Post by Gil Jesus on Jul 24, 2021 18:54:02 GMT -5
The Shell Game
by Gil Jesus (2021)
(Author's note: This is a rewrite of a 2005 narrative that I did. It's been updated and edited for accuracy. )
INTRODUCTION
The Warren Commission based its conclusion that three shots had been fired on the existence of the three shells found in the TSBD. (Commission Exhibits 543, 544 and 545) It reported that two of the cartridge cases had marks "produced by the chamber of Oswald's rifle", one which contained marks produced by the Carcano's magazine follower and the other had markings from the bolt of the Depository rifle (CE 139). Two cases had markings indicating that they had been loaded into a rifle at least twice. When the rifle was found, an unfired round was in the chamber, ejected when Capt. Fritz operated the bolt. This is an important detail when we examine evidence linking the rifle shells to the rifle.
CE 543
This cartridge (Commission Exhibit 543) had a dent on its lip which would have made it impossible for it to have contained a bullet prior to its being fired. Therefore, either one of two possibilities existed: either the shell received the dent prior to the shooting and was not connected to it (implying that it was planted at the scene -- evidence of a conspiracy) or the shell was in fact evidence and was dented somehow after its bullet had been spent.
Faced with a mandate to dispel rumors of a conspiracy, the Commission at first assumed that this cartridge received its dent upon being ejected from the rifle and falling onto the floor.
However, solid brass cartridges don't dent when they hit the floor, as any hunter will tell you. The FBI reported to the Commission that the dent was made during the firing sequence, WHILE THE BOLT WAS PULLED BACKWARD, after the shot had been fired. This seemed reasonable enough to the Commission to explain the existance of the dented lip, but on closer examination, the evidence does not support this conclusion.
So where did the dent on the lip come from ? Did Oswald make the dent with a hammer after he fired the last shot ? The only sensible conclusion is that this shell was planted at the scene of the crime.
And this may be the reason that the Dallas Police hesitated in sending this shell to the FBI for examination.
The cartridge extractor and ejector markings of all the shells could not be matched to the Depository rifle. (CE 2968)
CE 543 did contain three sets of markings inconsistent with the markings produced by the Depository rifle, indicating that it had been loaded and ejected three times from a weapon other than CE 139.
Secondly, CE 543 contained markings caused by the magazine follower of the Depository rifle. When the Carcano was tested by the FBI, it was found that the magazine follower marked only the last cartridge in the clip. The last cartridge in the clip of CE 139 when found on November 22nd was an unfired round. (CE 141)
As previously mentioned, this cartridge remained in the possession of the Dallas Police until November 28th, five days after the other two shells had been turned over to the FBI for examination.
It should be noted that a behind-the-scenes struggle for possession of the evidence existed between the DPD and the FBI. Capt. Fritz refused to release it, and Chief Curry backed him up. Only after Lyndon Johnson called Fritz and ordered him to do so ("You have your man, the investigation is over") did Chief Curry and Capt. Fritz finally agree to release it.
Despite this agreement, the DPD did not give the FBI all of its evidence on November 23rd, withholding CE 543 and three of the four bullets removed from the body of Officer Tippit.
As we shall see, this shell was not the only shell that contained marks from the Depository rifle's magazine follower. Nor was it the only shell that contained marks from a rifle other than CE 139.
CE 544; CE 545
CE 544 had the markings of the firing chamber and from the firing pin of the CE 139 rifle, indicating that it had been fired by CE 139 at some point in time, and that it had been loaded into the firing chamber, fired and ejected through the bolt action. This is strong evidence that CE 544 contained a bullet that was fired from CE 139, although this not proof that the bullet was fired on November 22nd or for that matter, that it was Oswald who fired it.
CE 544 had two sets of markings which were made from a rifle other than CE 139.
CE 545 had the marking of the magazine follower, which marked only the last shell in the clip. So CE 545 had been loaded as the last shell in the clip and then unloaded by hand after the clip was removed. This had occurred some time prior to the assassination of JFK.
CE 545 had two sets of markings which were made from a rifle other than CE 139.
In other words, all three shells had been in another rifle and two of those shells had been the last shell in the clip of CE139.
THE HUNT FOR RELOADS
The FBI interpreted the mystery markings on the shells as evidence that the shells held reloaded ammunition. So they canvassed the Dallas gunshops to find someone who was reloading copper jacketed ammo. Their search was unsuccessful, although they did find two gunshops which were selling reloads of "soft" ammunition, that is lead bullets without the metal jacket.
One was the shop of John Thomas Masen and the other was the shop of Johnny Bringer. Both denied that they ever sold ammunition to Oswald, so the FBI dropped it.
Why didn't the FBI ask them who was selling copper-jacketed ammo ? Where were they getting their brass from to load the reloads ? They were getting their used brass from somewhere.
The FBI never even pursued it. There may have been a reason for that.
This letter from the manufacturer, Winchester-Western, indicates that the production of the ammunition "immediately ceased after World War II and all rounds loaded became the property of our government or our allies". It goes on to say that, "this item was never offered for commercial or sporting purposes."
In other words, you couldn't buy this ammunition.
The only ones who had it was the US Government.
CONCLUSION
Both CE 543 and CE 545 contained markings from the CE 139 magazine follower, which marked the last round in the clip. So both of these rounds were at some point the last round in the clip.
We know that neither was the last shell in the clip when the rifle was found.
So when were they the last shell ?
Before or after the assassination ?
Why would anyone physically remove these shells from their place in the bottom of the clip only to load them back in ?
Why not just load cartridges on top of them ?
Was this rifle, CE 139 fired before November 22, 1963 and that's when these shells were in the bottom of the clip ?
The FBI never wanted to know.
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