The Shifting Single-Bullet Theory--It Always "Works" No Matter What

[Marjan Rynkiewicz]

Let us take the Knott Laboratory digital reconstruction as a 100% molecular accurate illustration of events. Its trajectory depicts a "perfect straight-line bullet trajectory" through JFK, demonstrated by projecting a straight line from the president's throat wound through his back wound and towards the sixth-floor southeast corner window of the Texas School Book Depository. Extended is the straight line towards Governor Connally's back.

So, the Knott Laboratory reconstruction assumes a "perfect straight-line ballistic trajectory" and, therefore, appears to demonstrate that the Single Bullet Theory is impossible. But its reconstruction is somewhat deceptive and emphatically demonstrably erroneous. It does not consider the possibility that CE 399 (FB1 C1) could have traversed through JFK—from back to front—by a "slightly curved left-to-right nonlinear trajectory."

A "slightly curved left-to-right nonlinear trajectory" would change the bullet entry and exit angles but still enter and exit at the locations of the president's wounds and could explain the 10″ (to Connally's back) discrepancy in the Knott Laboratory digital reconstruction. The slight change in bullet entry and exit angles from that depicted could still align with the sniper's nest window, slightly altering the assassin and their rifle's position. In short, the nonlinear trajectory has the bullet exiting the president's throat at an angle different from that demonstrated in the Knott Laboratory digital reconstruction and strikes Governor Connally near the right armpit.

Supposition: CE 399 traverses JFK by a nonlinear trajectory, passing between the transverse process of his 7th cervical vertebrae and the transverse process of his 1st thoracic vertebrae (avoids striking his spine) and then of course, exits his throat slightly to the right of his Adam's Apple.

The following is a rare example of a possible nonlinear full metal-jacketed bullet trajectory:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42399-021-00760-3

Yes a FMJ rarely has zero veer in jelly, & sometimes say 15 deg of veer in say 15 inches. But i want to point out some other Knott krapp.
The Knott 3D of Dealey Plaza adds almost zero to the SBT question, except that it helps Knott to play around with the angles of the dangles re whether Oswald's shot-2 was at say Z200 or Z218 or Z224 etc (it was at Z218).
The Knott 3D of the limo & jfk & Connally is the critical ingredient. And here Knott have (must have) stuffed up.
Lets assume that Knott did not stuff up. In that case........
(1)  Where did the bullet that passed throo jfk end up? What did it hit (end up) after it exited jfk?
             Knott proved beyond any doubt that the slug was made of ice & melted.
(2)  Where did the bullet that passed throo Connally come from?
             Knott proved beyond any doubt that the slug came from say a 4th floor window at the western end of the TSBD.

(3) Did Knott explain how the bullet that hit Connally caused the lapel flip at Z224?
                Lattimer tests in 1994 (i think) showed that there was no lapel flip unless the bullet was yawing (starting to tumble) when it entered Connally.
            Knott proved beyond any doubt that the sniper used a smooth bore barrel, & that the slug was starting to tumble when it hit.

[Andrew Mason]

Lets assume that Knott did not stuff up. In that case........
(1)  Where did the bullet that passed throo jfk end up? What did it hit (end up) after it exited jfk?
             Knott proved beyond any doubt that the slug was made of ice & melted.

Knott's analysis is based on the shot through JFK at z223-225.  It shows that the bullet could not have struck JBC in the right armpit.

It would be interesting to see what their analysis would show if the shot occurred at z193-195, which is a better fit with all the evidence.

At that point JBC is turned to the right. Also, the right to left angle from the SN is greater than at z223-225. It appears to be at least 13. degrees and goes to JBC's left side. So it could have hit JBC on the left side after exiting JFK.

[Marjan Rynkiewicz]

Lets assume that Knott did not stuff up. In that case........
(1)  Where did the bullet that passed throo jfk end up? What did it hit (end up) after it exited jfk?
             Knott proved beyond any doubt that the slug was made of ice & melted.

Knott's analysis is based on the shot through JFK at z223-225.  It shows that the bullet could not have struck JBC in the right armpit.

It would be interesting to see what their analysis would show if the shot occurred at z193-195, which is a better fit with all the evidence.

At that point JBC is turned to the right. Also, the right to left angle from the SN is greater than at z223-225. It appears to be at least 13. degrees and goes to JBC's left side. So it could have hit JBC on the left side after exiting JFK.

