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Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK is a 1992 nonfiction book by Bonar Menninger outlining a theory by sharpshooter, gunsmith, and ballistics expert Howard Donahue that a Secret Service agent accidentally fired the shot that actually killed President John F. Kennedy.[1][2] Mortal Error was published by St Martin's Press in hardback, paperback, and audiobook.

Key Information

Menninger is also the author of And Hell Followed With It: Life and Death in a Kansas Tornado, which won a Kansas Notable Book Award in 2011.[3]

Background and overview

[edit]
Photo showing driver and Agent George Hickey, shortly after JFK was shot, holding the AR-15 rifle that accidental-shooting theorists say killed Kennedy.

Donahue first became interested in the story of the assassination of John F. Kennedy after participating in a re-creation of the shooting as one of eleven invited marksmen and sharpshooters.[2] He demonstrated that it would have been possible for Lee Harvey Oswald to have fired three shots in the time specified by the Warren Commission, and was the only one of the eleven to better the 5.6-second window. However, the experience highlighted to Donahue other concerns regarding the Warren report — in particular, the fact that the testimony of ballistics experts seemed to have been completely omitted from the Commission's evidence gathering.[4]

Conducting his own investigation, Donahue eventually decided that the bullet that struck Kennedy in the head had in fact been fired by United States Secret Service Special Agent George Warren Hickey Jr. (March 24, 1923 – February 25, 2005) from an AR-15 rifle carried in the car immediately following the President's vehicle. The proposed series of events is as follows: After the first shot (which hit the street) was fired, Hickey turns completely around and looks toward Oswald, who is on the sixth floor of the school book depository building. His turned head is documented in an AP photograph by James Altgens. Hickey reaches for the AR-15 under the seat, releases the safety and begins to lift the gun. The second shot is fired by Oswald, hitting the president and Texas Governor John Connally. The president's car and the follow-up car containing Hickey suddenly speed up. This is attested to by Secret Service agent Clint Hill. Hickey, who is unstable because he is standing on the cushion of the seat, rather than the floor of the car, begins to fall back due to the acceleration of the vehicle, pulling the trigger of the AR-15. The gun is pointed toward Kennedy at that instant, and the bullet strikes him squarely in the back of the head.

In parallel, he believes Oswald's second shot through Kennedy's neck may have already critically wounded the president before the third shot was fired.[5]

Donahue was encouraged in his investigations by Ralph Reppert, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. In 1977, Reppert published Donahue's theory in two articles, which appeared on Sunday, May 1, and the following Sunday, with the second article accompanied by an editorial. These two men were keen to collaborate on a book on the subject,[6] but this was cut short by Reppert's ill health and subsequent death.[7] Donahue later also approached author John Davis in the hope that a book would still be written.[8] The original copyright of Mortal Error read "Copyright 1992 Bonar Menninger and Howard Donahue"[9] but some later editions did not mention Donahue's copyright. The Acknowledgements section (dated January 21, 1992) begins "Special thanks to Nick Beltrante for a great news tip, the late Ralph Reppert for showing the way, Howard and Katie Donahue for casting their lot with me ...".[10]

Donahue's reconstruction of the trajectories of the shots that struck Kennedy and Governor Connally supported the single-bullet theory for the second shot. Donahue decided that the "impossible trajectory" suggested by the Warren Commission was only necessary because there was an error in their positioning of Connally. He also concluded that this was Oswald's second shot, the first having missed owing to the misalignment of the rifle's telescopic sight but with a ricochet fragment slightly wounding Kennedy, and that Oswald had not fired a third shot, the third cartridge case found at the scene having been a slightly bent and empty one usually kept in the rifle's chamber.[10]

Neither Donahue nor Menninger commented on whether the Warren Commission's key finding, that Oswald acted alone, was correct or not. Menninger notes that the theory does not preclude Oswald's involvement with a conspiracy.[11]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Mortal Error.

Synopsis

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The book takes the overall form of a narrative, in which Menninger describes Donahue's enquiries over twenty-five years.

Chapter 1, A Chance Telephone Call, describes the events that led to Donahue's interest in the assassination, and a brief biography up until that point.

Chapters 2 and 3, The Warren Report and The Critics, then give the context and summary of the Warren Report, and a detailed summary of its critics as of 1968.

Chapter 4, The Single Bullet Theory presents Donahue's analysis of the shot which, according to the Warren Commission, struck both Kennedy and Connally, and suggests that the "magic bullet" trajectory is only necessary because the estimated position of the Governor was wrong. One of Oswald's shots could, it claims, therefore have caused both men's injuries as theorized, but there remain other unanswered questions.

Chapter 5, The Head Shot describes Donahue's analysis of the shot that hit Kennedy in the head, using the Warren Commission evidence (particularly the official autopsy report), stills from the Zapruder film and other photos, and holes drilled in a plaster skull. Numerous questions arise surrounding the completeness and even accuracy of the autopsy report.

... the bullet that hit Kennedy's head had not behaved like a full-metal jacketed round at all. (p. 49)

The Commission determined that all three spent shells found at the depository came from the same lot of full metaljacketed 6.5 millimeter ammunition (p. 50)

... two crippling problems with the government's claim that Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shot that hit Kennedy in the head: 1) the apparent trajectory of the bullet did not seem to match the location of Oswald's sniper's nest, and 2) the type of bullet fired was totally at odds with the rounds that Oswald was known to have used. (p. 56)

Chapter 6, A Fortuitous Encounter, describes Donahue's first correspondence with the Secret Service, and reviews the conclusions that led to his approaching them.

