reply to post by Larry L
Actually Greer
was questioned during the investigation. He made a report shortly after the assassination, and later testified before the Warren
Commission.
Here's a link to a transcribed copy of his original report, as found on the jfkassassination web site....
jfkassassination.net...
And a transcribed copy of his WC testimony, from the same web site....
jfkassassination.net...
In both his original report and in his testimony, Greer says that he took what was apparently the first shot as a backfire from one of the escorting
police motorcycles. He was not alone in not recognizing the first shot
as a shot, as this seems to have been the case with quite a few
witnesses in the plaza that day. Based on the Zapruder film, it's possible that Kennedy himself heard the shot, but wasn't sure what it was. The
evidence for that is inconclusive, but it's possible.
Greer later states, again in both the report and his WC testimony, that he turned around after hearing the second shot, and saw that something was
wrong with Governor Connally. He says in his WC testimony that he never saw the president. Only the governor.
He's been called a liar for that, but a close examination of the Zapruder film suggests he may very well have been telling the truth. There is simply
no way to know for sure what he saw when he turned around, but what we do know from the Zapruder film is that Governor Connally was not only between
him and the president, but quite possibly blocked his view of the president.
Even had he been able to see past the governor into the back seat, he still may not have been able to see the president due to Mrs. Kennedy, who was
leaning forward and over toward her husband at that moment, and may also have blocked Greer's view of the president.
We don't know any of this for sure. We have no verifiable proof that Greer could or could not see Kennedy. We do have legitimate reasons to say that
the possibility exists that he did not see Kennedy, as he later claimed. But as with whether Kennedy heard the first shot, we can't say for sure one
way or the other.
Greer also indicates in his testimony that the speed of the car remained a steady 12 - 15 mph during the shooting sequence, thereby implying that he
did not hit the brakes and that the car did not slow down. This is demonstrably false as seen in any of the videos showing the moment of the fatal
head shot. The limo did in fact slow down between the second and third shots.
Whether Greer did not remember this, did not realize it had happened for some reason, or was simply covering up, we can't know for sure. But, my own
wild guess is that he knew he had done it, but was mortified about it to the point that he could not bring himself to admit it.
It's possible the enormous shock of what had happened caused him not to remember slowing the limo - Jackie Kennedy had no memory of climbing onto the
trunk of the car, but she obviously did so - but personally, I believe he did remember, but couldn't bring himself to own up to that fact. Reason
being, in my opinion, he realized too late that he had responded inappropriately.
We can certainly say that he should have reacted differently, but that's a far cry from saying he was in on the assassination. There's just no proof
of this. Greer already gets skewered for the way he responded during those crucial few seconds of the shooting. To me at least, that's punishment
enough.
