Jan 08, I decided to tackle the last frontier and see if I could figure out just how the Z313 bullet fragments ended up where they did. As far as the entry wound is concerned, I based it on the X-rays, the autopsy notes and diagrams, and the autopsy photograph commonly referred to as Fox 8. These items all correlate rather well with one another, and place the entry wound in the very back of the head. Another autopsy photograph shows a black spot in the scalp, which would have covered the upper right temple area. The spot corresponds well with a round niche in the skull that can be seen in the Fox 8 photo in the same area. Incidentally, an entry wound placed in the very back of the head and an exit hole placed at the previously mentioned location line up well with the bullet fragments that cleared the windshield. The other fragments, especially the windshield fragment, do not--vertically speaking. After creating about a dozen different diagrams, using a skull cross section as a template, and not having much luck getting things to make sense, I finally developed a theory on the matter. While it is impossible, of course, to know exactly how the bullet fragmented as it passed through JFK's skull, my theory is that a couple of the fragments, upon striking the roof of the skull, were reflected downwards, perhaps because of their shape; down from the SBD, up from the point of impact, and down again as it were.

Note regarding the above diagram: It is recycled diagram that I created long ago. Although the profile of Connally depicts him forward facing, he was actually facing the right side of the vehicle and leaning backwards (towards Nellie) at the time of the head shot.

Hopefully, no one will mind me using this ancient outdated illustration as a template. I based all of the angles on the assumption that JFK's head was tilted forward twenty degrees. Just ignore all of the numbers.

Where I believe the exit point was located in regards to the following autopsy photo. It is mainly meant to be a "road map" for anyone with access to a hi-res, full-color version of the following photo.

Sept 2015, There were a lot of JFK television specials that aired during the 50th anniversary of the assassination, of course. But there was one in particular that stood out. The show was an episode of NOVA that aired 11-13-13 titled Cold Case JFK. Although the show is not without flaws; in my opinion, it is probably the best JFK investigative documentary to date regarding the forensic evidence. During the show’s intro, the narrator poses the question: “Can modern forensic science and ballistics crack the case?” Well, ballistically speaking, I’m afraid the Warren Commission did that back in 1964. And at one point, the show presents the idea of a small plug of lead being squeezed out of the stretcher bullet and then sheared off in Connally’s wrist as if it were the recent epiphany of one Luke Hague, although it is an old point that was covered in another NOVA JFK documentary back in 1991. At best, the show does do a good job of adding validation to a few items that have been known by pragmatic JFK researchers for many years, one of those items being that the idea JFK was hit by a shot from the grassy knoll has no merit, and all the associated diatribe that goes with the theory (that all the forensic evidence was faked) is so much nonsense. I realized that as far back as 1993, although it wasn’t until about 2005 that I realized the idea of a second shooter somewhere behind JFK also has no merit. The show also addresses and adds validation to the single bullet theory by showing just how hard it is to mangle a fully jacketed bullet. And some pretty cool high-speed camera shots depict what happens during and after the time a bullet passes through soft tissue, such as veering and bullet tumble, also known facts. However, the best part of the show (from the perspective of a JFK researcher) is probably the digital reconstruction of JFKs head wound by a team at the Boston University’s School of Medicine. In the end, did I, personally, learn anything new? No. And did they crack the “cold” case? Hardly. But I would still recommend the documentary as a first view by anyone newly interested in learning about the JFK assassination.

Sept 2020, Correction: According to Wikipedia, the earlier episode of NOVA actually aired on Nov 15, 1988 and was titled Who Shot President Kennedy? However, the version I have displays a 1991 copyright notice at the very end.