Post 4: November 28, 2009 - Where is Officer Chaney?
Post 3: April 6 2008 - see below
Post 2: December 16, 2007 - see below
Post 1: Friday, November 24, 2006
The Altgens Photograph of the initial shot at Dealey Plaza and reactions of Kennedy, Connally and even Jackie is widely accepted . Indeed it has the closest thing to a legal chain of custody of any photo taken that day. It was on the AP wire and appeared in European publications the next day. The second thing is that eyewitness testimony support the scene depicted in Altgens, like no other. The problem is that upon close examination the photograph, in spatial orientation, agrees with none of the others, including Zapruder.
The Warren Commission placed the scene in Altgens at Zapruder (Z) frame 255, 181.9 ft from station C which is the turning point from Houston to Elm. this is a turning point in space as the actual corner of Elm and Houston was recessed about 40 ft in the construction of the Triple Underpass and Dealey Plaza. Examination of the Altgens photograph using land marks and cars lengths as measuring sticks clearly show that the event occurred about 95 ft from station C, not 181.9 ft!
In order to correctly orientate the Altgens picture with Zapruder I took a human landmark - the guy in the hard hat next to the lamp post as a reference point, and attempted to match it up with Zapruder. Note the red arrow pointing to the hard hat in Altgens. (to see larger picture go to http://picasaweb.google.com/drgfox/UntitledAlbum/photo#5012200368147908866
Z frame 153 (below) gives a good look at the hard hat and the 4th car coming around the corner. However we need to proceed about a full car length (about 15 ft) to match Altgens. At about 12 mph (widely estimated speed of the motorcade) about 18 ft is covered in one second - coincidentally Zapruder's camera speed was about 18 frames/sec. Thus each frame roughly equals a foot of travel - thus we need about 15 frames to reach the Altgens point.
Z frame 163 (below) is the last frame in which a portion of the hard hat appears (red arrow), but we are still not there.
Z frame 167 (below) is about right - all 4 cars have cleared the turning point, and the door of car # 4 containing LBJ's secret service detachment can be seen to open. Agent Warren Taylor had to be the most alert guy that day as upon hearing the first shot (fire cracker) he opened the car door to get out. He stated that this occurred as they just turned the corner , exactly as depicted in Altgens and Z frame 167.
According to the Warren Commission this event does not take place in front of the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD), as essentially all witnesses testified, but Kennedy continues on. As we move to Z frame 224 (below) note that Kennedy is moving away from the corner. Note the concrete pergola which is on the corner across from the TSBD, receding in the background.
Z frame 255 (below) this is the point at which the scene depicted in Altgens can be seen - Kennedy clutching his throat - Connally's turn toward Kennedy - Jackie's gloved hands moving toward Kennedy in assistance. This scene has been advanced 89 frames and almost 5 seconds from Altgens. Incredible.
The other disturbing fact is that the reaction of passenger side, running board , secret service agents - looking toward the TSBD at the first shot is nowhere depicted in Zapruder. Also, the reaction of agent Hickey, back seat, second car , (highlighted in Altgens-green arrow), where he stands up and rotates 180 degrees, looking back at the TSBD, is again no where depicted in Zapruder. All these actions were testified to , but appear nowhere in Zapruder. Even as we proceed from Z 167 to Z 180 and 188 (below) there is no movement; it is as if everybody is frozen in time. Indeed it is reported that Zapruder himself stated that he had filmed the initial shot and reactions thereof, with no explanation as to how they became obscured by the Stemmons freeway sign.
I could speculate, but look at the images yourself, see what you think. Considering that the Zapruder film has been considered prima fascia for both critics and supporters of the Warren Commission, this anachronism is reason enough to completely start over with the entire investigation.
Post 2: December 16, 2007
The Altgens Anomaly II
I went to Dallas with my son Mark – ready to show that the Altgens Photograph was taken at a point much closer to the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) than has been commonly accepted – boy was I wrong. I tried and tried but we could not get the land marks to line up to create the magical curve in the road on the right (south) side of the photo.
My son Mark - who has a much better visual sense than myself – lined it up instinctively. To my surprise Altgens (Mark) was standing very near the fatal head shot – exactly in the spot that he (Altgens) indicated on Warren Commission Exhibit 354 – actually very close to the fatal head shot– he (Altgens) said that he was within 15 feet. There is no photograph or frame of the Zapruder film that shows him there, but that is the only spot from which we could line up that shot (Warren Commission Exhibit 354, position #3).
