Marilyn Sitzman

[Charles Collins]

The Zapruder film is considered by most folks to be one of the best photographic records of the assassination. Marilyn Sitzman had an almost identical view of the assassination that the Zapruder camera had. Yet, ironically, Marilyn Sitzman was completely ignored by the investigators. I think that if anyone could “add a soundtrack” (aka: tell us when the shots occurred) to the Zapruder film Marilyn Sitzman and Abraham Zapruder would be the most likely candidates. So, I find these two videotaped interviews of Marilyn Sitzman quite interesting.

Marilyn has a pleasant personality and neither interview is very long. So I encourage everyone to watch these for yourselves.

The second interview was done in Dealey Plaza near the location that Marilyn stood during the assassination. I wish that there were more interviews done in this manner. In this interview Sitzman points out approximately where the limo was when the first shot rang out (the first lamp post).









In both interviews Sitzman inexplicably ties the first two shots together when she describes them and JFK raising his hands. Therefore it is reasonable to believe that either she doesn’t remember which of the first two shots caused JFK to raise his hands, or she hasn’t separated the two shots well enough in her memory to say for sure which one it was. However I think we can infer from the location she points out for the first shot and what we can see on the Zapruder film that it was the second shot that caused JFK to raise his hands.

[Steve M. Galbraith]

The Zapruder film is considered by most folks to be one of the best photographic records of the assassination. Marilyn Sitzman had an almost identical view of the assassination that the Zapruder camera had. Yet, ironically, Marilyn Sitzman was completely ignored by the investigators. I think that if anyone could “add a soundtrack” (aka: tell us when the shots occurred) to the Zapruder film Marilyn Sitzman and Abraham Zapruder would be the most likely candidates. So, I find these two videotaped interviews of Marilyn Sitzman quite interesting.


 
Marilyn has a pleasant personality and neither interview is very long. So I encourage everyone to watch these for yourselves.

The second interview was done in Dealey Plaza near the location that Marilyn stood during the assassination. I wish that there were more interviews done in this manner. In this interview Sitzman points out approximately where the limo was when the first shot rang out (the first lamp post).


In both interviews Sitzman inexplicably ties the first two shots together when she describes them and JFK raising his hands. Therefore it is reasonable to believe that either she doesn’t remember which of the first two shots caused JFK to raise his hands, or she hasn’t separated the two shots well enough in her memory to say for sure which one it was. However I think we can infer from the location she points out for the first shot and what we can see on the Zapruder film that it was the second shot that caused JFK to raise his hands.

Zapruder's granddaughter Alexandra wrote a terrific book on her grandfather and the film and has a number of interesting accounts about Sitzman and the assassination. Sitzman said, as she did elsewhere, that all of the shots sounded like they came from the same direction. No multiple locations. And she described how she and Zapruder walked around Dealey Plaza trying to find the best spot. She finally suggested to Zapruder that the concrete abutment would be ideal.

It's just not conceivable to me that a team of assassins behind the fence would have allowed Zapruder to do this described below. There were something like 300-400 people in Dealey Plaza some, like Zapruder, with cameras. Is it really plausible that a professional group of assassins would choose this location and this environment to send out teams of snipers to shoot the President? Sure, that's an argument from incredulity - just because I can't imagine it doesn't mean it didn't happen - but does this really make sense?

Just to add: When Zapruder arrived home his family was watching the television and were in tears. They were devastated. They had come from Russia where this violence was normal. But not in America. They were horrified. The claim by some simply awful people in the conspiracy side that Zapruder was one of the conspirators, that he went along with the assassination, is really disgusting. Again, *some* not all or most.

[Jack Nessan]

The Zapruder film is considered by most folks to be one of the best photographic records of the assassination. Marilyn Sitzman had an almost identical view of the assassination that the Zapruder camera had. Yet, ironically, Marilyn Sitzman was completely ignored by the investigators. I think that if anyone could “add a soundtrack” (aka: tell us when the shots occurred) to the Zapruder film Marilyn Sitzman and Abraham Zapruder would be the most likely candidates. So, I find these two videotaped interviews of Marilyn Sitzman quite interesting.

Marilyn has a pleasant personality and neither interview is very long. So I encourage everyone to watch these for yourselves.

The second interview was done in Dealey Plaza near the location that Marilyn stood during the assassination. I wish that there were more interviews done in this manner. In this interview Sitzman points out approximately where the limo was when the first shot rang out (the first lamp post).









In both interviews Sitzman inexplicably ties the first two shots together when she describes them and JFK raising his hands. Therefore it is reasonable to believe that either she doesn’t remember which of the first two shots caused JFK to raise his hands, or she hasn’t separated the two shots well enough in her memory to say for sure which one it was. However I think we can infer from the location she points out for the first shot and what we can see on the Zapruder film that it was the second shot that caused JFK to raise his hands.

