Transcript of 166-12c-1_serial_2_section_2_56-la-156_la_report_7.1.68-part_1_of_7.pdf
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SECTION II
Los Angeles Report 7/1/68
Pages 346-652
SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN
CIVIL RIGHTS
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LA
56-156
JOS/sro
ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS OF
ANDIVIDUALS IN AREA OF SHOOTING
346
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FD-302 (Rev. 4-15-64 )
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
6/17/68
Date
RONALD T_ BENNETT , 2508 Highland Avenue Manhattan
Beach, California
J
telephone 545-2614, who is
empioyed
as a
staff photographer for United Press International (UPI)
9 1543 West Olympic Boulevard Suite 438_ Los Angeles ,
California, telephone
387-7221,
furnished the following
information with respect to his observations and knowledge
of the a88as3ination of Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY on June 5,
1968:
He was gi ven the assignment on June 4, to
take photographs of Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY at the Ambassador
Hotel, 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles , California, and
at approximately 10:00 pam_ that evening he went to the
Ambassador Hotel He parked hi8 car in the rear parking lot
of the hotel and entered the hotel by the north main entrance .
He then proceeded to look at the ballroom and other areas in
the hotel to determine the possible position of the Senator
and camera angles he could photograph him from to his ,
BENNETT ( 8 , best advantage He had a drink at the bar and
then proceeded to the Fifth Floor where the KENNEDY suite
was located and met an
as8ociate {PI photographer
named
DAVE KENNERLY , who was al80 covering the KENNEDY rally _ He
advised that on the left side was Senator KENNEDY 1 8 private
room while to the right wa8 a larger room containing a bar
and many people He and KENNERLY then milled around and
BENNETT
2
shot some photographs of KENNEDY in the larger room
where the bar was located He recalls als0 that GLENN FORD
was in this room and he thinks he obtained several shots of
FORD talking with Senator KENNEDY .
Senator KENNEDY then left the larger room and retired
to his bedroom, S0 BENNETT followed hin to see where
he could a better photograph of KENNEDY alone He observed
Senator KENNEDY 8
tanding by a dresser mirror reading a
newspaper, and catching glimpses of the television coverage of
the mary election results He then asked the Senator if
he could shoot a picture in the mirror of him and the Senator
M replied, "No not in my bedroom for Pete 's sake At that time
On
6/13/68
at Los Angelee_ California
File # Los Angeles 56-156
SA WILLIAM L. BOURQUE and
347
by SA DAVID H COOK DHC mmc Date dictated
6/14/68
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
1968
he,
he ,
get
pri-
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one of the Senator 8 public relations men, named DICK TUCK ,
entered the room and berated BENNETT for attempting to
photograph the Senator in his bedroom _ TUCK then went into
the hallway and made a joke of it to several of the other
members of the press and photographers who were there
He BENNETT waited in the hallway for approximately
ten minutes for KENNEDY to leave his bedroom and go downs tairs
to the ballroom where the rally was taking place _ KENNEDY
did leave the bedroom and he proceeded toward the elevator
Since there was too large a crowd at that location for him to
take any photographs , he and DAVE KENNERLY , who was with him
at that time_
9
ran down the staire to to a photograph
of Senator KENNEDY a8 he wa8 disembarking from the elevator
He did not observe that the Senator disembarked from the
elevator but he noticed everyone who was downstairss and
al80 wai for the Senator leave the area and start
toward the ballroom He then recalls that someone said,
# he comes referring to Senator KENNEDY and he
observed the Senator approach the area of the ballroom_
BENNETT advised he wab able to mount the platform
directly behind ETHEL KENNEDY while the rally was taking
place _ He took five or six photographs from that position
with his Wide angle 35mm Nikon, u8 ing Tri-X black and white
negative film He stated that one of these photographs
was subsequently published as a UPI news photo .
