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The JFK Assassination Dissected: An Analysis by Forensic Pathologist Cyril Wecht
Since President John F. Kennedy's 1963 murder in Dallas, medical examiner and lawyer Dr. Cyril Wecht was initially inclined to accept the official theory that one person alone was responsible for the crime. But as Wecht delved into the evidence with boundless curiosity and unprecedented access, he came to understand that America had, instead, suffered a coup d'etat at the hands of rogue elements within our own government.
Nobody else has Wecht's up-close and personal experience in uncovering the facts behind this assassination--and now he is sharing it with the world. Co-authored by investigative journalist Dawna Kaufmann, this comprehensive book reveals Wecht's analyses of the case's forensic and medical evidence. With his keen eye and sharp tongue, Wecht wields his scalpel on JFK's dubious autopsy report, the inept Warren Commission Report, the mishandling of crucial materials, all of the key players, and the media malpractice that has allowed the truth to remain hidden for nearly six decades.
Nobody else has Wecht's up-close and personal experience in uncovering the facts behind this assassination--and now he is sharing it with the world. Co-authored by investigative journalist Dawna Kaufmann, this comprehensive book reveals Wecht's analyses of the case's forensic and medical evidence. With his keen eye and sharp tongue, Wecht wields his scalpel on JFK's dubious autopsy report, the inept Warren Commission Report, the mishandling of crucial materials, all of the key players, and the media malpractice that has allowed the truth to remain hidden for nearly six decades.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
473 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 8, 2021
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April 14, 2024
THE JFK CONSPIRACIST SUMS UP HIS WORK ON THE SUBJECT
Cyril Harrison Wecht is an American forensic pathologist, who served as County Commissioner and Allegheny County Coroner and Medical Examiner, but is best-known for his commentaries on the JFK assassination, as well as other high-profile cases.
He wrote in the Preface to this 2022 book, “The term ‘conspiracy theorist’ is tossed around by those who resent that we don’t buy the official story. They sneer that we can’t prove what we claim---while slamming the door on declassifying government files that might help us do that very thing. They want to make us seem like paranoid time-wasters for pursuing this case for all these years… But we who are true believers in the idea of government malfeasance are not oppressed at being termed conspiracy theorists. We’re fine with those two simple words because they cast doubt on the party line. We wear those words proudly, as our badge of honor. We may all be on the same side against the government fiction, but there is wide diversity in what we believe happened, as well as who might have been involved, and/or why. So we have frequent communication, hold conferences and seminars, and express our views in the media. We debate and reflect, building our arguments with new evidence and witnesses… we sometimes have to stamp out distractions from troublemakers with implausible offerings. One thing is for certain: Until we have all the proof needed behind our contrasting theories, we will adamantly and noisily keep pushing for answers.” (Pg. 5-6)
He explains, “this copper-jacketed missile was dubbed the ‘magic bullet’… The bullet’s first feat of [magic] was how it managed to jump from one stretcher to the other and deposit itself under the mattress pad until it was ready for its grand debut… consider the alternative: that it was placed on that stretcher by someone intent to have that bullet traced back to a specific weapon. Now, who could have assisted in such a magic trick? … some very solid sources encountered Jack Ruby at the hospital that afternoon. Veteran reporter Seth Kantor… saw Ruby at Parkland that day… KXOL Radio newsman Roy Stamps … saw Ruby enter with a TV crew… Housewife Wilma Tice … was at the hospital, standing just a couple of feet from Ruby and a man who was holding a suitcase… The Warren Commission … deposed both Kantor and Tice, it was determined that the witnesses were just wrong… [Jack Ruby] insisted he wasn’t at Parkland the day that JFK was shot. If Jack Ruby was at Parkland … why wouldn’t he admit it? Maybe because it would tie him to a higher degree of involvement in the case than he---or his handlers---were willing to admit.” (Pg. 47-48)
He notes, “If there were to be a trial of the man who killed J.D. Tippit, these [witness] sightings and inconsistencies would come into play to help or hinder either side. But in the world of the Warren Commission, the witnesses who told differing stories were often repeatedly grilled by Dallas police or the FBI until their stories were locked into a scenario that pointed to Oswald as the shooter. At that point, they would be questioned by Commission attorneys, and, only then, their accounts would be made part of the public record.” (Pg 52) He adds, “The Commissioners would have an ongoing practice of cherry-picking witness testimony that helped their theory while ignoring that which did not...” (Pg. 53) He adds, “I won’t argue whether [Oswald] was the person who shot Officer J.D. Tippit. The timeline and many details seem to fit. But there were many holes in the narrative that might have been patched if Oswald had been allowed to offer a defense… Some assassination researchers believe that Tippit had more involvement in the Kennedy case than has been revealed… [Some] critics feel that Tippit was supposed to kill Oswald, which could explain why he didn’t radio in his sighting of a wanted suspect… I wish I knew the answer.” (Pg. 53-54)
