The First Shot

[Tom Graves]

It appears to me that JFK was fixing his hair at about Z140 and his first response was a quick head turn to his left around the mid Z140s.

Okay.

I currently believe that head turn could have been, in part, a startle reaction and automatic reaction to check on his wife.

It seems to me that startle reactions are more "self-preservation" in nature.

JFK then turned to his right around the mid Z150s. I currently believe that could have been an intentional turn.

I agree, but I'm less uncertain about it than you are.

It appears to me that JFK’s right turn was made, then he recognized and acknowledged some spectators with a wave. In my opinion JFK was very concerned about how he appeared to the crowds and the cameras. I think that the wave and smile represented his quick regain of his composure (for the crowds’ and cameras’) and subsequently his own projected image.

Okay.

On the other hand . . .

Uhh-oh.

It appears to me that JBC initially and very quickly turned his head slightly to his right in the mid Z140s.

Okay.

I suspect this was a startle reaction and that he turned it as far as it would go to the right.

Huh?

As far as it would go?

In the mid Z-140s?

Do you think Connally might have consciously reacted in the mid Z-140s to the sounds of the first shot?

Do you think this is what he was referring to when he said he turned to his right but did not catch JFK in the corner of his eye?

If that's what you mean, I like it because it gets us about 25 frames closer to my beloved "Z-124," but . . . . what, then, is Connally doing from Z-170 to Z-195 or so ? ? ?

I suspect he didn’t see JFK out of his peripheral vision at that point in time because JFK had already turned his head to his left.

Hmm.

It appears to me that JBC then turned his head to his left around the mid Z150s.

Correct.

I suspect this could have been, in part, a startle reaction or an automatic glance towards his wife. We tend to do these types of things automatically without much conscious thought beforehand.

See above.

JBC has stopped smiling and appears to me to have a very concerned look on his face (which can be seen in the Croft photo also, along with a concerned look (instead of her smile) on Jackie’s face).

Yes.

[Charles Collins]

Okay.

It seems to me that startle reactions are more "self-preservation" in nature.

I agree, but I'm less uncertain about it than you are.

Okay.

Uhh-oh.

Okay.

Huh?

As far as it would go?

In the mid Z-140s?

Do you think Connally might have consciously reacted in the mid Z-140s to the sounds of the first shot?

Do you think this is what he was referring to when he said he turned to his right but did not catch JFK in the corner of his eye?

If that's what you mean, I like it because it gets us about 25 frames closer to my beloved "Z-124," but . . . . what, then, is Connally doing from Z-170 to Z-195 or so ? ? ?

Hmm.

Correct.

See above.

Yes.

It seems to me that startle reactions are more "self-preservation" in nature.

It seems to me that the sound pressure level of a Carcano rifle at the distance of an early first shot miss would be high enough to cause a startle reaction in most folks. The amygdala area of the brain is involved with startle reactions. The startle reactions bypass the parts of the brain involved with thought. They typically happen before any thought has time to form.
I can describe a personal experience where I jumped backwards out of a striking snake’s path before I even “knew” what was happening. Our amygdala are always on guard trying to protect us from dangers. Apparently my amygdala caught the snake’s movement out of the corner of my eye and reacted faster than I could have ever reacted otherwise. The memory I have of this is in slow-motion. After I had already jumped backwards and saw the snake striking, all of my senses seemed to be enhanced. I saw and heard the snake hit the ground after it missed my leg; and it sounded like a loud thud. Based on this experience I believe that startle reactions can vary from person to person. And that the startle reactions can be complex in nature depending on the circumstances. I think most folks would simply tense up as a reaction to an unexpected loud sound such as a rifle shot; while others might “jump out of their skins” or turn their heads. Personally I am quite sensitive to loud unexpected sounds and would probably have a visible reaction, but some others might not.

Without a soundtrack to precisely place the shots we will probably never know for sure whether the head turns were part of a startle reaction or not. It does appear to me that the first visible reactions of both JFK and JBC were at close to the same time. JFK turned to his left and JBC first turned slightly to his right and then to his left. Men in general are by nature protective of their spouses, so it seems to me that an automatic turn towards their wives before even thinking about it could be part of a startle reaction.


As far as it would go?

In the mid Z-140s?

Do you think Connally might have consciously reacted in the mid Z-140s to the sounds of the first shot?

Do you think this is what he was referring to when he said he turned to his right but did not catch JFK in the corner of his eye?

If that's what you mean, I like it because it gets us about 25 frames closer to my beloved "Z-124," but . . . . what, then, is Connally doing from Z-170 to Z-195 or so ? ? ?


First, I think we should not expect JBC to have remembered all of the details correctly. Especially because of the trauma that he went through. He was fortunate to have gotten to the hospital and gotten the care he received in such a timely manner. Otherwise he could have easily not survived the ordeal. We have many questions that can never be answered with any certainty.

Based on my experience, and my memory being in slow motion, I do believe that JBC’s memory of turning to his right to look for JFK could have been that very quick initial reaction we see in the mid Z140s. So, yes I believe this could have been a reaction to the first shot.

I am not sure what was going on in JBC’s mind during the Z170 to Z195 time frame. It does take some time for thoughts to form in our brains though. And I think the amount of time varies from person to person and slows as we age. There is also about a second of time where JBC is behind the sign and hidden from Zapruder’s camera. We don’t know what was going on with him during that time either.

[Tom Graves]

It seems to me that startle reactions are more "self-preservation" in nature.

