Post by clavigerLIES ABOUT THE JAMES FILES CONFESSION - Ken Rahn
https://www.kenrahn.com/JFK/The_critics/Vernon/Vernon.../Vernon_responds.html
A Rhode Island college teacher, Ken Rahn, says: "It is easy to
show that James Files is lying by noting multiple violations of
the physical evidence. Here are the ...
We used to discuss James Files on the Nuthouse.
I'll quote some of those messages and hopefully the censor will not
notice where they came from!
Good-bye, James Files
87 posts by 11 authors
Kenneth A. Rahn
2/9/03
To All,
I suppose you can't really say good-bye to someone you never said
hello to, but I will give James Files the benefit of the doubt on this
point. Now that Bob Vernon is actively pushing his new TV "special," I
thought it would be appropriate to remind everyone that Files's story, if
indeed it is really his, violates several major physical constraints of
the JFK assassination. I have had a web page on this subject for the last
couple of years, and Bob Vernon has taken major exception to it, to put it
mildly (but in the form of hurling epithets rather than refuting
evidence).
Perhaps the biggest physical constraint is that the XP-100 Fireball
doesn't have the oomph to create Kennedy's motions. It doesn't even come
close. This is very easy to demonstrate. You just look up the mass of the
bullet and its speed, factor in a couple of angles, and see how fast the
body can be pushed backward from the momentum. It is a much simpler
calculation than any that involve the explosion of the head. I have
recently redone this calculation, along with the same thing for a couple
hundred other bullets. Book values for a .221 round with the XP-100 are 50
grains and 2650 fps muzzle velocity. Files said that he used a .222 round
that would hit at 3100 fps, so I decided to grant him that and up the mass
to 60 grains, just to give him the benefit of the doubt. I used a downward
angle of 9 degrees and a horizontal angle of 118 degrees relative to the
plane of the Zapruder film (corresponding to the corner of the stockade
fence). I also let the bullet be totally absorbed by the body, because
Files said that his special mercury-loaded round would "fragmentate." With
an upper body of 85 pounds, the rearward velocity came out to about 0.3
fps. That value is well below the observed initial lurch of 0.8 fps
rearward and much farther below the final lurch of 2.8 fps. In other
words, Files's weapon and ammunition failed by factors of 3 to 9 to do the
job he claimed for it.
So when you read the continuing publicity about the coming "special,"
keep in mind that James Files could not have done what he claimed to.
Files and Vernon should not have forgotten about physics!
Incidentally, I did find several types of ammunition that could
create the initial lurch of 0.8 fps rearward. The are mostly in the Magnum
or Magnum Super category. Files should have said that he fired a different
kind of weapon!
Ken Rahn
9 February 2002
Click here to Reply
AnthonyMarsh
2/9/03
Post by clavigerTo All,
I suppose you can't really say good-bye to someone you never said
hello to, but I will give James Files the benefit of the doubt on this
point. Now that Bob Vernon is actively pushing his new TV "special," I
thought it would be appropriate to remind everyone that Files's story, if
indeed it is really his, violates several major physical constraints of
the JFK assassination. I have had a web page on this subject for the last
couple of years, and Bob Vernon has taken major exception to it, to
put it
Post by clavigermildly (but in the form of hurling epithets rather than refuting
evidence).
I've been debunking the Files nonsense for many years, but we have to be
careful not to overdo it. Your analysis has a couple of flaws which do not
negate your particular argument against the Files scenario, but could lead
people to taking false positions.
Post by clavigerPerhaps the biggest physical constraint is that the XP-100 Fireball
doesn't have the oomph to create Kennedy's motions. It doesn't even come
I don't know that anyone has ever quantified exactly how much energy in
terms of foot-pounds (if that is indeed the measure we need to use) would
be required to cause the motions of JFK which we see. I have always
objected to the double standard which some WC defenders display when they
flatly state that no shot from the front could cause the movements and
then claim that a M-C shot from behind caused JFK's head to move forward
2.3 inches during one Zapruder frame. How many foot-pounds were DEPOSITED
inside JFK's head for that supposed shot? The bullet did not stop inside
the head and seemed to have done some further damage to the limousine, so
not all the energy that it hit with at 265 feet was deposited. Can that
deposited energy move his head forward 2.3 inches in 1/18th of a second?
Post by clavigerclose. This is very easy to demonstrate. You just look up the mass of the
bullet and its speed, factor in a couple of angles, and see how fast the
body can be pushed backward from the momentum. It is a much simpler
That is a false assumption. No one has ever said that a bullet moved all
of JFK's body in any particular direction. The question should be whether
any particular ammo can move the head violently. How much energy is
needed? We do not know for sure what bullet is assumed for the grassy
knoll shot. Careful analysis of the acoustical evidence suggests about
2200-2300 fps muzzle velocity. Medical evidence suggests that the size of
the bullet was compatible with the other 6.5 mm ammo used. Calculate that
based on a hit at 100 feet. Now, the type of bullet is also very
important. As Dr. Roger McCarthy of Failure Analysis Associates points
out, a typical ball bullet like CE 399 would not have deposited enough
energy because it is specifically designed to go through the body without
deformation or mushrooming. Other ammo can deposit much more energy. In
his example he produced a glycerin bullet by filling in the tip of
hollow-point bullet. The bullet produced a violent movement away from the
rifle and the bullet remained in the target and did not exit. Another type
of bullet which deposits much more energy is an explosive bullet. In
comparison tests done by Velex, an explosive bullet typically delivered
almost twice the amount of energy as its standard counterpart.
Post by clavigercalculation than any that involve the explosion of the head. I have
recently redone this calculation, along with the same thing for a couple
hundred other bullets. Book values for a .221 round with the XP-100
are 50
Post by clavigergrains and 2650 fps muzzle velocity. Files said that he used a .222 round
that would hit at 3100 fps, so I decided to grant him that and up the
mass
Post by clavigerto 60 grains, just to give him the benefit of the doubt. I used a
downward
Post by clavigerangle of 9 degrees and a horizontal angle of 118 degrees relative to the
plane of the Zapruder film (corresponding to the corner of the stockade
fence). I also let the bullet be totally absorbed by the body, because
The acoustical evidence places the location of the rifle at about 10
feet west of the corner of the fence, but that minor difference should
not affect your computations.
Post by clavigerFiles said that his special mercury-loaded round would "fragmentate."
With
Post by clavigeran upper body of 85 pounds, the rearward velocity came out to about 0.3
fps. That value is well below the observed initial lurch of 0.8 fps
Use the head only, not the entire upper body. The upper body is not
moved as a uniform mass. The torso follows the head. Recalculate using
10 pounds.
Post by clavigerrearward and much farther below the final lurch of 2.8 fps. In other
words, Files's weapon and ammunition failed by factors of 3 to 9 to
do the
Post by clavigerjob he claimed for it.
But that is based on your false assumptions. Recalculate for the head
only and see what you come up with.
Post by clavigerSo when you read the continuing publicity about the coming "special,"
keep in mind that James Files could not have done what he claimed to.
Files and Vernon should not have forgotten about physics!
Incidentally, I did find several types of ammunition that could
create
Post by clavigerthe initial lurch of 0.8 fps rearward. The are mostly in the Magnum or
Magnum Super category. Files should have said that he fired a different
kind of weapon!
I would imagine that they have heavier bullets and higher muzzle
velocities?
Post by clavigerKen Rahn
9 February 2002
--
Anthony Marsh
The Puzzle Palace http://www.boston.quik.com/amarsh