He argues, “In what universe could someone renounce his citizenship, go to an enemy country, offer military secrets, and then be welcomed back to his homeland and even given money, as if he had done nothing wrong? Why weren’t Oswald’s acts considered threats to the security of the United States? Why wasn’t he tried for treason for participating in a plan to harm his government? The answer is: Lee Harvey Oswald had friends in high places within the U.S. government.” (Pg. 62)
During Oswald’s questioning, he “denied having anything to do with the slayings of either President Kennedy or Officer J.D. Tippit. He denied that he owned a rifle and, later, when shown a photograph of him holding a rifle and handgun, claimed that his face had been superimposed onto someone else’s body. He clammed up when asked about why his wallet contained a Selective Service card with his photograph and the name ‘Alek J. Hidell.’” (Pg. 66)
He comments, “James J. Humes … was the lead autopsy doctor [at Bethesda Naval Medical Center]… it was surprising for me to learn that he was not a board-certified forensic pathologist, whose occupation it is to perform medico-legal autopsies and arrive at a cause and manner of death. Humes’ job involved analyzing samples from autopsies that someone else had performed. A lay person might not see the distinction but to anyone in my field, it’s a vastly different discipline. This is not to cast aspersions on the quality of Humes’ work in his specialty…” (Pg. 67)
He reports, “On April 5, 1963, Oswald went to [General Edwin] Walker’s home. He planned to stand on the street and fire his rifle when he saw the general inside… Five nights later… Oswald fired one shot… The bullet hit the wooden frame of the window, and small fragments hit the general’s arm… [Oswald] showed up at home late and ‘very pale.’ He told Marina that he had shot at General Walker… Marina told investigators that … he expressed regret that he had not killed him… he showed her a notebook with photos of Walker’s home and a map of the area… the Walker bullet was matched to Oswald’s [rifle].” (Pg. 90)
He suggests, “no curtain rods were found in the depository. But it should be noted that… the window in [Oswald’s] room had a curtain that was held up by a curtain rod. It’s possible Oswald had other plans for the curtain rods, if that’s what was in the package.” (Pg. 99)
He explains, “By the [autopsy] report’s own definition, there was only one skull wound. The other wound was substantially lower and should not be mistaken for a head shot… [The report] states that the effect to the president’s back was an entrance wound… This was substantiated by photographs and drawings that were later released… On three separate occasions during the press conference, [Dr. Malcolm] Perry described the bullet would in the throat as an ‘entrance wound’… Perry was phoned at home that night by a local Secret Service agent… who …berated him for holding an opinion that would cause the government trouble… Soon after, [Perry] began publicly modifying his observation of the throat wound as being ‘either an entrance or exist wound.’ … The doctors did not roll over Kennedy’s body for a full inspection, so they did not know about the bullet that had entered his back and exited his throat… After all the doctors left the emergency room … [Dr. Charles Crenshaw] pulled down the sheet that covered the slain president’s head… and got his first and only glimpse of the throat wound… the small bullet wound was still visible. Based on that, Crenshaw determined that the throat would was an entrance and that the bullet exited through the wound in Kennedy’s head. Despite being presented with evidence to the contrary over the years, Crenshaw never abandoned that belief.” (Pg. 126-128)
He states, “The missile that hit Kennedy’s head disintegrated completely… But the neck wound didn’t have the same trail of detritus. According to the Warren Commission, it was consistent with the bullet that hit John Connally… [which] ended up in pristine condition on his stretcher… the single-bullet premise has that missile course in and out of JFK’s back and neck, into the governor’s back and out his chest, into and out of his wrist, and into his thigh… And the government claims this wondrous, one-of-a-kind bullet exited from Connally’s thigh basically intact. However, it would be some time before I would come to understand that the single-bullet theory was a hoax.” (Pg. 130)
He asserts, “[Arlen] Specter’s main responsibility on the Warren Commission was to handle the medical testimony… It was maddening to read transcripts where Specter failed to nail down basic information of probative value. At first, I couldn’t figure out if he … [was] purposely avoiding opening doors that could lead to inconvenient testimony… He knew exactly what he was doing to negate the process of finding the truth. Nowhere was this more acute then when he was questioning the autopsy doctors and didn’t bother to ask the Bethesda doctors why THEY were chosen to perform the single most critical autopsy in American history instead of a forensic pathologist with vast experience in analyzing gunshot wounds. Or to establish the typical protocols for any gunshot wound autopsy, or to account for their differences from what the Parkland doctors saw, or to request the names and ranks of the individuals who seemed to guide their work in the Bethesda morgue. And on and on…” (Pg. 139-140) Later, he adds, “Attorney Specter … for the rest of his career … would adopt the single-bullet theory as his favorite theme in defending the Warren Commission Report and its conclusions. All logic and reason were stubbornly discarded as he embraced the implausible and held on for dear life… It was simply impossible for him to counter my presentation of the scientific evidence. He was left with no choice but to criticize conspiracy-minded citizens and act as if demanding honesty from our government was somehow shallow or un-American.” (Pg. 142)