Senator KENNEDY then made his speech and during
this speech the pressures of the crowd kept shoving him into
ETHEL KENNEDY and his camera jammed her in the back. She
complained to several of the KENNEDY aides who were present and
the next thing he knew , ROOSEVELT GRIER grabbed him from
behind, placing one hand around his stomach, 80 as to prevent
him from being pushed into Mrs KENNEDY _
When Senator KENNEDY finighed his speech, he proceeded
to shake hands with several people in the crowd and signed some
348
try get
ting
"Here
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autographs _ BENNETT , thought that the Senator' would leave
the ballroom by going to his right
9
however , he left the area
through some curtains which were behind the podium This
led into the kitchen area and he
3
BENNETT , proceeded to follow
as fast a8 he could There were one or two individuals
between himself and Senator KENNEDY as the group was making
its way through the kitchen Just as BENNETT , passed the
metal doorway leading to the kitchen area, he heard what he
later learned were five shots At that he had the
impression that firecrackers were going off He does not
recall the pattern of the shots that were fired, but they
were very rapid_ He does not recall seeing Senator KENNEDY
fall to the ground, but as soon a3 he heard the shots being
fired he_
9
BENNETT
9
immediately dove to the floor Directly
to his right was a businessman, PAUL SCHRADE who was struck
in the head by one of the bullets At that 'time he recalls
seeing gome greyish smoke in the air but this was only an
impression and he does not know specifically where the smoke
came from_ He then ducked behind a small doorway on the
right side of the kitchen doorway, where he saw several
people lying on the floor He automatica Lly
started to shoot photographs of everything he saw.
He recalls he shot several photographs of Senator
KENNEDY while the Senator was lying on the floor
9
and then he
recalls he shot four or five photographs of SIRHAN BISHARA
SIRHAN , During this time he als0 observed someone limping
through the crowd and heard this individual say some thing,
but he does not recall specifically what it was He does not
recall seeing Mrs KENNEDY , however , upon obgerving s ome of
the photographs that he shot she was in these photographs
He doe8 recall her telling the crowd to move back and to
" give "him referring to Senator KENNEDY, some air
He then Jumped up on the kitchen counter and took
8 ome photographs of the sus pect from that angle At that
time SIRHAN still had a gun in one of his hands and several
people seemed to be on top of either punching him or
hitting hin. PIERRE SALINGER
theh &utped
up onto the counter
349
He,
he,
time,
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and pushed him off of it. He recalls that SALINGER was crying
at the time and was very upset With him for shooting photographs
of Senator KENNEDY and SIRHAN SALINGER also became angry
with a woman photographer
9
whom he knows only as VIRGINIA He
recalle VIRGINIA had one of the KENNEDY aides name unrecalled; tell
BENNETT ngt to shoot more pictures
Ag SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN wa being removed from the
kitchen area , he
9
BENNETT shot some more photographs of him.
At that time one of the KENNEDY aides attempted to the
ambulance driver to throw him, BENNETT
9
evidently thinking
that the ambulance driver was a policeman He recalls seeing
another photographer by the name of RICHARD DREW from the
"Pagadena Star News newspaper 8 tanding near him and
exchanged a few pleagantries the nature of which he does not
recall.
At that time Senator KENNEDY was still on the floor and
se veral: people were about him_ Several policemen were also on the
scene and they started to block off the area thereby
isolating the Senator from the crowd He BENNETT , was
able to barge through several policemen and retrieve his
Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's
Office press pase , which had been knocked to the floor
approximately two to three feet from Senator KENNEDY '8 out-
strerched legs
9
when BENNETT , was pushed from the counter
PIERRE SALINGER .
