Response to Critics
HSCA NAA Analysis
Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000265 EndHTML:0000012902 StartFragment:0000004062 EndFragment:0000012866 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/denisehazelwood/Desktop/JFK%20CutNPaste/JFK%20Cut-N-Paste%20Assassination%207X10/The%20JFK%20CutNPaste%20interior%207X10b.doc At least one critic claims that Donahue’s theory was wrong because “neutron activation analysis of the lead fragments in Kennedy's brain and wounds showed all of them came from Oswald's rifle. There were no lead fragments from any other firearm” (http://saberpoint.blogspot.com/2013/11/stupid-jfk-conspiracy-theories-debunked.html).
A close examination of the Neutron Activation Analysis (performed by Dr. Vincent Guinn for HSCA), which Donahue/Menninger addressed in Mortal Error, shows that the study was seriously flawed.
The NAA that was conducted by HSCA was performed only on bullet lead, not on bullet jackets. Donahue knew that an analysis of lead content in bullets was not conclusive in determining ballistic matches. An analysis of jacket chemical make-up, however, would be very conclusive. The HSCA analysis was done only on the lead content, not on jacket fragments.
Others criticized the NAA tests, as well. The abstract for an article by Erik Randich Ph.D. and Patrick M. Grant Ph.D. in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, July, 2006, entitled “Proper Assessment of the JFK Assassination Bullet Lead Evidence from Metallurgical and Statistical Perspectives” (found online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00165.x/abstract) states:
…the 5–60 mg bullet samples analyzed for assassination intelligence effectively resulted in operational sampling error for the analyses. This deficiency was not considered in the original data interpretation and resulted in an invalid conclusion in favor of the single-bullet theory of the assassination.
An online article critiquing the NAA analysis entitled “Death of the NAA Verdict” by James DiEugenio (more readable to the general public than the one from the Journal of Forensic Sciences) critiquing the NAA tests can be found at http://www.ctka.net/death_of_naa.html.
The history of the NAA testing done in the JFK assassination is very telling. The FBI performed NAA tests for the Warren Commission, but those tests were suppressed in the publication of the WC documents (including the Hearings and Exhibits). In fact, no one even knew that the NAA tests had been done until a memo from J. Edgar Hoover was unearthed, a memo which mentioned the testing. Subsequently, the Commission’s FBI NAA results were eventually “released,” but the information was presented in a meaningless format.
The below text of the Hoover memo to J. Lee Rankin, indicating that NAA tests (results not included in Warren Commission documents) were performed. was taken from https://deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/showthread.php?13233-Deep-Politics-Timeline/page7#.VLVwDyj0Ab0.
7/8/1964 Letter from Hoover to Rankin: "As previously reported to the Commission, certain small lead metal fragments uncovered in connection with this matter were analyzed spectrographically to determine whether they could be associated with one or more of the lead bullet fragments and no significant differences were found within the sensitivity of the spectrographic method. Because of the higher sensitivity of the neutron activation analysis, certain of the small lead fragments were then subjected to neutron activation analyses and comparisons with the larger bullet fragments. The items analyzed included the following: C1 - bullet from stretcher; C2 - fragment from front seat cushion; C4 and C5 - metal fragments from President Kennedy's head; C9 - metal fragment from the arm of Governor Connally; C16 - metal fragments from rear floor board carpet of the car. While minor variations in composition were found by this method, these were not considered sufficient to permit positively differentiating among the larger bullet fragments and thus positively determining from which of the larger bullet fragments any given small lead fragment may have come." (Post Mortem 607)
This is all the WC got from the FBI on fragment tests; there was not even any attached documentation or data. Weisberg uncovered this memo in 1974.
The inconclusiveness of the NAA testing on bullet lead, however, is not the only reason to hold the NAA findings suspect.
There is a much more serious flaw in the HSCA NAA findings: the fragments were switched before Dr. Guinn conducted his study.
Dr. Guinn, specifically stated in his HSCA testimony (partially quoted in Mortal Error, more complete statement presented below) that the fragments he tested were not the same fragments that the FBI tested in 1964.
The relevant portion of Guinn’s testimony is below:
Mr. Fithian. You have said that this whole process that you go through does not destroy the material, is that correct?
Dr. Guinn. That is correct.
Mr. FIthian. Now, then; did you test exactly the same particles that the FBI tested in 1964?
Dr. Guinn. Well, it turns out I did ot, for reasons I don't know, because as they did the analysis, they did not destroy the samples either.
Mr. Fithian. So?
Dr. Guinn. The particular little pieces that they analyzed, I could just as well have analyzed over again, but the pieces that wre brought out from the Archives--which reportedly, according to Mr. Gear, were the only bullet-lead fragments from the case still present in the Archives--did not include any of the specific little pieces that the FBI had analyzed. Presumably those are in existence somewhere. I am sure nobody through them out, but where they are, I have no idea.
Mr. Fithian. And the 1964 equpmet wouldn't have consumed them either?
Dr. Guinn. No.
(excerpt taken from http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/hsca/reportvols/vol1/pdf/HSCA_Vol1_0908_8_Guinn.pdf)
As Mortal Error points out, Donahue recognized that the fragments were switched before Dr. Guinn conducted his NAA tests for HSCA. Furthermore, later scientists determined that the NAA tests performed by Dr. Guinn were inconclusive and invalid. The argument that Donahue’s theory of the explosive head shot could not be correct because of the NAA tests hold no water.
