The First Shot

[Dan O'meara]

The problem is that interpreting the Z film and other films and photos is just as subject to confirmation bias as interpreting testimony.  It definitely is crazy-making to try.

When I started examining the Z-film the only confirmation bias I had was that the "back and to the left" motion of JFK proved there was a shot from the front. Everything else, all the arguments I've presented in this thread were based on an impartial look at the evidence.
That's how I came up with the model I'm presenting here - a first shot that passes through both JFK and JBC at z223.
Once I'd established the model, then the confirmation bias kicked in.
In the course of my examination I came across something that undermined my 'core belief' that JFK was shot from the front.
I followed that evidence and, when I was convinced the headshot came from behind, I dropped that belief.
I've yet to come across any argument or evidence that I'm wrong about the first shot.
If I do I'll drop that as well.
Confirmation bias or no confirmation bias.

[Bill Chapman]

In CT Wonderland, nothing is knowable, nothing is provable, and nothing is believable.

[Dan O'meara]

In CT Wonderland, nothing is knowable, nothing is provable, and nothing is believable.

Explain this photo without acting dumb or sounding like one of the Tin Foil Brigade.

[Jack Nessan]

When I started examining the Z-film the only confirmation bias I had was that the "back and to the left" motion of JFK proved there was a shot from the front. Everything else, all the arguments I've presented in this thread were based on an impartial look at the evidence.
That's how I came up with the model I'm presenting here - a first shot that passes through both JFK and JBC at z223.
Once I'd established the model, then the confirmation bias kicked in.
In the course of my examination I came across something that undermined my 'core belief' that JFK was shot from the front.
I followed that evidence and, when I was convinced the headshot came from behind, I dropped that belief.
I've yet to come across any argument or evidence that I'm wrong about the first shot.
If I do I'll drop that as well.
Confirmation bias or no confirmation bias.

You don't need to interpret the Z Film. The eyewitnesses state exactly where the first shot happened. The Chisms state it happened right before the car gets to them.

John Chism :  "And just as he got just about in front of me, he turned and waved at the crowd on this side of the street, the right side; at this point I heard what sounded like one shot,"

Jean Newman states it happened right after it passed her.

Jean Newman : "The motorcade had just passed me when I heard that I thought was a firecracker at first, and the President had just passed me, because after he had just passed, there was a loud report"

Calvery, Hicks, and Westbrook state it happened directly in front of them.

Gloria Calvery : "The car he was in was almost directly in front of where I was Standing when I heard the first shot."

 Karan Hicks : "The car he was in was almost directly in front of where I was standing when I heard the first explosion. I did not immediately recognize this sound as a gunshot"

Karen Westbrook :  "The car he was in was almost directly  in front of where I was standing when I heard the first explosion. I did not immediately recognize this sound as a gun shot ."

[Dan O'meara]

You don't need to interpret the Z Film. The eyewitnesses state exactly where the first shot happened. The Chisms state it happened right before the car gets to them.

John Chism :  "And just as he got just about in front of me, he turned and waved at the crowd on this side of the street, the right side; at this point I heard what sounded like one shot,"

Jean Newman states it happened right after it passed her.

Jean Newman : "The motorcade had just passed me when I heard that I thought was a firecracker at first, and the President had just passed me, because after he had just passed, there was a loud report"

Calvery, Hicks, and Westbrook state it happened directly in front of them.

Gloria Calvery : "The car he was in was almost directly in front of where I was Standing when I heard the first shot."

 Karan Hicks : "The car he was in was almost directly in front of where I was standing when I heard the first explosion. I did not immediately recognize this sound as a gunshot"

Karen Westbrook :  "The car he was in was almost directly  in front of where I was standing when I heard the first explosion. I did not immediately recognize this sound as a gun shot ."

I agree, but there are witnesses who seem to state that the shot occurred earlier.
The contradictory nature of eye-witness testimony can be used to support almost any theory/model.
Because there are so many witnesses there is an inevitable variance in the witness accounts as we are dealing with human memory which, as is well documented, isn't a perfect recording system.
On top of this is the possibility to interpret an eye-witness account in many different ways if it is not specific.
The Z-film is the "ultimate eye-witness" in a way. It can be viewed over and over again, paused, slowed down, zoomed in etc.
This doesn't make it infallible because interpreting these images, once again, has the human factor involved.
I view the Z-film as 'primary' evidence and eye-witness accounts as 'secondary', if the eye-witness testimony does not support what we are seeing in the Z-film I discard it and not the other way round.

The greatest mystery to me is that there is any argument over JFK and JBC being shot through at the same time.
From the moment I started examining the Z-film it was absolutely clear it showed both men having extreme reactions at exactly the same moment to what I assume is a shot. I can't get over how obvious it is, and I still can't.

By the same token, I felt the same way about JFK's "back and to the left" motion until I changed my mind.

[Bill Chapman]

Explain this photo without acting dumb or sounding like one of the Tin Foil Brigade.

Ask me nicely

[John Iacoletti]

Explain this photo without acting dumb or sounding like one of the Tin Foil Brigade.

Chapman is only here to troll the forum with his self-declared "clever, cut-to-the-quick insights".