Roger Craig

[Paul J Cummings]

I posted his testimony. You should read it. Also this is from Spartacus.

"A group of Dallas Police Department detectives, including Will Fritz, Seymour Weitzman, Roger Craig, Eugene Boone and Luke Mooney searched the Texas School Book Depository soon after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. On the sixth floor they discovered a rifle hidden beneath some boxes. The detectives identified it as a 7.65 Mauser. District Attorney Henry M. Wade, in a television interview, told the nation that the rifle was a Mauser. It was the FBI who announced that the officers had been mistaken. According to them it was a 6.5 Mannlicher-Carcano, an Italian bolt-action rifle used in the Second World War. All the detectives agreed to change their mind about the rifle except Roger Craig."

Not only did Craig change his story, but these different stories were mutually exclusive of his claim to have seen "Mauser" on the rifle. As I've already mentioned, in '68 he said that he didn't know what the rifle was. That simply can't be true if he'd seen "Mauser" stamped into the rifle barrel, as he later claimed. The next year, he was shown a Carcano at the Shaw trial and testified under oath that it looked like the TSBD rifle. No mention of seeing the word "Mauser" anywhere, even though this is exactly the kind of story that the prosecution (for which Craig was a witness) was looking for. And, what better place for Craig to bring up the Mauser stamp than in is poison pen expose of the Dallas authorities? So why does Craig not mention it?

Craig already stated he witnessed a Mauser and he saw the stamp

Craig didn't mention the stamp until the early 1970s. The rifle isn't mentioned in his DCSD affidavit, nor in any of the FBI interviews that followed.  In his WC testimony, the make and model of the rifle were never mentioned. In '68, he said he didn't know what kind of rifle it was. In '69, it looked like the Carcano he was shown on the stand. It became a Mauser in '71, but only because that's what Weitzman said it was. Only after that did Craig mention that he'd seen the word "Mauser" on the rifle.

As for Weitzman, he was simply wrong, as he has said he was.

Weitzman was "general manager" of a "discount operation" that was a chain of stores spread out from Louisiana to New Mexico. He worked in what we would now call the "C-Suite." He wasn't a gun salesman, and never claimed to have been. Somehow, you've managed to demote the poor guy in an attempt to give him expertise that he never claimed.

Being a law enforcement officer does not make one an expert in firearms identification. Again, this level of qualification is nothing more than an empty assertion on your part.
You're begging the question here.

Again, Craig didn't claim that the rifle was a Mauser until 1971. That was at the tail end of a trail of tales that turn out to be mutually contradictory.

As for Weitzman, he realized he was wrong, and had the sense to admit it. You would do well to follow his example. I'm not holding my breath.

[Walt Cakebread]

I posted his testimony. You should read it. Also this is from Spartacus.

"A group of Dallas Police Department detectives, including Will Fritz, Seymour Weitzman, Roger Craig, Eugene Boone and Luke Mooney searched the Texas School Book Depository soon after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. On the sixth floor they discovered a rifle hidden beneath some boxes. The detectives identified it as a 7.65 Mauser. District Attorney Henry M. Wade, in a television interview, told the nation that the rifle was a Mauser. It was the FBI who announced that the officers had been mistaken. According to them it was a 6.5 Mannlicher-Carcano, an Italian bolt-action rifle used in the Second World War. All the detectives agreed to change their mind about the rifle except Roger Craig."

"On the sixth floor they discovered a rifle hidden beneath some boxes."

On the sixth floor they discovered a rifle hidden beneath some boxes.

The rifle was HIDDEN BENEATH SOME BOXES OF BOOKS !!  It was NOT jammed between boxes of books as the Official DPD police photo depicts. 

[Mitch Todd]

I posted his testimony. You should read it. Also this is from Spartacus.

"A group of Dallas Police Department detectives, including Will Fritz, Seymour Weitzman, Roger Craig, Eugene Boone and Luke Mooney searched the Texas School Book Depository soon after the assassination of John F. Kennedy. On the sixth floor they discovered a rifle hidden beneath some boxes. The detectives identified it as a 7.65 Mauser. District Attorney Henry M. Wade, in a television interview, told the nation that the rifle was a Mauser. It was the FBI who announced that the officers had been mistaken. According to them it was a 6.5 Mannlicher-Carcano, an Italian bolt-action rifle used in the Second World War. All the detectives agreed to change their mind about the rifle except Roger Craig."

In fact, I did read his testimony. That's why I know that he didn't identify the rifle as a Mauser while on the stand. Instead, he said that the rifle looked like the Carcano the prosecution was holding up in front of him.

[Rick Plant]

Craig and Weitzman both stated they witnessed a Mauser. Craig identified the Mauser stamp embedded on the rifle.


Weitzman stated that he mistakenly identified the rifle that was lying on the floor beneath the stack of books on a pallet.
He could see only a small portion of the butt of the rifle and he made a wag that the rifle "looked like a  mauser."     

Roger Craig heard Weitzman say that, and assumed that the rifle was a mauser.   It's as simple as that.....

Many many photos, that were taken when the rifle was retrieved by detective Day,  clearly show that the rifle he picked up from the floor was in fact a CARCANO.

Weitzman mistakenly identified the rifle when it included an embedded Mauser stamp?

Roger Craig said he witnessed the Mauser stamp not that he "assumed" it was a Mauser.   

Yes, many photos of the CARCANO were snapped but not the Mauser that two law enforcement officers stated they first witnessed.

