The Rearranged Boxes

First topic message reminder :

I've noticed that Bill Kelly has today brought up the question of the rearranged boxes on the sixth floor.  As many of you are no doubt aware, the House Select Committee on Assassinations that was convened in 1976 took a close look at two photographs of the exterior of the Texas School Book Depository building, that were allegedly taken within minutes of each other, and it appeared that the boxes in the snipers nest were in different configurations in each photo. They concluded after applying photogrammetry to the photos based upon angles, sunlight and other factors that the boxes had been moved.

Now, that is the conclusion of the the last investigation into this case.  They firmly stated that somebody moved the boxes between Tom Dillard and James Powell taking their photographs.

So, armed with this new HSCA conclusion the critical community felt they now had more ammunition to fire at Warren Commission defenders because Oswald not only had to fire three shots at the President, wait a few seconds for Howard Brennan to see him, wipe every fingerprint from the exterior of the weapon, rearrange the boxes that nobody outside saw him do, run to the other side of the sixth floor navigating the stacks of books, hide the rifle, then descend four flights of stairs and appear in the presence of Officer Baker perfectly calm - all in a maximum time of 90 seconds.

If the official story incorporates a conclusion that Oswald rearranged the boxes then the timeline is IMPOSSIBLE.  So the official timeline does not include Oswald moving the boxes.  If the HSCA is correct in their assertion that the boxes did move then someone other than Oswald moved them within a minute or two of the final shot.  This obviously brings with it it's own set of awkward questions.  Who?  Why?  When?

But as with most elements of the JFK case the truth probably does not exist where official fingers point.  Another possibility that is not entertained very much by serious researchers is this; the boxes didn't move.  At least they did not move immediately after the assassination. Either the Dillard photo showing a different box configuration was not taken on 11/22/63 or the Powell photo showing a different box configuration was not taken on 11/22/63.  One of them is authentic and the other is not.

The history of these two photographs is checkered.  The testimony taken from Tom Dillard and the provenance of his photographs and cataloging of them as official exhibits leaves a lot to be desired.  James Powell's other photos he took that day have never surfaced.  Bonnie Ray Williams and Harold Norman look superimposed.  There is no sign of James Jarman.

Bearing in mind the debate that is currently taking place about whether the second floor encounter actually took place, what are other members thoughts on the movement of the boxes and the problems with the Powell and Dillard photographs?

This is a really interesting thread. Fascinating reading indeed.

Just to add a bit more, not long after the shooting, Robert Studebaker was photographed moving the boxes around. FWIW

Apologies if this has been mentioned before.

I found what seems to be a clearer picture that I thought I'd post.