would have seen I've stated, on a number of occasions, what I've presented is based on the assumption of three shots from the TSBD.
Thanks for just joining in though.

Yeah, back on page 2.  But why are you making this assumption to begin with and then trying to claim that it's not a matter of opinion?

[John Iacoletti]

This is a signed photo by Ernest Brandt identifying himself. I assume, even for you, this is good enough.
(or have I faked it  )

He signed this in front of you, did he?