Are Autopsy Face Sheets Supposed to be Drawn to Scale?


If they are, then the fact that Boswell's face sheet shows Kennedy's back wound too low to be consistent with the Single Bullet Theory would be strong evidence that the Single Bullet Theory is not true. Todd Wayne Vaughan decided to look at another autopsy face sheet to see what it showed. The following is his account from the Compuserve Politics Forum, posted here with permission.

#: 425534 S7/JFK Debate [POLITICS]
25-Oct-95 02:03:49
Sb: #424036-#John Lattimer
Fm: Todd Wayne Vaughan 74063,3405
To: Jean Davison 72733,3516 (X)

Jean, et. al.,

I want to jump in here with something that is new and original and may shed some light on these problems with the face sheet, namely , the diagramed location versus the measured and notated locations. In short, you can't trust the diagramed location 100%.

In preparation for my 1993 ASK appearance, I looked at Earle Rose's Lee Harvey Oswald face sheet. I compared the locations of the wounds as marked on the body drawing with the measured location noted next to the wounds on the same sheet. It was obvious that they did not match, and that the marks on the body diagram were schematic and not to scale. I prepared an exhibit, and made a slide. I did not use the slide in the presentation, but now wish that I had.

For example, the left most end of the 7 1/4 inch thoracotomy incision on Oswald's left chest is measured at 6 3/4 inches left of the midline. The right most end of a 1 1/4 inch sub-left clavian incision is measured at 2 3/4 inches left of the midline. Yet, as diagramed, they seem to be within 2 inches of each other, when they should be actually be 4 inches apart, exactly.

If that were not enough, these measured versus diagramed problems on the Oswald face sheet persist in the measurements in the vertical plane. The left end of the thoracotomy incision is measured at 17 inches down from the top of the head, while the location of a cutdown on the left arm of Oswald is measured at 16 inches down from the top of the head. Yet both are diagramed at THE SAME LEVEL, the same distance down from the top of the head.

The top of the abdominal incision is measured at 21 1/2 inches down from the top of the head, while the location of a cutdown on the right arm of Oswald is measured at 18 inches down from the top of the head. Yet both are diagramed within an inch of each other as measured down from the top of the head. They should be 3 1/2 inches apart.

And there are other similar anomalies, all of which are supported by my examination of the Oswald autopsy photographs, which I have.

I think this is significant. Anyone can check this. Please do. The Oswald face sheet can be found at page 286 of Dallas Justice by Melvin Belli (David McKay Company, New York, 1964) But once done, and once the errors are realized and appreciated, I don't see how anyone can come away relying on the Boswell face sheet at face value, or "face sheet" value if you will.

Todd


In this context, it is not surprising that the Forensic Pathology Panel of the House Select Committee (which had Rose as a member) concluded that the autopsy face sheet was not intended to be drawn to scale. Of course, that is what Boswell told The Baltimore Sun in 1966.

Back to Single Bullet Theory Page
Back to Kennedy Assassination Home Page