JFK Hands Never Go To-Or Toward-His Throat

[John Corbett]

What is being suggested - that this is just the Thorburn reflex from a bullet hitting the cervical spine?

I am aware of the Thorburn reflex but I am totally unqualified to offer an opinion as to whether that is what we see in that footage. The bullet did not hit the spine. It hit near the spine. I have seen similar responses on the football field when a player sustains a severe head injury.

[Royell Storing]

I'm not suggesting anything. 

I am pointing out that President Kennedy never touched his throat like just about everyone claims when they mention his reaction to the first shot.  Clearly, he never went for his throat.  Ever.  His right hand and arm jerk upward, his hand is open, giving the appearance that his hand is covering his mouth, while his arm is splayed upward and folded at the elbow.
 
Too many people watch the Zapruder film at slower than normal speed because too many people post the Zapruder film onto YouTube at a speed slower than 18.3 frames per second and overlook how fast his right comes up in front of his face to mouth level. The left hand is clearly not touching his throat either. as can clearly be seen.

   Which raises the question of why a man shot in the Back, is covering his mouth?

[Royell Storing]

I am aware of the Thorburn reflex but I am totally unqualified to offer an opinion as to whether that is what we see in that footage. The bullet did not hit the spine. It hit near the spine. I have seen similar responses on the football field when I player sustains a severe head injury.

    This "head injury" stuff explains much.

[Jarrett Smith]

I'm not suggesting anything. 

I am pointing out that President Kennedy never touched his throat like just about everyone claims when they mention his reaction to the first shot.  Clearly, he never went for his throat.  Ever.  His right hand and arm jerk upward, his hand is open, giving the appearance that his hand is covering his mouth, while his arm is splayed upward and folded at the elbow.
 
Too many people watch the Zapruder film at slower than normal speed because too many people post the Zapruder film onto YouTube at a speed slower than 18.3 frames per second and overlook how fast his right comes up in front of his face to mouth level. The left hand is clearly not touching his throat either. as can clearly be seen.

Looking at the Altgens photo it appears JFK's mouth is distorted from a shock to his spine and/or nerves.

[Benjamin Cole]

SB-

Thanks for posting, that is interesting. I have been aware for some time that JFK balls his fists more than clutches anything after being shot the first time, but you bring a clarifying perspective.

The more I looked at the frame Z-248 you provided, the more it looks like JFK actually turns and look to his own left towards Jackie. In this same frame Z-248 frame, Gov. JBC can be seen holding onto his Stetson hat, despite, by the SBT-LNT, having been short through the wrist with a large Western Cartridge 6.5 slug. A shot that left a large hole in the radius bone near his wrist, seen in x-rays. 



I may post soon on what Secret Service agent Paul Landis belatedly related.

I have long had reasonable doubts about the SBT-LNT.

Some suspect the shot that apparently strikes JFK ~Z-220 never passed through his body, and cite the finger probe of Dr. Hume to the effect. Hume found only a shallow hole.

If Landis' account is accurate, one explanation is that the first shot to strike JFK was underpowered, and penetrated only marginally, and then fell out onto the back seat of the limo, where is was found by Landis. That is the real CE-399 slug, not the one found by Tomlinson later.

Just IMHO.

Caveat emptor, and draw your own conclusions.

[John Corbett]

SB-

Thanks for posting, that is interesting. I have been aware for some time that JFK balls his fists more than clutches anything after being shot the first time, but you bring a clarifying perspective.

The more I looked at the frame Z-248 you provided, the more it looks like JFK actually turns and look to his own left towards Jackie. In this same frame Z-248 frame, Gov. JBC can be seen holding onto his Stetson hat, despite, by the SBT-LNT, having been short through the wrist with a large Western Cartridge 6.5 slug. A shot that left a large hole in the radius bone near his wrist, seen in x-rays. 

I may post soon on what Secret Service agent Paul Landis belatedly related.

I have long had reasonable doubts about the SBT-LNT.

Some suspect the shot that apparently strikes JFK ~Z-220 never passed through his body, and cite the finger probe of Dr. Hume to the effect. Hume found only a shallow hole.

If Landis' account is accurate, one explanation is that the first shot to strike JFK was underpowered, and penetrated only marginally, and then fell out onto the back seat of the limo, where is was found by Landis. That is the real CE-399 slug, not the on fund by Tomlinson later.

Just IMHO.

Caveat emptor, and draw your own conclusions.

It is truly preposterous to theorize that a bullet fired from a Carcano rifle is only going to penetrate a few inches into soft flesh. By contrast, the .38 Special that Ruby fired into the left side of Oswald's abdomen penetrated all the way to his right side, bulging out the skin without breaking it. It shredded the organs in between. The .38 Special has roughly half the muzzle velocity of a 6.5mm Carcano bullet. The latter can penetrate 3 feet of pine board. Before someone counters with the underpowered bullet argument, don't bother. A bullet traveling that slowly, a few hundred fps, is not going to hold its trajectory. Gravity would cause the bullet to fall well short of the intended target. If Oswald had fired a round that week, the bullet would have probably landed somewhere on the trunk of the limo if it reached the limo at all.

[Lance Payette]

After looking at medical illustrations of the Thorburn reflex, I thought perhaps JFK's reaction was too extreme and/or too long. However, the Thorburn reflex can actually last quite a long time. What we see in JFK is somewhat more extreme than the illustrations I could find, but both Dr. Lattimer and Dr. Payette are of the opinion that this is indeed the Thorburn reflex. (Non-interesting sidelight: Right out of law school I joined a very prestigious firm called Fennemore Craig Udall von Ammon & Powers. On the first day, new associates were warned FOR GOD'S SAKE don't EVER casually use the term "opinion" unless you are rendering a formal opinion because the term has a technical meaning and you will bind the firm's malpractice insurer to your inane "opinions" if you casually bandy this term about in your correspondence and pontifications.)