Summary of Some of the Major Problems with the JFK Medical Evidence

[John Corbett]

I thought it would be worthwhile to summarize in one post some of the major problems with the JFK medical evidence.

You thought wrong.

[Michael T. Griffith]

It is remarkable that WC apologists who (correctly) accept the EOP entry site refuse to admit that the EOP site proves the autopsy brain photos are fraudulent.

Yes, I agree: The evidence strongly favors the EOP site. I was encouraged to see Lance Payette state that he is convinced by Pat Speer's arguments for the EOP site. Dr. Larry Sturdivan, the former HSCA wound ballistics consultant, argues for the EOP site in his book The JFK Myths: A Scientific Investigation of the Kennedy Assassination. Dr. David Mantik likewise argues for the EOP site in his 2024 book The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: The Final Analysis. Dr. Joseph Riley, a neuroanatomist, argued for the EOP site and noted that the area of the brain beneath the phantom cowlick entry site is undamaged:

We have autopsy photographs that show the top of JFK's head. Everyone agrees (including Dr. Bob Artwohl) that intact cerebral cortex is visible. If you are a neuroanatomist, you can identify the cerebral cortex (superior parietal lobule visible). What's the significance of that? Simple: that is the
part of cortex that is immediately under the high entrance wound -- so, the brain at the point of the high entrance wound is not damaged. Now that is indeed a magic bullet. ("What Struck John?" pp. 4-5, https://kenrahn.com/Marsh/Autopsy/riley.html)

Five autopsy witnesses -- Sibert, O'Neill, Lipsey, Stringer, and Kellerman -- said the rear head entry wound was near the EOP or the hairline. The three autopsy doctors insisted to their dying days that the EOP site was correct. 

The problem is that the brain photos show no damage whatsoever to the right occipital lobe, but a bullet that entered near the EOP could not have missed tearing through the right occipital lobe, as the HSCA FPP correctly pointed out. The FPP hammered the autopsy doctors on this point, and they had no explanation for it. However, the FPP argument against the EOP site only works if the brain photos are authentic.

The evidence that the brain photos are fraudulent is truly impressive. As experts from both sides have confirmed, the brain photos show "less than 1-2 ounces" of missing brain tissue. Yet, multiple sets of optical-density measurements have confirmed that about 2/3 of the right brain is missing in the autopsy skull x-rays, a fact that Dr. Fred Hodges noted in 1975 when he served on the Rockefeller Commission's medical panel. Humes himself told JAMA that 2/3 of the right cerebrum was blasted away. A number of witnesses who saw the brain said that 1/4 to 1/2 of it was missing. And, we have a veritable mountain of eyewitness testimony that bits of JFK's brain were blown or fell onto 16 surfaces, and that's not counting the "large chunk of brain" that Jackie brought into the ER and handed to Dr. Jenkins.

Only those who are emotionally committed to believing in the lone-gunman theory will continue to believe  the autopsy brain photos are genuine.

[John Corbett]

It is remarkable that WC apologists who (correctly) accept the EOP entry site refuse to admit that the EOP site proves the autopsy brain photos are fraudulent.

It is remarkable that MTG considers himself to be competent to make such a judgement.

Yes, I agree: The evidence strongly favors the EOP site. I was encouraged to see Lance Payette state that he is convinced by Pat Speer's arguments for the EOP site. Dr. Larry Sturdivan, the former HSCA wound ballistics consultant, argues for the EOP site in his book The JFK Myths: A Scientific Investigation of the Kennedy Assassination. Dr. David Mantik likewise argues for the EOP site in his 2024 book The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy: The Final Analysis. Dr. Joseph Riley, a neuroanatomist, argued for the EOP site and noted that the area of the brain beneath the phantom cowlick entry site is undamaged:

We have autopsy photographs that show the top of JFK's head. Everyone agrees (including Dr. Bob Artwohl) that intact cerebral cortex is visible. If you are a neuroanatomist, you can identify the cerebral cortex (superior parietal lobule visible). What's the significance of that? Simple: that is the
part of cortex that is immediately under the high entrance wound -- so, the brain at the point of the high entrance wound is not damaged. Now that is indeed a magic bullet. ("What Struck John?" pp. 4-5, https://kenrahn.com/Marsh/Autopsy/riley.html)

Five autopsy witnesses -- Sibert, O'Neill, Lipsey, Stringer, and Kellerman -- said the rear head entry wound was near the EOP or the hairline. The three autopsy doctors insisted to their dying days that the EOP site was correct.

Not surprising that a person totally unqualified to render judgements about the medical evidence would cite other people totally unqualified to render judgements about the medical evidence.

 

The problem is that the brain photos show no damage whatsoever to the right occipital lobe, but a bullet that entered near the EOP could not have missed tearing through the right occipital lobe, as the HSCA FPP correctly pointed out. The FPP hammered the autopsy doctors on this point, and they had no explanation for it. However, the FPP argument against the EOP site only works if the brain photos are authentic.

MTG tries to substitute his judgement of what the medical evidence is based on a few leaked photos and x-rays for the unanimous judgement of a panel of some of the most highly qualified forensic medical examiners of their day who saw ALL the photos and ALL the x-rays. So who should we believe? MTG or the FPP? Of course, the question answers itself.

It is remarkable that WC apologists who (correctly) accept the EOP entry site refuse to admit that the EOP site proves the autopsy brain photos are fraudulent.

The evidence that the brain photos are fraudulent is truly impressive. As experts from both sides have confirmed, the brain photos show "less than 1-2 ounces" of missing brain tissue. Yet, multiple sets of optical-density measurements have confirmed that about 2/3 of the right brain is missing in the autopsy skull x-rays, a fact that Dr. Fred Hodges noted in 1975 when he served on the Rockefeller Commission's medical panel. Humes himself told JAMA that 2/3 of the right cerebrum was blasted away. A number of witnesses who saw the brain said that 1/4 to 1/2 of it was missing. And, we have a veritable mountain of eyewitness testimony that bits of JFK's brain were blown or fell onto 16 surfaces, and that's not counting the "large chunk of brain" that Jackie brought into the ER and handed to Dr. Jenkins. [/quote]

The evidence that MTG is an amateur hack trying to perform analysis that requires years of medical training and experience is truly impressive.

Only those who are emotionally committed to believing in the lone-gunman theory will continue to believe the autopsy brain photos are genuine.

Only extremely gullible CT fanatics would believe MTG is competent to make such judgements based an a smattering of the medical evidence he has seen.

[Brian Doyle]

The overpressure that would result in the witnessed brain splatter is of such a force that the intact brain in evidence would be impossible by science...Paul O'Connor said the remaining brain in Kennedy's head was small enough to fit in the palm of a hand...It would be impossible for this remnant brain to weigh above an average brain...Bugliosi equivocated around it but never answered this...

Obviously the swapped brain had to be gotten rid of because the plotters realized it would expose the conspiracy...

[John Corbett]

The overpressure that would result in the witnessed brain splatter is of such a force that the intact brain in evidence would be impossible by science...Paul O'Connor said the remaining brain in Kennedy's head was small enough to fit in the palm of a hand...It would be impossible for this remnant brain to weigh above an average brain...Bugliosi equivocated around it but never answered this...

Obviously the swapped brain had to be gotten rid of because the plotters realized it would expose the conspiracy...

Obviously, we have another unqualified amateur hack weighing in on the medical evidence citing another unqualified amateur hack who witnessed the autopsy. I could offer my own 2 cents regarding the medical evidence, but I prefer to leave those judgements to the professionals who had the training and experience to do that.