In just eight months, working on weekends and evenings in his cluttered basement den, he had been able to construct a rebuttal to the critics of the Commission's single bullet theory that effectively destroyed their principal arguments. More important, he was sure he'd identified two serious flaws in the Government's explanation of the head wound, flaws those same critics has [sic] missed entirely. (p. 57)

He then by chance meets Dr. Russell Fisher, who led the Clark Panel, which reviewed the autopsy in 1968, and who provides a copy of its report and many insights into details of the autopsy report and problems with the material provided to the panel. The suspicion of an accidental discharge by a Secret Service agent grows.

Well, you know more about guns than I do," he said. "But that would certainly explain the strange antics of the government." (p. 65)

Chapter 7, Kennedy's Unknown Wound, describes Donahue's conclusion that Kennedy suffered a scalp wound from a ricochet fragment from Oswald's first shot, using the material provided by Fisher. This resolves some problems with the timing of the reactions of Kennedy and Connally.

Chapter 8, Murphy's Law, resumes the story of Donahue's career as his expertise and reputation as an expert witness grow.

Chapter 9, The Discovery, describes more of Donahue's career, and his discovery of a photo showing a Secret Service agent holding a weapon that could have produced the kind of wound Kennedy suffered (the photo eventually used on the cover of the book). This revives his interest in publishing an article on his findings.

Howard here. You're not going to believe this, and God help me if I'm wrong, but I think we can do the story. I found the gun. (p. 108)

Chapter 10, Breaking News, describes the first publication of Donahue's conclusions in articles by Ralph Reppert, and attempts to contact Hickey. Questions are asked regarding the nature of the coverup, and particularly about whether Robert Kennedy was involved in it.

Chapters 11 to 13 describe Donahue's experiences with the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations.

Obviously, they had no intention of examining the evidence Howard had assembled. (p. 157)

Harold A. Rose, ... an investigator for the committee, ... informed Donahue that he'd traveled extensively around the country to question a number of Secret Service agents and police officers about what happened in Dallas. "So, did you interview Hickey?" Donahue asked. "He was right there in Washington." "No, I did not," Rose replied. "Why not?" Donahue asked. "I really don't know," Rose said finally. (pp. 186–187, describing a conversation that took place in 1983)

Chapter 14, The AR-15, describes the ill health and death of Reppert, the reporter who wrote the articles that broke the story, which ends their proposed collaboration on a book on Donahue's theory and puts the book proposal on hold. The story of the AR-15 is told, with comparisons to the M-1, AK-47, M-14, and M-16, and some very critical assessments of the adoption of the M-14 and M-16.

Do you know what killed most of us? Our own rifles ... (p. 196)

Chapter 15, The Final Breakthrough, presents more ballistics, especially estimating the size of the head shot entry wound and its relevance. John Davis, another possible author for the book, is contacted and is at first enthusiastic. Howard gives up his Masters studies in forensics but becomes increasingly employed as an expert witness despite this.

... the bullet that struck Kennedy's neck had cracked one of his vertebrae ... if Kennedy would have survived the trauma at all – something Lattimer doubted – it probably would have been only as a vegetable quadriplegic. (p. 199)

Chapter 16, Hope Dies Hard, gives a brief history of the Secret Service, their nightmare assignment guarding Kennedy, and their reaction to the shooting. There follows Hickey's involvement in the Warren Commission and statements by him and other agents. Donahue's conversation with one notable conspiracy theorist is also described.

Chapter 17, Today, is a recap as of spring 1991, describing reactions from Secret Service agents and others to the theory, and more attempts to contact Hickey.

I do not believe that George Hickey is to blame for what happened. He was a brave man trying to do his job. (p. 237, Donahue speaking)

An afterword headed Note from the Publisher describes more attempts to contact Hickey, and to discuss the theory with the Secret Service and others, and why the decision to publish the book was taken.

There are several appendices:

  • Appendix A: Testimony and Written Statements by Secret Service Agents Regarding Events of November 22, 1963
  • Appendix B: 1968 Panel Review of Photographs, X-Ray Films, Documents, and Other Evidence Pertaining to the Fatal Wounding of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas
  • Appendix C: Excerpts from Interviews Conducted by the House Select Committee on Assassinations with Drs. Humes, Petty, Angel, Baden, Boxwell, and Loquvam
  • Appendix D: Trajectory Analysis from the House Select Committee on Assassinations Hearings

Finally, there are chapter by chapter endnotes giving sources and their bibliographic details,[12] and an index.[13]

Reception

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Reaction to Mortal Error has been mixed.[14] James Balducki of the Associated Press cited that Donahue's "scrupulousness" made his theory of the JFK assassination plausible.[15] Balducki praised the book, saying, "Menninger interprets the story with a sharpness and fluidity that never unravels amid the surge of detail."[15] David Pietrusza called Donahue's theory unusual due to him not tying the assassination to Mafia, CIA, or FBI, but that there were "still problems with Donahue's theory".[16] The Hamilton Spectator criticized Mortal Error as "missing the mark".[17]

Pre-publication orders topped 100,000,[1] but the book caused little impact at the time. Menninger commented in 2013 that it might be because Donahue's theory was "equally disliked by both conspiracy theorists and supporters of the Warren Commission."[18]

Donahue died in 1999.[19][20]

In 2013, Australian journalist and former police detective Colin McLaren published a book and documentary both titled JFK: The Smoking Gun, examining and supporting Donahue's theory. According to his daughter, Colleen Donahue Lorenzen of Riderwood, Mr. Donahue was working on a related book at his death. "He had discovered a TV tape in a German archive that showed the assassination from a different angle as well as a Secret Service agent standing up in a car." She also indicated her father was surprised that his work aroused so little interest.[21]

