JFK assassination: ‘Magic bullet’ principle forged into doubt by ex-Secret Service agent

The ‘magic bullet’ principle that describes how a single bullet killed John F Kennedy and injured one other has been forged into doubt by an ex-Secret Service agent.

Paul Landis, now 88, was in close-proximity to the then president on 22 November 1963, because the motorcade, additionally carrying First Lady Jackie Kennedy, and Texas Governor John Connally Jr and his spouse drove by Dealy Plaza in Dallas.

A sequence of gunshots have been then fired and Mr Kennedy was hit within the head and neck, whereas the Texas governor was hit within the again.

For many years, and after the Warren Commission authorities inquiry into the incident, it was determined one of many bullets struck the president from behind earlier than exiting from the entrance of his throat and hitting Mr Connally Jr.

This grew to become often known as the ‘magic bullet principle’.

One of the explanation why the fee reached these outcomes was on account of a bullet discovered on Mr Connally Jr’s stretcher when he arrived at Parkland Memorial Hospital after the taking pictures.

The conclusion, {that a} single bullet might trigger a lot harm and result in the conviction of Lee Harvey Oswald, has prompted many years of hypothesis amongst conspiracy theorists for 60 years.

Mr Landis’ account now challenges the Warren Commission, as he claims it was him who had discovered a bullet lodged behind the seat of the presidential limousine the place Mr Kennedy was sitting.

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He noticed the bullet after the motorcade arrived on the hospital, and put it on the stretcher carrying the president. He now guesses Mr Kennedy and Mr Connally’s stretchers by some means collided, which means the bullet was shaken from one to the opposite.

“It was a piece of evidence, that I realised right away. Very important. And I didn’t want it to disappear or get lost,” he advised the New York Times.

His account is detailed in his upcoming memoir, The Final Witness, however Mr Landis has been reluctant to take a position on the bigger implications his recollections might need.

In an interview with The NY Times, he stated: “At this point, I’m beginning to doubt myself. Now I begin to wonder,” not confirming, if he believes there was multiple bullet or gunman.

Mr Landis theorises that the bullet which struck Mr Kennedy within the again, however for some purpose, fell out earlier than the president’s physique was faraway from the limousine didn’t penetrate deeply sufficient to additionally hit Mr Connally.

James Robenalt, a Cleveland lawyer and writer of a number of books of historical past, has deeply researched the assassination and helped Mr Landis course of his recollections.

“If the bullet we know as the magic or pristine bullet stopped in President Kennedy’s back, it means that the central thesis of the Warren Report, the single-bullet theory, is wrong,” he advised The NY Times.

He added that if Mr Connally was hit by a separate bullet, then it appeared attainable it was not from Oswald, who he argued couldn’t have reloaded a gun that quick.

Mr Landis’ revelations have prompted much more questions somewhat than answering them.

Firstly, the account within the memoir differs from two written statements he filed every week after the assassination, by which he stated he solely heard two gunshots, not three The NY Times reported.

Secondly, he didn’t point out going into the room the place Mr Kennedy was taken on the hospital, writing that he “remained outside by the door” when the primary woman went in.

Mr Landis stated he didn’t realise his reminiscence differed from his unique account till 2014, however that he didn’t come ahead as he stated he thought he made a mistake placing the bullet on the stretcher.

“I was afraid. I started to think, did I do something wrong? There was a fear that I might have done something wrong and I shouldn’t talk about it,” he stated.