George J. Lacy
George J. Lacy was a Houston-based forensic examiner and private investigator whose limited report on William Branham's famous Houston photograph was later exaggerated into one of Branham's most important supernatural claims. Although Branham described Lacy as the "head of the FBI," FBI Director Clarence M. Kelly later confirmed that Lacy had never worked for the FBI and that the Bureau had no information about the photograph, undercutting Branham's version of the story. Lacy's actual report did not identify the light above Branham's head as supernatural, but merely concluded that the negative had not been retouched, composited, or double-exposed and that the halo-like streak was caused by light striking the negative, making the Lacy report an example of how ordinary forensic language was transformed into religious mythology within Branham's movement.
George J. Lacy was a private investigator sometimes contracted by local and federal government to inspect fingerprints and media. Though Branham claimed Lacy was the "head of the FBI", Lacy was dishonorably discharged from law enforcement after an incident involving the physical abuse of African-American prisoners. On September 5, 1974, FBI Director Clarence M. Kelly confirmed Branham's tale concerning Lacy and the photograph to be false. According to Kelly, the FBI had no information about the photograph, and George Lacy had never been employed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.[1]
Lacy was contracted by Gordon Lindsay to provide a document confirming a supernatural presence identified in Branham's Houston Photograph. Though Branham claimed Lacy's report verified the supernatural presence, the report made no such claim. Instead, it simply verified that the photo had no additional light exposure due to faulty equipment or mistakes in development.
Based upon the above described examination and study I am of the definite opinion that the negative submitted for examination, was not retouched nor was it a composite or double exposed negative. Further, I am of the definite opinion that the light streak appearing above the head in a halo position was caused by the light striking the negative.
George J. Lacy, Report and Opinion
During Mr. Lacy's early work in law enforcement he arrested Charles Ponzi, the namesake of the Ponzi Scheme. He began his career in forensic science as a general criminalist and ballistics expert. As a ballistics expert, he worked on the Bonnie and Clyde case. He later specialized in questioned document examination. He was responsible for establishing the Houston Police Crime Laboratory. Mr. Lacy maintained a private practice in Houston, Texas for many years.
George Lacy was the author of number of articles and professional papers, such as "Handwriting and Forgery Under Hypnosis," published in the Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology and "Magnification versus Enlargement," published in the Canadian Society of Forensic Science Journal. Mr. Lacy passed away in 1962.