David W. Mantik, M.D., Ph.D., on the JFK Skull X-rays

David W. Mantik, M.D., Ph.D., the leading expert on the medical evidence in the assassination of JFK in the world today, discusses his research on the "official" JFK skull X-rays kept at the National Archives. If you visit assassinationscience.com, you will find his Powerpoint presentation. He addresses the "white patch" on the right-lateral cranial X-ray (of the skull taken from the side), which was imposed to conceal a massive blow-out to the back of the skull; the 6.5 mm metallic slice on the anterior-posterior (front to rear) X-ray, in an evident effort to implicate the 6.5mm weapon Lee Oswald was alleged to have use; and the "T" inscription on the left-lateral cranial X-ray, a gouge in the X-ray film itself which is not present on the film stored at the National Archives. His research demonstrates that none of the "official" X-rays is authentic and that there are multiple indications of alteration to conceal the true cause of death of President John F. Kennedy.

David W. Mantik, M.D., Ph.D., on the "Official" JFK Skull X-rays

Slide 2 -- JFK Skull X-rays: Intrinsic Evidence of Forgery

Slide 4. Note JFK’s nose in the center and the two orbits on either side of the nose. The metallic debris across the top likely derived from a bullet that entered at the hairline, just superior to the right orbit. Several witnesses recalled that wound. The metallic debris may represent mercury droplets rather than lead fragments. The 6.5 mm object was not seen by anyone at the autopsy and was not removed, despite the fact that it is now the most obvious feature of the anterior-posterior (AP) X-ray. Most likely, it was added in the darkroom soon after 22 November 1963.

Slide 5 -- JFK Right-Lateral X-ray: the White Patch.
The White Patch was likely added in the dark room, to both left and right-lateral X-rays. Its purpose was to obscure the loss of tissue at the back of the skull and its effect (especially alongside the very dark area at the front) was to suggest a bullet entry from the rear that blew out tissue from the front. The White Patch has an optical density nearly the same as the densest bone in the body—the petrous bone, which surrounds the ear canal. In other words, the OD data suggest that JFK’s head, inside the White Patch, was nearly solid bone from left to right. That nonsensical conclusion alone indicts the White Patch as a fake. Furthermore, such a white patch was not seen on his pre-mortem X-ray.

Slide 7 -- The Strange Inscription on JFK’s Left-Lateral Skull X-ray: as Shown on a Patient
Since JFK’s left-lateral X-ray is not in the public record, I can only show a patient X-ray. The X-ray in the Archives has a similar T-shaped inscription on it, as if someone had deliberately scraped away the emulsion. No one knows why this was done, and it probably has no significance. But its properties are bizarre and, since this defect is visually but not physically present in the "official" left-lateral in the National Archives, it cannot be an original.

David W. Mantik on the ARRB's Three X-ray Experts

Slide 57 -- ARRB’s Medical Consultants--#1
During my stereo viewing of the posterior skull, I saw only odd 2D images precisely where the large skull defect was reported. It would have been interesting to ask Ubelaker exactly what he meant by the “lay” of the scalp not matching in two photos. The summary does not actually state that he did stereo viewing, so he probably did not. Douglas Horne admits that even he and Jeremy Gunn, the Executive Director of the ARRB, did not do this.

Slide 58 -- ARRB’s Medical Consultants—#2
The most obvious inconsistency is the missing brain in the dark area, as compared to the nearly intact brain in the photographs of the brain. He disagrees radically with the HSCA on several points, however: no visible entry site on either skull X-ray and no apparent directionality to the bullet. Also, unlike the entire HSCA Pathology Panell--with the solitary exception of Cyril Wecht, M.D., J.D.--he doubts the "Single Bullet" theory.

Slide 59 -- The Mystery Photo F8
We have seen this before. I would emphasize again though that Kirschner and I agree on the images in the upper left portion—something no one else has ever noticed. These images (in the upper left) essentially identify this view as one of the posterior skull. We are therefore observing the interior of the skull of the massive defect at the back of JFK's skull.

Slide 60 -- ARRB’s Medical Consultants—#3
The OD data make it impossible that any significant brain can remain in the Dark Area. As of 21 February 2010, Fitzpatrick still had not replied to my correspondence, in which I had requested that he be specific about his objections to my work. He never did that during his time with the ARRB, except to say that I was not a forensic radiologist. Most likely he merely objected to having a radiation oncologist intruding into “his turf.”