NB's Gunshot Wounds Sustained In The Kitchen

[Holly Goodhead]

We seem to have spent an inordinate amount of time on NB's gsw's sustained upstairs so I thought it might be an idea to cover off the gsw's NB sustained downstairs in the kitchen in more detail...

I've uploaded the pathology report and a further report that relate to the 4 gsw's to NB's head.  I had it in my mind that these gsw's were inflicted whilst the perp and NB were in the same position but rereading the reports I don't think this is the case.  It appears NB sustained 2 gsw's to the right side of his head and a further 2 to the back of his head?  I'm not too sure about this I will need to reread the reports again and look at the anatomical locations. 

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=199.0;attach=674

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=199.0;attach=676

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=205.0;attach=722

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=205.0;attach=724

I was also interested in trying to determine whether the location of the 3 casings found in the kitchen tie in with what is known about NB's found position and the ejection pattern of the rifle to see if we can determine whether or not the table moved after NB sustained his gsw's.  I've uploaded DC Hammersley's trial testimony which describes the location of the casings found along with a diagram.

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=165.0;attach=207

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=165.0;attach=209

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=165.0;attach=219

[Holly Goodhead]

Diagram for NB's gsws sustained to his head.

[Holly Goodhead]

Rereading Dr Vanezis trial testimony (pages 8, 9 and 10) it seems to me the perp inflicted the 2 gsw's to NB head above his right ear with the tracks of these wounds going from the right side of his head to the left side so the barrel/perp were positioned at NB's side.  Assuming NB was then unable to move voluntarily it seems the perp  moved to inflict the other 2 gsw's to the back of NB's head on the right side at the top.  Dr Vanezis described the trajectories of the two gsw's to the back of the head as "downwards".  So I'm guessing the 2 gsw's to the side of the head were inflicted first when NB's head was in an upright position and then his head fell forward? 

[Holly Goodhead]

One of the gsw's to the back of NB's head might account for the missing casing if NB's head fell forward and the casing slipped down the back of his pj top.  This could also lend support to Myster's theory about a hot spent casing causing the burn marks to NB's back. 

I've said in the past that I don't believe the burn marks were caused on 7th Aug as I just can't envisage a scenario where JB or SC singled NB out for burning but the above could explain this? 

I wonder why the barrel/perp moved?  Was it to ensure shots were fired from multiple directions to ensure death or did the perp need to go off and reload?       

[Myster]

I thought you'd been on Hollyday for a lazy, stress-free break... not to prepare a full frontal assault for when you came back?

[Myster]

One of the gsw's to the back of NB's head might account for the missing casing if NB's head fell forward and the casing slipped down the back of his pj top.  This could also lend support to Myster's theory about a hot spent casing causing the burn marks to NB's back. 

I've said in the past that I don't believe the burn marks were caused on 7th Aug as I just can't envisage a scenario where JB or SC singled NB out for burning but the above could explain this? 

I wonder why the barrel/perp moved?  Was it to ensure shots were fired from multiple directions to ensure death or did the perp need to go off and reload?     

It was only a suggestion, but without comparing the size and shape of a spent shell casing with the burn marks there's no way of knowing if one might have been the cause.

Four head shots from whichever direction whether reloading was needed or not, ensured that Nevill had no tale to tell.

[Holly Goodhead]

I thought you'd been on Hollyday for a lazy, stress-free break... not to prepare a full frontal assault for when you came back?

I've been meaning to post about this for ages!

I think I've described the tracks of NB's head gsw's accurately.  So assuming these are correct I'm not sure about the location of the casings?  The CoA doc, courtesy of MF, gauges the distance of these gsw's as:

64. In respect of the eight shots into Nevill Bamber's body, the six to his head and face were fired when the rifle was within a few inches of the skin.

I've uploaded a soc photo showing NB's found position and reposted the casing layout diagram.  MF told the court casings travel forward, upwards and to the right up to about 4 feet. 

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Holly Goodhead]

It was only a suggestion, but without comparing the size and shape of a spent shell casing with the burn marks there's no way of knowing if one might have been the cause.

Four head shots from whichever direction whether reloading was needed or not, ensured that Nevill had no tale to tell.

Yes I appreciate it is just a theory but it does tick a lot of boxes and might explain the missing casing.  If it tumbled down NB's back it might also account for the irregular shapes.  It is the only plausible explanation imo other than the marks were unconnected with 7th Aug.  I just can't see JB or SC heating up some implement to burn NB for sadistic reasons or to check for life.  It doesn't make sense that he would be singled out and not the other victims. 

It is claimed the silencer and barrel of the rifle, both near the muzzle, contained blood which would surely have been destroyed had they been heated up in/on the Aga to the temp required to inflict burns? 

[Myster]

I've been meaning to post about this for ages!