He notes, “Although I had come to seriously discount [the single-bullet theory] by this point, seeing the Zapruder underlined its fantasy. If the same bullet struck both Kennedy and Connally, then why did the film show the president reacting to his injuries immediately upon impact but the governor taking approximately 1.5 seconds before he reacted to being hit? If a person is shot in the upper right back by a bullet that pierces a lung, breaks a rib, shatters the wrist bone, severs a nerve, and lodges in the thigh, he or she would have an instantaneous reaction. Yet, Connally did not… If Oswald fired from the depository… For this same bullet then to have struck Connally in the right part of his back… the bullet would have to had to make a complete stop in midair for 1.6 seconds after exiting Kennedy’s neck, taken an acute turn to the right for 18 inches, stopped again, and turned downward … before entering Connally’s back… You do not have to be a forensic pathologist or a firearms expert to know that bullets … do not make horizontal and vertical turns in midair… Arlen Specter’s brainchild to try to promote a false scenario was not only implausible, but it was also insulting.” (Pg. 156-157)
He says, “the mighty Warren Commission dropped the ball when it decided not to … probe possible affiliations between Ruby and the Mafia… to this day, Jack Ruby remains an enigma.” (Pg. 170) He rejects David Lipton’s “unproven conjecture that the president’s head wound was altered somewhere between Dallas and Bethesda by an unidentified person or persons who sought to change the trajectory of the bullets to pin Lee Harvey Oswald as the sole shooter. The concept would have made a thrilling fictional movie but fell short as a piece of nonfiction.” (Pg. 200-201)
He recounts, “As I reviewed the presidential autopsy photographs and X-rays… I noticed a little flap of loose tissue visible … on the back of President Kennedy’s head… I could not determine what this defect might be… [It] very easily could have been an exit wound, which would prove that there was a second gunman shooting from the front. But even if it were a bullet’s entrance wound, it would destroy the … conclusion that only three bullets were fired… it was possible that the doctors simply overlooked an additional wound. Another explanation was, or course, a cover-up...” (Pg. 206-207)
He recounts, “The HSCA’s robe included assembling a nine-person forensic pathology panel, and I was a member… I found myself alone in speaking out against the single bullet and sole-assassin theories… When the panelists tried to insinuate that the single-bullet notion was credible because JFK ‘could have’ bent over, I laughed loudly … that’s how desperate they were to justify their absurd claim… I asked my colleagues … to reconstruct or repeat the bullet firing test. When [staff director G. Robert] Blakely nixed that, saying such a test was too expensive, I offered to pay all the costs … He still refused.” (Pg. 233)
He suggests, “A frequently asked question is if the Warren Commission missed the boat so badly… then why did so many of my colleagues disagree with my assessment? I believe it was a predetermined mindset on the part of the other panelists that a cover-up or conspiracy of this magnitude by the federal government was unthinkable… I have no reason whatsoever to doubt the other doctors’ sincerity. However, it should be noted that many of these same people had a long-standing involvement with the federal government, and many had received research grants and appointments to various influential governmental boards.” (Pg. 235)
He acknowledges, “the HSCA probe… availed itself of more sophisticated tests and experts. Sadly, this also meant that the government could use better sources to lie… A team of photographic experts … [would] verify the accuracy of all the photos of JFK and Oswald, and reject that there was any tampering. Handwriting experts linked Oswald’s penmanship to the rifle purchase… and the signature on his backyard photo where he held the rifle. And Oswald’s fingerprints and palm print were matched to the rifle, boxes in the sniper’s nest, and on the brown paper bag used to bring the weapon to work. No one ever denied that those items should be linked to Oswald, but were they a part of a plan to make him the fall guy or even left there after his death to frame him? The HSCA never considered these possibilities.” (Pg. 236)
In 1991, he had lunch with Maria Oswald, and recalled, “there were numerous incidents where Oswald’s mind-boggling exploits caused grief for Marina. Why did he use a phony name when he sent away for his mail order firearms[?]… [Or when] he asked her to take a photograph of him, holding his rifle, his handgun, and communist newspapers. He signed the photo to their friend… and made Marina mark it with Oswald’s anti-fascist taunt… [She] learned that he had fired a bullet into the front window of the home of … General Edwin Walker…” (Pg. 264)
Wecht is one of the most prominent of the JFK conspiracist researchers, and this book is a fine summation of his opinions.
