| JFK Assassination Hearings - Dr. James Barger & the Zapruder film | ||
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| This clip is not available for streaming at this time. Please contact WPA. | Tape Master: | 3649 |
| Catalog #: | 459723 | |
| Clip Number: | 459723-1 | |
| Orginal Film: | ||
| Timecode: | ||
| Location: | Old House Caucus Room | |
| Year Shot: | 1978 (Actual Year) | |
| Audio: | Yes | |
| Color: | Yes | |
| Headings: | GOVERNMENT: Hearings, JFK Assassination | |
| Description: | (01:01:22) Opens at the end of an explanation by Dr. JAMES BARGER using a map of Dealey Plaza how he can identify soundwaves from a tape of the JFK assassination as belonging to each of four bullets fired (01:01:49) Representative CHRISTOPHER DODD confirms with Barger that in 1963 the same tests could have been conducted reaching the same results, Dodd then asks what evidence there is that the third recorded impulse was a rifle shot - Barger responds that the loudness of the impulse suggest this is what it was and also the interpretation of the soundwave that suggests there was a shockwave which preceded the impulse, as a supersonic rifle shot would produce (01:06:20) Dodd asks about the lack of shock waves preceding the first two impulses - Barger explains the motorcycle microphone at that point would not have been in position to have picked up these shockwaves (01:07:15) Dodd asks how Barger reached his original probability percentage of 50% chance that there was a forth shot - Barger gives a self-defined "long winded" explanation (01:14:20) Chairman LOUIS STOKES recognizes Representative FLOYD FITHIAN, Fithian quotes from Barger's earlier testimony in September that his probability factor of 50% could not be improved with further tests, Fithian wants to know how Barger has come to change his mind - Barger gives a long reponse which summed up was that he had not thought of the analytical method MARK WEISS came up with to work with Barger's data (01:20:15) Fithian asks what would critics find fault with in this conclusion that there was a forth shot - Barger explains that because there is a lack of data certain assumptions have to be made based on probability factors, this he says could be a source of criticism, but that there is no better way to do what he, Weiss and ERNEST ASCHKENASY did (01:24:11) Stokes recognizes Representative ROBERT EDGAR, Edgar asks after bumbling about with various numbers and statistics how Barger could be 95% sure there was a forth shot - Barger gives a long, mathematical explanation of how he came up with this probability percentage (01:30:55) Edgar and Barger further discuss probability rates, first they discuss doing "statistical validation" tests in which gun shots in similar enviroments would be fired and recorded and the soundwave results would be compared to Weiss and Aschkenasy's findings, next they discuss what effect wind and temperature would have had on the 95% probability rate in both Barger's tests and the conclusions of Weiss and Aschkenasy (01:36:04) Stokes recognizes Barger's opportunity to suppliment his testimony - Barger takes the time to thank his research assisstants and Chief Counsel Professor ROBERT BLAKEY for his scientific approach to the hearings (01:39:07) Stokes recognizes Blakey, Blakey gives a long summary/review of the scientific evidence thus far and all the different directions it points, in particular he explains the scientific conclusions regarding where and when the bullets were fired, their trajectories, how they caused the various injuries to the victims in the limosine and how many were responsible for the injuries, Blakey also talks about integrating the various scientific evidence, in particular the acoustic evidence with the Zapruder film, to help the committee reach a conclusion about the possibility of a shot coming from the grassy knoll and hitting JFK (01:52:20) Blakey segues to a showing of the Zapruder film with a recording of Dr. Barger's acoutic tests of gun shots in Dealey Plaza incorporated as a sound track, he explains there will be two versions of the film shown, one that synchs the possible grassy knoll shot to the explosion of JFK's head, and the other which synchs the last book depository shot to the explosion of JFK's head (01:55:35) Blakey warns sensitive viewers to turn away now (01:56:20) Lights out (01:56:45) Film rolls, the image is pretty grainy and dark, there are four takes of the actual assassination, the two different sound track scenarios each get played to both a long shot of the limosine and a close-up - none of the films are very impressive and the image is so poor and film so fast no drama is felt from the actions or gun shot sounds, also the camer shot cuts to the projector in the middle of one take (01:58:18) Lights on, Blakey returns to the podium and gives a summary of other testimony that was supposed to have been heard at the day's hearings but due to time limits now cannot be: first he says that Dr. MICHAEL BADEN speaker for the committee appointed forensic pathology panel would have testified that he stands by his findings that only one bullet hit JFK's head and that it came from behind, second, Blakey says that Michigan state police examined JFK's limosine in the motorcade, that is now in their possession, for bullet holes but they could find nothing, third, Blakey says the committee consulted its expert engineering consultant about whether or not it was possible for the bullet that hit JFK's head to have come from the book depository based on its trajectory, Blakey says the response was no, but his explanation is cut off by the end of the tape | |
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