</s>BU 62-587 Los Angeles Report 12/4/68 SIRIHAN BISHARA STIRHAN CIVIL RIGHTS

The documents detail FBI interviews with individuals present at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles during the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968. Key accounts include Schwanhild von Heintschel, identified as a private secretary for Kennedy, who reported being in an upstairs office with Carol Welch, Jean Main, and LoudelinSlinzey when the shooting occurred. She noted a hotline from the press room and described rushing downstairs after learning of the incident. Other witnesses, including Theresa K. Walston (bookkeeper for Kennedy’s campaign), Paul Altmeier (ABC television producer), Victor Biondi (KCRA reporter), Michael Boyd (KGRA newscaster), John Chambers (UPI correspondent), Joe Dyer (KNXT photographer), Beth Partill (CBS producer), Stenhope Gould (CBS producer), Lansing Lamont (Time correspondent), and Daryl Lembre (Los Angeles Times reporter), provided descriptions of their locations, observations, and interactions during the event. None identified SIRIAN BISHARA SIRIHAN or confirmed involvement in a conspiracy. Some noted hearing screams or commotion but did not witness the shooting itself. The FBI also interviewed individuals like James Charles Evers (NAACP field director) and Adrienne Leib (assistant press secretary), who reported unusual phone calls and proximity to RFK’s team during the event. Court records from 1963–1969 mention Sirhan Bishara, represented by attorney Russell E. Parsons, with allegations of civil rights activism ties, including statements about hatred toward white people and plans to "shoot the son of a bitch" (referring to RFK). Interviews with witnesses at the hotel on June 4–5, 1968, included Donald Joseph Dowd (witness), Gary Wayne Dotterman (volunteer for Kennedy campaign), Teresa Carole Ash (campaign worker), and Alvin Clark (rubbish collector in Pasadena, California), whose social security number is noted but not disclosed. The FBI also referenced Sirhan’s employment history, including work at Granja Vista Ranch near Norco, California, in 1966, and an alleged horse-riding accident.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan Bishara** (various spellings: SIRHAN, SIRIAN, SIRIHAN)  
- **Russell E. Parsons** (attorney representing Sirhan)  
- **Robert F. Kennedy** (Senator assassinated on June 5, 1968)  
- **Schwanhild von Heintschel** (private secretary for Kennedy)  
- **Carol Welch, Jean Main, LoudelinSlinzey** (individuals present at the hotel during the shooting)  
- **Theresa K. Walston** (bookkeeper for Kennedy’s campaign)  
- **James Charles Evers** (NAACP field director; present at Ambassador Hotel on June 4, 1968)  
- **Adrienne Leib** (assistant press secretary; reported suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be with RFK’s team)  
- **Alvin Clark** (rubbish collector in Pasadena, California; SSN noted but not disclosed)  
- **Donald Joseph Dowd, Gary Wayne Dotterman, Teresa Carole Ash** (witnesses and campaign workers)  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s victory rally and the assassination (Embassy Ballroom, Press Room, serving kitchen area, lobby, VIP Lounge)  
- **Granja Vista Ranch near Norco, California**: Sirhan Bishara’s employment location in 1966  
- **Pasadena, California**: Alvin Clark’s residence  
- **Jackson, Mississippi**: James Charles Evers’ residence and NAACP office  
- **Cleveland, Ohio**: Adrienne Leib’s residence (referenced hotel room details)  
- **Rhode Island**: Norman Jacques’ residence and campaign activities  

Key Events  
- **June 4–5, 1968**: RFK’s victory rally at the Ambassador Hotel; assassination occurred during the event  
- **Phone call incident**: Adrienne Leib reported a suspicious call from someone claiming to be with RFK’s team on June 4, 1968  
- **Hotel staff verification**: Bart Hachigan and Fran Stalpers confirmed no records of individuals associated with RFK’s campaign leaving the hotel unpaid  
- **Campaign activities**: John Lewis (SNCC director) described involvement in RFK’s campaign events in Los Angeles  
- **Court proceedings**: Sirhan Bishara’s legal cases from October 1963 to December 1969 (Los Angeles Superior Court)  
- **Investigation into Sirhan’s alleged ties**: Claims of civil rights activism, statements about hatred toward white people, and plans to assassinate RFK  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews with witnesses and investigated Sirhan Bishara’s connections  
- **National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)**: Evers was a field director  
- **Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)**: John Lewis was affiliated with this organization  
- **American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)**: Paul Altmeier was a television producer  
- **Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)**: Beth Partill and Stenhope Gould were producers  
- **United Press International (UPI)**: John Chambers was a correspondent  
- **Time, Incorporated**: Lansing Lamont was a correspondent  
- **Los Angeles Times**: Daryl Lembre was a reporter

RFK Declassified Files

166-12c-1_serial_1_65-hq-587_12.4.68-part_1_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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