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Wol\..: Examination: SeptembeN_/975 At the actual cross examination of criminalist DeWayne Wolfer, attorneys for Schrade, CBS, and Sirhan questioned Wolfer at length as to what. he did and did not do in conducting his tests. During the examination of Wolfer, Judge Wenke narrowed the scope of examination by ruling that the purpose of the questioning of Wolfer was mainly to aid the panel of experts in their forthcoming tests. "The purpose here is not to impeach or vindicate the witness" said Judge Wenke in answer to several repeated attempts by petitioners' attorneys to impeach the credibility of Wolfer. Wenke replied that he had no intention of “retrying the Sirhan case" during the re-examination of evidence by the ballistics experts. On examination by all counsel concerning photographs and tests conducted by Wolfer in 1968, Wolfer repeatedly stated that he could not recall if he had made phase marks on the bullets during his examination of the three evidence bullets (People’s 47, 52 and 54) that he had identified as having come from Sirhan's gun. Wolfer Stated that he usually placed such a designation of phase marks on bullets, and recalled that he had been able to make a quick identi- fication in the Sirhan case. When Attorney Levine asked if he could re-create his examination in court, Wolfer replied that, after seven years, he could not say either yes or no. Wolfer was most careful in his. statements on the witness stand, stating on many occasions that since the bullet evidence had been handled by several persons in the interval between his 1968 tests and his current i975 testimony, there could be oxidation of the bullets. However, Judge Wenke ruled that although "it does appear that the County Clerk's procedures left something to be de- Sired, and whiie there's always the possibility of damage, there is no actual evidence of damage to these bullets and exhibits." A Major surprise produced by Wolfer was a photographic photo- micrograph of two bullets that he had apparently taken in 1968, Photos of bullets 47 and 52. This admission by Wolfer, and pro- duction of the photographs at the Wolfer examination hearing in September surprised even Deputy District Attorney Bozanich who re- plied the District Attorney's Office had never known that these photographs were in existence. Wolfer did testify that the bullets' shell casing that he was examining with a magnifying glass during the three-day 1975 cross examination hearing were "tremendously dark." Additionally, Wolfer felt the striaticns (striations are marks made on bullets as they pass through a gun barrel) on two bullets (People's 47 and 54) were not in the same condition as when he first examined them in 1968. Wolfer felt that his original initials imparted on the bullets in 1968 had become by 1975 "tremendously darkened." Wolfer prefaced many of his answers throughout the hearing with reminders that he was trying to recall what he had done several years ago. Wolfer even suggested that the handwriting on People's Exhibit 55 at the Sirhan trial appeared to be his, but he did not recall who had given him the wrong serial number, thus causing the so-called clerical error. -~ 51 - ~