I think I've described the tracks of NB's head gsw's accurately.  So assuming these are correct I'm not sure about the location of the casings?  The CoA doc, courtesy of MF, gauges the distance of these gsw's as:

64. In respect of the eight shots into Nevill Bamber's body, the six to his head and face were fired when the rifle was within a few inches of the skin.

I've uploaded a soc photo showing NB's found position and reposted the casing layout diagram.  MF told the court casings travel forward, upwards and to the right up to about 4 feet.

Some of the text, whoever wrote it, on the middle photo is misleading. According to Vanezis, livor was consistent with the position in which Nevill was found, perched on a chair back with head in scuttle. So he couldn't have been sitting down as normal, then pushed over by the TFU when they entered the kitchen at 7:30am.

Casings as you know bounce, rebound and deflect anywhere. Those two on the kitchen floor might even have been kicked into their found position by the perp or the TFU, the third landing on the table by itself.

[Myster]

Yes I appreciate it is just a theory but it does tick a lot of boxes and might explain the missing casing.  If it tumbled down NB's back it might also account for the irregular shapes.  It is the only plausible explanation imo other than the marks were unconnected with 7th Aug. I just can't see JB or SC heating up some implement to burn NB for sadistic reasons or to check for life.  It doesn't make sense that he would be singled out and not the other victims. 

It is claimed the silencer and barrel of the rifle, both near the muzzle, contained blood which would surely have been destroyed had they been heated up in/on the Aga to the temp required to inflict burns?

Would you believe it?  At last we agree on something! But it was another blind alley for the campaign team and those silly sausages who funded the research.

Also the rifle end or moderator could have lost its bluing if subjected to burning coal or excessive oven heat in the AGA, which wouldn't have been missed by investigators.

[Holly Goodhead]

Some of the text, whoever wrote it, on the middle photo is misleading. According to Vanezis, livor was consistent with the position in which Nevill was found, perched on a chair back with head in scuttle. So he couldn't have been sitting down as normal, then pushed over by the TFU when they entered the kitchen at 7:30am.

The author of the text on the photos seems to be implying the wood panel behind the upright chair is the door officers first entered but the door is in fact much further away right in the corner.  See image below.

Casings as you know bounce, rebound and deflect anywhere. Those two on the kitchen floor might even have been kicked into their found position by the perp or the TFU, the third landing on the table by itself.

Tests show a 25% deviation for all known factors including those you have mentioned above.  I'm not sure I can reconcile any of the kitchen casings with NB's gsw's and position he was found? 

[Holly Goodhead]

Would you believe it?  At last we agree on something! But it was another blind alley for the campaign team and those silly sausages who funded the research.

Also the rifle end or moderator could have lost its bluing if subjected to burning coal or excessive oven heat in the AGA, which wouldn't have been missed by investigators.

Yep good point about the bluing.  That's settled then casing or unrelated to 7th Aug.

[Myster]

The author of the text on the photos seems to be implying the wood panel behind the upright chair is the door officers first entered but the door is in fact much further away right in the corner.  See image below.

Tests show a 25% deviation for all known factors including those you have mentioned above.  I'm not sure I can reconcile any of the kitchen casings with NB's gsw's and position he was found?

And the TFU didn't "supposedly" enter the kitchen by that door... they most definitely did. Might have had to squeeze through, but not enough to upturn Nevill who had been in that awkward position well away from the door for at least four hours.

[Holly Goodhead]

And the TFU didn't "supposedly" enter the kitchen by that door... they most definitely did. Might have had to squeeze through, but not enough to upturn Nevill who had been in that awkward position well away from the door for at least four hours.

The door is set back and it seems to me the entrance was free of any obstacles. 

It has just occurred to me that we always hear about the RED paint flecks from the so-called scratch marks and yet we can see from the following image that about 1980 the Aga surround was painted white.  So surely any debris that attached to the silencer would contain red and white paint?
 

[Holly Goodhead]

The CoA doc:

80. Having seen what they believed to be red paint on the moderator, members of the deceased's family returned to the farmhouse and examined the red painted mantel shelf above the Aga in the kitchen. On the underside they found what appeared to be recent damage. On 14 August 1985 the underside of the mantel shelf was examined by one of the scenes of crime officers, DI Cook. He found score marks and took a sample of the paint from the area. The paint sample was compared with the paint recovered from the knurled end of the moderator and each was found to contain the same fifteen layers of paint and varnish. On 1 October 1985 casts were taken of the marks and impressions found on the underside of the shelf. These were also consistent with having been caused by the moderator and there had been more than one contact between it and the shelf.

Paint samples taken from the Aga surround matched the red paint on the moderator.  All 15 layers!  Where's the white paint then?  15 layers?  If the scratches were so deep as to remove 15 layers then the white paint underneath the red should have been apparent?  A half decent painter and decorator would at least rub down if not use a blow torch.