[Rick Plant]

Not only did Craig change his story, but these different stories were mutually exclusive of his claim to have seen "Mauser" on the rifle. As I've already mentioned, in '68 he said that he didn't know what the rifle was. That simply can't be true if he'd seen "Mauser" stamped into the rifle barrel, as he later claimed. The next year, he was shown a Carcano at the Shaw trial and testified under oath that it looked like the TSBD rifle. No mention of seeing the word "Mauser" anywhere, even though this is exactly the kind of story that the prosecution (for which Craig was a witness) was looking for. And, what better place for Craig to bring up the Mauser stamp than in is poison pen expose of the Dallas authorities? So why does Craig not mention it?

Was Craig asked about the Mauser stamp? No. Witnesses directly answered the questions they were asked under oath. 

That's not true. In 1968, Criag stated there was a Mauser. So, how is that "changing his story"?       

Craig didn't mention the stamp until the early 1970s. The rifle isn't mentioned in his DCSD affidavit, nor in any of the FBI interviews that followed. In his WC testimony, the make and model of the rifle were never mentioned. In '68, he said he didn't know what kind of rifle it was. In '69, it looked like the Carcano he was shown on the stand. It became a Mauser in '71, but only because that's what Weitzman said it was. Only after that did Craig mention that he'd seen the word "Mauser" on the rifle.

And Craig said he was fired for "knowing too much" and said "he was under a lot of pressure".

How do you know he wasn't told to "shut up about it" and waited to tell his story when he had the opportunity to?

The fact is we have two law enforcement officers who both stated they witnessed a Mauser. Weitzman changed his story. 

As for Weitzman, he was simply wrong, as he has said he was.

Wrong with a Mauser stamp embedded on the rifle? He changed his story.     

Weitzman was "general manager" of a "discount operation" that was a chain of stores spread out from Louisiana to New Mexico. He worked in what we would now call the "C-Suite." He wasn't a gun salesman, and never claimed to have been. Somehow, you've managed to demote the poor guy in an attempt to give him expertise that he never claimed.

You're trying to turn Weitzman into a bumbling fool who had no idea what he was selling.

A law enforcement officer who handled these weapons in his own business would have a good idea of the rifles he was selling.   

Being a law enforcement officer does not make one an expert in firearms identification. Again, this level of qualification is nothing more than an empty assertion on your part.
You're begging the question here.

Weitzman had an advantage over other law enforcement officers by handling these types of rifles in his business.

No, you're trying to make us believe that Weitzman and law enforcement officers are like The Three Stooges and have no idea what they are doing.   

Again, Craig didn't claim that the rifle was a Mauser until 1971. That was at the tail end of a trail of tales that turn out to be mutually contradictory.

As for Weitzman, he realized he was wrong, and had the sense to admit it. You would do well to follow his example. I'm not holding my breath.

Did two law enforcement officers state they witnessed a Mauser? Yes they did. 

[John Iacoletti]

Did two law enforcement officers state they witnessed a Mauser? Yes they did.

Three. Boone did as well.

[Jack Nessan]

Was Craig asked about the Mauser stamp? No. Witnesses directly answered the questions they were asked under oath. 

That's not true. In 1968, Criag stated there was a Mauser. So, how is that "changing his story"?       

And Craig said he was fired for "knowing too much" and said "he was under a lot of pressure".

How do you know he wasn't told to "shut up about it" and waited to tell his story when he had the opportunity to?

The fact is we have two law enforcement officers who both stated they witnessed a Mauser. Weitzman changed his story. 

Wrong with a Mauser stamp embedded on the rifle? He changed his story.     

You're trying to turn Weitzman into a bumbling fool who had no idea what he was selling.

A law enforcement officer who handled these weapons in his own business would have a good idea of the rifles he was selling.   

Weitzman had an advantage over other law enforcement officers by handling these types of rifles in his business.

No, you're trying to make us believe that Weitzman and law enforcement officers are like The Three Stooges and have no idea what they are doing.   

Did two law enforcement officers state they witnessed a Mauser? Yes they did.

What Mauser has a Mauser stamp on the barrel? Maybe the 22LR. What was stated was it "appeared" to be a Mauser which the 1891 carcano looks like the 1891 argentine, which was a 7.65 x 53 caliber rifle designed by Mauser. No where on the rifle does it state 7.65 Mauser especially the barrel which would be covered by the hand guard.

[Walt Cakebread]

What Mauser has a Mauser stamp on the barrel? Maybe the 22LR. What was stated was it "appeared" to be a Mauser which the 1891 carcano looks like the 1891 argentine, which was a 7.65 x 53 caliber rifle designed by Mauser. No where on the rifle does it state 7.65 Mauser especially the barrel which would be covered by the hand guard.

What Mauser has a Mauser stamp on the barrel?----------  What was stated was it "appeared" to be a Mauser which the 1891 carcano looks like the 1891 argentine, which was a 7.65 x 53 caliber rifle designed by Mauser. No where on the rifle does it state 7.65 Mauser especially the barrel which would be covered by the hand guard

Thank you , Jack.... For posting factual information that lays bare Roger Craig's lie that he saw "stamped right there on the barrel, 7.65 MAUSER"     You make it very clear that it would have been impossible for Roger Craig to have seen any such stamping on the barrel, because the 7.65 Argentine mauser ( which superficially resembles a Mannlicher Carcano carbine) was never marked in the fashion described by Roger Craig.