Representative Boggs. I mean this is part of his training, isn't it?
Mr. Latona. Yes, sir; especially if he is—yes; I would say so. That is almost elementary today. There are so many schools today going that an officer that doesn't give some thought to latent fingerprints, he hasn't been to school.
Representative Boggs. Of course not. But do you have that problem in your normal examination?
Mr. Latona. Well, a lot of times that all depends. Sometimes they don't realize the significance of a latent examination, and it is unavoidable that an object has been contaminated. And then a lot of times it is simply because of the circumstances. Sometimes possibly in an instance of this kind because of the crime itself which was involved, I dare say there must have been a lot of panic there at that time. That is just pure conjecture on my part. I don't know whether they were thinking in details as to the examination. I don't think they sat down and just figured very calmly what they were going to do.
Representative Boggs. Of course not.
Mr. Latona. I imagine everybody just poured into that room where they found the thing, somebody would say, "Was this the gun?" and he handed it to someone else and then he would look at it. Lord knows what went on down there.
By the time the gun got there—on the other hand, if the right officer was there he would have protected it from the beginning and that is unquestionably what happened here.
Mr. Dulles. I have to make a telephone call. I will be right back.
Mr. Eisenberg. I believe that the print showing in the lift was taken from an area which had been covered by the wooden stock so that it was protected even against——
Mr. Latona. Promiscuous handling, yes. If that were on the underside, if that was covered by the wood then very obviously those people there never did touch that.