Yes. I steered clear of adding an additional dot-point before my (1), ie a say (0) that the shot that passed throo jfk had to have caused some damage,
...... (0)(a) damage to Connally, &/or
...... (0)(b) damage to the limo.

I suppose that an answer to my (0)(a) &or (0)(b) might be that the exiting slug did not have enuff speed to do any damage.
In which case i would ask.....  then where is that slug? In which case an answer might be that.........
.............. that slug was the slug found in the jfklimo by Landis, or
.............. that it was the slug that was found in the jfklimo on the night of the autopsy at Bethseda, or
............... that the slug had enuff speed to bounce out into Elm St (Hargis did say that a slug bounced offa his motorbike fender).

I doubt that Z193-195 is a better fit with all the evidence.
Firstly, Oswald's shot-2 was at Z218 (or Z219 at latest).
Nextly, an earlier shot at Z193-195 needs a steeper vertical slug angle (compared to Z196-230). And i think that a steeper vertical angle makes Knotts' alignment problem worse (i think they had the SBT at Z223).
But i agree that the nett right-to-left horizontal angle from the SN (for Z193-195) is greater than for a later shot (ie is a better fit with all of the evidence), koz Elm St is gradually curving to the left as the limo goes further down the hill.

[Andrew Mason]

Firstly, Oswald's shot-2 was at Z218 (or Z219 at latest).
Nextly, an earlier shot at Z193-195 needs a steeper vertical slug angle (compared to Z196-230). And i think that a steeper vertical angle makes Knotts' alignment problem worse (i think they had the SBT at Z223).
But i agree that the nett right-to-left horizontal angle from the SN (for Z193-195) is greater than for a later shot (ie is a better fit with all of the evidence), koz Elm St is gradually curving to the left as the limo goes further down the hill.

I am not sure what makes you conclude that the shot was at z218.

Here is some of the evidence of a first shot striking JFK just before z202:

1. Motorcade witnesses said that the VP car had just completed the turn and the VP security car had turned 90 degrees of the 120 degree turn and was along side the TSBD. The VP car is still turning when last seen at z181
.
2. Hugh Betzner said he took his z186 photo and began to wind his camera to take another when the first shot sounded.

3. Linda Willis said that JFK was passing between her and the Stemmons sign when the first shot sounded. JFK was in that line of sight between about z195 and z205.

4. Phil Willis said his z202 photo was taken a fraction of a second after the first shot and caused him to press the shutter.

5. In the Secret Service film made 10 days after the assassination the JFK stand-in is visible through the leaves while passing beneath the oak tree and is completely clear as he passes the lamppost and before he reaches the Thornton Freeway sign He was opposite the Thornton sign at z200.

6. Mary Woodward, standing opposite the President at about z192 said the first "horrible ear-shattering  noise" occurred just as he passed by.

7. Other witnesses farther along Elm St. such as Karan Hicks, Gloria Calvary, Carol Reed and Karrn Westbrook said the President's car was almost directly in front of them when the first shot sounded.

8. SA Jack Ready in the right front running board of the QM said he immediately turned to the rear when he heard the first shot.  He begins his turn releasing his right hand from the front hand-hold at z199.

9. T.E. Moore said the president had reached the Thornton sign when the first shot sounded. JFK was in that position at z200.

10. The shot pattern recalled by over 40 witnesses puts the relative spacing 1......2...3 with a longer pause between the first and second and the last two in rapid succession. That is over six seconds if the last two were 2 seconds apart.

[Marjan Rynkiewicz]

I am not sure what makes you conclude that the shot was at z218.

Here is some of the evidence of a first shot striking JFK just before z202:

1. Motorcade witnesses said that the VP car had just completed the turn and the VP security car had turned 90 degrees of the 120 degree turn and was along side the TSBD. The VP car is still turning when last seen at z181
.
2. Hugh Betzner said he took his z186 photo and began to wind his camera to take another when the first shot sounded.

3. Linda Willis said that JFK was passing between her and the Stemmons sign when the first shot sounded. JFK was in that line of sight between about z195 and z205.

4. Phil Willis said his z202 photo was taken a fraction of a second after the first shot and caused him to press the shutter.

