RFK Assassination Conspiracy
Introduction
Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy — having just won the California Democratic presidential primary — was shot in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. He died the following day, June 6, 1968, at Good Samaritan Hospital. He was 42 years old.
Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, a 24-year-old Palestinian-American, was tackled at the scene with a .22 caliber Iver Johnson revolver in his hand. He was convicted of first-degree murder in 1969 and sentenced to death; the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after the California Supreme Court temporarily invalidated the death penalty in 1972. Sirhan has remained imprisoned at various California state prisons since 1969.
The case is unusual in that Sirhan has never denied being at the scene and firing his weapon. The conspiracy question does not hinge on Sirhan's innocence but on whether he was the sole shooter and whether he fired the fatal shot.
The Physical Evidence Problem
The fatal wound in Kennedy's case was controversial from the outset. The coroner, Dr. Thomas Noguchi, concluded from powder burns and wound characteristics that the fatal shot was fired from approximately one to one-and-a-half inches behind Kennedy's right ear. Multiple witnesses placed Sirhan in front of Kennedy at a distance of several feet — never behind him, and never within one to two inches.
This discrepancy is the core of the physical-evidence challenge to the lone-gunman conclusion. It has been documented and discussed by investigators sympathetic to the official account and those skeptical of it; the discrepancy itself is not in dispute, only its interpretation.
Bullet Counts and the Polka-Dot Dress Witness
A secondary issue involves the bullet count. Sirhan's revolver held eight rounds. The official evidence showed Kennedy shot four times, with several additional bullets found in the ceiling, doorframe, and pantry woodwork. Some witnesses and investigators, including criminalist William Harper, asserted the total bullet evidence exceeded eight rounds — implying a second weapon. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) disputed this count; the recovered bullets were destroyed or lost before full independent analysis, which became a source of ongoing controversy.
Sandra Serrano and other witnesses reported seeing a woman in a polka-dot dress running from the hotel shouting "We shot Kennedy." The LAPD investigated and concluded the accounts were mistaken or fabricated; critics argued the investigation of this lead was inadequate.
Acoustic Evidence and Paul Schrade
Paul Schrade, a Kennedy friend and campaign aide who was himself shot at the Ambassador Hotel that night, has been among the most credible voices calling for re-examination of the evidence. Schrade was shot in the head and survived. He has publicly argued that Sirhan could not have fired the bullet that hit Kennedy given his documented position, and that a second gunman fired the fatal shot.
In 2018, a federal court rejected Sirhan's appeal for a new trial. The court examined the acoustic evidence submitted by Sirhan's legal team, which claimed to show a second gun firing in an audio recording of the scene, and found the evidence insufficient to warrant a new trial.
Sirhan's Memory Claims and Hypnosis
Sirhan has at various points claimed no memory of the shooting, suggested he was programmed or hypnotised, and raised "Manchurian Candidate"-style claims. These claims have not been substantiated. Mental-state evidence presented at trial showed Sirhan understood what he was doing; his notebooks, recovered from his home, contained written statements expressing hostility toward Kennedy over US support for Israel. The hypnosis framing has been a persistent element of Sirhan's legal strategy but has not prevailed in any court.
RFK Jr. and the 2022 Parole Proceedings
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., son of the senator, has publicly stated his belief that Sirhan did not act alone and that his father's case should be reinvestigated. RFK Jr. met with Sirhan in prison in 2018; he later made public statements calling for a reinvestigation. His views are not shared by all Kennedy family members; his sister Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has disagreed publicly.
In 2022, the California Board of Parole Hearings recommended parole for Sirhan. Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the recommendation in January 2023, citing the premeditated and violent nature of the crime. Sirhan remains imprisoned.
The LAPD and Evidence Handling
Critics of the official account have pointed to evidence-handling problems: photographs of bullet holes in pantry doorframes that the LAPD subsequently destroyed or failed to preserve; the destruction of Sirhan's gun shortly after initial testing; and what critics describe as a rushed investigation by a department with institutional interests in closing the case quickly amid the trauma of 1968.
The evidentiary gaps are real, though they cut in multiple directions: poor evidence preservation can reflect either cover-up or institutional incompetence, and 1968 forensic standards were substantially below contemporary ones.
What Would Change Our Verdict
- Full independent re-examination of surviving physical evidence with modern forensic techniques
- Declassification of any withheld investigative or intelligence records
- Corroboration of a second shooter from named witnesses or physical evidence
Verdict
Ongoing investigation. Sirhan Sirhan's conviction stands and he was undeniably present at the scene firing his weapon. The physical-evidence discrepancy between the coroner's wound findings and witness accounts of Sirhan's position is documented and unresolved. The acoustic evidence for a second gun has not prevailed in court. RFK Jr.'s calls for reinvestigation reflect legitimate questions that have not been definitively answered. The case remains open as a matter of historical inquiry.