Cyril Harrison Wecht is an American forensic pathologist, who served as County Commissioner and Allegheny County Coroner and Medical Examiner, but is best-known for his commentaries on the JFK assassination, as well as other high-profile cases.
He wrote in the Preface to this 2022 book, “The term ‘conspiracy theorist’ is tossed around by those who resent that we don’t buy the official story. They sneer that we can’t prove what we claim---while slamming the door on declassifying government files that might help us do that very thing. They want to make us seem like paranoid time-wasters for pursuing this case for all these years… But we who are true believers in the idea of government malfeasance are not oppressed at being termed conspiracy theorists. We’re fine with those two simple words because they cast doubt on the party line. We wear those words proudly, as our badge of honor. We may all be on the same side against the government fiction, but there is wide diversity in what we believe happened, as well as who might have been involved, and/or why. So we have frequent communication, hold conferences and seminars, and express our views in the media. We debate and reflect, building our arguments with new evidence and witnesses… we sometimes have to stamp out distractions from troublemakers with implausible offerings. One thing is for certain: Until we have all the proof needed behind our contrasting theories, we will adamantly and noisily keep pushing for answers.” (Pg. 5-6)
He explains, “this copper-jacketed missile was dubbed the ‘magic bullet’… The bullet’s first feat of [magic] was how it managed to jump from one stretcher to the other and deposit itself under the mattress pad until it was ready for its grand debut… consider the alternative: that it was placed on that stretcher by someone intent to have that bullet traced back to a specific weapon. Now, who could have assisted in such a magic trick? … some very solid sources encountered Jack Ruby at the hospital that afternoon. Veteran reporter Seth Kantor… saw Ruby at Parkland that day… KXOL Radio newsman Roy Stamps … saw Ruby enter with a TV crew… Housewife Wilma Tice … was at the hospital, standing just a couple of feet from Ruby and a man who was holding a suitcase… The Warren Commission … deposed both Kantor and Tice, it was determined that the witnesses were just wrong… [Jack Ruby] insisted he wasn’t at Parkland the day that JFK was shot. If Jack Ruby was at Parkland … why wouldn’t he admit it? Maybe because it would tie him to a higher degree of involvement in the case than he---or his handlers---were willing to admit.” (Pg. 47-48)
He notes, “If there were to be a trial of the man who killed J.D. Tippit, these [witness] sightings and inconsistencies would come into play to help or hinder either side. But in the world of the Warren Commission, the witnesses who told differing stories were often repeatedly grilled by Dallas police or the FBI until their stories were locked into a scenario that pointed to Oswald as the shooter. At that point, they would be questioned by Commission attorneys, and, only then, their accounts would be made part of the public record.” (Pg 52) He adds, “The Commissioners would have an ongoing practice of cherry-picking witness testimony that helped their theory while ignoring that which did not...” (Pg. 53) He adds, “I won’t argue whether [Oswald] was the person who shot Officer J.D. Tippit. The timeline and many details seem to fit. But there were many holes in the narrative that might have been patched if Oswald had been allowed to offer a defense… Some assassination researchers believe that Tippit had more involvement in the Kennedy case than has been revealed… [Some] critics feel that Tippit was supposed to kill Oswald, which could explain why he didn’t radio in his sighting of a wanted suspect… I wish I knew the answer.” (Pg. 53-54)
He argues, “In what universe could someone renounce his citizenship, go to an enemy country, offer military secrets, and then be welcomed back to his homeland and even given money, as if he had done nothing wrong? Why weren’t Oswald’s acts considered threats to the security of the United States? Why wasn’t he tried for treason for participating in a plan to harm his government? The answer is: Lee Harvey Oswald had friends in high places within the U.S. government.” (Pg. 62)
During Oswald’s questioning, he “denied having anything to do with the slayings of either President Kennedy or Officer J.D. Tippit. He denied that he owned a rifle and, later, when shown a photograph of him holding a rifle and handgun, claimed that his face had been superimposed onto someone else’s body. He clammed up when asked about why his wallet contained a Selective Service card with his photograph and the name ‘Alek J. Hidell.’” (Pg. 66)