Interesting from what perspective?   

Why choose Sitzman’s years later recollections instead of Zapruder’s statements and testimony?

Maybe Marilyn Sitzman's distant memory a great example of “the Medias influence”?  The echoes referred to and understood by Zapruder?

FBI DEC 4 -----Zapruder advised he could not recall but having heard only two shots and, also stated that he knew that from watching through the viewfinder that the President had been hit. 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - No, there was too much reverberation. There was an echo which gave me a sound all over. In other words that square is kind of--it had a sound all over.
Mr. LIEBELER - And with the buildings around there, too?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Yes, the reverberation was such that a sound--as it would vibrate--it didn't vibrate so much but as to whether it was a backfire--in other words, I didn't from the first sound, from him leaning over--I couldn't think it was a shot, but of course, the second--I think it was the second shot. I don't know whether they proved anything--they claim he was hit--that the first bullet went through him and hit Connally or something like that--I don't know how that is.

 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - Toward her--there are so many frames, of course, this is probably his first reaction, but he leaned over--it would be after the shot was fired, after I heard a sound, he went like this [leaning to the left and holding both hands to the left side of his chest].
Mr. LIEBELER - He moved over to his left and pulled his hands there?

 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - Well, as the car came in line almost--I believe it was almost in line. I was standing up here and I was shooting through a telephoto lens, which is a zoom lens and as it reached about--I imagine it was around here--I heard the first shot and I saw the President lean over and grab himself like this (holding his left chest area).
Mr. LIEBELER - Grab himself on the front of his chest?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Right---something like that. In other words, he was sitting like this and waving and then after the shot he just went like that.
Mr. LIEBELER - He was sitting upright in the car and you heard the shot and you saw the President slump over?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Leaning--leaning toward the side of Jacqueline. For a moment I thought it was, you know, like you say, "Oh, he got me," when you hear a shot--you've heard these expressions and then I saw---I don't believe the President is going to make jokes like this, but before I had a chance to organize my mind, I heard a second shot and then I saw his head opened up and the blood and everything came out and I started--I can hardly talk about it [ the witness crying].

 

Mr. LIEBELER -.....Let me go back now for just a moment and ask you how many shots you heard altogether.
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I thought I heard two, it could be three, because to my estimation I thought he was hit on the second--I really don't know. The whole thing that has been transpiring--it was very upsetting and as you see I got a little better all the time and this came up again and it to me looked like the second shot, but I don't know. I never even heard a third shot.
Mr. LIEBELER - You didn't hear any shot after you saw him hit?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I heard the second--after the first shot--I saw him leaning over and after the second shot--it's possible after what I saw, you know, then I started yelling, "They killed him, they killed him,"   

[Steve M. Galbraith]

Interesting from what perspective?   

Why choose Sitzman’s years later recollections instead of Zapruder’s statements and testimony?

Maybe Marilyn Sitzman's distant memory a great example of “the Medias influence”?  The echoes referred to and understood by Zapruder?

Question: A few years ago there was a story about a couple of editors for the Dallas papers donating their raw notes to the 6th Floor Museum. These would be the notes from the reports from the reporters in the field. I would imagine the original/raw information from there - all before the news broadcasts on the shots - would be the best source on this issue. I.e., not tainted/influence by the reports.

I think the late Hugh Aynesworth donated his material to the museum. Or some institution. There might be something there about the number of shots.

[Charles Collins]

Interesting from what perspective?   

Why choose Sitzman’s years later recollections instead of Zapruder’s statements and testimony?

Maybe Marilyn Sitzman's distant memory a great example of “the Medias influence”?  The echoes referred to and understood by Zapruder?

FBI DEC 4 -----Zapruder advised he could not recall but having heard only two shots and, also stated that he knew that from watching through the viewfinder that the President had been hit. 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - No, there was too much reverberation. There was an echo which gave me a sound all over. In other words that square is kind of--it had a sound all over.
Mr. LIEBELER - And with the buildings around there, too?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Yes, the reverberation was such that a sound--as it would vibrate--it didn't vibrate so much but as to whether it was a backfire--in other words, I didn't from the first sound, from him leaning over--I couldn't think it was a shot, but of course, the second--I think it was the second shot. I don't know whether they proved anything--they claim he was hit--that the first bullet went through him and hit Connally or something like that--I don't know how that is.

 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - Toward her--there are so many frames, of course, this is probably his first reaction, but he leaned over--it would be after the shot was fired, after I heard a sound, he went like this [leaning to the left and holding both hands to the left side of his chest].
Mr. LIEBELER - He moved over to his left and pulled his hands there?

