A Few of the Problems with the Case Against Oswald

[John Corbett]

Another important item of evidence of Oswald's innocence is the NAA testing that was done on the paraffin cast from his right cheek. The paraffin mold was made from his right cheek about eight hours after the assassination. The  paraffin cast was eventually tested at the Oak Ridge Laboratory using the super-sensitive neutron activation analysis (NAA) test. The NAA test found no chemical indication, i.e., no nitrates, in the paraffin cast that Oswald had fired a rifle during the shooting. The NAA test results were suppressed for years until they were finally released as a result of Harold Weisberg's FOIA lawsuits.

You do like to polish off old turds and present them as if they are new.

The WC addressed the issue of the negative paraffin test. The results were not surpressed. An FBI agent fired Oswald's Carcano and was administered the same paraffin test. He too tested negative on his cheek. The reason is that a bolt action rifle like the Carcano fires a round from a sealed chamber. The only dispersion of gunpowerd residue is out of the barrel of the rifle which would be well away from Oswald's face end ejected out away from him. There would be no discharge of residue near Oswald's face.

Paraffin tests are an unreliable way of determining whether a person has or has not fired a gun. They yield both false positives and false negatives. Their main use in crime solving is to try the leverage a confession from a suspect.

If you stick around for another 20 years, maybe you can recycle this old turd one more time.

[Michael T. Griffith]

Just a bit more about MTG's hero, George O'Toole. He was not an "ex-CIA agent." He was a CIA computer specialist for less than three years during the period 1966-69. He became a freelance author and wrote some fairly successful books, including a supernatural spy novel in which a deceased Russian spy reveals secrets through a psychic medium. He became a gung-ho CTer. His principal CT-oriented book, The Assassination Tapes, was reviewed thusly in Polygraph, the journal of the American Polygraph Association (Vol. 6, No. 1, March 1977):[SNIP]

I'd bet good money you haven't even read O'Toole's book, and thus you don't know that he presents an extensive discussion on studies on the reliability of VSA (aka PSE) polygraphs. Dr. David Scheim, who holds a doctorate in mathematics from MIT, has said the following about VSA/PSE polygraphs:

. . . the Psychological Stress Evaluator (PSE), a lie-detector device that measures stress by voice pattern analysis. Demonstrated reliable in several tests, it is used by hundreds of U.S. law enforcement agencies and accepted as evidence i more than a dozen states. (Contract on America, 1988, p. 160)

You can find plenty of "scientific research" that says that the traditional polygraph, the "Psychophysiological Detection of Deception" (PDD) polygraph, i.e., the test where they put wires on you, is "subjective," "unreliable," "unsound," etc. Similarly, you can find, as you have done, studies that make the same claim about the VSA/PSE polygraph. PDD and VSA/PSE polygraph defenders argue that the there are questions about the methods and objectivity of the anti-polygraph studies, and that some of the people involved with those studies harbored a strong bias against the use of any kind of lie-detection device. 

I happen to know from my many years in military intelligence that at least two U.S. intelligence agencies use the VSA/PSE polygraph for in-person and remote lie detection/truth evaluation. Some police departments also use it. Police detectives in Sanford, Florida, used it in the George Zimmerman case in 2013, and the evidence indicates it was reliable.

I encourage interested readers to read O'Toole's chapter and appendix, totaling 30 pages, on the reliability of the VSA/PSE polygraph.

Finally, a word about George O'Toole himself. As usual, since O'Toole reached the conclusion that JFK was killed by a conspiracy, Lance Payette seeks to minimize his qualifications, describing him as "a CIA computer specialist." Actually, he was a bit more than a computer specialist, although that in itself is a valid, relevant qualification. O'Toole served as the chief of the CIA's Problem Analysis Branch. He specialized in ways to use electronic information processing technology to solve issues in intelligence analysis. After leaving the CIA, he worked with NASA and on a variety of defense projects for a number of years. This was all before he wrote The Assassination Tapes, which is a serious, credible work on the JFK case (of course, Payette doesn't like it because it presents evidence he doesn't want to believe--and, again, I'd bet good money that he hasn't even read it).

