The clincher for the validity of the SBT

[John Corbett]

Most of what I am arguing here is based on David Von Pein's outstanding website regarding the SBT. It is a close examination of the critical Zapruder frames 223-226. During this sequence, both JFK and JBC are struck by the single bullet and react reflexively at the same instant, frame 226. DVP's website uses enlarged and stabilized frames and allows toggling between critical frames.

For many years it was, it was believed that JFK was reacting to the first bullet that struck him when he reappeared at frame 225. He had been hit by that frame but as EVP's website shows and I will explain, he had not year reacted. That wouldn't happen until one frame later but to the naked eye, it appears he was reacting when he reappeared because 1/18 second is too short for the naked eye to perceive what happened.

As the limo was heading down Elm St. JFK was waving to the few remaining spectators on the sidewalk with his right elbow on the side of the car. Just before he disappeared behind the sigh, he started to low his right hand. He disappeared behind for approximately one second. JBC reappears first. We see him in full view at frame 223. Between frame 223 and 224 the right side of his jacket suddenly bulges outward. This is strong visible evidence that the tumbling bullet had passed through his jacket at that moment.

We then move on to frames 224 and 225. We cannot see JFK's face in frame 224 but are able to see his right hand out in front of him. By toggling between these two frames, we see that his right hand was still moving DOWNWARD when he first came into full view. The bullet had struck him at this point, but he had not yet started the dramatic reaction which brought his hands in front of his throat. That would not happen until the next frame, 226.

At 226, both his arms suddenly start upward and here's the remarkable thing which went unnoticed by me for many years and which most people are still unaware of. JBC's right arm, which had just been hit by the single bullet a few frames earlier, suddenly flips upward in perfect unison with the movement of JFK's arms. His right hand, which held his Stetson comes into full view. Both men are reacting at the same time to a bullet which struck them only a few milliseconds apart, virtually simultaneously. 

People base the timing of his reaction on what he testified to which was his cognitive reaction. He remembered feeling a blow to his back which caused him to double over at twist to his right. That motion began in the 230s. But that was a secondary reaction. His reflexive action happened about a half second earlier at 226. Reflexive reactions occur more rapidly because they require no interaction with the brain. The nerves are responding directly to an outside stimulus.

For those who would like to see this for themselves, visit DVP's outstanding webpage on the SBT at:
https://jfk-archives.blogspot.com/2013/02/sbt-clips.html