 

Mr. ZAPRUDER - Well, as the car came in line almost--I believe it was almost in line. I was standing up here and I was shooting through a telephoto lens, which is a zoom lens and as it reached about--I imagine it was around here--I heard the first shot and I saw the President lean over and grab himself like this (holding his left chest area).
Mr. LIEBELER - Grab himself on the front of his chest?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Right---something like that. In other words, he was sitting like this and waving and then after the shot he just went like that.
Mr. LIEBELER - He was sitting upright in the car and you heard the shot and you saw the President slump over?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - Leaning--leaning toward the side of Jacqueline. For a moment I thought it was, you know, like you say, "Oh, he got me," when you hear a shot--you've heard these expressions and then I saw---I don't believe the President is going to make jokes like this, but before I had a chance to organize my mind, I heard a second shot and then I saw his head opened up and the blood and everything came out and I started--I can hardly talk about it [ the witness crying].

 

Mr. LIEBELER -.....Let me go back now for just a moment and ask you how many shots you heard altogether.
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I thought I heard two, it could be three, because to my estimation I thought he was hit on the second--I really don't know. The whole thing that has been transpiring--it was very upsetting and as you see I got a little better all the time and this came up again and it to me looked like the second shot, but I don't know. I never even heard a third shot.
Mr. LIEBELER - You didn't hear any shot after you saw him hit?
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I heard the second--after the first shot--I saw him leaning over and after the second shot--it's possible after what I saw, you know, then I started yelling, "They killed him, they killed him,"

Why choose Sitzman’s years later recollections instead of Zapruder’s statements and testimony?

Zapruder was unsure of how many shots he heard. Sitzman was adamant she heard three shots.

Let’s take another look at part of Zapruder’s testimony and bold the parts that fit MY bias confirmation:

Mr. LIEBELER -.....Let me go back now for just a moment and ask you how many shots you heard altogether.
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I thought I heard two, it could be three, because to my estimation I thought he was hit on the second--I really don't know. The whole thing that has been transpiring--it was very upsetting and as you see I got a little better all the time and this came up again and it to me looked like the second shot, but I don't know. I never even heard a third shot.

[Jack Nessan]

Why choose Sitzman’s years later recollections instead of Zapruder’s statements and testimony?

Zapruder was unsure of how many shots he heard. Sitzman was adamant she heard three shots.

Let’s take another look at part of Zapruder’s testimony and bold the parts that fit MY bias confirmation:

Mr. LIEBELER -.....Let me go back now for just a moment and ask you how many shots you heard altogether.
Mr. ZAPRUDER - I thought I heard two, it could be three, because to my estimation I thought he was hit on the second--I really don't know. The whole thing that has been transpiring--it was very upsetting and as you see I got a little better all the time and this came up again and it to me looked like the second shot, but I don't know. I never even heard a third shot.

This Zapruder statement is definitive. Definitely understood the concept of echoes.

'I never even heard a third shot.'

Marilyn Sitzman's years later recollection is suspect at best. Like everyone else the third shot is thrown into the narrative at the end.

Confirmation bias is the only explanation I can think of to ignore all the other eyewitness statements. The physical evidence does not support three shots.

[Jack Nessan]

Question: A few years ago there was a story about a couple of editors for the Dallas papers donating their raw notes to the 6th Floor Museum. These would be the notes from the reports from the reporters in the field. I would imagine the original/raw information from there - all before the news broadcasts on the shots - would be the best source on this issue. I.e., not tainted/influence by the reports.

I think the late Hugh Aynesworth donated his material to the museum. Or some institution. There might be something there about the number of shots.

The best source of information is the physical evidence provided by the shells. One thing to remember is medias influence began almost immediately based on Walter Cronkite reading Merriman Smith’s news bulletin of three shots within in minutes of the assassination. Watch the Bill Newman interview and Jay Watson correcting them as to the number of shots, because he was there. Gayle Newman is reading the news bulletin in Jay's hand before she speaks.

The “chamber mark” on the side of the shells tells the story. If you don't understand what is meant by the FBI referring to the “Chamber Mark” on the side of the shells, find a gun guy and he will explain it. 

Read Josiah Thompson’s observation in Six Seconds in Dallas, (pages 140 –146 and the footnotes on page 178), of the other 30+ shells fired in the carcano by the FBI. CE 141 seals the deal by having the “chamber mark” on the side of it. It proves the expansion of the chamber due to heat and pressure is what makes the “chamber mark”. The FBI could verify the observation of Thompson by examining the shells and the carcano in the Smithsonian, but there is no need because they already verified it in the Hoover report to Rankin.

The book Phantom Shot proves what is in Six Seconds in Dallas and the book Six Seconds in Dallas proves what is in Phantom Shot.

[Royell Storing]

  There's a short snippet in the Darnell Film that shows Sitzman being interviewed in front of the Pergola Shelter behind the Zapruder Perch. I believe this would be the very 1st time she detailed what she saw/heard. Does anyone know what happened to this interview?