A question for John Corbett

[Tom Graves]

Dear John,

Based on someone's "jiggle analysis" of the Zapruder film, you seem to believe Oswald fired his missing-everything shot at Z-148.

Question: Was anyone in Dealey Plaza or in the limo caught on film consciously reacting to said shot about a second later, i.e., around Z-166?

-- Tom

PS We know that JFK stopped waving and quickly turned his head to his left in Z-144, and that at about the same time, Secret Service Agents Glen Bennett and George Hickey started leaning over in the back seat of the follow-up car -- Bennett to around Dave Powers after hearing what he thought was a firecracker, and Hickey to look down at the pavement where he thought a firecracker had exploded near the limo.

[John Corbett]

Dear John,

Based on someone's "jiggle analysis" of the Zapruder film, you seem to believe Oswald fired his missing-everything shot at Z-148.

Question: Was anyone in Dealey Plaza or in the limo caught on film consciously reacting to said shot about a second later, i.e., around Z-166?

Yes. JBC at Z164. Rosemary Willis started to slow down about a half second later.

-- Tom

PS We know that JFK stopped waving and quickly turned his head to his left in Z-144, and that at about the same time, Secret Service Agents Glen Bennett and George Hickey started leaning over in the back seat of the follow-up car -- Bennett to around Dave Powers after hearing what he thought was a firecracker, and Hickey to look down at the pavement where he thought a firecracker had exploded near the limo.

It requires an assumption to believe JFK stopped waving and turned his head at Z144 in response to hearing a gunshot. It doesn't require an assumption to believe JBC's turn at Z164 was in response to a shot. He told us that's what he did.

[Tom Graves]

It requires an assumption to believe JFK stopped waving and turned his head at Z144 in response to hearing a gunshot.

The assumption is based on the fact that the four other passengers in the limo turned their heads within half-a-second of JFK's Z-144 head turn, the fact that Secret Service Agents Bennett and Hickey began leaning (to look at JFK and at the pavement, respectively) during the same timeframe, and Rosemary Willis turned her head away from JFK/Jackie and towards the TSBD just before JFK quickly turned his head to his left.

It doesn't require an assumption to believe JBC's turn at Z164 was in response to a shot. He told us that's what he did.

JBC, who was looking to his right, quickly turned his head to his left in Z-150, and in your beloved Z-164 quickly turned his head back to his right to see if JFK was okay.

Your theory is based on "jiggle analysis" and the assumption that JBC began his quick head turns in Z-164.

Why do you suppose JBC quicky turned his head to his left in Z-150?

[John Corbett]

The assumption is based on the fact that the four other passengers in the limo turned their heads within half-a-second of JFK's Z-144 head turn, the fact that Secret Service Agents Bennett and Hickey began leaning (to look at JFK and at the pavement, respectively) during the same timeframe, and Rosemary Willis turned her head away from JFK/Jackie and towards the TSBD just before JFK quickly turned his head to his left.

JBC, who was looking to his right, quickly turned his head to his left in Z-150, and in your beloved Z-164 quickly turned his head back to his right to see if JFK was okay.

Your theory is based on "jiggle analysis" and the assumption that JBC began his quick head turns in Z-164.

Why do you suppose JBC quicky turned his head to his left in Z-150?

I don't suppose anything. There are any number of reasons for the people in the limo to turn their heads. A reaction to a gunshot is just one possibility. Maybe that was the point in time when Nellie said to JFK, "You can't say Dallas doesn't love you" and JFK responded by saying, "No, you sure can't." According to Nellie, that first shot sounded just after that exchange. I'm not stating that as fact, only a possibility. Nellie wasn't the most reliable of witnesses.

[Lance Payette]

This is so ridiculous it's embarrassing. After carefully monitoring myself on my drive to Walmart this morning, I am forced to conclude that I reacted to at least 14 shots. My wife thinks it was 17, but she's kind of a Nellie Connally if you get my drift. Honestly, does it get any sillier or more pointless than this?

[Tom Graves]

This is so ridiculous it's embarrassing. After carefully monitoring myself on my drive to Walmart this morning, I am forced to conclude that I reacted to at least 14 shots. My wife thinks it was 17, but she's kind of a Nellie Connally if you get my drift. Honestly, does it get any sillier or more pointless than this?

Who asked you, MGFPR?

(Macho Genius Fancy Pants Rants)

[Tom Graves]

I don't suppose anything. There are any number of reasons for the people in the limo to turn their heads. A reaction to a gunshot is just one possibility. Maybe that was the point in time when Nellie said to JFK, "You can't say Dallas doesn't love you" and JFK responded by saying, "No, you sure can't." According to Nellie, that first shot sounded just after that exchange. I'm not stating that as fact, only a possibility. Nellie wasn't the most reliable of witnesses.

Point taken, but the four other limo passengers did turn their heads (in different directions) within half-a-second of JFK's quick turn to his left in Z-144, and Rosemary Willis did turn her head away from JFK and Jackie and towards the TSBD right before JFK's head turn, and Secret Service Agents Bennett and Hickey did start leaning over far in the follow-up car during the same time frame -- the former, having heard a firecracker-like-sound, to look around Dave Powers, and the latter, having heard a firecracker-like-sound, to look down at the pavement where the thought the firecracker had exploded.