He comments, “James J. Humes … was the lead autopsy doctor [at Bethesda Naval Medical Center]… it was surprising for me to learn that he was not a board-certified forensic pathologist, whose occupation it is to perform medico-legal autopsies and arrive at a cause and manner of death. Humes’ job involved analyzing samples from autopsies that someone else had performed. A lay person might not see the distinction but to anyone in my field, it’s a vastly different discipline. This is not to cast aspersions on the quality of Humes’ work in his specialty…” (Pg. 67)
He reports, “On April 5, 1963, Oswald went to [General Edwin] Walker’s home. He planned to stand on the street and fire his rifle when he saw the general inside… Five nights later… Oswald fired one shot… The bullet hit the wooden frame of the window, and small fragments hit the general’s arm… [Oswald] showed up at home late and ‘very pale.’ He told Marina that he had shot at General Walker… Marina told investigators that … he expressed regret that he had not killed him… he showed her a notebook with photos of Walker’s home and a map of the area… the Walker bullet was matched to Oswald’s [rifle].” (Pg. 90)
He suggests, “no curtain rods were found in the depository. But it should be noted that… the window in [Oswald’s] room had a curtain that was held up by a curtain rod. It’s possible Oswald had other plans for the curtain rods, if that’s what was in the package.” (Pg. 99)
He explains, “By the [autopsy] report’s own definition, there was only one skull wound. The other wound was substantially lower and should not be mistaken for a head shot… [The report] states that the effect to the president’s back was an entrance wound… This was substantiated by photographs and drawings that were later released… On three separate occasions during the press conference, [Dr. Malcolm] Perry described the bullet would in the throat as an ‘entrance wound’… Perry was phoned at home that night by a local Secret Service agent… who …berated him for holding an opinion that would cause the government trouble… Soon after, [Perry] began publicly modifying his observation of the throat wound as being ‘either an entrance or exist wound.’ … The doctors did not roll over Kennedy’s body for a full inspection, so they did not know about the bullet that had entered his back and exited his throat… After all the doctors left the emergency room … [Dr. Charles Crenshaw] pulled down the sheet that covered the slain president’s head… and got his first and only glimpse of the throat wound… the small bullet wound was still visible. Based on that, Crenshaw determined that the throat would was an entrance and that the bullet exited through the wound in Kennedy’s head. Despite being presented with evidence to the contrary over the years, Crenshaw never abandoned that belief.” (Pg. 126-128)
He states, “The missile that hit Kennedy’s head disintegrated completely… But the neck wound didn’t have the same trail of detritus. According to the Warren Commission, it was consistent with the bullet that hit John Connally… [which] ended up in pristine condition on his stretcher… the single-bullet premise has that missile course in and out of JFK’s back and neck, into the governor’s back and out his chest, into and out of his wrist, and into his thigh… And the government claims this wondrous, one-of-a-kind bullet exited from Connally’s thigh basically intact. However, it would be some time before I would come to understand that the single-bullet theory was a hoax.” (Pg. 130)
He asserts, “[Arlen] Specter’s main responsibility on the Warren Commission was to handle the medical testimony… It was maddening to read transcripts where Specter failed to nail down basic information of probative value. At first, I couldn’t figure out if he … [was] purposely avoiding opening doors that could lead to inconvenient testimony… He knew exactly what he was doing to negate the process of finding the truth. Nowhere was this more acute then when he was questioning the autopsy doctors and didn’t bother to ask the Bethesda doctors why THEY were chosen to perform the single most critical autopsy in American history instead of a forensic pathologist with vast experience in analyzing gunshot wounds. Or to establish the typical protocols for any gunshot wound autopsy, or to account for their differences from what the Parkland doctors saw, or to request the names and ranks of the individuals who seemed to guide their work in the Bethesda morgue. And on and on…” (Pg. 139-140) Later, he adds, “Attorney Specter … for the rest of his career … would adopt the single-bullet theory as his favorite theme in defending the Warren Commission Report and its conclusions. All logic and reason were stubbornly discarded as he embraced the implausible and held on for dear life… It was simply impossible for him to counter my presentation of the scientific evidence. He was left with no choice but to criticize conspiracy-minded citizens and act as if demanding honesty from our government was somehow shallow or un-American.” (Pg. 142)
