Mr. DULLES. Mr. Nicol, I am presiding at the request of the Chief
Justice.
Will you kindly raise your right hand. Do you swear the testimony you
will give before this Commission is the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. NICOL. I do.
Mr. EISENBERG. Mr. Nicol, would you state your name and position?
Mr. NICOL. Joseph D. Nicol, Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal
Identification and Investigation for the State of Illinois.
Mr. EISENBERG. Could you briefly describe your qualifications in the
field of firearms investigation?
Mr. NICOL. I began studying this field in 1941 in the Chicago Police
Crime Laboratory under Charles Wilson, remained there as a firearms
technician for approximately 9 years, and then moved to Pittsburgh,
where I directed and set up the Pittsburgh and Allegheny County Crime
Laboratory, also working in the field of ballistics.
Then I went to Miami, Fla., and set up the Dade County Crime Laboratory
and worked there for 5 years. I went to Michigan State and taught for 4
and now I am back in Illinois, in Springfield, as Superintendent of the
Bureau.
Mr. EISENBERG. Could you tell us approximately how many bullets and
cartridge cases you have examined to identify them or attempt to
identify them to suspect weapons?
Mr. NICOL. This would number in the thousands, I do not have an exact
figure, but our caseload in Chicago is approximately 4,000 guns
annually, of which we would make approximately between 10 and a dozen
comparisons, so the comparisons that would be conducted by myself or
those under my direct supervision would be approximately 50,000 a year.
Now this is just a rough figure.
Mr. EISENBERG. Do you have any publications or lectures?
Mr. NICOL. I have one minor publication in the field of firearms. Most
of my publication work has been with the "Journal of Criminology" in
the area, of the technical note and abstract section.