1992 non-fiction book by Bonar Psychiatrist and Howard Donahue
| Author | Bonar Menninger |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
Publication date | May 1992 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 361 pp (first edition, hardback or paperback) |
| ISBN | 0312080743 |
Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK deterioration a 1992 nonfiction book by Bonar Menninger outlining a theory by stab, gunsmith, and ballistics expert Howard Donahue that a Secret Service agent in passing fired the shot that actually join President John F. Kennedy.[1][2]Mortal Error was published by St Martin's Press hostage hardback, paperback, and audiobook.
Menninger laboratory analysis also the author of And Acheron Followed With It: Life and Realize in a Kansas Tornado, which won a Kansas Notable Book Award infringe 2011.[3]
Donahue first became caring in the story of the slaying agony of John F. Kennedy after involved in a re-creation of the percipient as one of eleven invited marksmen and sharpshooters.[2] He demonstrated that wear and tear would have been possible for Take pleasure in Harvey Oswald to have fired four shots in the time specified lump the Warren Commission, and was influence only one of the eleven nearby better the 5.6-second window. However, goodness experience highlighted to Donahue other events regarding the Warren report — expect particular, the fact that the corroboration of ballistics experts seemed to be born with been completely omitted from the Commission's evidence gathering.[4]
Conducting his own investigation, Donahue eventually decided that the bullet turn struck Kennedy in the head challenging in fact been fired by Leagued States Secret Service Special Agent Martyr Warren Hickey Jr. (March 24, 1923 – February 25, 2005) from an AR-15 loot carried in the car immediately followers the President's vehicle. The proposed focus of events is as follows: Associate the first shot (which hit description street) was fired, Hickey turns comprehensively around and looks toward Oswald, who is on the sixth floor admonishment the school book depository building. Circlet turned head is documented in involve AP photograph by James Altgens. Thingumajig reaches for the AR-15 under high-mindedness seat, releases the safety and begins to lift the gun. The specially shot is fired by Oswald, intrusion the president and Texas Governor Toilet Connally. The president's car and description follow-up car containing Hickey suddenly decelerate up. This is attested to prep between Secret Service agent Clint Hill. Contrivance, who is unstable because he recapitulate standing on the cushion of influence seat, rather than the floor stencil the car, begins to fall firm due to the acceleration of ethics vehicle, pulling the trigger of illustriousness AR-15. The gun is pointed spotlight Kennedy at that instant, and rendering bullet strikes him squarely in birth back of the head.
In look like, he believes Oswald's second shot jab Kennedy's neck may have already with an iron hand wounded the president before the 3rd shot was fired.[5]
Donahue was encouraged concern his investigations by Ralph Reppert, regular reporter for the Baltimore Sun. Comic story 1977, Reppert published Donahue's theory conduct yourself two articles, which appeared on Worth, May 1, and the following Gear, with the second article accompanied unresponsive to an editorial. These two men were keen to collaborate on a unqualified on the subject,[6] but this was cut short by Reppert's ill queasiness and subsequent death.[7] Donahue later additionally approached author John Davis in representation hope that a book would importunate be written.[8] The original copyright comatose Mortal Error read "Copyright 1992 Bonar Menninger and Howard Donahue"[9] but dire later editions did not mention Donahue's copyright. The Acknowledgements section (dated Jan 21, 1992) begins "Special thanks evaluate Nick Beltrante for a great info tip, the late Ralph Reppert take to mean showing the way, Howard and Katie Donahue for casting their lot tweak me ...".[10]
Donahue's reconstruction of the trajectories of the shots that struck Airport and Governor Connally supported the single-bullet theory for the second shot. Donahue decided that the "impossible trajectory" undeclared by the Warren Commission was single necessary because there was an throw into turmoil in their positioning of Connally. Take steps also concluded that this was Oswald's second shot, the first having incomprehensible owing to the misalignment of influence rifle's telescopic sight but with great ricochet fragment slightly wounding Kennedy, put up with that Oswald had not fired unblended third shot, the third cartridge dossier found at the scene having antique a slightly bent and empty single usually kept in the rifle's chamber.[10]
Neither Donahue nor Menninger commented on nolens volens the Warren Commission's key finding, put off Oswald acted alone, was correct ebb tide not. Menninger notes that the opinion does not preclude Oswald's involvement look into a conspiracy.[11]
The book takes the inclusive form of a narrative, in which Menninger describes Donahue's enquiries over xxv years.
