JFK Assassination Forum

It couldn't have been rifle smoke on the GK because there was no rifle on the GK.

    "Rifle" Smoke?  Who specifically attached this alleged smoke to a "Rifle"?

It couldn't have been rifle smoke on the GK because there was no rifle on the GK.

Bobby Hargis’ testimony indicates that he was in that area about the time that the TSBD was finally sealed. From his testimony to the WC:

… so, I came back to the Texas School Book Depository. At that time it seemed like the activity was centered around the Texas School Book Depository, so, that is when I heard someone say, one of the sergeants or lieutenants, I don't know, "Don't let any- one out of the Texas School Book Depository," and so, I went to a gap that had not been filled, which was at the southwest corner. Mr. STERN. And you remained there until you were relieved? Mr. HARGIS. Yes.

I have drawn a yellow circle around the area that is the southwest corner of the TSBD. Isn’t this the area where the motorcycle cop in question was filmed?

   This overhead view makes it clear how close the Officer Harkness Check Point was to the railroad spur closest to the Elm St Extension. Just use the cars pictured to measure the distance between the Harkness Check Point and that railroad spur. Figure 17.5 feet per car. And this is made clear on that newly discovered Darnell Fim footage that pans from the Elm St Extension to that Harkness Check Point. And this Darnell Film snippet also shows the Elm St Extension to now be jammed with people. The time of this snippet being 12:38 PM. That "No Glove Cop" is not Officer Haygood. Haygood was already back at his motorcycle making his documented police radio transmission at 12:35 PM.

Did James Simmons See Smoke from a Rifle on the Grassy Knoll?



Another one of Mark Lane's witnesses to support his theory that a gunman was firing from the grassy knoll was James Simmons: (page 40 of Rush to Judgment)

In filmed interviews, both James L. Simmons and Richard C. Dodd told me that they had seen smoke near the bushes and trees at the corner of the wooden fence. Simmons said the sound of the shots 'came from the left and in front of us, toward the wooden fence, and there was puff of smoke that came underneath the trees on the embankment.'

Here is what Simmons said in 1964 to the FBI:



Simmons said that "he thought he saw exhaust fumes of smoke near the embankment in front of the Texas School Book Depository," and that "it was his opinion the shots came from the direction of the Texas School Book Depository."


Now, here is what Simmons told Mark Lane in 1966:


LANE. What did you see and what did you hear?


SIMMONS. As the presidential limousine was rounding the curve on Elm Street, there was a loud explosion. At the time I didn't know what it was, but it sounded like a loud firecracker or a gun shot. Ann it sounded like it came form the left and in front of us towards the wooden fence. And there was a puff of smoke that came underneath of the trees on the embankment.


LANE. Where was the puff of smoke Mr. Simmons in relation to the wooden fence?


SIMMONS. It was right directly in front of the wooden fence....


LANE. After you heard the shots and saw the smoke, what did you do?


SIMMONS. I was talkin with Patrolman Foster at the time. And as soon as we heard the shots we ran around to the wooden fence. And when we got there there was no one there. But there was footprints in the mud around the fence, and there was footprints on the wooden two by four railing on the fence.


LANE. Were you questioned by Dallas Police that day?


SIMMONS. Yes, I was.


LANE. Did you give your name to the Dallas Police?


SIMMONS. Yes, I did.


LANE. Did you tell them what you just told me?


SIMMONS. Yes, I did.


LANE. Were you subsequently questioned by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.


SIMMONS. About a month later I was questioned by the FBI.


LANE. Did you tell them what you told me and what you told the Dallas Police?


SIMMONS. Yes, I did.


So, Simmons changes the location of the smoke from "near the embankment in front of the depository" to "underneath the trees on the embankment." Lane doesn't ask him about the change in the location of the smoke, nor does he ask him about whether the smoke was "exhaust fumes."


And Lane doesn't dare tell his readers that Simmons initially thought the shots came from the Texas School Book Depository. In fact, Lane doesn't tell his readers anything about what Simmons said in 1964, although he does provide a footnote to Simmons' statement -- so we know that Lane knew about it.

Your horrid photo analysis continues unabated, I see?