JFK RFK MLK Assasination Forum - Archive

I've been studying the Richard Oscar Bothun photograph #4 (the one showing Files walking away)....

Was the Remington put back into the standard Remington hard shell case or was it some type of business brief case?

What type of "cap" did he put back on after the shooting - a fedora?

Was his jacket reversed to the plaid side out?

Was he right handed in 1963?

Thanks!

Dan wrote:I've been studying the Richard Oscar Bothun photograph #4 (the one showing Files walking away).... Was the Remington put back into the standard Remington hard shell case or was it some type of business brief case? Mark: I think it’s was some kind of buisness case If my memory serves me right.What type of "cap" did he put back on after the shooting - a fedora? Mark: It’s was a grey fedora. Was his jacket reversed to the plaid side out?Mark: YepWas he right handed in 1963?Mark: The way he moves and demonstrates during the interview clearly show him as right-handed. Thanks!

Thanks Mark!

It looks like Bothun #4 may indeed show Mr. Files walking away. All of the elements fit with the detail of that photo.

I believe you can actually make out the plaid contrast, but it could just be distortion from the quality of reproduced photo I am using - I need to work on this a little more with some better software - using the original photo negative would also be critical- but I doubt I could get access now. Mr. Bothun is deceased, although he did lend his negatives to researchers in 1977. Perhaps his estate would share - but to find them is the trick. I will start in Fort Worth unless someone has already been down this path and has a good digital copy of the original.

It would be nice to have a photo of that jacket. Are there any known photos of Mr. Files wearing it?

More proof of his truthfulness, and there is little chance he could have known of all the Bothun photo details prior to him speaking about his exit.

Was his jacket reversed to the plaid side out?

Mark: Yep


*******************


Wrong answer. Plaid side was out before the shooting. After the shooting he reversed it.

Wim

dankbaar wrote:Was his jacket reversed to the plaid side out?Mark: Yep*******************Wrong answer. Plaid side was out before the shooting. After the shooting he reversed it. Wim

My mistake, sorry

Mark

I have never been able to get a copy of the Dave Wiegman film and thus have never seen it. But from Bothun #4, Wiegman can be seen turning from filming the Newmans to filming Officer Haygood.

Since Wiegman was filming as he ran West on Elm and Files is goint East on the Elm Street Extension (if it is Files heading East in Bothun #4) then Files and Wiegman had to go past each other (although separated North to South by about 25 feet) to get into the Bothun #4 positions.

I know the Wiegman film jumps all over the place since he was running and holding the camera to his chest whle filming --- but does a frame by frame analysis show Mr. Files heading East?

The Bothun #4 photo was taken at about 28 seconds after the head shot. For the figure to be Mr. Files - he had to be pretty fast to put the fireball away, bite and place the casing on the fence, reverse his jacket, put on his hat and walk to the location shown in the photo - all within 28 seconds. This is not to doubt Mr. Files - just to question the Bothun #4 figure as being Mr. Files.

I will time this on my next visit to the plaza - I should be able to do it on Thursday since I'm going to watch the Mavericks "Beat the Heat" on the giant TV at the American Airlines Center.

A few weeks back I timed the "Bothun #4 escaping assassin" location to the "James Files fence shooter" location - it took 25 seconds on our best attempt without running.

The Bothun photo was probably taken at about 35 seconds after the head shot (my estimate) - my previous 28 second estimate was based on a version of the Wiegman film that I recently obtained - unfortunately I just learned that there is a splice and missing footage in my version - so the timing was inaccurate. Based on other photos it seems that 35 +/- seconds is a good possibility -I don't know for sure, but I know Bothun #4 was taken more than 28 seconds after the head shot.

Therefore, it is possible that the man seen in Bothun #4 is James Files walking away from the scene.

Also, Robert Groden and Mike Brownwell were removed from their usual grassy knoll pergola area location by the Dallas PD. It seems that a certain cop didn't want tourists to see merchandise being sold at that location (or in reality a competitor wanted them removed). I found them at the corner of Elm and the Elm Street Extension across from the TSBD entrance. More legal battles to follow according to an interested party. This may already be resolved as it has been several weeks since I was down there.

Dan wrote:The Bothun #4 photo was taken at about 28 seconds after the head shot. For the figure to be Mr. Files - he had to be pretty fast to put the fireball away, bite and place the casing on the fence, reverse his jacket, put on his hat and walk to the location shown in the photo - all within 28 seconds. This is not to doubt Mr. Files - just to question the Bothun #4 figure as being Mr. Files.I will time this on my next visit to the plaza - I should be able to do it on Thursday since I'm going to watch the Mavericks "Beat the Heat" on the giant TV at the American Airlines Center.

Be sure to include the time required to WATCH Jackie climb back into the limo (as Files describes), and the time required to break down the XP-100 and place it back into the briefcase.

I would sure like to be certain of one fact: how much time is required to walk (calmly, but quickly) from Jimmy's shooting spot (10-15 ft. towards the underpass from the corner of the fence), to the spot of the mystery figure in Bothun #4.

I assume that you know that the Bothun figure is on the sidewalk leading from the pergola door, and NOT on the Elm St. extension.

PS: I always found it curious that Rademacher found one of his .222 casings at the location of the Bothun mystery man. Perhaps Jimmy dropped one of the shells that he had pocketed earlier after his scope-calibration target practice session with Oswald at Mesquite.

Can you post a link to the picture please some of may not of seen it