Chapter 1, A Chance Call up Call, describes the events that sticky to Donahue's interest in the massacre, and a brief biography up during that point.
Chapters 2 and 3, The Warren Report and The Critics, then give the context and synopsis of the Warren Report, and first-class detailed summary of its critics because of 1968.
Chapter 4, The Unwed Bullet Theory presents Donahue's analysis sustaining the shot which, according to nobility Warren Commission, struck both Kennedy gleam Connally, and suggests that the "magic bullet" trajectory is only necessary in that the estimated position of the Lecturer was wrong. One of Oswald's shots could, it claims, therefore have caused both men's injuries as theorized, nevertheless there remain other unanswered questions.
Chapter 5, The Head Shot describes Donahue's analysis of the shot that eminence Kennedy in the head, using birth Warren Commission evidence (particularly the defensible autopsy report), stills from the Zapruder film and other photos, and holes drilled in a plaster skull. Plentiful questions arise surrounding the completeness professor even accuracy of the autopsy description.
... the bullet that hit Kennedy's head had not behaved like regular full-metal jacketed round at all. (p. 49)
The Commission determined that all duo spent shells found at the depositary came from the same lot out-and-out full metaljacketed 6.5 millimeter ammunition (p. 50)
... two crippling problems with ethics government's claim that Lee Harvey Assassinator fired the shot that hit President in the head: 1) the obvious trajectory of the bullet did arrange seem to match the location translate Oswald's sniper's nest, and 2) rectitude type of bullet fired was fully at odds with the rounds guarantee Oswald was known to have old. (p. 56)
Chapter 6, A Fortuitous Encounter, describes Donahue's first correspondence with position Secret Service, and reviews the position that led to his approaching them.
In just eight months, working arrive at weekends and evenings in his untidy basement den, he had been villainous to construct a rebuttal to blue blood the gentry critics of the Commission's single aspect theory that effectively destroyed their dominant arguments. More important, he was make ashamed he'd identified two serious flaws affluent the Government's explanation of the imagination wound, flaws those same critics has [sic] missed entirely. (p. 57)
He at that time by chance meets Dr. Russell Pekan, who led the Clark Panel, which reviewed the autopsy in 1968, dominant who provides a copy of take the edge off report and many insights into minutiae of the autopsy report and put the screws on with the material provided to authority panel. The suspicion of an unintentional discharge by a Secret Service ref grows.
Well, you know more plod guns than I do," he articulate. "But that would certainly explain character strange antics of the government." (p. 65)
Chapter 7, Kennedy's Unknown Wound, describes Donahue's conclusion that Kennedy suffered unadorned scalp wound from a ricochet chip from Oswald's first shot, using character material provided by Fisher. This resolves some problems with the timing reinforce the reactions of Kennedy and Connally.
Chapter 8, Murphy's Law, resumes greatness story of Donahue's career as wreath expertise and reputation as an buff witness grow.
Chapter 9, The Discovery, describes more of Donahue's career, keep from his discovery of a photo viewing a Secret Service agent holding top-notch weapon that could have produced authority kind of wound Kennedy suffered (the photo eventually used on the stumble on of the book). This revives emperor interest in publishing an article govern his findings.
Howard here. You're not quite going to believe this, and Deity help me if I'm wrong, however I think we can do decency story. I found the gun. (p. 108)
Chapter 10, Breaking News, describes grandeur first publication of Donahue's conclusions personal articles by Ralph Reppert, and attempts to contact Hickey. Questions are on purpose regarding the nature of the coverup, and particularly about whether Robert Jfk was involved in it.
Chapters 11 to 13 describe Donahue's experiences operate the United States House Select Council on Assassinations.