The ambulance drivers then began to remove Senator
KENNEDY from the kitchen area , however, he did not wait to
See the Senator placed in the ambulance, but instead ran to
a telephone and called his office, telling his supervisor_
9
GLEN WA GNER , what had occurred
He then ran out to the rear parking lot of the
Ambassador Hotel to look for his but he could not find
it for five or ten minutes When he his car started, the
police had the area barricaded, 80 he parked his leaving
350
him, any
get
out ,
they
he ,
by
car,
got
car,
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CA 56-156
some of his camera eguipment in it and then ran toward
Eighth Street, which 18 the
street directiy
to the south
of the Ambassador Hotel, and after showing his press pass
to a policeman was able to get through the barricaded area
He then stopped about three automobiles and asked the
drivers for a ride, but no one would give hin one until
three girls in a sportscar came along and cons
ented
to give
him a ride to his office A police car then pulled along-
side them and he was able to ask them to give him a ride
to his office He climbed into the police car and they
were about to proceed to his office, which 18 some distance
from the Ambassador Hotel, when the policemen told him they
could not leave the area He then disembarked from the
police car and found a pay telephone and was able to call
his supervisor_ GLEN WAGNER , and ask him to send s omeone
to pick him up At that time a taxicab came 80 he
up the telephone and hailed the taxicab , and immediately
proceeded to his office_
He recalls that he took a total of two and a half
rolls of 35mm film, thirty six exposures of film to a
roll,
however , one of the rolls did not turn out due to an error
in threading it while at the Ambassador Hotel_ A11 the
photographs were developed by HOWARD DECKER, who was then
at the UPI office BENNETT stated that al1 the photographs
that appeared in the newspapers Were UPI photographs taken
by him and the negatives of these photographs were
immediately forwarded to Mr_ CLIFF MC DOWELL, Vice
President, UPI Newspapers , 220 East 42nd Street, New York
City.
BENNETT advised that the above information 1s
true and correct to the best of his knowledge_ He further
advised that he does not recall seeing a young female
caucasian in a polka dot dress at any time on June 4 or 5,
1968 at the Ambassador Hotel, principally in the kitchen
area, just before or after Senator KENNEDY was shot.
351
hung by,
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FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
l 6/12/68
Date
HANS PETER BIDSTRUP advised that he 1s an Electrician
in the Maintenance Department of the Anbasgador Hotel in
Los Angeles , California_
9
and resides at 1886_North Avenue ,
Los Angeles He stated he was born on at PII
Slcorup, Denmark_
9
and his wife is IRNA BIDSTRUP , who resides
with him
Mr BIDSTRUP advised that he arrived on duty at
the hotel at approximately 8:00 AM on Tuesday
9
June 1968 ,
and left the hotel at approximately midnight the same date _
He stated that he left the hotel before the shooting of
Sena tpr KENNEDY and had n? first hand know ledge of the
happenings involved in this inc ident .
Mx BIDSTRUP was shown a photograph Of SIRHAN
BISHARA SIRHAN and asked if he had seen this individual
prior t3 the shooting 3f Senator KENNEDY Concerning his
know ledge in this respect , he furnished the following signed
statement:
Angeles Calif
June 10 ,
1968
"I
9
Hans Peter Bidstrup make the following
voluntary free statement to
John
H_ Borgman_
>
who has
identified himself ta me as a Special Agent of the
FBI
name 18_ Hans Peter Bidstrup . I was born
PII
on at Skorup_
9
Denmark I reside at
1886 North Avenue
9
Los Angeles , CaLif I am emp loyed
as an electrician in the Maintainence Dept _ of the
Ambassador Hotel
the night 2f June 4, 1968 I was
the standby
electrician in the sound booth at the Rafferty
Party in the Venetian Room at the Anbassador Hotel.
At about one hour before I went off which
would be about 11 p . 0l a man Wandered into the booth
6/10/68 Los Angeles , California Los Angeles 156
On at File #
352
SA JOHN H BORGMAN/a8i 6/11/68
by Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
4 ,
"Los
"My
"On
duty,
56_
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8at down on a spool of wire He had a drink
in his hard I am not a drinking S3 I don 1 t
know what kind of a drink he had but it was clear
with 8 milky white cast and had in it what appeared
to "be a
piece of lime and a small red object which
looked like a
piece of red candy ta me It was
round on one side and flat on the bsttom
best I can recall this man began the
conversation by saying 'I'm a Democrat He
asked me if I was & Democrat and I replied that
I was _ He then asked me what I was doing, or
what my job was I told him I was an electrician
and possibly I went into a little detail as to what
my duties were
after I had told this man I was a
Democrat he held out his hand and shook hands
with me He then inquired something to the effect
as to whether Senator Kennedy was goin3_ to be at
the hotel that night I told him thought he was _
The man appeared to be drinking
>
he did not appear
intoxicated, but drinking just enough to be talkative_
For this reason I did not pay too much attention
to the sequence of the conversation & cannot remember
the exact words , for the most part , used by this
individual.
