The Single Bullet Theory (Warren

Commission)By: Hannah O’Neill, Emily Rieder, Micaela

Malachowski, Wade Henery, Alex Choi

Statement of Theory

• As the presidential motorcade made its way past the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, Lee Harvey Oswald raised his Mannlicher-Carcano rifle and took aim at Kennedy's head (six stories below)

• With a single shot from Oswald's rifle, a 6.5-millimeter bullet punctured his body to the right of his spine

• The bullet went through Kennedy's body through the front of his neck

Lee Harvey Oswald

Lee Harvey Oswald Background

• He had a bad childhood with the loss of a father and an unstable mother (no father figure)

• Oswald was professionally trained in the use of riffles

• During his time in the Marines he started to favor communist ideas

• Oswald went to Russia, and brought back a Russian wife to the USA

Background Cont.

• He has shot a former marine General Edwin Walker• The bullet just missed the General• Oswald claimed he did it because Walker was an

extremist and deserved to die

Motive

• Oswald was known to be violent• He was a loner and had no morals• He was known to act like a rebel,

might have been a rebellious act• There is evidence from Palmer

McBride that Oswald said the presidency was an exploitation of the working class.

• He didn’t necessarily have anything against Kennedy, just the position of president

Oswald During Assassination

• Oswald was at work at the Texas School Book Depository

• He was seen with a package that contained “curtain rods”

• At lunch time, employees rushed to see the motorcade, but Oswald did not leave

• At the time that Kennedy passed no employee was on the 6th floor, but Oswald

• A bystander saw a young man on the 6th floor with a rifle. He saw him retreat once shots were fired

Investigation After Assassination

• A headcount of employees was taken after the assassination• Oswald was missing

• On the 6th floor, Deputy Sheriff Luke Mooney found a snipers nest. • He saw 3 spent shells and a diagonal

crease across one box which could be a rifle resting place

• Employees on the fifth floor confirmed that they had heard shots and even the shell casings drop above them

Investigation After Assassination

• Oswald was seen walking on the street and was stopped by a police officer who recognized him from descriptions

• The police officer exited his car, Oswald took out a revolver, and shot the officer

• The police found Oswald in a movie theater • Oswald pulled out a pistol and pointed it at one of the

officers • The pistol did not fire because the pistol's hammer

came down on the police officers hand as he grabbed for the pistol.

Video Explanation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ooo2JL2j7M&edufilter=gMLbZye9Ttwkax4D13Y3Fg&safe=active

(Stop at 3:20)

Overview

• Oswald had a rough childhood, his father died when he was young and he didn’t get along with his mothers boyfriends

• He believed in Communist ideas• He didn’t like the presidential position and had mentioned

trying to kill Eisenhower as well• He was known to be violent, a loner, and a rebel• He knew how to fire a bullet • He was married to a Russian

Sources

• http://fiftiesweb.com/kennedy/lee-harvey-oswald-1.htm• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Harvey_Oswald• http://mcadms.posc.mu.edu/motives.htm