hand and arm scars of LHO

Autopsy report

1.  1. On the mid-portion dorsum of the left hand there is a poorly defined pale white oblique ½ inch scar  
Location of the scar shown at A here: It is of unknown origin. 



2. Over the volar aspect of the right wrist there is a transverse  superficial ¼ inch abrasion  This is undoubtedly from the alleged suicide attempt in Moscow


3. Volar portion of the left wrist there is a transverse 1 ¾ inch slightly raised white scar  This the other scar from the Moscow incident


4. Over the left arm, below the deltoid there is a transverse 5/8 x ¾ inch  somewhat puckered and irregular scar 


The deltoid is the large muscle shown on the shoulder that extends a little down the arm. This would be where the bullet was excised


5.  Over the medial aspect mid-distal third of the left arm there is a 1 ¼ inch vertical scar with cross-hatching 


Shown are the two bones of the forearm. Clearly the position of this scar is NOT the wrist, and the ONLY scar it could relate to is the gunshot wound of entry from the Marines.


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USMC Medical File


The USMC of course was prior to the trip to the SU, so only the gunshot wounds are noted.


According to the extant record, the entry wound was in the medial portion of the left upper arm just above the elbow while the bullet was said to have been excised two inches above that.


The claimed position for the bullet removal would seem to be in agreement with the autopsy report. The position noted for entry however, would seem to be different in both.


Autopsy: Over the medial aspect mid-distal third of the left arm there is a 1 ¼ inch vertical scar with cross-hatching

vs
USMC: in the medial portion of the left upper arm just above the elbow


I don't know how to explain this -- but I can't for the life of me see how it advances H & L theory because the place of bullet removal is correctly noted. 

Greg,

I think it is obvious, isn't it? They just had to make sure Harvey had the same wounds as Lee.

Handler: Hold still, Harvey. Lee shot himself in the arm so we have to shoot you too.

Harvey: Oh, all right then! Damn but I hope the little prick doesn't castrate himself!

Greg,  I'm not sure why you think there is a disagreement.  The autopsy curiously uses the anatomically vague "left arm", but distal merely refers to the section of bone closest to an attachment/joint or toward the "central" location -- here, the elbow.  It may thus indicate distal with respect to the humerus, not of the radius/ulna.  In which case, it would agree pretty much with the USMC description.

Or am I missing something?

Albert Rossi wrote:Greg,  I'm not sure why you think there is a disagreement.  The autopsy curiously uses the anatomically vague "left arm", but distal merely refers to the section of bone closest to an attachment/joint or toward the "central" location -- here, the elbow.  It may thus indicate distal with respect to the humerus, not of the radius/ulna.  In which case, it would agree pretty much with the USMC description.

Or am I missing something?

No, Albert -- it would appear that it was me getting myself confused - with a bit help from the gang at DPF. You are correct - it could apply to the humerus as well as the radius/ulna. 

Which means that the H & L claim that these scars were not present at autopsy is incorrect - which I already knew - but it also means there are no discrepancies in their placement.

Just as I thought.  Thanks, Greg.