In groping to find the perfect spot – we never did get perfect, but it was close enough to prove the point, that Altgens was in the area. In doing this we photographed a number of cars and trains of cars that lined up with the Altgens photograph – that was our next surprise - in his testimony to the Warren commission Altgens stated that he shot his picture an instant (almost simultaneous) before the first shot was heard in his area. He went on to state that he had his camera set for 30 ft. He said the camera was then set for 15 ft – and when Kennedy came into focus his head blew up and Altgens could not snap the picture, he froze . Wayne Liebeler the WC questioner was absolutely incredulous because that means that from Altgens’ vantage point the assassination from beginning to end only covered 15 ft! At 11 mph (WC estimated travel speed ) the cars travels 16.2 ft/sec, that means it was over in about a second! Altgens was unshakable on this point – just as he was on his position in Dealey Plaza. Go back and look at the Altgens photograph – in those days the lane dividers were 15 ft long – the lane width was 13 ft, the cars were15 – 20 ft long - use these numbers as a measuring stick. Accordingly, if Altgens was correct, the fatal head shot took place at the very edge of the picture - in the frame. Wayne Liebeler dropped this line of questioning – one can picture him scratching his head – Altgens offered to take the WC members to Dealey plaza and step it out for them, but no one wanted any part of that.
My point in all of this - At Dealey Plaza they have a big X on the roadway where the fatal head shot occurred - I believe (now) that this X is accurate. In our simulation when a car lined up with the Altgens photograph - invariably that X was 15 ft in front of the right tire – just like Altgens said it would be. As this sunk in I was both amazed and confused.
I went back and took a closer look at other witness supported images and witness testimony and found that Altgens’ image and his version of events is supported by all the eyewitness testimony (including Zapruder). Just as his picture without any real exception captured the initial reaction of the members of the caravan from WC testimony.
Charles Brehm (close eye witness south side of street – same side as Altgens) stated that from the first shot to the last the car only traveled 10 – 12 ft.
Linda Willis (same side of street, across from the Stemmons Freeway sign) notes that the first shot took place at the sign with the car traveling about 25 ft before the fatal head shot. For some reason She is not depicted (that I can tell ) in the Zapruder film, but eye witnesses place her there.
Jean Hill and Mary Moorman ( same side of street – close eyewitnesses) Do not state a time interval, but give the impression that things happened very quickly, and in a very short space. Hill states “ The motorcade came to almost a halt at the time the shots rang out, and I would say it was just approximately, if not – it couldn’t have been in the same position. I’m sure it wasn’t, but just a very, very short distance from where it had been”. When pressed on how far the car traveled to the final shots (Hill testified that she heard 6 shots) Hill states “That was during those shots, I think it wasn’t any further than a few feet - further down”. Confusing testimony of a confused witness, but one gets the impression that she is trying to describe an event that was very compressed in time and space. Also it should be noted that Hill like many credible witnesses describes the car coming to a halt during the assassination, which of course is not seed in the Zapruder film.
Altgens was in the same general area with these people – we know what he says 15 ft. (plus any reaction lag distance to first shot) These witnesses put the event in a 10 - 25 ft ballpark – the Zapruder film gives the impression of 90 ft or more. I believe we should give special credence to Altgens’ numbers over all others for 2 reasons. 1st he was a professional observer (cameraman), 2nd he had a device to measure distance (his camera’s distance meter)
On the other side of the street we have John and Mary Chism – right at the Stemmons Freeway sign – they say it began (first shot) right there. This is supported by Linda Willis, and Phil Willis and Hugh Benztner who both snapped pictures (they say at the instant of the first shot) which shows Kennedy even with the sign but with no apparent reaction by Kennedy or anyone else to the shot. Both these guys were probably 100 – 200 ft closed to the TSBD than Altgens, maybe they got a true simultaneous shot of the initial shot before anyone including Kennedy had time to react. Altgens was not able to achieve this, he captured reactions.
We think (based on pictures ) that the Newman’s (Bill and Gail) were about 50 ft down the road from the sign. They say that the first shot occurred about 50 ft from them and that Kennedy’s head blew up right in front of them. That’s about a 50 ft interval
Lyndal Shaneyfeld (the FBI researcher conducting the reenactment ) notes that the measured distance of the event and the Zapruder film do not agree, and that based on travel speed of 11 mph the whole event lasted 3.5 seconds (Zapruder frame 222 – 313) At 11 – 12 mph each Zapruder frame covers about 1 ft. Thus, 91 frames equals about 91 ft, but using Shaneyfeld’s figures it only covers 56 ft ( 11 mph (16 ft/sec) travel time X 3.5 sec = 56 ft). Shaneyfeld’s figures agree more closely with eyewitness testimony than the Zapruder film itself. The Warren Commission did not discuss this discrepancy, they ignored it completely.