It seems to me that the sound pressure level of a Carcano rifle at the distance of an early first shot miss would be high enough to cause a startle reaction in most folks. The amygdala area of the brain is involved with startle reactions. The startle reactions bypass the parts of the brain involved with thought. They typically happen before any thought has time to form.

I can describe a personal experience where I jumped backwards out of a striking snake’s path before I even “knew” what was happening. Our amygdala are always on guard trying to protect us from dangers. Apparently my amygdala caught the snake’s movement out of the corner of my eye and reacted faster than I could have ever reacted otherwise. The memory I have of this is in slow-motion. After I had already jumped backwards and saw the snake striking, all of my senses seemed to be enhanced. I saw and heard the snake hit the ground after it missed my leg; and it sounded like a loud thud. Based on this experience I believe that startle reactions can vary from person to person. And that the startle reactions can be complex in nature depending on the circumstances. I think most folks would simply tense up as a reaction to an unexpected loud sound such as a rifle shot; while others might “jump out of their skins” or turn their heads. Personally I am quite sensitive to loud unexpected sounds and would probably have a visible reaction, but some others might not.

Without a soundtrack to precisely place the shots we will probably never know for sure whether the head turns were part of a startle reaction or not. It does appear to me that the first visible reactions of both JFK and JBC were at close to the same time. JFK turned to his left and JBC first turned slightly to his right and then to his left. Men in general are by nature protective of their spouses, so it seems to me that an automatic turn towards their wives before even thinking about it could be part of a startle reaction.


As far as it would go?

In the mid Z-140s?

Do you think Connally might have consciously reacted in the mid Z-140s to the sounds of the first shot?

Do you think this is what he was referring to when he said he turned to his right but did not catch JFK in the corner of his eye?

If that's what you mean, I like it because it gets us about 25 frames closer to my beloved "Z-124," but . . . . what, then, is Connally doing from Z-170 to Z-195 or so ? ? ?


First, I think we should not expect JBC to have remembered all of the details correctly. Especially because of the trauma that he went through. He was fortunate to have gotten to the hospital and gotten the care he received in such a timely manner. Otherwise he could have easily not survived the ordeal. We have many questions that can never be answered with any certainty.

Based on my experience, and my memory being in slow motion, I do believe that JBC’s memory of turning to his right to look for JFK could have been that very quick initial reaction we see in the mid Z140s. So, yes I believe this could have been a reaction to the first shot.

I am not sure what was going on in JBC’s mind during the Z170 to Z195 time frame. It does take some time for thoughts to form in our brains though. And I think the amount of time varies from person to person and slows as we age. There is also about a second of time where JBC is behind the sign and hidden from Zapruder’s camera. We don’t know what was going on with him during that time either.

if you're correct about Connally's turning to his right to try to catch a glimpse of JFK in the corner of his eye for such a brief period of time in the mid-140s, it seems strange to me that he would remember that but neither remember turning to his left to check on Nellie right after that, nor turning far to his right, again (and for a much longer time) at Z-170, and for failing to remember that so much time had elapsed (and so many turns had been made) between his original turn to his right in the mid-140s and getting hit by CE-399 around Z-222.

In other words, if your're right, then Connally's recollections of the tragic event were even more messed up than I realized.

[Charles Collins]

if you're correct about Connally's turning to his right to try to catch a glimpse of JFK in the corner of his eye for such a brief period of time in the mid-140s, it seems strange to me that he would remember neither turning to his left to check on Nellie right after that, nor turning far to his right, again (and for a much longer time) at Z-170, and for mistakenly thinking he'd been hit while in the process of making that final turn.

In other words, if your're right, then Connally's recollections of the tragic event were even more messed up than I realized.

Not really that messed up. All he would have been forgetting was looking to his left towards Nellie. And frankly I do not believe he has ever said that he did look towards her. He still could have been hit around Z223 or Z224 when he began another turn to his left.

[Tom Graves]

Not really that messed up. All he would have been forgetting was looking to his left towards Nellie. And frankly I do not believe he has ever said that he did look towards her. He still could have been hit around Z223 or Z224 when he began another turn to his left.

I've edited the last part of my post, so please re-read it.

[Charles Collins]

I've edited the last part of my post, so please re-read it.

You asked me what I thought (my opinion). I have given you my current thoughts. I do not ask you or anyone else to agree with my opinions. If I am the only person who ever believes these things, that is fine with me. I also have evolving opinions as I go along and find more evidence. So these opinions are definitely subject to change. I am not locked into any specific scenarios. I try to keep an open mind about everything.

Regarding your latest revision of your response, I suggest that when we view the Zapruder film at normal speed (real time) we can see how fast these things actually happened. In other words, the amount of time (aka: frames) you are concerned about elapsing is relatively very little real time to form thoughts and react.

[Andrew Mason]

Not really that messed up. All he would have been forgetting was looking to his left towards Nellie. And frankly I do not believe he has ever said that he did look towards her. He still could have been hit around Z223 or Z224 when he began another turn to his left.

We should rename this thread “A Rorschach test approach:  reading head turns to solve the JFK shot sequence.”

To prefer this approach and ignore large bodies of actual evidence as to when the first shot occurred is difficult to understand.

[Tom Graves]

We should rename this thread “A Rorschach test approach:  reading head turns to solve the JFK shot sequence.”

To prefer this approach and ignore large bodies of actual evidence as to when the first shot occurred is difficult to understand.

Because it's a scientific fact that it takes most people about a second to consciously react to an unexpected loud sound, and because photos and films, unlike human beings, don't tend to have faulty memories of sudden and traumatizing events.