HSCA NAA Analysis
Version:1.0 StartHTML:0000000265 EndHTML:0000012902 StartFragment:0000004062 EndFragment:0000012866 SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/denisehazelwood/Desktop/JFK%20CutNPaste/JFK%20Cut-N-Paste%20Assassination%207X10/The%20JFK%20CutNPaste%20interior%207X10b.doc At least one critic claims that Donahue’s theory was wrong because “neutron activation analysis of the lead fragments in Kennedy's brain and wounds showed all of them came from Oswald's rifle. There were no lead fragments from any other firearm” (http://saberpoint.blogspot.com/2013/11/stupid-jfk-conspiracy-theories-debunked.html).
A close examination of the Neutron Activation Analysis (performed by Dr. Vincent Guinn for HSCA), which Donahue/Menninger addressed in Mortal Error, shows that the study was seriously flawed.
The NAA that was conducted by HSCA was performed only on bullet lead, not on bullet jackets. Donahue knew that an analysis of lead content in bullets was not conclusive in determining ballistic matches. An analysis of jacket chemical make-up, however, would be very conclusive. The HSCA analysis was done only on the lead content, not on jacket fragments.
Others criticized the NAA tests, as well. The abstract for an article by Erik Randich Ph.D. and Patrick M. Grant Ph.D. in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, July, 2006, entitled “Proper Assessment of the JFK Assassination Bullet Lead Evidence from Metallurgical and Statistical Perspectives” (found online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2006.00165.x/abstract) states:
…the 5–60 mg bullet samples analyzed for assassination intelligence effectively resulted in operational sampling error for the analyses. This deficiency was not considered in the original data interpretation and resulted in an invalid conclusion in favor of the single-bullet theory of the assassination.
An online article critiquing the NAA analysis entitled “Death of the NAA Verdict” by James DiEugenio (more readable to the general public than the one from the Journal of Forensic Sciences) critiquing the NAA tests can be found at http://www.ctka.net/death_of_naa.html.
The history of the NAA testing done in the JFK assassination is very telling. The FBI performed NAA tests for the Warren Commission, but those tests were suppressed in the publication of the WC documents (including the Hearings and Exhibits). In fact, no one even knew that the NAA tests had been done until a memo from J. Edgar Hoover was unearthed, a memo which mentioned the testing. Subsequently, the Commission’s FBI NAA results were eventually “released,” but the information was presented in a meaningless format.
The below text of the Hoover memo to J. Lee Rankin, indicating that NAA tests (results not included in Warren Commission documents) were performed. was taken from https://deeppoliticsforum.com/forums/showthread.php?13233-Deep-Politics-Timeline/page7#.VLVwDyj0Ab0.
7/8/1964 Letter from Hoover to Rankin: "As previously reported to the Commission, certain small lead metal fragments uncovered in connection with this matter were analyzed spectrographically to determine whether they could be associated with one or more of the lead bullet fragments and no significant differences were found within the sensitivity of the spectrographic method. Because of the higher sensitivity of the neutron activation analysis, certain of the small lead fragments were then subjected to neutron activation analyses and comparisons with the larger bullet fragments. The items analyzed included the following: C1 - bullet from stretcher; C2 - fragment from front seat cushion; C4 and C5 - metal fragments from President Kennedy's head; C9 - metal fragment from the arm of Governor Connally; C16 - metal fragments from rear floor board carpet of the car. While minor variations in composition were found by this method, these were not considered sufficient to permit positively differentiating among the larger bullet fragments and thus positively determining from which of the larger bullet fragments any given small lead fragment may have come." (Post Mortem 607)
This is all the WC got from the FBI on fragment tests; there was not even any attached documentation or data. Weisberg uncovered this memo in 1974.
The inconclusiveness of the NAA testing on bullet lead, however, is not the only reason to hold the NAA findings suspect.
There is a much more serious flaw in the HSCA NAA findings: the fragments were switched before Dr. Guinn conducted his study.
Dr. Guinn, specifically stated in his HSCA testimony (partially quoted in Mortal Error, more complete statement presented below) that the fragments he tested were not the same fragments that the FBI tested in 1964.
The relevant portion of Guinn’s testimony is below:
Mr. Fithian. You have said that this whole process that you go through does not destroy the material, is that correct?
Dr. Guinn. That is correct.
Mr. FIthian. Now, then; did you test exactly the same particles that the FBI tested in 1964?
Dr. Guinn. Well, it turns out I did ot, for reasons I don't know, because as they did the analysis, they did not destroy the samples either.
Mr. Fithian. So?
Dr. Guinn. The particular little pieces that they analyzed, I could just as well have analyzed over again, but the pieces that wre brought out from the Archives--which reportedly, according to Mr. Gear, were the only bullet-lead fragments from the case still present in the Archives--did not include any of the specific little pieces that the FBI had analyzed. Presumably those are in existence somewhere. I am sure nobody through them out, but where they are, I have no idea.
Mr. Fithian. And the 1964 equpmet wouldn't have consumed them either?
Dr. Guinn. No.
(excerpt taken from http://www.history-matters.com/archive/jfk/hsca/reportvols/vol1/pdf/HSCA_Vol1_0908_8_Guinn.pdf)
As Mortal Error points out, Donahue recognized that the fragments were switched before Dr. Guinn conducted his NAA tests for HSCA. Furthermore, later scientists determined that the NAA tests performed by Dr. Guinn were inconclusive and invalid. The argument that Donahue’s theory of the explosive head shot could not be correct because of the NAA tests hold no water.