He notes, “Although I had come to seriously discount [the single-bullet theory] by this point, seeing the Zapruder underlined its fantasy. If the same bullet struck both Kennedy and Connally, then why did the film show the president reacting to his injuries immediately upon impact but the governor taking approximately 1.5 seconds before he reacted to being hit? If a person is shot in the upper right back by a bullet that pierces a lung, breaks a rib, shatters the wrist bone, severs a nerve, and lodges in the thigh, he or she would have an instantaneous reaction. Yet, Connally did not… If Oswald fired from the depository… For this same bullet then to have struck Connally in the right part of his back… the bullet would have to had to make a complete stop in midair for 1.6 seconds after exiting Kennedy’s neck, taken an acute turn to the right for 18 inches, stopped again, and turned downward … before entering Connally’s back… You do not have to be a forensic pathologist or a firearms expert to know that bullets … do not make horizontal and vertical turns in midair… Arlen Specter’s brainchild to try to promote a false scenario was not only implausible, but it was also insulting.” (Pg. 156-157)
He says, “the mighty Warren Commission dropped the ball when it decided not to … probe possible affiliations between Ruby and the Mafia… to this day, Jack Ruby remains an enigma.” (Pg. 170) He rejects David Lipton’s “unproven conjecture that the president’s head wound was altered somewhere between Dallas and Bethesda by an unidentified person or persons who sought to change the trajectory of the bullets to pin Lee Harvey Oswald as the sole shooter. The concept would have made a thrilling fictional movie but fell short as a piece of nonfiction.” (Pg. 200-201)
He recounts, “As I reviewed the presidential autopsy photographs and X-rays… I noticed a little flap of loose tissue visible … on the back of President Kennedy’s head… I could not determine what this defect might be… [It] very easily could have been an exit wound, which would prove that there was a second gunman shooting from the front. But even if it were a bullet’s entrance wound, it would destroy the … conclusion that only three bullets were fired… it was possible that the doctors simply overlooked an additional wound. Another explanation was, or course, a cover-up...” (Pg. 206-207)
He recounts, “The HSCA’s robe included assembling a nine-person forensic pathology panel, and I was a member… I found myself alone in speaking out against the single bullet and sole-assassin theories… When the panelists tried to insinuate that the single-bullet notion was credible because JFK ‘could have’ bent over, I laughed loudly … that’s how desperate they were to justify their absurd claim… I asked my colleagues … to reconstruct or repeat the bullet firing test. When [staff director G. Robert] Blakely nixed that, saying such a test was too expensive, I offered to pay all the costs … He still refused.” (Pg. 233)
He suggests, “A frequently asked question is if the Warren Commission missed the boat so badly… then why did so many of my colleagues disagree with my assessment? I believe it was a predetermined mindset on the part of the other panelists that a cover-up or conspiracy of this magnitude by the federal government was unthinkable… I have no reason whatsoever to doubt the other doctors’ sincerity. However, it should be noted that many of these same people had a long-standing involvement with the federal government, and many had received research grants and appointments to various influential governmental boards.” (Pg. 235)
He acknowledges, “the HSCA probe… availed itself of more sophisticated tests and experts. Sadly, this also meant that the government could use better sources to lie… A team of photographic experts … [would] verify the accuracy of all the photos of JFK and Oswald, and reject that there was any tampering. Handwriting experts linked Oswald’s penmanship to the rifle purchase… and the signature on his backyard photo where he held the rifle. And Oswald’s fingerprints and palm print were matched to the rifle, boxes in the sniper’s nest, and on the brown paper bag used to bring the weapon to work. No one ever denied that those items should be linked to Oswald, but were they a part of a plan to make him the fall guy or even left there after his death to frame him? The HSCA never considered these possibilities.” (Pg. 236)
In 1991, he had lunch with Maria Oswald, and recalled, “there were numerous incidents where Oswald’s mind-boggling exploits caused grief for Marina. Why did he use a phony name when he sent away for his mail order firearms[?]… [Or when] he asked her to take a photograph of him, holding his rifle, his handgun, and communist newspapers. He signed the photo to their friend… and made Marina mark it with Oswald’s anti-fascist taunt… [She] learned that he had fired a bullet into the front window of the home of … General Edwin Walker…” (Pg. 264)
Wecht is one of the most prominent of the JFK conspiracist researchers, and this book is a fine summation of his opinions.
