Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK, A ballistics expert's astonishing discovery of the fatal bullet that Oswald did not fire [Hardcover]

Bonar Menninger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1992

Another conspiracy theory identifies the two men who, operating separately, allegedly shot President Kennedy in the ""Crime of the Century."" Reprint.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Polls show that the majority of Americans doubt the Warren Commission's finding that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin of President John F. Kennedy. Two important new books may now be added to the list of conspiracy accounts. Jean Hill, the "lady in red" in the famous Zapruder film, was within ten feet of the presidential limousine and is the last surviving eyewitness to dispute the commission's verdict. Her story, written with Sloan, is absolutely spellbinding. After hearing the second gunshot, Hill saw a puff of smoke near the wooden fence at the top of the infamous grassy knoll. A shadowy figure of a man holding a rifle was barely visible to her. She saw another man, whom she later identified as Jack Ruby, run toward the "shooter." As she began to pursue Ruby, two alleged Secret Service agents stopped her and confiscated the Polaroid photographs of the motorcade a friend had taken moments before. The photos were never seen again. From then on, Hill's life became nightmarish: she endured a series of humiliating FBI interrogations, her surveillance by the FBI lasted for months, and her automobile was tampered with. Hill has never wavered in her convictions about what she saw that day and offers convincing testimony. Mortal Error , while much more technical in content, is another fascinating account of what happened in Dallas. Menninger skillfully summarizes the research findings of ballistics expert Howard Donahue, who spent 25 years reexamining Warren Commission evidence, the Zapruder film, and other materials. Donahue's startling conclusion is that the fatal headshot was accidentally fired by special agent George Hickey, who was in the car behind Kennedy's. Donahue shows where the Warren Commission went wrong in its original interpretations and answers critics who question the "pristine" bullet anomaly. Donahue initially wondered why a ballistics expert was not called upon during the initial investigation. He now believes that Robert Kennedy, among others, did not want this tragic accident to become known. Donahue's findings were published in the Baltimore Sun in 1977 but engendered no follow-up studies by government officials. While many questions remain, these two books are substantial additions to the field and both are highly recommended for most libraries.
- Gary D. Barber, SUNY at Fredonia Lib.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile

The subject is jarring, and the theory bizarre, but John Hockenberry's assured delivery gives this reading an intellectual, newsy and calming flavor. The established voice of Hockenberry, a frequent contributor to NPR's All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation, lends a no-nonsense tone. Howard Donahue's theory that one of JFK's Secret Service men was responsible for the fatal shot and how he got to that conclusion are an intriguing detective story. Donahue's compelling ballistics evidence, which is supported with illustrations on the packaging, will be remembered as this work's enduring contribution. L.C. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 361 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (March 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312080743
• ISBN-13: 978-0312080747
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #865,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars too obvious to see- too simple to be believable, March 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK, A ballistics expert's astonishing discovery of the fatal bullet that Oswald did not fire (Hardcover)

I read this book when it was first published after seeing Mr. Menninger on a local TV talk show. It was a very methodical, scholarly, and somewhat "dry" read, but absolutely fascinating. I had always had many questions about the assassination and the many supposed cover-ups/conspiracies.This book and theory I believe answers almost every point worthy of debate in a very plain spoken, matter-of-fact manner that leaves you stunned. This is the way most governments, officials, and beauracrats react. They don't lie- they don't reveal. They don't cover-up they- just aren't forthcoming. I've always thought that the truth would not be made known in my lifetime. Wouldn't it be nice if before they pass away some of the principals would come forward and heal the 30+ year old wounds in our country's psyche.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best non-fiction JFK homicide (not assassination) book., March 20, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK, A ballistics expert's astonishing discovery of the fatal bullet that Oswald did not fire (Hardcover)

This is the only book that explains why SEVEN witnesses near the motorcade smelled gunpowder. No one else -- conspiracy or lone assassin theorist -- has explained that, to my knowledge. And all JFK conspiracy theories run into one scarcely acknowledged buzzsaw, the complicity of Attorney General RFK, who turned down an invitation from the Warren Commission for further comment, would have been necessary. Along the same lines, the Kennedy family has always opposed all attempts to reopen the inquiry. Bonar Menninger may have provided the only explanation possible for this attitude of the Kennedy family that is INCONSISTENT with the Warren Report's findings. If Menninger and his ballistics expert, Howard Donahue are right, and I firmly believe that they are, history would have two more ironies added to it: 1) the most controversial of all the controversial aspects of the Warren Report, the single-bullet theory WAS ACTUALLY PROVEN CORRECT; and 2) the United States government, in order to spare itself embarrassment, has been working so hard for 34 years to cover up an ACCIDENTAL HOMICIDE that it has counterproductively spawned lurid theories of deadly conspiracies. Yet the government still covers up this homicide from reflex because that's what governments do. History is indeed replete with ironies like this. One problem with the Menninger/Donahue thesis - it requires the bullet fragments found on the windshield to have arrived there after the first (missed) shot. In his 1966 tome, Six Seconds in Dallas, Josiah Thompson appears to have shown that this is unlikely to have happened since it is at odds with what the driver of the limousine witnessed (Thompson and the driver weren't responding to suppositions of an accidental homicide at the time). This is the only reservation that I have towards the theory stated in Mortal Error. It is a failing of the system that Secret Service agent, George Warren Hickey, who is still with us and other still-living former agents who were in that follow-up vehicle haven't been called to testify before a Congressional committee.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WHY there was a cover up., December 19, 1999

By 

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This review is from: Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK (Paperback)

There are a lot of theories as to how Kennedy was assasinated but none of them ever explain why there was such a cover up. The theory behind this book is that the president's own detail was responsible for shooting him one of the three times he was hit. It does assume Oswald's guilt, which is difficult for a lot of people to swallow, but lays quite a foundation of ballistic evidence supporting this seemingly unbelievable theory.

I think this book does what no other theory on the assasination has been able to do. Explain why there was some sort of cover up. At the height of the cold war, the United States ACCIDENTALLY kills its own leader. I think that type of information was certainly considered to be vital to national security interests to those in power at the time.

Definitely a compelling book and a must-read for anyone interested in the assasination.