Inexplicable Wounds made by Special Bullets

[Bob Prudhomme]

Here is one thing I have been able to deduce from the medical evidence.

Connally either had to be turned to his right when he was hit in the back by a bullet or the shooter was at the west end of the TSBD.

How do I know? It's quite simple, really. Here is a description of the wound from the WC testimony of Dr. Robert R. Shaw, the surgeon who operated on Connally's back wound at Parkland Hospital:

"Mr. SPECTER - Will you describe in as much detail as you can the wound on the posterior side of the Governor's chest?
Dr. SHAW - This was a small wound approximately a centimeter and a half in its greatest diameter. It was roughly elliptical. It was just medial to the axilliary fold or the crease of the armpit, but we could tell that this wound, the depth of the wound, had not penetrated the shoulder blade."


And a diagram of the wound:



Further testimony from Dr. Shaw regarding the damage inflicted by this bullet:

"Mr. SPECTER - What damage had been inflicted upon a rib, if any, Dr. Shaw?
Dr. SHAW - About 10 centimeters of the fifth rib starting at the, about the mid-axillary line and going to the anterior axillary line, as we describe it, or that would be the midline at the armpit going to the anterior lateral portion of the chest had been stripped away by the missile."

Diagram showing location of the mid axillary line:



From further testimony by Dr. Shaw, we know the bullet exited below Connally's right nipple, indicating, from the diagrams and evidence, the bullet was travelling at a very sharp angle from the side of his thorax to under the nipple.

"Mr. SPECTER - When did you first have an opportunity then to examine Governor Connally's wound on the posterior aspect of his chest?
Dr. SHAW - After the Governor had been anesthetized. As soon as he was asleep so we could manipulate him--before that time it was necessary for an endotracheal tube to be in place so his respirations could be controlled before we felt we could roll him over and accurately examine the wound entrance. We knew this was the wound exit.
Mr. SPECTER - This [indicating an area below the right nipple on the body]?
Dr. SHAW - Yes."

And now the problem with this shot. Look at the diagram below, showing the location of the 5th rib and the scapula (shoulder blade):



Due to the tapering of the upper ribcage, seen below:



The 5th rib is hidden from the posterior view by the scapula. Granted, the scapula does travel laterally with the raising and lowering of the arm but, in order for the 5th rib to protrude further to the outside than the scapula, the arm must be tucked tightly to the side.

Does everyone see the problem here? Once again, the wound diagram:



If Connally had been facing forward and the bullet entered just to the right of the scapula, as seen above, there is a very good chance it would have missed his 5th rib altogether. It certainly would not have followed the course of the 5th rib inwards and exited under his right nipple, as this would have required the bullet to make a change of course to the left, after clearing the scapula. He could only have been hit by a shot from the rear if he had been turned to his right, or if the shot had originated from a position much further west than the SE corner of the TSBD.

This seriously contradicts any theory that Connally was hit in the back between the time he is first see at frame z220 and frame z239, where he is first seen turning to his right.

Coincidentally, Connally is in a position to be lined up for a bullet from the rear to inflict this right to left traversing wound just after JFK suffers the fatal head shot at z313. At that moment, he is returning to face forward after looking back over his right shoulder, just as he has always claimed he was doing before he was hit in the back.