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Exhibit Z3
The Clay Shaw trial testimony of Dr. Pierre Finck
Posted Dec. 6, 2002, Salvador Astucia
On February 24, 1969, Dr. Pierre Finck testified for New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison in the trial of Clay Shaw for conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy.
Dr. Finck’s testimony is relevant to the ongoing discussion about the Oslo Accords as the motive for Vince Foster’s murder because it introduces the strong possibility that one of the key figures in the Foster murder and ensuing cover-up, Admiral Thomas Moorer, may have been present during the autopsy performed on President Kennedy at Bethesda Naval Hospital. If Admiral Moorer was in fact present for the autopsy, then he undoubtedly used his authority as an Admiral to intimidate Dr. Finck and Dr. James Humes (the two military physicians who performed the autopsy on JFK) into doing a less than thorough examination of the slain president’s wounds.
Dr. Finck stated that an Army General was in charge of the autopsy, that admirals were present along with a host of "military and civilian personnel and federal agents, Secret Service agents, FBI agents."
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Finck’s testimony from Jim Garrison’s Book, "On the Trail of the Assassins," pp. 288-290.
(NOTE: Dr. Finck is being cross-examined by assistant District Attorney Alvin Oser.)
----quote on----
DR. FINCK: I will remind you that I was not in charge of this autopsy, that I was called --
MR. OSER: You were a co-author of the report though, weren't you, Doctor?
DR. FINCK: Wait. I was called as a consultant to look at these wounds; that doesn't mean I am running the show.
MR. OSER: Was Dr. Humes running the show?
DR. FINCK: Well, I heard Dr. Humes stating that -- he said, "Who is in charge here?" and I heard an Army General, I don't remember his name, stating, "I am" You must understand that in those circumstances, there were law enforcement officers, military people with various ranks, and you have to co-ordinate the operation according to directions.
MR. OSER: But you were one of the three qualified pathologists standing at that autopsy table, were you not, Doctor?
DR. FINCK: Yes, I am.
MR. OSER: Was this Army General a qualified pathologist?
DR. FINCK: No.
MR. OSER: Was he a doctor?
DR. FINCK: No, not to my knowledge.
MR. OSER: Can you give me his name, Colonel?
DR. FINCK: No, I can't. I don't remember.
MR. OSER: Do you happen to have the photographs and X-rays taken of President Kennedy's body at the time of the autopsy and shortly thereafter? Do you?
DR. FINCK: I do not have X-rays or photographs of President Kennedy with me.
(Garrison’s comments)
Of course he did not have the X rays or photographs of President Kennedy with him. Our pathologist witness, Dr. Nichols, had asked the government to see the X rays and photographs of President Kennedy’s autopsy, and his requests were denied. Dr. Nichols also had testified that he asked to see the limousine in which President Kennedy had been riding, and the government denied that request also.
Oser now zeroed in on who had been in charge of the autopsy, a question that had long fascinated me.
---
MR. OSER: How many other military personnel were present at the autopsy in the autopsy room?
DR. FINCK: That autopsy room was quite crowded. It is a small autopsy room, and when you are called in circumstances like that to look at the wound of the President of the United States who is dead, you don't look around too much to ask people for their names and take notes on who they are and how many there are. I did not do so. The room was crowded with military and civilian personnel and federal agents, Secret Service agents, FBI agents, for part of the autopsy, but I cannot give you a precise breakdown as regards the attendance of the people in that autopsy room at Bethesda Naval Hospital.
MR. OSER: Colonel, did you feel that you had to take orders from this Army General that was there directing the autopsy?
DR. FINCK: No, because there were others, there were Admirals.
MR. OSER: There were Admirals?
DR. FINCK: Oh, yes, there were Admirals, and when you are a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army you just follow orders, and at the end of the autopsy we were specifically told -- as I recall it, it was by Admiral Kinney, the Surgeon [General] of the Navy -- this is subject to verification -- we were specifically told not to discuss the case.
----quote off----
Dr. Finck’s full transcript is available at the following URLs:
PART 1: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_1.htm
PART 2: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw02.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_2.htm
PART 3: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw03.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_3.htm
PART 4: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw04.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_4.htm
PART 5: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw05.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_5.htm
PART 6: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw06.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_6.htm
PART 7: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw07.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_7.htm
PART 8: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw08.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_8.htm
PART 9: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw09.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_9.htm
PART 10: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw10.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_10.htm
PART 11: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw11.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_11.htm
PART 12: DR. FINCK’S TESTIMONY
http://www.jfk-online.com/finckshaw12.html
cached at:
http://www.jfkmontreal.com/finckshaw_cache/part_12.htm
END