Evidence Filters10
Coroner found fatal shot fired from 1–1.5 inches behind Kennedy
SupportingStrongDr. Thomas Noguchi's autopsy found powder burns and wound characteristics consistent with the fatal shot fired from approximately one to one-and-a-half inches behind Kennedy's right ear. Multiple witnesses placed Sirhan in front of Kennedy at a distance of several feet.
Paul Schrade — shot at the scene — calls for reinvestigation
SupportingPaul Schrade, a Kennedy aide who was himself shot in the head at the Ambassador Hotel, has publicly argued that the physical-evidence record supports a second gunman. His credibility as a named eyewitness victim who survived the event distinguishes him from purely theoretical conspiracy advocates.
Bullet count controversy
SupportingSeveral investigators, including criminalist William Harper, asserted the total bullet evidence from the pantry exceeded the eight rounds in Sirhan's revolver, implying a second weapon. The LAPD disputed this count; recovered bullets were destroyed or lost before full independent analysis.
RFK Jr. supports reinvestigation
SupportingWeakRobert F. Kennedy Jr. met with Sirhan in prison in 2018 and publicly called for a reinvestigation of his father's case, stating his belief that Sirhan did not act alone. RFK Jr.'s view is not shared by all Kennedy family members.
Rebuttal
Family member advocacy for reinvestigation reflects legitimate concern but is not independently evidential. RFK Jr.'s public statements are based partly on his review of the physical evidence discrepancies, not on new primary evidence. His views are disputed within the Kennedy family itself.
Polka-dot dress witness accounts
SupportingWeakSandra Serrano and other witnesses reported seeing a woman in a polka-dot dress running from the hotel shouting "We shot Kennedy." The LAPD investigated and concluded the accounts were mistaken or fabricated.
Rebuttal
The LAPD investigation of these witness accounts has been criticized as inadequate, but the witness testimony itself was inconsistent across accounts and no corroborating identification of the woman was produced. The accounts remain unverified.
LAPD evidence handling problems
SupportingCritics have documented evidence-handling failures including photographs of bullet holes in pantry doorframes that were subsequently destroyed and the destruction of Sirhan's gun after initial testing. Poor evidence preservation in 1968 limits retrospective forensic analysis.
Sirhan was present at scene, firing his weapon
DebunkingStrongSirhan has never denied being at the Ambassador Hotel pantry or firing his revolver. He was tackled with the gun in hand immediately after the shooting. His presence and his firing are not disputed; what is disputed is whether he fired the fatal shot.
Sirhan's notebooks expressed violent hostility toward Kennedy
DebunkingStrongSirhan's notebooks, recovered from his home, contained written statements expressing hostility toward Kennedy over US support for Israel and specific references to Kennedy dying. These provide documented pre-existing motive independent of any conspiracy framing.
2018 federal court rejected acoustic evidence for second gun
DebunkingStrongSirhan's legal team submitted acoustic evidence claiming a second gun fired in an audio recording of the scene. A federal court in 2018 reviewed the evidence and found it insufficient to warrant a new trial.
Hypnosis/programming claims not sustained in court
DebunkingSirhan's repeated claims of having no memory of the shooting and suggestions of hypnotic programming have been presented in multiple legal proceedings and have not prevailed. Mental-state evidence at trial showed he understood what he was doing.
Evidence Cited by Believers6
Coroner found fatal shot fired from 1–1.5 inches behind Kennedy
SupportingStrongDr. Thomas Noguchi's autopsy found powder burns and wound characteristics consistent with the fatal shot fired from approximately one to one-and-a-half inches behind Kennedy's right ear. Multiple witnesses placed Sirhan in front of Kennedy at a distance of several feet.
Paul Schrade — shot at the scene — calls for reinvestigation
SupportingPaul Schrade, a Kennedy aide who was himself shot in the head at the Ambassador Hotel, has publicly argued that the physical-evidence record supports a second gunman. His credibility as a named eyewitness victim who survived the event distinguishes him from purely theoretical conspiracy advocates.
Bullet count controversy
SupportingSeveral investigators, including criminalist William Harper, asserted the total bullet evidence from the pantry exceeded the eight rounds in Sirhan's revolver, implying a second weapon. The LAPD disputed this count; recovered bullets were destroyed or lost before full independent analysis.
RFK Jr. supports reinvestigation
SupportingWeakRobert F. Kennedy Jr. met with Sirhan in prison in 2018 and publicly called for a reinvestigation of his father's case, stating his belief that Sirhan did not act alone. RFK Jr.'s view is not shared by all Kennedy family members.
Rebuttal
Family member advocacy for reinvestigation reflects legitimate concern but is not independently evidential. RFK Jr.'s public statements are based partly on his review of the physical evidence discrepancies, not on new primary evidence. His views are disputed within the Kennedy family itself.
Polka-dot dress witness accounts
SupportingWeakSandra Serrano and other witnesses reported seeing a woman in a polka-dot dress running from the hotel shouting "We shot Kennedy." The LAPD investigated and concluded the accounts were mistaken or fabricated.
