Single-Bullet Theory

A paragraph near the end of Scheer’s article talked about the “single-bullet theory” and suggested it was unbelievable. Immediately after that paragraph, Scheer states: “This and other evidence led the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1979 to conclude after a two-year investigation that ‘President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy.’ ”

Scheer’s article leads one to believe that the House committee disagreed with the single-bullet theory and that that disagreement, along with other evidence, led to its conclusion that there was a conspiracy.

In fact, the committee, of which I was the assistant deputy chief counsel, concluded that the single-bullet theory was valid . While the committee was, like a great many other Americans, initially very skeptical, after two years of investigation, including consultations with the country’s foremost experts in forensic pathology and ballistics, it was compelled, by the evidence , to accept the single-bullet theory.

In this regard, the results of neutron activation analysis, which permitted a very precise analysis of the bullet, as well as fragments located at the scene, were completely consistent with the theory that a single bullet wounded both President Kennedy and Gov. John Connolly.

While Scheer is correct in stating that the Select Committee on Assassinations concluded that Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy, he neglects to state that it also concluded that the President was struck by two bullets, both of which were fired by Lee Harvey Oswald from the sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository.

KENNETH KLEIN

Los Angeles