David-
Despite Dr. Welch's attempts to draw me into this no-win debate between Fackler and Sanow/Towert, I've attempted to stay out of it.
You are evidently referring to a 30 (or so) page anecdotal recreation of the Kennedy assassination, published in 3 articles through 2 issues of the IWBA. Two of these articles were written by John K. Lattimer, MD, ScD and others including, Jon Lattimer, MD, Gary Lattimer, MD, Erich Hubner of the College of Surgeons at Columbia and others. Fackler wrote the third. You seem to be confusing the three.
In one by Lattimer et al, a human skull packed with animal brain
was used to disprove the frangible bullet theory. I don't believe this article was intended to "replicate" the Kennedy assassination as the frangibles used were of a .22 caliber. Rather it was used to demonstrate the concussive effects of frangibles in general.
Indeed, if Kennedy
had been hit by a frangible, we couldn't replicate the ballistics today as we wouldn't know the make or caliber of bullet. Therefore, anyone who purported to do so would be in error.
The
one article written by Fackler was intended to shed light on the oft cited "pristine" nature of the single "magic" bullet that hit Connally's radius (wrist). You're correct that the distance is not mentioned....what is metioned is the following:
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
To estimate the striking velocity of the 6.5mm Carcano bullet as it struck Governor Connally's wrist, I took into account the amount of velocity the bullet lost in the air before it reached JFK, the length of tissue travel in both JFK and Connally... I then consulted several wound ballistics papers.... and completed my averaging and interpolations using the ballistics formula to determine projectile retardation... The estimate I arrived at was 1000 to 1100 ft/s. I would not argue with any estimate that was outside these limits by up to +/- 150 ft/s.
[/quote]
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Bullet velocities were measured while lowering powder charges until the appropriate powder charge was obtained.
[/quote]
In other words, Fackler didn't shoot a human skull but a cadaver arm (several in fact). He used a
commonly accepted police forensic method for estimating terminal velocity and then loaded his projectiles to match those velocities.
Please note that Fackler grants other researchers the leeway to argue that velocity by +/-25%. Please note, also, that Fackler et all present an anecdotal recreation as just that...not as a scientifically controlled experiment.
To All Other Posters and Lurkers:
At the risk of insulting those who are personal friends with Ed Sanow, Mas Ayoob or Governor Connally, I point out that the IWBA work appears to lend itself to independent examination, rumination and common sense better than certain other works. I refer here to those volumes which claim the XYZ Bullet offers a 94.3% one shot stop success based on 4 shootings, 3 of which were disputed by the officers at the scene.
Now, if these latter researchers granted us a +/-25% in their results, there might be room for discussion based on common sense....instead we are expected to simply quote them. They are, after all, the "experts".
Rich Lucibella
[This message has been edited by Rich Lucibella (edited 01-02-99).]
Walt Welch