Hickey lawsuit

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Prior to the publication of the book in 1992, both the publisher and the author contacted Hickey to invite his participation in the book and offering him a chance to respond to the allegations. In 1995, Hickey sued St. Martin's Press over the claims made in Mortal Error.[22][23] The suit was eventually dismissed in 1997 on the grounds that Hickey had waited too long after the book's initial publication to file against the publisher.[24] Hickey refiled suit when the paperback edition was published, and later settled with St. Martin's Press in 1998 on undisclosed terms.[25][26]

References

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Mortal Error

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Mortal Error is a 1992 book by American author Bonar Menninger that proposes the fatal head wound suffered by President during his on November 22, 1963, resulted from an accidental discharge of an AR-15 rifle by Secret Service agent George Hickey in the motorcade's follow-up vehicle, rather than from gunfire by . The theory, derived from expert Howard Donahue's forensic analysis, posits that Oswald fired the initial shots striking Kennedy in the back and wounding Governor , but the kill shot originated from Hickey's unsecured weapon amid the chaos of the attack. Donahue, a veteran and firearms specialist who demonstrated the feasibility of Oswald's alleged timeline by firing three rounds from a Mannlicher-Carcano in under 6.5 seconds during a 1967 recreation—the only expert to achieve this—later identified discrepancies in the official evidence over a 25-year private investigation. He argued that the fatal bullet's high velocity, explosive fragmentation pattern, and lack of a intact were incompatible with the lower-speed, full-metal-jacket 6.5mm round from Oswald's , which typically passes through targets without such disintegration, but aligned with the .223-caliber AR-15's jacketed hollow-point-like behavior upon impact. Trajectory reconstructions placed the shot's origin rearward and elevated, consistent with Hickey's position standing in the accelerating SS-100-X car behind the limousine, potentially triggered by a reflexive grab for the after Oswald's volley jolted the agents. The hypothesis, presented by Donahue to the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1977 but not incorporated into its findings, gained wider attention through Menninger's book and the 2013 documentary JFK: The Smoking Gun, which drew on similar ballistic arguments by Australian detective Colin McLaren. Proponents highlight empirical forensic mismatches in the Warren Commission and HSCA reports—such as the head wound's explosive dynamics and neutron activation analysis of fragments—as substantiating an accidental "mortal error" over orchestrated conspiracy, while acknowledging institutional incentives for the Secret Service to suppress evidence of operational negligence. Despite this, the theory remains disputed, with critics citing the absence of confirmed AR-15 residue or eyewitness confirmation of a discharge from the follow car, and official narratives upholding Oswald as the lone shooter responsible for all wounds.

Origins of the Theory

Howard Donahue's Background and Initial Investigation

Howard Donahue (full name Howard C. H. Donahue) was born in , and relocated to , in the early 1930s. He graduated from and earned a bachelor's degree from the , in 1950. During , Donahue enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1943, serving as a pilot with the 91st Bomb Group of the 8th based in Bassingbourne, ; he completed 35 combat missions and received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Presidential Unit Citation, seven Air Medals, and six battle stars. Donahue established himself as a expert and , opening Donahue’s Gun Specialties in Towson in 1969 and operating it until 1985. After closing the shop, he worked as a firearms examiner, investigating shooting accidents, testifying as an in courts, and consulting on media projects, including ballistics analysis for John Waters' films Pink Flamingos (1973) and Desperate Living (1985), a 1978 BBC special on the , and a 1981 ABC segment on the . His expertise extended to evaluating rifle performance, ammunition effects, and , drawing on hands-on experience with various firearms. Donahue's engagement with the John F. Kennedy assassination began in 1967, when he participated in a CBS News re-enactment of the shooting, during which he test-fired the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle attributed to Lee Harvey Oswald. This involvement prompted him to scrutinize the Warren Commission's ballistic conclusions, particularly inconsistencies in shot timing, bullet fragmentation, and wound characteristics, leading him to doubt that Oswald acted alone and to initiate an independent, decades-long analysis of the evidence from on November 22, 1963. He later testified before the House Select Committee on Assassinations in 1977, asserting that the fatal originated from a position behind and to the left of Kennedy, incompatible with Oswald's alleged perch.

Key Ballistic Insights Leading to the Hypothesis

Ballistics expert Howard Donahue's investigation into the John F. Kennedy assassination centered on discrepancies in the fatal head wound's characteristics and associated bullet fragments. The autopsy revealed a small entry wound in the rear skull and a large, explosive exit wound on the right side, with numerous small lead fragments recovered from the presidential limousine's front compartment and Kennedy's brain tissue. Donahue's comparative firing tests showed that 6.5mm full-metal-jacket bullets from Oswald's Mannlicher-Carcano rifle, traveling at approximately 2,000 feet per second, typically deform or tumble upon impact with bone but do not fragment into the multitude of tiny pieces observed, as these bullets are designed for penetration rather than explosive disassembly. In ballistic gelatin simulations replicating the head wound, Donahue found that .223-caliber full-metal-jacket rounds from an AR-15 rifle, with muzzle velocities exceeding 3,000 feet per second, yaw rapidly upon entering tissue, fragmenting into 20 to 30 pieces due to hydrodynamic instability and the bullet's construction, closely matching the autopsy-described fragmentation pattern and fragment sizes—ranging from dust-like particles to larger chunks up to 7 grains. This behavior stems from the higher and of the .223 round, causing it to exceed stability thresholds sooner than the slower, heavier projectile. Donahue further noted the absence of an intact or largely undeformed bullet from the , unlike the relatively pristine condition of the "stretcher bullet" (CE 399) attributed to earlier wounds; ammunition rarely disintegrates completely, whereas AR-15 rounds at close range—estimated at 10 to 20 yards from the Secret Service follow-up car—consistently pulverize against cranial bone, aligning with the lack of a recoverable and the forward spray of brain matter observed in the . Trajectory reconstructions by Donahue indicated that the fatal shot's path, entering slightly right of the midline at a shallow downward angle, originated from a seated position in the left-rear of the follow-up vehicle, consistent with agent George Hickey's location and the AR-15's positioning during reactive handling amid the shooting chaos on November 22, 1963. The high-velocity impact's neuromuscular reaction could explain the backward head motion, as the temporary cavity's explosive expansion propels tissue rearward before forward ejection dominates.

