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The convicted ], 24-year-old ] ], attributed the killing to Kennedy's support for ] during the ]. The convicted ], 24-year-old ] ], attributed the killing to Kennedy's support for ] during the ].


Kennedy addressed his supporters on the evening of June 5 in a ballroom at the ] in ]. As he and his entourage waled through the kitchen hallway, Sirhan shot into the crowd. ] gold medalist ] ] and ] player ] helped detain Sirhan, with Grier jamming his thumb behind the trigger of the ] to prevent further shots from being fired. Kennedy addressed his supporters on the evening of June 5 in a ballroom at the ] in ]. As he and his entourage walked through the kitchen hallway, Sirhan shot into the crowd. ] gold medalist ] ] and ] player ] helped detain Sirhan, with Grier jamming his thumb behind the trigger of the ] to prevent further shots from being fired.


On ], ], in a ] court, Sirhan admitted that he had killed Kennedy. But questions persist. There seems to be no dispute that Sirhan did fire; what is disputed is whether it was another gunman, behind Kennedy, that actually hit him. On ], ], in a ] court, Sirhan admitted that he had killed Kennedy. But questions persist. There seems to be no dispute that Sirhan did fire; what is disputed is whether it was another gunman, behind Kennedy, that actually hit him.

Revision as of 22:15, 26 January 2005

File:Robertkennedy.jpg
Robert Kennedy

U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. At the time he was killed, Kennedy had just won the June 4 Democratic Presidential primaries in South Dakota and California, making him the front-runner for the Democratic nomination for President during the 1968 presidential election. He died the next day, on June 6.

Like his brother John's 1963 assassination, Kennedy's death has been analyzed by conspiracy theorists. These theorists have led various third parties to come up with theories and solutions to the crime.

The convicted assassin, 24-year-old Palestinian Sirhan B. Sirhan, attributed the killing to Kennedy's support for Israel during the Six-Day War.

Kennedy addressed his supporters on the evening of June 5 in a ballroom at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. As he and his entourage walked through the kitchen hallway, Sirhan shot into the crowd. Olympic gold medalist decathlete Rafer Johnson and football player Roosevelt Grier helped detain Sirhan, with Grier jamming his thumb behind the trigger of the gun to prevent further shots from being fired.

On March 3, 1969, in a Los Angeles, California court, Sirhan admitted that he had killed Kennedy. But questions persist. There seems to be no dispute that Sirhan did fire; what is disputed is whether it was another gunman, behind Kennedy, that actually hit him.

Many of the witnesses to the shooting said that Sirhan was at least three feet away from Kennedy. Los Angeles coroner Thomas Noguchi, however, found powder burns on Kennedy's ear and gunpowder residue in his hair. Noguchi said this meant the gun was just inches from Kennedy's head when he was shot. (When a firearm is discharged, the powder travels only a few inches because the gas is very light.) It was later revealed a photographer had taken many pictures at the exact moment of the shooting, but these were confiscated by the LAPD and never found. It was also later revealed a young Kennedy supporter named Sandy Serrano said a couple burst out of the hotel the night of the shooting exclaimed, "We shot Kennedy."

Sirhan later claimed he acted unconsciously, possibly as the result of "hypnotic brainwashing" which he attributed to the CIA's MK-Ultra program.

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