02-07-2013, 09:53 AM
There is another interesting aspect to this case which overlaps into the investigation of Oswald by the DPD.
Recall that Oswald was tested for GSR by the paraffin method. As is now widely known, this resulted in a negative test for nitrates. It's been said by some (usually WR defenders) that the paraffin test has no evidentiary value; that the authorities know it has no value but is used to intimidate a suspect into a confession. The idea is supposedly that the suspect "knows" the infallibility of the test and will confess before the game is up. I can't recall where I read this. It might be a comment attributed to Bugliosi in Reclaiming History, but I'm not sure.
Now in the Pitzer case, they paraffin tested the corpse. If the test is known to have no evidentiary value by investigators, why would they take paraffin casts of the hands of a dead man?
Is there any other "suicide" by gun case where the corpse was paraffin tested?
Recall that Oswald was tested for GSR by the paraffin method. As is now widely known, this resulted in a negative test for nitrates. It's been said by some (usually WR defenders) that the paraffin test has no evidentiary value; that the authorities know it has no value but is used to intimidate a suspect into a confession. The idea is supposedly that the suspect "knows" the infallibility of the test and will confess before the game is up. I can't recall where I read this. It might be a comment attributed to Bugliosi in Reclaiming History, but I'm not sure.
Now in the Pitzer case, they paraffin tested the corpse. If the test is known to have no evidentiary value by investigators, why would they take paraffin casts of the hands of a dead man?
Is there any other "suicide" by gun case where the corpse was paraffin tested?