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Possibility of Inconelusive Results from Retesting Events in the years prior to the 1975 ballistics tests and examination suggested the possibility that such ballistics reexa- mination would be inconclusive. The 1971 Grand Jury investigation regarding the integrity and utility of the exhibits at least demon- strated that there had been serious violations of the court orders, and that there had been sloppy handling by the County Clerk's ‘office regarding unauthorized access to visit and inspect the exhibits. Inherent in this problem was the very nature of ballistics evidence. Absolute precautions are necessary to protect ballistics and firearms evidence. The fact that the District Attorney's position asking Judge Wenke to first have a preliminary inquiry into the clerk's preservation of the exhibits was not ordered by Judge Wenke gave fears to the District Attorney's Office that the potential test firing and- examination would be inconclusive or subject to improper or misguided intrepretations. Deputy Attorney General Russ Iungerich also expressed his concern that the 1975 test results would only establish whether the bullets themselves had come from the same gun, and that the actual test would really not establish anything conclusionary or positive. Iungerich was afraid that some of the two-gun advocates were in hopes of receiving a blind opinion from the ballistics experts which would leave open the question of whether the bullets could actually be linked to the Sirhan weapon. Kranz Interview of Wolfer In his role as an investigator as well as Special Counsel, Kranz interviewed DeWayne Wolfer in September 1975. At this meeting Wolfer described many of the procedures that he had used for his examination of the exhibits, and his trajectory studies. Wolfer stated that he had determined the entry and exit of bullets into Senater Kennedy's coat by studies of the autopsy reports, and the Walker H-acid test conducted on the coat which illustrated the Nitrate pattern. From this nitrate pattern, and from the residue of powder itself, the distance of the muzzle of the gun from the Cloth of the ccat was determined. Additionally, in his interview with Kranz, Wolfer expressed grave concern about the possibility of a test firing of the Sirhan weapon in the forthcoming ballistics examination. . It was Wolfer's opinion that there was grave danger in light of the possible tampering of the exhibits and the weapon, and the possibility that the Grand Jury Report in 1971 may not have completely authenticated severe mishandling of the exhibits. Wolfer was afraid that successive bullets fired through the same Weapon would not always be identical in all respects. Wolfer reasoned that due to the mechanism of the fired gun, a rapid suc- cessive firing cf bullets, after a period of oxidation for several years, might affect the striations of the barrel, particularly the meee fan es tank ¢he Paewern crf eh ien fhe Rheem et mma dant od Ame a the grooves within the barrel projected upward spinning the bullet in flight to produce gyrostration. Wolfer felt that these lands - and grooves (striations) could possibly have been modified by any tampering with the barrel, such as the possibility of a bullet or lead pencil being jammed down the barrel of the weapon. ~ 21 -