Clint Hill’s (Secret Service Agent, driver side front running board of presidential follow up car, assisted Jackie Kennedy, jumped on presidential limo) estimate of assassination interval also on WC Exhibit 354 is about 50 ft – marked x--------y. Interestingly he has the assassination starting at the R L Thornton Freeway sign about 40 ft ahead of the Stemmons Freeway sign. I have no good explanation for this except that on the running board of the follow up car, he may have been closer to the Thornton Freeway sign than the Stemmons freeway sign when the shooting began.
Finally we have Abraham Zapruder – you must read his testimony – you have to read between the lines a bit , but his testimony supports Altgens. Zapruder did not realize that the Stemmons Freeway sign blocked his view until Wayne Liebeler told him it did. Zapruder thought that he filmed the event uninterrupted. His comments about events around the Stemmons freeway sign make it seem like it started there and advanced very quickly. It is obvious at some points that Zapruder does not recognize frames from his own film – he’s confused – he’s trying to be cooperative. In particular – he did not see the Kennedy hands up around the neck going on frame after frame – he saw an immediate reaction, quickly followed by holding his chest (left side) and sagging to his left – as noted by many eye witnesses, but not depicted on the Zapruder film that we see today.
So what did happen: Based on my on site measurements and observation, testimony of relevant eye witnesses from the Warren Report, and the Altgens photograph this is what I think happened. The presidential limo was traveling down Elm Street at about 12 mph, the car cleared the obstruction of the tree around the TSBD, and the first shot rang out as the car reached the Stemmons Freeway sign. Altgens 200 ft from the TSBD had a slight sound travel delay and possibly a slight hesitation in snapping the shot – captured (by accident) the initial startle reaction of the entire motorcade (a 0.25 – 0.50 second event). I’ve simulated all the reactions, they all can be done in 0.5 seconds, and there is no evidence of spring back anywhere – it’s the startle reaction. Thus at 12 mph (18 feet/second) – the car traveled 9 feet and another 15 feet , and it was all over – 24 feet. Now if the car was traveling faster – reaction time a bit slower – it could easily extend to 35 – 40 ft, but none of the key eye witnesses placed any more than 50 ft. Time of travel – who knows – if the car slowed or stopped as many credible eye witnesses reported – 3.5 – 4.0 seconds or more might be the case. However at 12mph (18 feet/second) the tabulated Altgens distance 24 feet would only require 1.33 seconds (24ft / 18ft/sec) At 35 feet (more liberal event distance) it still only requires about 2 seconds.
Because of this I’ve thought about human perception a lot – a 100 yard dash runner takes a step every 1/10 of a second about the same amount of time that it takes a defensive back at the climatic moment to break up a pass – an instant. In English we have no good word for an instant (1/10 second) or blink of an eye (1/20 second). So when traumatic events like those in Dealey Plaza occur we tend to order them in second units. Maybe that happened in Dealey Plaza – 2 seconds seemed like 4 – 6 seconds because 4 -6 discrete events occurred in 2 seconds.
I think that the assassination event in Dealey Plaza was much compressed in either distance or time or both in such a way that no one seeing it would believe that it could have been accomplished with a single bolt action rifle. Connally never believed it , why should you – for this reason the Zapruder film had to be modified – stretched out – in time and space. Next time you see the Zapruder film - does it look like the assassination event covers just 25 – 50 feet. Also note the speed of the presidential limo – the next time you’re in a school zone run your car at 12 mph (it’s real slow) – then look at the Zapruder film again. I think you’ll see what I mean. It seems to run much faster especially during the assassination sequence.
WC Exhibit 354 and all the witness testimony and exhibits can be easily accessed at:
http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/contents.htm
Take a look at them yourself and see what you think.
Altgens Anomaly III
I continued to spend some time on this subject over the holidays with the result that I just became more convinced that the assassination timeline duration/distance was much compressed when compared to the official account. The distance of the Stemmons Freeway sign from station C is about 204 feet. I used the plot map from the House Assassination Committee Investigation (1975) to determine this and I stepped it out (measured it) when I was in Dealey Plaza with my son. I also lined the Stemmons sign up with the Zapruder position as it appeared in his pictures - it lined up. The Bentzner photo and the Willis Photo (#5) also were confirming pieces of evidence. The Warren Commission never reports a position for (distance from station C for the Stemmons Freeway sign) and the methods and materials for their measurement up to the Stemmons Freeway sign are very unclear, difficult to interpret, and the plot map that they provide is impossible to read, and everything is referenced to the Zapruder film which in my mind is a problem in itself.