March 2, 2022
Good Background Book
Interesting to read Dr. Wecht’s take on the assassination, the various investigatory bodies and the interesting people he has had contact with over almost 60 years after the event. Was an interesting read, but I did not learn anything groundbreaking from this text. However, being a student of the event and of Dr. Wecht’s studies into the event, it was an interesting book and is of value, especially given that it provides current narrative of the event from someone who has been long connected to the case.
Interesting to read Dr. Wecht’s take on the assassination, the various investigatory bodies and the interesting people he has had contact with over almost 60 years after the event. Was an interesting read, but I did not learn anything groundbreaking from this text. However, being a student of the event and of Dr. Wecht’s studies into the event, it was an interesting book and is of value, especially given that it provides current narrative of the event from someone who has been long connected to the case.
December 2, 2023
Excellent Overview of JFK Assassination
Dr. Cyril Wecht is an excellent writer and manages to summarize the JFK chaos well. The largest problems with attaining the truth are the lies, stonewalling, and refusal to cooperate from our bureaucracy and key politicians, and the cataract of propaganda flowing from that same government starting with the Warren Report which was the ultimate lie. The three questions that still must be answered are: why was JFK murdered, who benefited, and WHO HAD THE POWER TO COVER IT UP. As the Doctor points out, until these questions are answered the truth has not been found.
Obviously, Oswald as the lone crazed gunman answers none of the questions effectively. IMO, and Doctor Wecht, the fatal shot came from the front with a hollow point style bullet. As a target shooter and gun enthusiast, once I saw the Z film I knew Kennedy was not hit with a full metal jacket bullet and the bullet came from the front. Anyone familiar with guns and various types of ammunition knew the same. I reviewed [again] the gun expert’s testimony about the head shot and knew he was outright lying. Of course, I also decided the Warren Report was propaganda issued to mislead the public. The placing of the photographs in the Warren Report of the president being hit in the head in the reverse order making it appear his head went forward as he was struck [rather than back as actually happened] was no accident. Statements that the pictures were placed that way by mistake were lies. How can we know? Because the rest of the report is filled with lies. Once you see the Z film you must realize every possible step was taken to refute the truth shown in the film, that Kennedy was shot from the front. The Doctor’s book also makes that clear.
IMO, the Warren Commission made a fundamental error when they decided to cover up or lie their way out of the Z film. It would have been better to allow the partial truth out and say there must have been another shooter but they could not discover anything about him. But the commission chose to fly in the face of evidence that is clear on its face. The only way to counter the Z film was a flood of propaganda. They managed to cover the Z film up for years, but when it finally came out the bureaucracy shifted to another gear and began telling people not to believe their lying eyes.
The entire Warren Report rested on Kennedy being shot from behind. Anything showing otherwise had to be erased or altered. That’s why the brain had to disappear. Examination could have clearly shown the type of bullet that hit him. A fragmenting bullet leaves a completely different signature than a full metal jacket bullet and we would know without a doubt that there was more than one shooter. It follows without question that the US government knew there was another shooter from the moment the doctors reported on their brain exam; thus, everything was a lie from that moment [and it was examined]. However, it is clear that the government began the cover-up prior to the examination of Kennedy’s brain. In that case, the irrefutable logic is the entire murder originated from our government. Thank God for the Z film. Without it, the bureaucracy might have succeeded in keeping 90 percent of the public misinformed.