Core Elements of the Mortal Error Theory

Proposed Sequence of Shots in Dealey Plaza

In the Mortal Error theory, the sequence of shots in on November 22, 1963, consists of three discharges: two intentional shots from Lee Harvey Oswald's 6.5mm rifle positioned on the sixth floor of the and one accidental shot from Secret Service agent George Hickey's AR-15 rifle in the follow-up car. This reconstruction, developed by ballistics expert Donahue and expounded in Bonar Menninger's 1992 book Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK, posits that Oswald's initial shot missed the presidential limousine, striking the pavement near the triple underpass and likely causing the superficial wound to bystander . The second shot, fired by Oswald shortly after, entered the back of President Kennedy's neck, exited through his throat, and continued to wound Governor in the chest, wrist, and thigh, aligning with the single-bullet trajectory documented in the report. This shot corresponds to visible reactions in the around frames 210–225, approximately 4.8–5.6 seconds into the filmed sequence after the motorcade turned onto Elm Street. Following these initial shots, Secret Service agents in the follow-up car—positioned immediately behind the presidential limousine—reacted by accelerating and retrieving weapons; , in the left rear seat, grasped the AR-15 from the vehicle's floor amid the chaos. As the car lurched forward, Hickey purportedly lost balance, discharging a high-velocity .223-caliber round rearward that struck Kennedy in the head at Zapruder frame 313, roughly 5–6 seconds after the second shot. This timing accounts for the agents' delayed response and the forward snap of Kennedy's head observed in the film, attributed to the explosive fragmentation of the military-grade .

Forensic and Ballistic Evidence Analysis

Ballistics expert Howard Donahue analyzed the fatal head to President Kennedy, concluding that its characteristics—an approximately 15 by 6 oval entrance in the rear and a massive exit with radial fractures—were inconsistent with a shot from Lee Harvey Oswald's 6.5 Mannlicher- . The Carcano fired bullets at a of about 2,000 feet per second, typically resulting in minimal fragmentation and deformation upon impact with soft tissue or bone, often exiting intact or with nose-flattening. In contrast, the observed exhibited extensive fragmentation and effects indicative of a higher-velocity . Donahue's examination attributed the head wound to a round from a rifle, with a exceeding 2,700 feet per second, fired accidentally by Secret Service agent George Hickey. High-velocity .223 bullets yaw and fragment violently upon striking dense targets like , producing large exit defects and scattering metallic fragments, as documented in the report's description of two large copper-jacketed fragments (CE 567 and CE 569) recovered from the brain and vehicle, alongside numerous smaller pieces. This fragmentation pattern aligns with test-firing results from AR-15 ammunition, where the bullet breaks into pieces after destabilization, unlike the more stable round. Forensic reconstruction in the places the fatal shot originating from a low angle behind and to the left of Kennedy, consistent with Hickey's position in the follow-up car approximately 5-10 feet behind the presidential at the time of the , as depicted in the frame 313. Donahue noted discrepancies in official analyses, such as the Warren Commission's reliance on lower-velocity assumptions, which failed to account for the upward and forward motion of Kennedy's head post-impact, attributable to neuromuscular reactions rather than jet effect from exiting material. While linked recovered fragments compositionally, Donahue prioritized wound ballistics and velocity-induced behavior, arguing that similar lead alloys in .223 and 6.5 mm Western Cartridge ammunition masked distinctions in dynamic fragmentation.

Role of Secret Service Agent George Hickey

George Hickey served as a Secret Service agent in the presidential protection detail on November 22, 1963, assigned to the follow-up car designated "Halfback," a 1955 Cadillac convertible positioned directly behind President Kennedy's limousine during the motorcade. This vehicle carried additional agents equipped with firearms, including rifles, to provide immediate support in case of threat. In the Mortal Error theory, as the first shots rang out from the —attributed to —agents in Halfback reacted instinctively to the perceived . , positioned in the left rear seat facing backward, grabbed one of the AR-15 rifles from the floor or a nearby rack to return fire or establish a defensive posture, a standard protocol amid the chaos of the accelerating ahead. The hypothesis posits that the limousine's abrupt speed-up, combined with the follow-up car's own lurching motion over the grassy knoll area, caused to stumble while handling the unfamiliar high-velocity weapon. This led to an inadvertent discharge of a single .223-caliber round from the AR-15, which theorists claim arced forward and struck Kennedy in the rear of the head, producing the explosive exit wound observed in the and autopsy. The theory, derived from analysis by Donahue and chronicled in Bonar Menninger's 1992 book Mortal Error, argues this "mortal error" explains discrepancies in bullet fragmentation and wound not matching Oswald's 6.5mm ammunition. Hickey, who had limited prior experience with the AR-15's selector switch and rapid firing capability compared to standard pistols or shotguns, reportedly did not recall the incident and maintained no accidental shot occurred; he later sued Menninger and the publisher for , though the case was dismissed on grounds in 1997. Proponents emphasize the absence of immediate Secret Service acknowledgment due to the shock of and institutional cover-up incentives, while critics note the lack of direct eyewitness of the discharge beyond inferred motion in films.