However, the position of the fatal head shot (position X) is another matter. The Zapruder film is not used to establish this position. The Nix and Muchmore film are used – the following is taken directly from the Warren Commission Report , page 110.
“ The president’s location on the plat map was identical to that determined from the Nix film. The president’s location established through the Nix and Muchmore films was confirmed by comparing his position on the Zapruder film. This location had hitherto only been approximated, since there were no landmarks in the background of the Zapruder frame for alignment purposes other than a portion of a painted line on the curb. Through these procedures, it was determined that President Kennedy was shot in the head when he was 230.8 feet from a point on the west curb line on Houston Street where it intersects with Elm Street.” (station C).
230.8 feet from station C (minus) 204 feet from station C for the Stemmons freeway sign (equals) 26.8 feet for total assassination travel distance. At 11.2 MPH (Warren Commission estimate of presidential car travel speed, page 48, Warren Commission) the car travels 16.4 feet/second. 26.8 feet travel distance (divided by) 16.4 feet/second travel speed (equals) 1.6 seconds for assassination duration in time. 1.6 second for the whole event determined from Warren Commission data!!
Over the holidays I looked the Warren Commission testimony of the last of the commonly cited Dealey Plaza eye witnesses that were close to the fatal head shot. Emmet Hudson was standing on the steps running down from the Pergola about 50 feet from the Newman’s on the North side of the road, down a ways from the fatal head shot (30 feet – 50 feet, my rough estimate). He was asked about the fatal shot by Wayne Liebeler – Wayne was trying to coach Emmet (in my opinion) to move the event further down from the Stemmons Freeway sign, but on this Emmet was sure and unshakable. Emmet said that the fatal head shot was pretty close to the Stemmons Freeway sign (Warren Commission Volume XII). 26.8 feet is pretty close.
Conclusion
Based on the Altgens photograph and eye witness testimony the assassination began at the Stemmons Freeway sign (204 ft) from the intersection of Houston and Elm.
After another 30-50 ft it was all over - at a travel speed of 12 mph (18 ft/sec) it would have taken only 2-3 seconds.
If the car had slowed down or momentarily stopped as numerous observers testified – that could easily extend to the 4 – 6 second interval that so many witnesses reported.
The Altgens photograph buttressed by eyewitness testimony depicts an event contracted in time or distance or both over what is seen in other depictions, especially Zapruder.
Finally, nothing illustrates the Altgens Anomaly more than Officer Chaney’s position right next to Kennedy watching the bullets (all the bullets) slam into Kennedy. Chaney stated that this is exactly where he was, but it is depicted in no film or photograph except Altgens.
Note
This is my conclusion on this subject (for now), but I’ll be back with more exhibits to illustrate the assertion that I have made herein.
Post 3: 4-6-2008
This is taken directly from the Warren Commisssion exhibits. You can get a better view at:
http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/wc/wcvols/wh16/html/WH_Vol16_0487a.htm
Please go to the URL you can hardly see anything as this picture is so small. Altgens positioned himself at location #3 across the street and bisecting the semi circular Pergola in the back ground. he was quite insistant that this is exactly where he was . However none of the other photos or films place him there.
These are pictures taken in the summer of 2007 by my son, Mark. As I have indicated above, I initially thought that Altgens and his photo were much closer to the TSBD, on the south side just across the street. Mark who has a much better visual sense immediately took this photo attempting a match. I told him that he was too far away, he was in the general area of position #3. In fact he was pretty close in this shot. As the day went on it slowly dawned on us that 3 landmarks were important to line up with Altgens. #1 we needed to create the curve in the road (south side). This is a bit of an optical illusion. You can not see this at Dealey Plaza just walking the road. You need to position your self in the proper place (as it works out Altgens position #3), look through the camera and it magically appears. #2 you need to put the concrete pillar on the west side of the TSBD entrance with one entrance column (facade fake) exposed and 1/2 to 1/4 of the other column exposed. #3 you need to put the tree at the east edge of the entrance inside both faux columns. Now look at Algens and look at Mark's first photo. He got pretty close on instinct on the very first try. The X in the middle of the road is where the fatal shot took place, there is also a white strip on the south curb which also marks this spot. I believe that this positioning is accurate. There is also a white X about 10ft-15ft in front of the silver colored car in the middle lane. This is where the first shot supposedly took place. I don't believe that this positioning is necessarily accurate.