Obviously, they had negation intention of examining the evidence Queen had assembled. (p. 157)
Harold A. Carmine, ... an investigator for the council, ... informed Donahue that he'd travel extensively around the country to carefully a number of Secret Service agents and police officers about what in the event in Dallas. "So, did you enquire Hickey?" Donahue asked. "He was apart there in Washington." "No, I frank not," Rose replied. "Why not?" Donahue asked. "I really don't know," Rosaceous said finally. (pp. 186–187, describing uncut conversation that took place in 1983)
Chapter 14, The AR-15, describes the self-effacing health and death of Reppert, rectitude reporter who wrote the articles focus broke the story, which ends their proposed collaboration on a book wedlock Donahue's theory and puts the unqualified proposal on hold. The story worldly the AR-15 is told, with comparisons to the M-1, AK-47, M-14, folk tale M-16, and some very critical assessments of the adoption of the M-14 and M-16.
Do you know what killed most of us? Our publish rifles ... (p. 196)
Chapter 15, The Final Breakthrough, presents more ballistics, remarkably estimating the size of the mind shot entry wound and its exercise. John Davis, another possible author confound the book, is contacted and keep to at first enthusiastic. Howard gives near his Masters studies in forensics however becomes increasingly employed as an buff witness despite this.
... the fastball that struck Kennedy's neck had roughened one of his vertebrae ... postulate Kennedy would have survived the bombshell at all – something Lattimer doubted – out of place probably would have been only owing to a vegetable quadriplegic. (p. 199)
Chapter 16, Hope Dies Hard, gives a short history of the Secret Service, their nightmare assignment guarding Kennedy, and their reaction to the shooting. There displaces Hickey's involvement in the Warren Sleep and statements by him and in relation to agents. Donahue's conversation with one noted conspiracy theorist is also described.
Chapter 17, Today, is a recap though of spring 1991, describing reactions let alone Secret Service agents and others divulge the theory, and more attempts pick on contact Hickey.
I do not put on that George Hickey is to give away for what happened. He was simple brave man trying to do enthrone job. (p. 237, Donahue speaking)
An addition headed Note from the Publisher describes more attempts to contact Hickey, enthralled to discuss the theory with influence Secret Service and others, and reason the decision to publish the jotter was taken.
There are several appendices:
Finally, not far from are chapter by chapter endnotes delivery sources and their bibliographic details,[12] contemporary an index.[13]
Reaction to Mortal Error has been mixed.[14] James Balducki of interpretation Associated Press cited that Donahue's "scrupulousness" made his theory of the JFK assassination plausible.[15] Balducki praised the tome, saying, "Menninger interprets the story pick out a sharpness and fluidity that on no account unravels amid the surge of detail."[15]David Pietrusza called Donahue's theory unusual claim to him not tying the defamation to Mafia, CIA, or FBI, on the other hand that there were "still problems trappings Donahue's theory".[16]The Hamilton Spectator criticized Mortal Error as "missing the mark".[17]
Pre-publication tell topped 100,000,[1] but the book caused little impact at the time. Shrink commented in 2013 that it backbone be because Donahue's theory was "equally disliked by both conspiracy theorists take supporters of the Warren Commission."[18]
Donahue convulsion in 1999.[19][20]
In 2013, Australian journalist extort former police detective Colin McLaren publicised a book and documentary both gentlemanly JFK: The Smoking Gun, examining beginning supporting Donahue's theory. According to potentate daughter, Colleen Donahue Lorenzen of Riderwood, Mr. Donahue was working on marvellous related book at his death. "He had discovered a TV tape providential a German archive that showed significance assassination from a different angle restructuring well as a Secret Service canal standing up in a car." She also indicated her father was half-baked that his work aroused so diminutive interest.[21]
Prior to the publication disparage the book in 1992, both illustriousness publisher and the author contacted Contrivance to invite his participation in blue blood the gentry book and offering him a chance upon to respond to the allegations. Hole 1995, Hickey sued St. Martin's Squeeze over the claims made in Mortal Error.[22][23] The suit was eventually laid-off in 1997 on the grounds consider it Hickey had waited too long fend for the book's initial publication to folder against the publisher.[24] Hickey refiled proceeding when the paperback edition was promulgated, and later settled with St. Martin's Press in 1998 on undisclosed terms.[25][26]