Supporting Arguments and Empirical Basis

Discrepancies with Oswald's Rifle and Ammunition

The 6.5×52mm cartridges used in Mannlicher- Model 91/38 , produced by , were military surplus ammunition engineered for deep penetration in combat scenarios, featuring a copper-alloy jacket fully enclosing a lead core to minimize deformation and fragmentation upon impact. tests conducted by Howard Donahue, a firearms expert whose work underpins the , involved firing identical Carcano rounds into gelatin blocks, animal carcasses, and human skull simulants; these experiments consistently showed the bullets creating narrow, linear wound tracts with the emerging largely intact or with only basal deformation, producing scant small fragments. Such terminal performance starkly diverges from the forensic evidence of Kennedy's fatal head wound on November 22, 1963, where x-rays depicted over 40 radiopaque fragments scattered across the brain and cranium, accompanied by a massive exit defect measuring approximately 13 cm in diameter and explosive tissue loss inconsistent with a non-fragmenting full metal jacket . Proponents of the theory, including Donahue, highlighted that the bullet's stable flight and robust construction—lacking features like soft points or hollow cavities—prevented the yawing or jacket-core separation needed to generate the observed debris pattern, even at the estimated of 2,000–2,200 feet per second from the sixth-floor window. by the FBI and Commission in 1964 linked some head fragments compositionally to Western Cartridge exemplars from Oswald's rifle, but Donahue argued this overlooked the quantitative mismatch: the sheer volume and distribution of minute particles (many under 1 mm) exceeded what intact-jacket bullets could yield, as verified in replicated impacts against . In wound ballistics terms, rifle rounds like the 6.5mm typically overpenetrate human tissue with limited to temporary , not the structural disintegration evident in Kennedy's case. The rifle's mechanical attributes compounded these ammunition limitations. The Model 91/38, a shortened version with a 21-inch barrel, suffered from tolerances including a flexible fore-end that affected barrel harmonics, compounded by a (Ordnance 4x) mounted via coin-shimmed rings prone to zero shift under . FBI agents re-testing the weapon on December 1, 1963, at 100 yards achieved grouping spreads exceeding 4 inches, rendering a precise 2-inch head target at 88 yards (the approximate distance to Kennedy) improbable for a shooter of Oswald's proficiency—rated "" in 1956 Marine Corps qualifications but with no recorded expert scores or recent practice. These factors, per Donahue's assessment, rendered the ill-suited for the rapid, accurate delivery of a amid the chaos of , further underscoring ballistic incongruities with the empirical wound data.

Alignment with Wound Ballistics and Autopsy Findings

Donahue argued that the fatal head wound's pathology, characterized by extensive bullet fragmentation into minute pieces rather than larger recoverable segments, corresponds more closely to the behavior of a round from an AR-15, which fragments upon tissue impact due to its high velocity and design, than to the stable, full-metal-jacketed 6.5mm projectile. The AR-15's , typically over 3,000 feet per second, promotes yawing and disintegration in soft media, yielding small debris consistent with autopsy-recovered fragments measuring 7 by 2 millimeters and 3 by 1 millimeter from Kennedy's brain. The Bethesda autopsy described a small occipital entry wound with inward beveling and a massive, explosive right temporo-parietal exit defect spanning 13 centimeters, featuring outward beveling, radial fractures, and evisceration of brain matter—effects attributable to rapid kinetic energy transfer via temporary cavitation and hydrostatic shock from a high-velocity impact. Donahue's wound ballistics reconstructions indicated that such cavitation, exceeding 10 centimeters in diameter for fragmenting high-velocity bullets, aligns with the skull's disruption and the dispersal of tissue observed in autopsy photographs and X-rays, whereas the Carcano's lower velocity of approximately 2,000 feet per second produces a penetrating channel with minimal temporary cavity expansion. This alignment extends to the absence of a large intact bullet recovery from the head shot, as the AR-15 round's fragmentation pattern—evidenced in Donahue's comparative gel and tissue tests—mirrors the autopsy's findings of dispersed metallic fragments without a primary slug, contrasting with expectations for the Carcano's more intact FMJ bullet trajectory. Proponents note that the wound's rearward brain extrusion in the Zapruder film frame 313 further supports a close-range, high-energy rear entry, with neuromuscular reaction or jet propulsion explaining the head's motion, rather than requiring a frontal origin.

Witness Testimonies and Reexamination

Proponents of the Mortal Error theory point to multiple witness accounts of smelling or odor in close proximity to the presidential during the shooting sequence on November 22, 1963, interpreting this as evidence of a high-velocity discharge from within the follow-up vehicle rather than from the distant . Reports from approximately a dozen individuals, including those positioned along and in vehicles near the , described the acrid smell persisting briefly after the fatal , consistent with the rapid dissipation of black powder residue from an AR-15 at short range (under ) but inconsistent with a shot from 265 feet away at the sixth-floor window. These testimonies, gathered in post-assassination statements to the FBI and , are argued to undermine sniper-from-above narratives, as wind conditions and distance would preclude detectable powder odor from the Depository. Reexamination of the Zapruder film supports the theory's claim of a rear-originating fatal shot by highlighting the biomechanics of Kennedy's head movement in frames 312–313, where the skull exhibits an initial forward displacement of approximately 2 inches upon bullet impact, aligning with momentum transfer from a rear-entry, high-velocity projectile exceeding 3,000 feet per second. This forward lurch precedes the more visible backward-and-to-the-left motion in subsequent frames, which ballistic experts attribute not to frontal impact but to explosive cranial exit dynamics—specifically, the "jet effect" from rapid tissue expulsion or involuntary neuromuscular contraction—phenomena replicated in wound ballistics tests with similar ammunition. The film's 18.3 frames-per-second capture also depicts Secret Service agents in SS-100-X (the follow-up car) reacting abruptly to perceived threats by scrambling for weapons post-frames 225–290 (corresponding to Oswald's alleged initial shots), with agent George Hickey rising from a seated position to retrieve the AR-15, a sequence timed proximate to frame 313's head shot and suggestive of reflexive handling leading to accidental discharge. These elements collectively challenge grassy knoll or multi-directional shooter interpretations, as the film's visual record and contemporaneous powder scent reports localize the lethal trajectory to the motorcade's rear, where an AR-15's full-metal-jacket round would produce the observed explosive fragmentation without detectable transiting bullet yaw from elevation. Donahue's analysis, as detailed in Menninger's account, integrates these observations with AR-15 handling protocols under stress, noting agents' post-event reports of weapon jostling amid panic, though official records minimized such details.

