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Robert F Kennedy Assassination — Part 1

59 pages · May 11, 2026 · Document date: Aug 12, 1975 · Broad topic: Kennedy Assassination · Topic: Robert F Kennedy Assassination · 55 pages OCR'd
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ed ( , Asked if he had compared the rifling angles of photographs #47 and #54, Bradford stated that he could not discern any differences between the rifling angles of the two photographs. Ward asked Bradford that based on the individual characteristics of the spent bullets, did he attempt to make a positive identification of the photographs of People's Exhibit #55 and 5B (the seven Wolfer fired test bullets) and the Kennedy bullet, 47, and the Weisel bullet, 54. Bradford replied that he determined that the class characteristics, the number of marks from the rifling and the ‘general dimensions, were consistent on all the bullets, but that he could find no evidence of any specific identification mark which would be necessary to identify one bullet as having been fired from the same weapon. Ward then stated, "So in the erucial analysis to determine if the bullets were fired from the same weapon, you did not find sufficient characteristics on which to base that conclusion?" Bradford, "That is correct." Ward than asked, "So it was impossible, you would state, therefore, that the characteristics were not present to identify the same gun as having been used for all of the bullets?" Bradford answered, "That is correct." Finally, Ward asked Bradford what Bradford thought should be done to resolve the questions being raised and Bradford replied that the only manner of resolving all of the questions was to conduct a thorough examination of all of the evidence. When asked by Ward if the Sirhan gun should be refired, Bradford answered, "Yes." . 1974 Testimony of Criminalist Herbert MacDonell In the fall of 1973, and prior to the hearing of May, 1974, Herbert MacDonell had examined Balliscan photographs of spent bullets that had been taken by William Harper in i970. Specifically, MacDonell was looking at bullets #47, the Kennedy bullet, and #54, the Weisel bullet. Thereafter, MacDonnell also had access to the other photographs taken under Ward's direction in April, 1974. At the hearing, when asked by Ward if he had arrived at any conclusion as a result of his examinations of the several photographs MacDonell replied; "An examination of the photograph of Trial Exhibit #47, as Lowell Bradford has just testified, demonstrates the appearance of one cannelure which is toward the top center of the exhibit labeled ‘'Harper-Kennedy.' The Harper- Weisel photograph gives evidence of two cannelures." And when asked if he could find any difference in the physical characteristics of the bullets in the Harper photographs of 1970 and the Ward photographs of 1974, MacDonell replied, "No." When asked if he had arrived at any conclusions as a result of comparison of the rifling angles in the photographs of Exhibits 47 and 54, MacDonell stated, "That Exhibit 47, the original Harper photograph, has approximately up to half a degree or 30 minutes AifFFaranna in tha ancila of rifling between the Weisel bullet." We aed We he fhe at oe he Codd be Ce tal ~- Mined ialiadhiandinaibaied ee or Nee ae See a Ward asked if this was a serious difference. And MacDonell. replied, "No." MacDonell then stated that since he did not have the negative of the photos taken by the Balliscan camera, it was really impossible to make any estimate. However, he did conclude that the difference in rifling angle was less than one-half degree or i€ss than 30 minutes. He did suggest that additional measurements be made on the test fired bullets.
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