</s>Form No. AD-71A (Rev. 2-28-61) NOTICE PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS SLIP FROM THE ATTACHED CORRESPONDENCE SINGE IT IS A PERMANENT PART OF THE RECORD. RECORDS 166-12C/1 ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 10 NOV 19 1870- 21. J. Demale: CIV, RIGHTS DEPA

Summary  
The documents detail government correspondence and administrative records concerning access to investigative materials related to the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) on June 5, 1968, and subsequent legal proceedings involving Sirhan B. Sirhan, the accused assassin. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) compiled a nine-volume "Investigation Summary" of the RFK case, submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in July 1969. Requests for access to these records were made by Bernard Fensterwald, Jr., Executive Director of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations, and others. The DOJ deferred disclosure decisions to the LAPD, citing its policy against releasing investigative reports from state or local agencies. FOIA requests and discussions about transparency, legal costs, and public inquiries into government handling of the case are referenced. Additional documents include FBI records on Sirhan B. Sirhan, including his 1970 arrest for marijuana possession in Sierra Madre, California, which was dismissed due to insufficient evidence.  

Key People  
- **Bernard Fensterwald, Jr.**: Requested access to LAPD and FBI records related to RFK’s assassination; Executive Director of the Committee to Investigate Assassinations.  
- **Sirhan B. Sirhan**: Accused assassin of RFK; arrested in 1970 for marijuana possession, charges later dismissed.  
- **Richard G. Kleindienst**: Deputy Attorney General; coordinated DOJ responses to FOIA requests and deferred disclosure decisions to LAPD.  
- **Jerris Leonard**: Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division; addressed public inquiries about Sirhan Sirhan’s legal proceedings.  
- **Robert Blair Kaiser**: Journalist who authored *RFK Must Die*; referenced in context of FBI file disclosure.  
- **John Mitchell**: Former Attorney General of the United States; mentioned in correspondence.  
- **Evelle J. Younger**: District Attorney of Los Angeles; referenced in legal proceedings related to Sirhan Sirhan.  

Key Locations  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s assassination and Sirhan Sirhan’s 1970 arrest for marijuana possession.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI; location of correspondence and FOIA-related discussions.  
- **Sierra Madre, California**: Town where Sirhan B. Sirhan was arrested in September 1970.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- **July 23, 1969**: LAPD submitted nine-volume investigative report on RFK’s assassination to the DOJ.  
- **September–October 1970**: FOIA requests and correspondence regarding access to RFK assassination records and Sirhan Sirhan’s legal proceedings.  
- **September 23, 1970**: Sirhan B. Sirhan arrested in Sierra Madre for marijuana possession; charges dismissed due to insufficient evidence.  
- **October 19, 1970**: Bernard Fensterwald requested access to FBI files on Sirhan Sirhan under FOIA.  
- **Legal proceedings against Sirhan Sirhan**: Included trial costs ($900,000), federal funding for his family, and debates over sentencing (e.g., death penalty).  

Key Organizations  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Handled FOIA requests, deferred disclosure decisions to LAPD, and managed internal communications about RFK assassination records.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Conducted initial investigation into RFK’s assassination and compiled the nine-volume report.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Maintained records on Sirhan B. Sirhan; files referenced in FOIA requests.  
- **Committee to Investigate Assassinations**: Advocated for transparency in government handling of RFK’s case; requested access to FBI and LAPD records.  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Involved in legal proceedings related to Sirhan Sirhan’s 1970 arrest and charges.

RFK Declassified Files

166-12c-1_section_8-part_3_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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