The First Shot

[Jack Nessan]

It's time to step up to the plate Andrew, Tonkovich is challenging your leadership, he thinks he has a goofier theory than you.

[Bill Chapman]

'Three bullets'

Once Upon a Time in the West

[Jack Nessan]

Game over Andrew and John. Bill Chapman is in the house. Bill is a much-respected researcher and JFK historian. Bill does not need proof there was three shots. Bill knows there was three shots because Bill knows there was three shots.

[Bill Chapman]

Game over Andrew and John. Bill Chapman is in the house. Bill is a much-respected researcher and JFK historian. Bill does not need proof there was three shots. Bill knows there was three shots because Bill knows there was three shots.

2 too many
(horses that is)

'Once Upon a Time in the West'

[Dan O'meara]

The argument I'm putting forward is extremely simple.
It is an explanation for the unbelievably rapid movement of JFK's left arm
In z224 his left arm is down by his side:



Eight Z-frames later (z232) his left arm has extended upwards to a very extreme position:



This movement takes place in approximately 0.44 seconds.
In this fraction of a second JFK's left arm has gone from a resting position down by his side to a position where his left elbow is extended upwards to, what appears to be, it's fullest extent.
The rapidity of this movement is indicative of a reflex reaction to a stimulus of the nerves controlling the function of the arms. These nerves are collectively known as the Brachial Plexus. It is no coincidence that the bullet which passes through JFK, passes through the Brachial Plexus at the approximate position represented in this graphic by the red dot:



Artwohl makes the following point:

“JFK’s reaction to the neck wound was, for all intents and purposes, instantaneous to the hit at Z-223/224. As the bullet passed through his neck, the pressure cavity caused an immediate and wide spread stimulation of all the nerves in the immediate vicinity, that is of the brachial plexus, the large group of nerves that emerge from C5-T1. These are the nerves that supply motor function to the arms.”

The measurable, extremely rapid movement of JFK's left arm is evidence the nerves of the Brachial Plexus were damaged by a bullet that passed through this large group of nerves. This damage may have been caused by the bullet itself, severing a nerve, and the effect of cavitation, which may have contributed to further stimulation of the nerves.

In a recent post Brian Roselle posted this excellent article supporting the notion of JFK having an almost instantaneous reflex reaction to a shot passing through the Brachial Plexus, causing damage to the nerves specifically controlling motor function:

https://sites.google.com/view/spastic-paralysis/home

That we can see JFK's left arm still down by his side as he emerges from behind the Stemmons sign indicates this reflex reaction has yet to begin.

[Dan O'meara]

I thought I'd been through every piece of evidence regarding when the first shot occurred but this, seemingly innocuous, detail from the testimony of Ronald Fischer just randomly jumped into my head and gave me a potentially new insight into the mind of the assassin in the moments immediately before the assassination.
Other researchers have the assassin stood up, firing into the street below him, bullets ricocheting off traffic light poles or firing through the oak tree, blasting through branches of the tree and other such nonsense - as if the assassin hadn't already decided exactly what he was going to do beforehand and was instead just taking random potshots as the Presidential limo passed by the TSBD.

This is the relevant passage from Fischer's WC testimony:

"And I looked up and I watched the man for, oh, I'd say, 10 or 15 seconds. It was until the first car came around the corner of Houston and Main. And, then, when that car did come around the corner, I took my attention off of the man in the window and started watching the parade. The man held my attention for 10 or 15 seconds, because he appeared uncomfortable for one, and, secondly, he wasn't watching-uh---he didn't look like he was watching for the parade. He looked like he was looking down toward the Trinity River and the triple underpass down at the end-toward the end of Ell Street. And--uh--all the time I watched him, he never moved his head, he never-he never moved anything. Just was there transfixed."

Fischer only looks away from the assassin because the motorcade has finally reached the end of Main Street.
In the 10-15 seconds he stares at this man, the assassin never looks to where the motorcade is coming into view. For that whole period of time the assassin stares towards the triple underpass, he never moves his head, never moves his body, just stares towards the triple underpass - "transfixed".
What is it that the assassin is staring at?
Why does he seem uninterested in the motorcade?
What could possibly be of interest to the assassin down towards the triple underpass when his target, in the motorcade, is about to come into view?

In my opinion, it is the word "transfixed" that provides the key to understanding what is going on in the mind of the assassin.
He is visualising the kill zone.
He has already decided exactly where he is going to assassinate his target.
As he looks towards the triple underpass he is aware of the oak tree but is more focused on the stretch of open road just beyond the oak tree. He has already decided that once the limo has emerged from behind the oak tree and is out in the open, he will pull the trigger.
The first shot does not occur before the limo has reached the oak tree.
It does not occur while the limo is obscured by the oak tree.
It occurs when the limo has emerged from behind the oak tree and is out in the open stretch of road just beyond the oak tree.
The open stretch of road the assassin has been transfixed on as the motorcade reaches the end of Main Street.
In perfect agreement with the first shot at z222/223 I've been arguing for in the bulk of this thread

It's not evidence.
It doesn't refute an earlier shot (although there is plenty of evidence in this thread that does).
It's an interpretation of the strange behavior of the assassin moments before the assassination takes place.

[Dan O'meara]

Above is the view from the SN window the assassin was staring at, "transfixed".
As far as the assassin is concerned there is only one feature of interest - the open stretch of road beyond the oak tree.
It makes perfect sense that the assassin has already made up his mind regarding his plan of action.
The idea that he starts taking random potshots as the limo passes the TSBD won't fly. The idea that he is rushing so much he needs to fire through the oak tree won't fly.
Look at the picture above, if you were the assassin, when would you pull the trigger?