Rebuttal
The LAPD investigation of these witness accounts has been criticized as inadequate, but the witness testimony itself was inconsistent across accounts and no corroborating identification of the woman was produced. The accounts remain unverified.
LAPD evidence handling problems
SupportingCritics have documented evidence-handling failures including photographs of bullet holes in pantry doorframes that were subsequently destroyed and the destruction of Sirhan's gun after initial testing. Poor evidence preservation in 1968 limits retrospective forensic analysis.
Counter-Evidence4
Sirhan was present at scene, firing his weapon
DebunkingStrongSirhan has never denied being at the Ambassador Hotel pantry or firing his revolver. He was tackled with the gun in hand immediately after the shooting. His presence and his firing are not disputed; what is disputed is whether he fired the fatal shot.
Sirhan's notebooks expressed violent hostility toward Kennedy
DebunkingStrongSirhan's notebooks, recovered from his home, contained written statements expressing hostility toward Kennedy over US support for Israel and specific references to Kennedy dying. These provide documented pre-existing motive independent of any conspiracy framing.
2018 federal court rejected acoustic evidence for second gun
DebunkingStrongSirhan's legal team submitted acoustic evidence claiming a second gun fired in an audio recording of the scene. A federal court in 2018 reviewed the evidence and found it insufficient to warrant a new trial.
Hypnosis/programming claims not sustained in court
DebunkingSirhan's repeated claims of having no memory of the shooting and suggestions of hypnotic programming have been presented in multiple legal proceedings and have not prevailed. Mental-state evidence at trial showed he understood what he was doing.
Timeline
RFK shot at Ambassador Hotel following California primary win
Senator Robert F. Kennedy is shot in the pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles shortly after midnight following his victory in the California Democratic presidential primary. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is tackled at the scene with his revolver. Kennedy dies the following day.
Sirhan convicted of first-degree murder
Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. His sentence is later commuted to life imprisonment after the California Supreme Court temporarily invalidates the death penalty in 1972.
Criminalist William Harper files affidavit on bullet count
Forensic criminalist William Harper files an affidavit asserting that bullet evidence from the pantry exceeds the eight rounds in Sirhan's revolver, implying a second weapon. The LAPD disputes the count. Some recovered bullets are destroyed before full independent analysis.
Federal court rejects acoustic second-gunner evidence
A federal court rejects Sirhan's appeal for a new trial, finding that acoustic evidence submitted by his legal team claiming to show a second gun firing in a recording of the scene is insufficient to warrant a new trial.
Governor Newsom reverses parole recommendation for Sirhan
After the California Board of Parole Hearings recommended parole for Sirhan Sirhan in August 2021, Governor Gavin Newsom reverses the recommendation in January 2023, citing the premeditated and violent nature of the crime. Sirhan remains imprisoned.
Verdict
Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of RFK's murder and was present firing his weapon. Coroner Thomas Noguchi found the fatal shot fired from behind at one to one-and-a-half inches — inconsistent with witness accounts placing Sirhan in front of Kennedy at distance. The physical-evidence discrepancy is documented. A 2018 federal court found acoustic evidence for a second gun insufficient. Paul Schrade (shot at the scene) has called for reinvestigation; so has RFK Jr.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sirhan Sirhan definitely the killer?
Sirhan was undeniably present at the scene, firing his weapon. He has never denied this. What is disputed is whether he fired the fatal shot: Dr. Thomas Noguchi's autopsy found the fatal wound was fired from approximately one to one-and-a-half inches behind Kennedy's right ear, while multiple witnesses placed Sirhan in front of Kennedy at distance. The physical-evidence discrepancy is documented and unresolved.
What is the coroner's finding about the fatal shot?
Los Angeles County Coroner Thomas Noguchi concluded, based on powder burns and wound characteristics, that the fatal shot was fired from approximately one to one-and-a-half inches behind Kennedy's right ear. Multiple witnesses at the Ambassador Hotel pantry placed Sirhan in front of Kennedy at a distance of several feet. This discrepancy — not disputed in its basic factual terms — is the core physical-evidence issue in the second-gunman claim.
What happened to the acoustic evidence for a second gun?
In 2018, a federal court reviewed acoustic evidence submitted by Sirhan's legal team claiming to show a second gun firing in an audio recording of the shooting. The court found the evidence insufficient to warrant a new trial. No court has accepted the acoustic second-gunner evidence.
What is Sirhan's current status?
Sirhan remains imprisoned in California. The California Board of Parole Hearings recommended parole in August 2021; Governor Gavin Newsom reversed the recommendation in January 2023, citing the premeditated and violent nature of the crime.
Sources
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Further Reading
- bookThe Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy — William Turner and Jonn Christian (1978)
- documentaryRFK Must Die (documentary) — Shane O'Sullivan (2007)
- bookBobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon — Larry Tye (2016)
- articlePaul Schrade: statement on the RFK assassination (Los Angeles Times) — Paul Schrade (2016)