I stood on the Zapruder block and took this picture. This is what Zapruder would have seen as the motorcade rounder the corner of Houston and Elm. In this shot you can see the White X where some people think the first shot occured.
Mark is taking this shot from the Zapruder position. I am in the position of the Stemmons Freeway sign where in my mind all the relevant eye witnesses place the beginning of the assassination. It is 53 ft from the position of the fatal shot (white X)
Further West, note the sidewalk coming down from the pergola, and still further down we get our first look at the grassy knoll, with picket fence and bordering tree.
Having set the stage, Mark and I set out to set up the Altgens shot. I had been at Dealey Plaza the the day before trying to set up the shot with no success. I was too close to the TSBD. However, I went down across from the steps coming down from the Pergola, in the general area where Altgens has been placed by others. That did not fit either. So Mark and I decided to start close to the TSBD where I thought the picture was taken and take shots at every 5 paces until we got the shot. By this time I was slowly accepting that Mark was right. My position, close to the TSBD, was wrong. The first shot was taken jusy a bit west of the TSBD. None of the land marks matchup or emerge. The X you see in the picture is the first shot marker, note correspoding white Stripe on curb.
5 more paces west still moving and curving. To give you an idea of the curvature I believe that I never moved from the spot where you see me but as Mark continues down Elm I disappear completely from the pictures.
From here on out we operated in the general area of position #3. We knew we were getting what we wanted but we didn't realize all the land mark relationships until we studied the pictures later. So we do not have a single perfect shot, but I think we are close enough to make some useful observations. In this photo Mark has gone a bit too far west. Not perfect, but still pretty good. Note the guy in the street is standing on the fatal X
Post 4: November 28, 2009 -
Where is Officer Chaney?
5 years ago I visited Dealey Plaza. Prior to that I had been interested in the assassination controversy in a general way. While there are a lot of things that don’t seem right one thing struck me as especially anomalous - the Altgens’ Photograph. I returned to Dealey Plaza 2 more times to size things up, and I have done extensive reading on the assassination. I have discussed this in previous entries at this site. What I have found is that Altgens has images that are unduplicated in any still or moving picture images. These images are supported by eyewitness testimony in a way that none of the other moving pictures or images are. In short Altgens’ images are consistent with eye witness testimony; the other images are not, in part or in whole. I have learned a number of things on my visits to Dealey plaza; first and foremost that the Altgens’ Photograph is a great visual illusion. The Photograph makes the scene appear much closer to the Texas School Book Depository (TSBD) than it is. It is in fact much farther down the road, very close to the final shot, right in front of Zapruder; just like Altgens said. Altgens himself is standing about 17.5 ft from (toward the TSBD) the edge of the sidewalk (stair steps) coming down from the grassy knoll on the other (south) side of the street. He was much closer to the fatal shot (10 ft-20 ft) than is often depicted or implied. This is well depicted in the Nix film. He’s the photographer , standing by the edge of the road, about 17.5 ft from the stair steps on the other (south) side of the street. In order to take the picture he had to swing at least one foot into the street (curb area) . He mentions this in his Warren Commission testimony. I had not noticed this until my wife Chris took over for my son Mark on the last trip and got a truly accurate image . It could only be accomplished if she swung into the street. Upon reflection son Mark concurred, he was doing the same thing to get the shots I wanted. I do not expect the average person to labor over the minutia like I have but I would like to illustrate the anomaly in a clear and unambiguous fashion. To that end I would like to point out the position of officer James Chaney. Go to the Altgens Photograph (above) blow it up as big as you can get it, and look for the motorcycle officer closest to Kennedy, on his right shoulder (actually ahead of Kennedy a bit) watching the effect of shot/shots to Kennedy. Chaney reported to the media (Houston Chronicle) that he was in this exact position observing bullets strike Kennedy, all the bullets. He was never asked to testify to the Warren commission, although other officers were, including the 2 motorcycle officers to Kennedy’s left (driver/Jackie side of the car). James Chaney died in 1976, from what I can tell he never testified to anybody. Look again real close at the attached Altgens Photograph – now look at the attached, frame labeled Zapruder film – the Warren Commission identified frame 255 as the Altgens moment – look at it – where is officer Chaney? Look at the images before and after – where is Chaney? Now look at the attached Nix film – where is Chaney? Now look at the attached Muchmore film – where is Chaney? Look at the three films simultaneously – where is Chaney?
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