JFK - 61 Years and Autopsy Questions Still Remain: The Best of Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan

November 22, 1963: John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was shot and killed during a presidential motorcade in Dallas, Texas.The President is taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

By law, Dallas County Coroner Dr. Earl Rose had jurisdiction over the case and should have performed the autopsy. However, against Dr. Earl Rose's protestations, the body of President Kennedy was wrapped in a sheet, placed in a casket with a broken handle, and flown over 1,300 miles away to Washington DC, where 2 naval doctors, who had never conducted a forensic autopsy performed the autopsy on John F. Kennedy. 

Join Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack as they take a close look at the autopsy that was so bad, 60years later questions are still being asked. 

 

 

 

 

Time Code Highlights
00:00:10 Introduction 
00:01:21 The ripple effect of the assassination of JFk
00:04:31 The moments following the shooting of JFK in Dealey Plaza
00:06:02 Talk about how autopsy "Standard Procedures" were not followed 
00:06:51 Texas state law and jurisdiction over investigation and autopsy
00:07:58 Board Certified Forensic Pathologist Doctor Earl Rose was chief medical examiner for Dallas, Texas at the time and was at Parkland Memorial Hospital
00:09:22 JFK body taken from Dallas to Washington DC for autopsy
00:10:59 Secret Service preparing for President trips.
00:11:36 JFK physical condition after being shot.
00:12:52 Injuries to JFK, at least 2 gunshot wounds. 
00:13:31 Tracheotomy that was performed to establish an airway
00:15:04  Dr. Earl Rose and how his experience was dismissed
00:16:23 Dr. Earl Rose KNEW he was looking at a Murder Investigation.
00:17:47 Discussion Dallas County had jurisdiction over the body.
00:19:03 Talk about autopsy of JFK should have taken place in Dallas
00:20:08 Previous Presidential assassination, Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley and their autopsies.
00:22:10 Dr. Earl Rose did the autopsy for Oswald, Officer Tippit, and Jack Ruby.
00:23:36  JFK body being taken to Washington DC 
00:25:16 Comparing Bethesda Naval Hospital to Walter Reed Hospital 
00:26:04 doctors chosen to perform JFK autopsy
00:28:42 why doctors turned bullet wound into tracheostomy
00:29:55  Presidents body wrapped in sheets. Head wrapped in gauze
00:31:09  JFK clothing, tie changed the trajectory of round.
00:32:58  Other clothing worn during the assassination
00:33:44  "magic bullet" going through JFK and Governor Connally, 
00:35:08 Secret Service agents washed interior of Presidential limo. 
00:36:03 Talk about crime scenes - bone fragments found and turned in later
00:37:02 Description of President's head, skull came apart in doctors hands.
00:38:04 Discussion of Assessment
00:40:02 Talk about x-rays that were done on body
00:41:58  Description of the Bethesda autopsy suite 
00:43:51 Ballistics expert Dr. Pierre Fink, forensic pathologist, came to Bethesda 
00:44:53  JFK brain was removed before Dr. Fink arrived
00:46:05 Description of "Brain Loafing".
00:47:22 The autopsy of JFK was not a complete autopsy
00:49:21 Discussion of "family wishes" as it applies to the murder of the president.
00:50:48 Compare autopsy of John F. Kennedy and Robert F Kennedy
00:52:36 Discussion about other pathologists available to do autopsy on JFK
00:55:09 No way to know if other injuries suffered by JFK could have been lethal
00:56:04 Commentary - no excuse for what happened with autopsy of JFK

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