Criticisms and Rebuttals

Challenges from Official Investigations ( and HSCA)

The 's 1964 report concluded that three shots were fired from Lee Harvey Oswald's 6.5mm Mannlicher- rifle positioned on the sixth floor of the , with two bullets striking President Kennedy—one entering the upper back and exiting the throat (also wounding Connally via the single-bullet ) and the other causing the fatal head wound—and the third likely missing the limousine entirely. Ballistic examinations, including comparisons of bullet fragments recovered from the presidential limousine and during the , matched Oswald's ammunition, with no evidence of additional projectiles or weapons inconsistent with the Carcano rifle. This forensic attribution precludes the Mortal Error hypothesis of a separate .223-caliber AR-15 round fired accidentally by Secret Service agent George Hickey from the follow-up car, as and characteristics linked all relevant evidence to Oswald's weapon alone, and witness accounts placed no gunfire originating from the Secret Service vehicles. The Commission's investigation into Secret Service procedures, including interviews with agents and review of motorcade positioning, found no indications of accidental discharge or mishandling of firearms in the follow-up car (SS-682), where Hickey was stationed; agents reported grabbing weapons only in reaction to perceived threats after shots had already been fired, with no reports of unintended firing. Timing analyses aligned the shots with Oswald's rifle cycle time (minimum 2.3 seconds between shots), fitting the Zapruder film's frame sequence without requiring an extraneous shot from the rear-left trajectory implied by the AR-15's position approximately 5-10 feet behind and to the left of Kennedy at the moment of the head shot. These findings, grounded in empirical ballistics and eyewitness corroboration, directly challenge the Mortal Error claim by establishing a causal chain limited to Oswald's deliberate actions from above and behind, absent any physical or testimonial support for a forward-angled accidental projectile. The House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA), in its 1979 report, reaffirmed the Warren Commission's core ballistic conclusions, determining that Oswald fired three shots from the Depository, with the two bullets striking Kennedy and Connally originating from his rifle based on forensic matching of lead fragments via composition analysis and wound trajectories consistent with rear entry. While the HSCA's acoustic analysis of a Dallas police recording suggested a probable fourth shot from the grassy knoll (implying conspiracy), it explicitly attributed the presidential wounds to Oswald's ammunition and dismissed alternative shooters without evidential basis, including no examination or endorsement of an accidental Secret Service discharge. The committee's medical and panels, comprising experts in and firearms, validated the head wound as caused by a full-metal-jacketed 6.5mm fragmenting upon impact with Kennedy's skull, incompatible with the higher-velocity, yawing behavior of an AR-15's 5.56mm round, which would produce distinct fragmentation patterns and residue not observed in materials or vehicle debris. HSCA testimony from Secret Service personnel reiterated reactive weapon handling post-shots, with no acoustic signatures or physical traces (e.g., expended casings or powder burns) linking the follow-up car to a discharge, and the committee's rejection of multiple origin points for the confirmed hits undermines the Mortal Error sequence requiring a separate, unintended shot synchronized to Zapruder frame 313. Although the HSCA critiqued certain Warren procedural oversights, its empirical reliance on verifiable —prioritizing spectrographic and metallurgical over speculative reconstructions—reinforces the absence of causal support for Hickey's AR-15 as the fatal vector, as no mismatched projectiles were recovered despite exhaustive searches of and the limousine. Subsequent debunking of the HSCA's acoustic by the in 1982 further aligns the official record with a three-shot Oswald scenario, unaccommodating to additional erroneous fire.

Ballistic and Forensic Counter-Evidence

The two largest bullet fragments recovered from the front seat of the presidential , designated Commission Exhibits 567 and 569, were subjected to emission spectrographic and analyses by the FBI. These examinations revealed compositional matches, including specific concentrations of and other trace elements, to the 6.5mm full-metal-jacketed bullets manufactured by and associated with the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle owned by . Such analyses distinguished the fragments from ammunition, which exhibits different metallurgical profiles due to variations in manufacturing processes and alloy compositions between Remington and Western. No fragments consistent with .223-caliber projectiles were identified among the from the scene or . Autopsy measurements of the fatal head indicated an entry defect in the measuring approximately 15 mm by 6 mm, with internal beveling consistent with a of 6.5 mm entering from the rear. This dimension aligns with the Oswald rifle's , whereas the .223 Remington round, with a of 5.7 mm, would produce a smaller entry profile under typical conditions, even accounting for yaw or tumbling upon impact. Forensic pathologists, including those consulted by the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA), corroborated that the morphology and fragmentation pattern—featuring a lead core dispersal with jacket remnants—matched high-velocity 6.5 mm full-metal-jacketed rounds striking bone, rather than the fragmentation expected from .223 , which often exhibit less extensive breakup in unless specifically frangible variants are used. The Secret Service's AR-15 rifles in 1963 were loaded with standard or full-metal-jacketed , neither of which produced the observed forensic signature without additional, unverified modifications. Ballistic testing and wound dynamics further undermine compatibility with an AR-15 discharge. High-speed .223 rounds from a close-range accidental shot (as posited, at approximately 10-20 feet) would generate distinct temporary and overpenetration patterns, potentially exiting with minimal fragmentation if not striking directly; however, the recovered fragments showed no such overpenetration residue in the interior, and the tissue dispersal aligned with a rear-entry from an elevated position rather than the low, rear-left vantage of Agent Hickey's position in the follow-up vehicle. Independent recreations using comparable firearms confirmed that AR-15 ejections leave identifiable casings and potential primer residue, none of which were documented or for in the immediate aftermath, contrasting with the cartridge cases positively linked to Oswald's rifle via rifling impressions. The absence of .223-specific forensic markers, such as matching jacket fragments or residue on the AR-15 retrieved by , was noted in post-assassination inventories, with no anomalous projectiles or casings recovered from or the motorcade vehicles. These discrepancies, upheld in subsequent reviews including the HSCA's ballistic consultations, indicate that the corpus aligns exclusively with 6.5 mm projectiles from the , refuting claims of an intervening .223 fatal shot without introducing unsubstantiated assumptions about ammunition substitution or analytical errors in federal testing protocols.

