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Robert F Kennedy Assassination — Part 2
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One of the initial witnesses called by Ward, and presumably
heard by MacDonell during the oneday hearing, described the Bal-
liscan process, including the inherent "tilt factor" of the camera
photography process, which is adjusted only visually rather than
scientifically. Thus, by the time MacDonell testified, he may have
realized that his affidavit, although filled with many articulated
assumptions, had made no provisions for this "tilt factor." Most
firearms experts reject reliance upon rifling angles, and the
alleged differences in rifling angle between People's 47 and 54,
even if assumed to be true as to the original Sirhan firearms evi-
dence, is not an accepted criteria for identification purposes.
(Modern Firearms by Calvin Goddard.)
@e only other factor which had been suggested as establishing
two guns was based upon the claimed difference in the number of
eannelures depicted by photographs of Peoplets 47 and 54. Only.
Herbert MacDonell had expressed that position. Throughout his
investigation in 1970, his interviews in 1971, and his affidavit
filed at the Ward hearing in 1974, Harper had never mentioned
canneliures. And although Bradford was asked general questions by
Ward regarding cannelures, Ward failed to ask Bradford any
questions regarding the significance, if any, to be attached to
cannelures as a criteria to consider in firearms identification.
Additionally, cannelures apparently have absolutely no signi-
ficance in the identification of fired bullets. Firearm identi-~
fication research shows that cannelures may or may not be utilized
in coming to conclusions regarding identification of fired bullets.
Wolfer has unequivocally stated in an interview with Kranz that
cannelures are totally irrelevant because two consecutive shots
fired from the same gun of the same identical type of bullet,
including cannelures, may lead to significant differences as to
cannelures -y the time the bullet leaves the barrel, aside fron
further significant changes which may acrve upon impact.
Photographs
Another additional difference among the three critics of
Wolfer concerned photographs. .Any expert opinion must be dependent
upon the materials considered. There is significance in the fact
that only Bradford indicated consideration of any photographs
beside photographs of People's 47 and 54. This occured at Ward's
hearing when Bradford stated that he’ had looked at Balliscan
photographs, taken at Ward's request, of some of the test bullets
fired by Wolfer. ,
It is difficult to understand why Harper and MacDonell concen-~
trated their findings solely on photographs of People's 47 and 54.
Photographs of other bullets would undoubtedly have contributed to
their examination, but neither man ever requested photographs of
other bullets. Significantly, of the three experts, only Bradford
Was never actually critical of Wolfer'ts conclusion, and it was
Bradford who did not expressly restrict himself to merely photo-~
graphs of People's 47 and 54.
- 18 .
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