Sirhan Sirhan

Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is a Palestinian-Jordanian man known for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy.

This event occurred on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Kennedy was a major political figure at the time. He was a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1968 presidential election. The assassination remains a significant moment in American history. It is often studied as a major instance of political violence linked to international conflicts.

Sirhan was born on March 19, 1944, in the Musrara neighborhood of Jerusalem. His family was Arab Palestinian Christian. At the time of his birth, the region was known as Mandatory Palestine. He became a Jordanian citizen in December 1949. His childhood was shaped by the violence of the Arab-Israeli conflict. His mother, Mary, stated that he was traumatized by witnessing such events. This included the death of his older brother. His brother was killed by a military vehicle during a period of gunfire.

When Sirhan was 12 years old, his family moved to the United States. They lived briefly in New York before settling in California. Sirhan attended several schools, including John Muir High School and Pasadena City College. In his early adulthood, he attempted to become a professional jockey. He worked at a stable in Corona to train for racing. However, he suffered a head injury during a racing accident. This injury forced him to abandon his pursuit of being a jockey. He remained a Jordanian citizen throughout his life in America.

On June 5, 1968, the assassination took place shortly after Kennedy finished speaking to supporters.

Sirhan used a .22 LR Iver-Johnson Cadet revolver to fire at Kennedy and the surrounding crowd. Kennedy was struck by three bullets: one in the head and two in the back. A fourth bullet passed through his jacket. Kennedy died approximately 26 hours later at Good Samaritan Hospital. Five other people were also shot during the struggle. These individuals included Paul Schrade, William Weisel, Ira Goldstein, Elizabeth Evans, and Irwin Stroll. Fortunately, all five of these people recovered from their injuries.

Following the shooting, several men physically subdued and disarmed Sirhan. These men included George Plimpton, Jimmy Breslin, and Pete Hamill. Professional athletes Rosey Grier and Rafer Johnson also helped stop him. The legal proceedings that followed were highly complex. In 1969, Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder. The judge initially sentenced him to death by gas chamber. However, the California Supreme Court later ruled in People v. Anderson that the death penalty was unconstitutional. This 1972 decision commuted Sirhan's sentence to life in prison.

Sirhan's motives were tied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He claimed his actions were a response to Kennedy's support for Israel. Specifically, Sirhan believed Kennedy intended to send 50 fighter jets to Israel. This event would have occurred during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. Sirhan's journals showed a growing obsession with the Senator. In a May 1968 entry, he wrote that Kennedy must die before June 5th.

He described his determination as an "unshakable obsession." These writings were used by prosecutors to show premeditation.

For decades, the case has been surrounded by various conspiracy theories. Some people have claimed that a "second gunman" was involved in the shooting. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated that after meeting Sirhan, he believed a second person might have been involved. Defense lawyers also argued that Sirhan was acting under hypnosis or brainwashing. They filed many motions for new trials over the years. However, a federal judge denied these motions in 2015. The court ruled that Sirhan failed to prove he was actually innocent.

Sirhan remains incarcerated at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego.

His legal battles regarding release have continued into the 2020s. In August 2021, a parole panel granted him release. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom blocked this release. Sirhan was denied parole again in March 2023. His case continues to connect the history of American politics to Middle Eastern tensions.