I found the book an excellent compilation of events and facts presented in a [mostly] unbiased fashion. Even where slanted, I found the Doctor recognizes that his view is or might be slanted, and he points it out. That is about as good as it gets.
If you have an interest in the JFK assassination this book is well worth a read. Highly recommended. AD2
Dr. Cyril Wecht is an excellent writer and manages to summarize the JFK chaos well. The largest problems with attaining the truth are the lies, stonewalling, and refusal to cooperate from our bureaucracy and key politicians, and the cataract of propaganda flowing from that same government starting with the Warren Report which was the ultimate lie. The three questions that still must be answered are: why was JFK murdered, who benefited, and WHO HAD THE POWER TO COVER IT UP. As the Doctor points out, until these questions are answered the truth has not been found.
Obviously, Oswald as the lone crazed gunman answers none of the questions effectively. IMO, and Doctor Wecht, the fatal shot came from the front with a hollow point style bullet. As a target shooter and gun enthusiast, once I saw the Z film I knew Kennedy was not hit with a full metal jacket bullet and the bullet came from the front. Anyone familiar with guns and various types of ammunition knew the same. I reviewed [again] the gun expert’s testimony about the head shot and knew he was outright lying. Of course, I also decided the Warren Report was propaganda issued to mislead the public. The placing of the photographs in the Warren Report of the president being hit in the head in the reverse order making it appear his head went forward as he was struck [rather than back as actually happened] was no accident. Statements that the pictures were placed that way by mistake were lies. How can we know? Because the rest of the report is filled with lies. Once you see the Z film you must realize every possible step was taken to refute the truth shown in the film, that Kennedy was shot from the front. The Doctor’s book also makes that clear.
IMO, the Warren Commission made a fundamental error when they decided to cover up or lie their way out of the Z film. It would have been better to allow the partial truth out and say there must have been another shooter but they could not discover anything about him. But the commission chose to fly in the face of evidence that is clear on its face. The only way to counter the Z film was a flood of propaganda. They managed to cover the Z film up for years, but when it finally came out the bureaucracy shifted to another gear and began telling people not to believe their lying eyes.
The entire Warren Report rested on Kennedy being shot from behind. Anything showing otherwise had to be erased or altered. That’s why the brain had to disappear. Examination could have clearly shown the type of bullet that hit him. A fragmenting bullet leaves a completely different signature than a full metal jacket bullet and we would know without a doubt that there was more than one shooter. It follows without question that the US government knew there was another shooter from the moment the doctors reported on their brain exam; thus, everything was a lie from that moment [and it was examined]. However, it is clear that the government began the cover-up prior to the examination of Kennedy’s brain. In that case, the irrefutable logic is the entire murder originated from our government. Thank God for the Z film. Without it, the bureaucracy might have succeeded in keeping 90 percent of the public misinformed.
I found the book an excellent compilation of events and facts presented in a [mostly] unbiased fashion. Even where slanted, I found the Doctor recognizes that his view is or might be slanted, and he points it out. That is about as good as it gets.
If you have an interest in the JFK assassination this book is well worth a read. Highly recommended. AD2
December 28, 2022
Compelling
Some minor factual errors with regard to US Military structure. I.e. the USMC does not have medical officers. His personal politics are made clear throughout the book. Despite those minor annoyances a very well argued position.
Some minor factual errors with regard to US Military structure. I.e. the USMC does not have medical officers. His personal politics are made clear throughout the book. Despite those minor annoyances a very well argued position.
June 4, 2022
Very very troubling. Destroys the “single bullet theory”.
October 24, 2022
History of JFK Assassination
Good chronology of developments since November 22 1963 - don't forget to get your copy for a good reason kindle soon!
Good chronology of developments since November 22 1963 - don't forget to get your copy for a good reason kindle soon!
July 12, 2024
Disappointed, I learned many of his points in other books. Maybe you will feel differently. Enjoy!
June 9, 2024
This book is a well-written overview of the JFK assassination. The author has played an integral part in doing much of the research that has lead to some significant revelations in the case. Reading this book, I found a few interesting revelations myself. I have read many many books on the case. This one was worthwhile. Recommended. For the record, Dr. Wecht was the first civilian forensic pathologist to view the autopsy x rays and photographs of the Kennedy assassination. He was the individual who discovered that JFK's brain was "missing" from the inventory at the National archives.
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