Logical and Probabilistic Objections

Critics argue that the Mortal Error conflicts with George 's own testimony to the , in which he stated that he reached for the AR-15 rifle only after hearing the final shot, not during of gunfire. This timeline precludes the possibility of an accidental discharge from his weapon at the moment of the fatal , as the requires. further undermines the feasibility of Hickey firing the weapon. Charles Bronson's amateur , captured from a nearby vantage point, depicts Hickey remaining seated in the follow-up vehicle with the rifle not visibly raised or pointed forward during the relevant frames corresponding to frame 313 of the , when the occurred. The vehicle's windscreen, dashboard, and visors would have obstructed any clear line of fire from a seated position, requiring Hickey to stand or elevate the AR-15—actions not observed in the or corroborated by nearby witnesses who viewed him directly but reported no such movement or discharge. Probabilistically, the theory demands an improbable alignment of events: an accidental full-auto burst from an AR-15—held one-handed amid vehicle motion and reactive jostling—occurring precisely within the 5.6-second window of the assassination's shooting sequence, rather than at any other point in the agent's deployment. Gibson describes this as a "useful ," noting that no comparable accidental discharge has been documented in over a century of Secret Service operations despite routine handling of firearms in high-stress scenarios. The specificity of the mishap—resulting in a fragmenting in a manner that mimics a larger-caliber round from Oswald's rifle while evading detection by all observers in the chaotic but proximate follow-up car—exacerbates the low , as AR-15 selectors typically require deliberate manipulation to shift from safe to fire modes under standard training protocols. These objections highlight a reliance on post-hoc ballistic reinterpretations over contemporaneous eyewitness and mechanical constraints, rendering the accidental-agent scenario logically inconsistent with primary accounts and probabilistically strained without independent corroboration of the discharge itself.

The Book's Authorship, Release, and Synopsis

was authored by Bonar Menninger, a and former editor, who compiled the based on the of Donahue, a and expert. Donahue initiated his independent analysis of the in 1967, driven by skepticism toward the official account, and drew on decades of experience in firearms and . Menninger worked with Donahue until the latter's death in 1990, after which he completed the book to present Donahue's conclusions. The hardcover first edition was released in February 1992 by , spanning 361 pages. Subsequent editions include a 2013 paperback reprint by Independent Publishing Platform. The book proposes that fired three shots from a Mannlicher-Carcano in the on November 22, 1963, wounding Kennedy in the back and neck and fatally injuring Governor , but lacked the capability to produce the observed explosive head wound due to the rifle's low-velocity ammunition. Instead, it attributes the fatal shot to an accidental discharge of a higher-velocity AR-15 by Secret Service agent George Hickey, who was seated in the follow-up car and reportedly jolted the weapon after it slipped from his grasp during the chaos. Donahue's evidence includes reexamination of photographs, wound matching AR-15 fragmentation patterns, and eyewitness accounts of a puff of smoke from the follow-up vehicle, arguing this "mortal error" explains discrepancies in the official investigations while implicating Oswald as the instigator.

George Hickey Defamation Lawsuit and Settlement

In response to the 1992 publication of Mortal Error, which accused George Hickey of accidentally firing the fatal shot that killed President Kennedy, Hickey initiated multiple lawsuits against the book's publisher, , author Bonar Menninger, and promoters including . Hickey filed his first suit on April 21, 1995, in the for County against Donahue, alleging harm from republications of the book's claims during a television appearance. Additional complaints followed, including one in August 1996 in U.S. District Court in against , asserting the book was "replete with false and misleading defamatory statements and innuendos" that portrayed him as responsible for Kennedy's death. Several claims faced dismissal due to Maryland's one-year for , as the book had been published three years earlier in February 1992. In Hickey v. St. Martin's Press, Inc., 978 F. Supp. 230 (D. Md. 1997), the court dismissed portions of the suit on these grounds but allowed others related to third-party republications to proceed initially. The cases culminated in a confidential settlement in early 1998, with providing Hickey an undisclosed monetary payment, described by attorneys as resolving the matter in his favor and precluding further appeals. The agreement did not include an admission of liability by the defendants, but Hickey maintained throughout that the accusations were baseless.