[John Corbett]

I'd bet good money you haven't even read O'Toole's book, and thus you don't know that he presents an extensive discussion on studies on the reliability of VSA (aka PSE) polygraphs. Dr. David Scheim, who holds a doctorate in mathematics from MIT, has said the following about VSA/PSE polygraphs:

. . . the Psychological Stress Evaluator (PSE), a lie-detector device that measures stress by voice pattern analysis. Demonstrated reliable in several tests, it is used by hundreds of U.S. law enforcement agencies and accepted as evidence i more than a dozen states. (Contract on America, 1988, p. 160)

Which means it has been rejected by the rest.

Even those that have accepted polygraphs have restrictions on its use. In Ohio, it can be admitted only if both sides of the proceeding agree to accept it before the test is administered. Even then the judge has the discretion to disallow it. Polygraphs have never been proven to be reliable indicators of a person's truthfulness. They produce false positives and false negatives. Polygraphs measure stress. An innocent person can feel stress just taking the test while a cold-blooded killer might not feel any stress at all. In addition, a liar who is unaware that his voice is being tested, like Oswald, would have no reason to feel stress while lying.

[Lance Payette]

I wouldn't stoop to reply, but this is CLASSIC of what MTG does. Reality simply cannot penetrate the CT bubble in which he lives.

I'd bet good money you haven't even read O'Toole's book, and thus you don't know that he presents an extensive discussion on studies on the reliability of VSA (aka PSE) polygraphs. Dr. David Scheim, who holds a doctorate in mathematics from MIT, has said the following about VSA/PSE polygraphs:

. . . the Psychological Stress Evaluator (PSE), a lie-detector device that measures stress by voice pattern analysis. Demonstrated reliable in several tests, it is used by hundreds of U.S. law enforcement agencies and accepted as evidence i more than a dozen states. (Contract on America, 1988, p. 160)

The ABSOLUTELY SCATHING review of O'Toole's book that I cited and quoted from was from the PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION. Hello?

Forty years later, Sean DeGrilla and his highly professional VSA cohorts ABSOLUTELY SHREDDED O'Toole's work and demonstrated the gross error that he had either incompetently or fraudulently committed.

The issue is not the accuracy of VSA. The issue is the incompetence and lack of ethics of O'Toole. Correctly done VSA by DeGrilla and peer-reviewed by world-class VSA experts showed Oswald as LYING.

Finally, a word about George O'Toole himself. As usual, since O'Toole reached the conclusion that JFK was killed by a conspiracy, Lance Payette seeks to minimize his qualifications, describing him as "a CIA computer specialist." Actually, he was a bit more than a computer specialist, although that in itself is a valid, relevant qualification. O'Toole served as the chief of the CIA's Problem Analysis Branch.

No, he was not the chief of anything during his less than three years with the CIA. His PRECISE POSITIONS that I quoted were from a CIA DOCUMENT describing his employment. This was not a document attempting to minimize O'Toole or his CT views. It was simply a document briefly describing each of the principals of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/THE%20COMMITTEE%20TO%20INVESTIG%5B16506075%5D.pdf.

I repeat: "He was employed as a Digital Computer Systems Analyst in March 1966. He resigned 24 January 1969 from a position as a Research Officer, GS-14, ORD/DDS&T" (Office of Research and Development, Directorate of Science and Technology).

He was not an "ex-CIA agent." He was not a "bureau chief." He was not "Chief of the Problem Analysis Branch." These are all titles that O'Toole either misappropriated or allowed to be attached to his name because what he actually was didn't sound sufficiently impressive. You will also see him referred to as a "case officer."

If this isn't sufficient for you, there WAS NO "Problem Analysis Branch" in the Office of Research and Development. It was called the Analysis Division. https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB54/st33.pdf. A history of the Analysis Division written in the 1970s said the Chief (name redacted) was appointed in 1968 and remained Chief "throughout its history" to the date of writing. https://www.governmentattic.org/27docs/HistCIAofcRandDvols1-6.pdf.