5. In the Secret Service film made 10 days after the assassination the JFK stand-in is visible through the leaves while passing beneath the oak tree and is completely clear as he passes the lamppost and before he reaches the Thornton Freeway sign He was opposite the Thornton sign at z200.

6. Mary Woodward, standing opposite the President at about z192 said the first "horrible ear-shattering  noise" occurred just as he passed by.

7. Other witnesses farther along Elm St. such as Karan Hicks, Gloria Calvary, Carol Reed and Karrn Westbrook said the President's car was almost directly in front of them when the first shot sounded.

8. SA Jack Ready in the right front running board of the QM said he immediately turned to the rear when he heard the first shot.  He begins his turn releasing his right hand from the front hand-hold at z199.

9. T.E. Moore said the president had reached the Thornton sign when the first shot sounded. JFK was in that position at z200.

10. The shot pattern recalled by over 40 witnesses puts the relative spacing 1......2...3 with a longer pause between the first and second and the last two in rapid succession. That is over six seconds if the last two were 2 seconds apart.

Your reference to 9. re Moore is wrong. Moore did not say that shot-1 was at the Thornton sign, Moore said that it was when the jfklimo was near the small highway markers near the overhead signals. The reference to the Thornton sign was inserted by the FBI.
In any case, my reason for shot-2 being at Z218 is that that frame accords with the reactions of jfk & Connally.
In addition, Z218 accords with Lattimer's 1994 lapel flip tests, as i explain in that thread. The 1963 lapel flip is at Z224, & the 1994 lapel flip test tells me that the 1963 shot was 6 frames earlier, ie at Z218, But i would be ok with Z219 at latest.

[Andrew Mason]

Your reference to 9. re Moore is wrong. Moore did not say that shot-1 was at the Thornton sign, Moore said that it was when the jfklimo was near the small highway markers near the overhead signals. The reference to the Thornton sign was inserted by the FBI.

That sounds like Max Holland's attempt to put the first shot before Zapruder began filming.  Moore signed the statement. I think he would know the difference between the huge Thornton Freeway sign (with three highway markers)xall by itself and a single pole 10 feet past the traffic light with two highway markers and no sign.

In any case, my reason for shot-2 being at Z218 is that that frame accords with the reactions of jfk & Connally.
In addition, Z218 accords with Lattimer's 1994 lapel flip tests, as i explain in that thread. The 1963 lapel flip is at Z224, & the 1994 lapel flip test tells me that the 1963 shot was 6 frames earlier, ie at Z218, But i would be ok with Z219 at latest.

The whole point is to determine whether the shot through JFK could have struck JBC in the right armpit based on the SN-JFK neck-JBC right armpit trajectory being a straight line.  You have to suspend your belief that it occurred and look at the trajectory evidence at points where evidence indicates that the first shot occurred.  There is abundant, consistent evidence that the first shot did not miss and was before z202.

[Marjan Rynkiewicz]

That sounds like Max Holland's attempt to put the first shot before Zapruder began filming.  Moore signed the statement. I think he would know the difference between the huge Thornton Freeway sign (with three highway markers)xall by itself and a single pole 10 feet past the traffic light with two highway markers and no sign.The whole point is to determine whether the shot through JFK could have struck JBC in the right armpit based on the SN-JFK neck-JBC right armpit trajectory being a straight line.  You have to suspend your belief that it occurred and look at the trajectory evidence at points where evidence indicates that the first shot occurred.  There is abundant, consistent evidence that the first shot did not miss and was before z202.

Witness evidence & reaction evidence tells us that Oswald's shot-1 happened well before Z133.
I thort that Knotts (reckoned that they) showed that shot-2 after passing throo jfk would have hit Connally near his spine unless Connally was moved further left by about 10 inches.
Re the SBT having or needing a straight line, i think that it is undeniable that a dogleg or double dogleg in the SB trajectory must help the SBT.
And i am thinking that that dogleg might have been as much as say 10 deg in 10 inches, & then say 12  deg in 12 inches, making a possible total of say 22 deg in 22 inches.
We would need to use 2 blocks of jelly to do such a test, or dozens of tests, to see the possible ranges of resulting doglegs.
For example a 10 inch block of jelly seperated by say 30 inches of air from a 12 inch block of jelly would probably give a greater range of resulting doglegs than a single 22 inch block of jelly.
I suppose that both blocks of jelly should have some bone in there somewhere.