There is a lot of hand-wringing about conspiracy theories lately, connecting them with “fake news.” Whenever a conspiracy theory gets some traction, there are usually numerous attempts to debunk it. But if we prove they are lying about their debunking, we might suspect there is a conspiracy! This article examines a widely-referenced attempt to debunk theories about one of the greatest conspiracies of all time: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. In 2004 the Discovery Channel aired an episode of Unsolved History called JFK - Beyond the Magic Bullet. A demonstration was set up to simulate the most famous gunshot ever. This demonstration is cited by many as proof that the single-bullet theory is true, in the Huffington Post, Wikipedia, Skeptic Magazine, et cetera.[1] The problem is, this experiment not only failed to show that the single-bullet theory is true, it showed it is impossible, and the Discovery Channel lied about it.

The “magic bullet” is said to have inflicted 7 wounds in both Kennedy and the front seat passenger Governor Connally. The bullet is supposed to have entered Kennedy’s back, exiting his throat, then entering Connally’s back, breaking his rib, exiting his torso, shattering his wrist bone, and burying itself in his thigh. It was not found there, but on his hospital gurney later on, in fairly good condition, with no blood or tissue on it. Because the whole event was captured on the Zapruder film, and because the Warren Commission found that Kennedy and Connally had both been wounded between frame #210 and #240 of that film, there would not have been enough time for Oswald to fire off more shots from his bolt-action rifle.[2] Both conspiracy theorists and official-story proponents agree, that unless this single bullet did all of that damage, Oswald could not have acted alone.[3]

The single-bullet theory is one of the most stubborn concerns for JFK debunkers, because it is very difficult to believe that one bullet could do all that, but unless it did, the official story that Oswald acted alone must be rejected. The Discovery Channel’s entire episode is dedicated to proving that this single-bullet theory is true, just one of the many difficulties with the official story of that day. The Discovery Channel produced two highly accurate models of the victims’ torsos, complete with simulated tissue and bone structure. The shot was replicated by placing a sniper on a crane at the correct height and distance to simulate Oswald’s position. They were very careful about minute details, for example they simulated the three-degree incline of the roadway in Dealey Plaza. All of this was done with professional, scientific diligence.



After the shot is taken, it is replayed in slow-motion. A line is drawn on-screen, depicting the path of the bullet. The bullet never comes in contact with either dummy’s neck (the one representing Kennedy is in the rear). Nevertheless, the narrator says, “…our high speed camera can capture the path of the bullet. It struck Kennedy in the neck, streaking through to Connally…” (https://youtu.be/n-5xfTKqf1A?t=4599). They are literally telling the viewer one thing and showing them something else. This denial of truth is Orwellian.

A professional medical examiner made a diagram of the Kennedy dummy, with an exit wound in the chest and not the neck, but the narrator never mentions it (https://youtu.be/n-5xfTKqf1A?t=4942 ). Below, the wound to Kennedy’s neck was above his clavicle, while the medical examiner’s diagram shows the wound below the clavicle.



If we accept that this demonstration has scientific validity, the results do not show that the magic bullet happened, but that it is impossible. The bullet simply did not do what the Discovery Channel claimed it did. If they were unbiased historians seeking truth, this would have been a great story for them, shedding important light on a historical debate. Instead they pretended that the bullet did what they expected it to do. Why would they deceive their audience, by claiming the bullet struck the Kennedy dummy in the neck? The obvious conclusion is that they had some ulterior motive for upholding the single-bullet theory.



The majority of Americans disbelieve the lone-gunman theory of the JFK assassination.[4] Four out of five tenured historians, who released books on the subject since 2000, have argued against the official story.[5] Yet over 50 years later the CIA has not released all the relevant files.[6] These facts alone are a complete travesty of democracy, but they are facts of public record, an insult to the people. The Discovery Channel follows the same pattern, hiding evidence that contradicts the official story, but hiding it in plain sight, insulting the viewer. They show us that the bullet did not hit the dummy’s neck, then they claim it did anyway, and wait for somebody to blink. This audacity, this concern with pushing the official version of events, this demonization of dissent, should be a major red flag to any responsible citizen in a democracy. When trusted media outlets like the Discovery Channel, produce this kind of propaganda, is this what they call fake news?











[1] Reitzes, D. (2013, Vol. 18 Iss. 3). JFK CONSPIRACY THEORIES AT 50: How the Skeptics Got It Wrong and Why It Matters. Skeptic Magazine, http://www.skeptic.com/reading_room/jfk-conspiracy-theories-at-50-how-the-skeptics-got-it-wrong-and-why-it-matters/; Lallanilla, M. (Nov 24, 2013). JFK “Magic Bullet Theory” In Spotlight On Anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s Assassination. Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/21/jfk-magic-bullet-president-kennedy-assassination_n_4317369.html; Von Plein, D. (Oct 26, 2008). David Von Plein’s review of “Unsolved History:JFK - Beyond the Magic Bullet”. Retrieved Aug 14, 2015 from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1TJ126H60JHUI; Wikipedia. (Nov. 24, 2013). Wikipedia. Single Bullet Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Single-bullet_theory#Discovery_Channel.27s_reenactment_of_bullet_CE_399.27s_path.



[2] Warren Commission Report. (n.d.). JFK Assassination Records. Retrieved Aug 14, 2015 from United States National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/chapter-1.html#conclusions, pg 105.



[3] Bugliosi, V. (2007). Reclaiming history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., pg. 456. https://books.google.ca/books?id=q1VJAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false.



[4] Swift, A. (Nov. 15, 2013). Majority in U.S. Still Believe JFK Killed in a Conspiracy. Retrieved Aug 14, 2015 from Gallup: http://www.gallup.com/poll/165893/majority-believe-jfk-killed-conspiracy.aspx; The Associated Press. (May 11, 2015). New Poll finds that belief in JFK assassination conspiracy still strong, but slipping slightly. Associated Press, http://ap-gfkpoll.com/featured/our-latest-story-3.



[5] Morley, J. (Nov 22, 2010). The Kennedy Assassination: 47 Years Later, What Do We Really Know? The Atlantic, https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/11/the-kennedy-assassination-47-years-later-what-do-we-really-know/66722/.



[6] Porter, D. (Nov 3, 2013). 5 decades later, some JFK probe files still sealed. Associated Press, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/5-decades-later-some-jfk-probe-files-still-sealed.