This is what MTG does, again and again. His crap is exposed, reamed, steamed and drycleaned - AND HE FLAT DOESN'T CARE. In the SAME THREAD in which it's been exposed, he repeats it all over again! There is something seriously wrong with this guy.

[John Corbett]

I wouldn't stoop to reply, but this is CLASSIC of what MTG does. Reality simply cannot penetrate the CT bubble in which he lives.

The ABSOLUTELY SCATHING review of O'Toole's book that I cited and quoted from was from the PROFESSIONAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN POLYGRAPH ASSOCIATION. Hello?

Forty years later, Sean DeGrilla and his highly professional VSA cohorts ABSOLUTELY SHREDDED O'Toole's work and demonstrated the gross error that he had either incompetently or fraudulently committed.

The issue is not the accuracy of VSA. The issue is the incompetence and lack of ethics of O'Toole. Correctly done VSA by DeGrilla and peer-reviewed by world-class VSA experts showed Oswald as LYING.

No, he was not the chief of anything during his less than three years with the CIA. His PRECISE POSITIONS that I quoted were from a CIA DOCUMENT describing his employment. This was not a document attempting to minimize O'Toole or his CT views. It was simply a document briefly describing each of the principals of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations: https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/THE%20COMMITTEE%20TO%20INVESTIG%5B16506075%5D.pdf.

I repeat: "He was employed as a Digital Computer Systems Analyst in March 1966. He resigned 24 January 1969 from a position as a Research Officer, GS-14, ORD/DDS&T" (Office of Research and Development, Directorate of Science and Technology).

He was not an "ex-CIA agent." He was not a "bureau chief." He was not "Chief of the Problem Analysis Branch." These are all titles that O'Toole either misappropriated or allowed to be attached to his name because what he actually was didn't sound sufficiently impressive. You will also see him referred to as a "case officer."

If this isn't sufficient for you, there WAS NO "Problem Analysis Branch" in the Office of Research and Development. It was called the Analysis Division. https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB54/st33.pdf. A history of the Analysis Division written in the 1970s said the Chief (name redacted) was appointed in 1968 and remained Chief "throughout its history" to the date of writing. https://www.governmentattic.org/27docs/HistCIAofcRandDvols1-6.pdf.

This is what MTG does, again and again. His crap is exposed, reamed, steamed and drycleaned - AND HE FLAT DOESN'T CARE. In the SAME THREAD in which it's been exposed, he repeats it all over again! There is something seriously wrong with this guy.

Once again, you make so much more sense when you are wearing your LN cap. It makes me wonder why you want to keep switching caps. Those CT caps you don must be so tight that are restricting blood flow to your brain. That doesn't seem to be a problem when you have your LN cap on.

[Lance Payette]

If this isn't sufficient for you, there WAS NO "Problem Analysis Branch" in the Office of Research and Development. It was called the Analysis Division. https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB54/st33.pdf. A history of the Analysis Division written in the 1970s said the Chief (name redacted) was appointed in 1968 and remained Chief "throughout its history" to the date of writing. https://www.governmentattic.org/27docs/HistCIAofcRandDvols1-6.pdf.

Just to beat this to death, the Office of Research and Development was reorganized following the issuance of an Inspector General's report in 1972 (3-4 years after O'Toole had left). One of the major divisions was called the Program Analysis Staff. I could find no reference to a Problem Analysis Branch or a Chief thereof, either before or after O'Toole's period of employment, nor could I find any reference to O'Toole in any official document other than the one I linked. It's clear he was a CIA employee, and GS-14 is a fairly high grade reflecting technical expertise, but it definitely seems he enhanced and glamorized his role more than a bit. (The GS schedule is the federal white collar pay scale. In 1969, there were 18 grades. I was a GS-11 Public Information Specialist in an Arizona office of the Department of Interior before I went to law school, and I was definitely no big deal. The analyst position for which O'Toole was originally hired was typically GS-11 to 13.)