Granting parole to the 77-year-old assassin of former U.S. Atty. Gen. and Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, a two-person panel recommended releasing Sirhan after hearing testimony from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Douglas Kennedy two of RFK’s living sons. Both Robert and Doug backed releasing Sirhan for different reasons. Robert said he wasn’t certain the Sirhan Sirhan actually pulled the trigger that killed his father June 6, 1968 at the now defunct Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Sirhan Sirhan faced 16 parole hearings over his 53 years in prison, all of which failed to win him parole. Sirhan’s release is not a done deal after the two-member panel urged his release be reviewed over the next 90 days by the full parole board. If the parole board agrees with the two-person panel, it will then go to Calif. Gov. Gavin Newsom–or someone wko replaces him–for final his approval.
Reasons given in the past 16 patrol hearings reflected Sirhan Sirhan’s lack of remorse for killing the Democrat Party’s presumptive nominee in 1968. Political assassinations carry special circumstances for parolees as they present their cases for parole. “I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan’s face to face,” said Doug Kennedy. “I think I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in on way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worth of compassion and love,” Doug said, lending his approval to the assassin’s release. Doug thinks Sirhan has remorse for killing his father but the 53-year inmate says he doesn’t remember killing Robert F. Kennedy. Like 16 past parole boards’ found, it’s difficult for Sirahn to have remorse when he doesn’t recall killing RFK. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he doesn’t know if Sirhan actually killed his father.
Sirhan told the two-person panel that he would never do anything criminal again. “I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” Sirhan said. “You have my pledge. I will will always look to safety and peace and non-violence,” saying all the right things, except for the fact that he doesn’t admit to killing RFK. Sirhan’s statements, while appearing conciliatory, reflect questions bout his mental status. Reports at the time of his trial revealed that he was schizophrenic, someone living in a delusional world, capable of committing new acts of violence. “I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” Sirhan said, referring to what? He says he doesn’t remember killing RFK, so how can he possibly say he wouldn’t put himself in “jeopardy again.” Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton said he would consider all feedback before making any final recommendation to the governor.
Los Angeles County District Atty. George Gascon said he would not have a deputy district attorney speak to the parole board, believing it’s not his place to re-litigate the original case. Gascon believes the parole board has more current information on which to make an informed decision on parole. Sirhan, a Christian Palestinian, once told prosecutors, that he was angry about Bobby’s support of Israel. While he doesn’t remember killing JFK at the Ambassador Hotel, he tells the parole panel, he wouldn’t put himself in “jeopardy again.” What was Sirhan in jeopardy again if he has no recollection of the assassination? Siran was asked by Barton at the parole hearing about the Mideast conflict. Sirhan started sobbing and took time to compose himself. “Take a few deep breaths,” Barton said. Sirhan told Barton he doesn’t think about the conflict. “The misery of those people are experiencing. It’s painful,” said Sirhan.
So if he doesn’t pay attention to the Mideast conflict, why is he so emotional when it comes to the plight of refugees? So again, there’s a disconnect between breaking down with emotion and saying he doesn’t pay attention to the Mideast conflict. So if Sirhan doesn’t recall he killed RFK and doesn’t pay attention to the Mideast conflict, why did he break down in tears? More evidence emerges that he suffers from either mental illness still, like what came out at his trial or some kind of dementia. “We can’t change the past, but he was not sentenced to life without the possibility of parole,” said Sirhan’s attorney Angela Berry. No, Sirhan was given the death penalty because of the horrific special circumstance of political assassination. Berry’s arguments were especially illogical, telling the two-member parole panel, that he deserves parole because he wasn’t given life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Whether or not capital punishment was outlawed in California in 1972, that’s no justification for parole in today’s hearing. Parole board needs Sirhan evaluated for mental status because he makes zero sense. Sirhan has told past parole hearings he remembers nothing about killing RFK but recalls going to a shooting range, visiting the hotel looking for a party and getting drunk on a Tom Collins. He recalled drinking coffee in the Hotel pantry and talking with a woman with whom he was attracted. Next he remembers being choked or held down. He told his 2016 parole hearing he felt remorse for any crime victim but couldn’t take responsibility for the shooting. When you add up all Sirhan’s crazy statements, he doesn’t seem like someone you’d want released from prison. Without a mental status evaluation, the parole board doesn’t know if he’s mentally ill or suffering from dementia.
