Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Photographic Evidence

Photographic documentation played a crucial role in analyzing the assassination sequence and the positions of individuals throughout the event. Leo J. Gauthier and Lyndal L. Shaneyfelt provided expert testimony regarding photographic evidence, including analysis of the Zapruder film. Thomas J. Kelley contributed additional photographic examination supporting the investigation. Shaneyfelt’s testimony included detailed frame-by-frame analysis of the motion picture film taken by Abraham Zapruder, providing crucial information regarding the timing and sequence of events. The photographic evidence authenticated through various exhibits documented the positions of the presidential limousine and its occupants throughout the shooting sequence. The chapter examines the authentication procedures employed to verify the integrity of photographic materials and the interpretation methodologies applied to the evidence.

Timing and Sequence of Shots

Analysis of the timing and sequence of shots formed a critical component of the investigation, synthesizing physical evidence, witness testimony, and photographic documentation. Agent Glen A. Bennett’s account provided direct observation of the attack from the follow-up car. Governor John B. Connally and Mrs. John B. Connally provided testimony regarding their perceptions of the shooting sequence and the timing between shots. Shaneyfelt’s photographic analysis contributed to the reconstruction of the temporal sequence of events. James T. Tague and Eddy R. Walthers provided testimony regarding their observations of the shooting from different locations in Dealey Plaza. The Warren Commission examined conflicting witness accounts regarding the spacing between shots, with varying recollections regarding whether the first and second shots or the second and third shots were closer together. The chapter analyzes the physical evidence bearing on timing, including bullet trajectory analysis and the positions of individuals captured in photographic evidence at specific moments during the assassination.