Reception and Broader Impact

Expert and Academic Responses

expert Larry Sturdivan, who contributed to Nova's 2013 documentary "Cold Case JFK" and has conducted extensive tests on the Italian rifle associated with , rejected the Mortal Error hypothesis by demonstrating that full-metal-jacketed Carcano bullets exhibit yawing and wobbling upon striking soft tissue or bone, which can impart lift and cause an upward deflection in . This dynamic, observed in controlled skull simulations, aligns the fatal head wound's path with a shot from Oswald's elevated position in the rather than a low-angle discharge from Secret Service agent George Hickey's AR-15 in the trailing vehicle. Forensic pathologist Russell Fisher, former chief of and a who reviewed Kennedy's X-rays as referenced in the Mortal Error book itself, highlighted discrepancies in the theory's assumptions about fragmentation. Fisher noted that complete bullet disintegration, as posited for the AR-15 round, would leave minimal traceable fragments, yet neutron activation analysis of recovered debris from the limousine matched Oswald's 6.5mm Carcano ammunition composition, with no evidence of 5.56mm AR-15 residues or casings from the follow-up car. Over 100 Dealey Plaza witnesses reported shots from the depository or grassy knoll directions, and contemporaneous photographs depict Hickey holding his rifle pointed skyward post-shooting, not aimed rearward during the sequence. Prosecutor , in his 2007 analysis ": The Assassination of President ," systematically dismantled the theory across pages 925–929, citing incompatible wound —the AR-15's high-velocity round would produce distinct fragmentation patterns not observed in the —and the absence of any Secret Service admission or mechanical failure evidence from the weapon. Academic responses remain sparse, as the hypothesis lacks peer-reviewed validation and contradicts established forensic consensus from the and House Select Committee on Assassinations, which affirmed as the source of all recovered projectiles through metallurgical and alignments. No major or journals have endorsed it, viewing Donahue's private reconstructions as methodologically unrigorous compared to government-led examinations.

Media Coverage and Public Discourse

Upon the release of Mortal Error on February 22, 1992, media outlets reported on the book's central claim that agent George Hickey accidentally fired the fatal shot at President Kennedy, but reactions were predominantly skeptical. A Washington Post article published on February 26, 1992, described the theory as adding a "twist" to existing JFK narratives, yet noted it was encountering a "less than receptive audience," with the Secret Service dismissing it outright as "so absurd it doesn't deserve a response." Similarly, a report on February 23, 1992, highlighted the allegation without endorsement, framing it as one of many assassination speculations. Coverage intensified in 1996 when Hickey filed a libel lawsuit against St. Martin's Press in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, alleging the book contained false and defamatory statements. Outlets such as The Baltimore Sun on August 22, 1996, detailed Hickey's demand for unspecified damages and a public apology, emphasizing his denial of the accidental shooting claim. The case concluded in February 1998 with an undisclosed monetary settlement in Hickey's favor, after which the publisher agreed not to reprint the book without a disclaimer attributing the theory solely to ballistics expert Howard Donahue; this resolution received attention in The Chicago Tribune on February 4, 1998, and The Baltimore Sun on February 3, 1998, underscoring the theory's legal vulnerabilities rather than its evidentiary merits. Interest revived in 2013 with the ReelzChannel documentary JFK: The Smoking Gun, which adapted the Mortal Error hypothesis through forensic reenactments and ballistics analysis. Airing on November 3, 2013, the film prompted articles in NBC News on November 21, 2013, and The Christian Science Monitor on July 29, 2013, discussing the accidental discharge scenario while noting its roots in Donahue's work. Critical reception was mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes aggregating a 79% approval rating from reviewers praising its suspenseful ballistics focus, contrasted by a 51% Metacritic score reflecting doubts over dramatizations and evidentiary gaps. In broader public discourse, the Mortal Error theory has occupied a niche within debates, often invoked in podcasts and online forums but rarely gaining traction beyond fringe speculation due to ballistic inconsistencies and the absence of corroborating witness accounts. Official bodies, including , have consistently rejected it, prioritizing empirical autopsy and trajectory data supporting the Warren Commission's lone-gunman conclusion. While reader reviews on platforms like average around 3.9 stars, reflecting appreciation for its technical detail, and academic analyses have critiqued it for relying on selective interpretations of the and ammunition mismatches, without overturning established forensic consensus.

Place in JFK Assassination Theories Landscape

The Mortal Error hypothesis distinguishes itself in the array of explanations for the November 22, 1963, of President by positing an accidental fatal shot from Secret Service agent George Hickey without invoking or cover-up. Proponents, drawing on expert Howard Donahue's analysis, argue that while fired two shots—one missing and one wounding both Kennedy and Governor —the lethal head wound resulted from Hickey's involuntary discharge of an AR-15 rifle in the follow-up vehicle, triggered by the limousine's sudden stop. This framework accepts Oswald's lone culpability for initiating the attack but attributes the kill shot to human error amid chaos, sidestepping debates over Oswald's marksmanship or the single-bullet theory's plausibility. Positioned between the Warren Commission's 1964 lone gunman verdict—all shots by Oswald from the —and expansive conspiracy theories alleging multiple gunmen from the grassy knoll or institutional plots involving the CIA, , or anti-Castro elements, Mortal Error offers a parsimonious non-conspiratorial revision. It addresses observed anomalies like the Zapruder film's depiction of Kennedy's head snapping backward, which some interpret as of a frontal shot, by invoking the AR-15's higher (approximately 3,250 feet per second versus the Carcano's 2,000) causing jet-effect expulsion of brain matter. Yet, it diverges from official accounts by implicating negligence, including lax weapon handling protocols, without evidence of intent. Within the dominated landscape of JFK theories—where polls from the 2013 Gallup survey indicated 61% of Americans believed in conspiracy, often favoring multi-shooter scenarios—Mortal Error remains a fringe , garnering niche discussion but scant expert validation due to reliance on circumstantial reinterpretation over direct forensic linkage. Critics, including those upholding the House Select Committee on Assassinations' 1979 acoustic of a probable fourth shot (later disputed), dismiss it for lacking eyewitness corroboration of the AR-15 firing or fragments matching its . Its appeal lies in reconciling empirical inconsistencies, such as the absence of AR-15-compatible copper-jacketed among recovered , through probabilistic reasoning rather than definitive proof, positioning it as a speculative bridge for those rejecting both flawless Oswald accuracy and orchestrated malice.

References

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