man asked in what room or on what floor
Kennedy was staying when Kennedy was coming in
or if Kennedy was
then
in the hotel I don ' t
remember that I knew at the time S0 I couldn' t
tell him_ The nan made some inquiry conce rning
Kennedy! 8 security- I think it had to do with
whether or not Kennedy had bodyguards Although
I'm not sure it was as direct aS this but this 1s
the impression I have recalling it now
"While weiwere talking,.4 Los Angeles
fireman in uniform came into the booth_ 'The man
stopped his conversation and seemed to take
353
56_
"He
man 9
"As
"Also ,
"This
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I 'particular attention of the fireman He asked
the fireman what he was doing or what his capacity
was The fireman explained to the man that he
Was a fireman and was there for crowd control
and fire security_ The man appeared to take
less interest in the fireman after this
"The fireman left shortly thereafter The
man aLso esked when Kennedy was going to come to
the hotel_ I did t t know
fireman left and returned a short time
later
9
staying a few minutes & left again It
was about this time that the man left About the same
time as the fireman left_ However
9
I don' t recall
if the two left together, ar if the man left before
or after the fireman_
sound booth was in an isolated section
pf the Venetian Room The man came alone and did
not meet anyone outside the booth and to the best
of my know ledge was alone
man who talked to me in the sound booth
looks very much like the photo of Sirhan Sirhan
shown to me by SA Borgman
"I had, prior to the time that 1 talked to
SA Borgmang seen pictures of Sirhan in the newspaper
but the description of Sirhan in the newspaper
stated Sirhan had an accent & the man I talked to
had no accent altho I was struck the
similarity between the newspaper photos of Sirhan
and the man I talked because of the accent
ascribed to Sirhan by the newspaper; I did not mention
the incident to the authorities_
"The man I talked to in the sound booth in
the Venetian Roor I would describe a8 follows:
"male
Caucasian
354
56_
"The
"The
"The
S? , by
to,
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"about 22 years
to 517"
130 to 140 1bs _
slender build
no glasses
no mous tache
dark curly hair; full head 3f hair
medium dark complexion
wearing no hat faded dark blue sweatshirt
with a full zipper down the front and long
sleeves shirt of unknown calor under the
sweatshirt blue denim trousers _
No noticeable accent
"I have read the above 8 page statement and it
18 true to the best of my know
11 18 / Hans Bidstrup
"Witness : Is / John H_ 6818863n =
9
Spc Agt . FBI, LA,
Calif
"Witness : Is / Robert E Special Agent
9
L.A Calif
Eag8/187654
Mr BIDSTRUP described the fireman wh? came int?
the sound booth at the Venetian Room while the above-described
individual was in the booth a8 follows
Sex Ma le
Race White
30 years
Height 6
Weight 180 pounds
Build Medium
lexion Fair
Hair Possibly blond
Dress Wearing uniform of Los Angeles
Fire Department
355
56-
5'6"
lege .
FBI ,
Age
Comp
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FD-302 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
6/14/63
1
Date
ELMSR M BOOMHOWER , employee of the Ace Guard
Service, Granada Hills, California, was interviewed at
his res idence, 10150 Collett Avenue Granada Hills He
advised that he wa: on guard duty at the Ambagsador Hotel
on the 2vening of June 4, 1968, 2 tarting at 6:20 p. m _ Prior
to taling up a position on the fifth floor in the vic inity
of the KENNEDY 8uite (the Presidential suite of the Anbagsador )
WILLIAM p GARDNER , Security Officer of the Ambassador, had
displayed to him an orange-colored pamphlet with black
"I lettering which bore the caption_
9
"Kili KENNEDY_ GARDNER
then instructed him not to permit the paes ing of such
pamphlets in the area where BOONHOWER , was working on
the fifth floor that evening BOOMHOWER said he could not
recall any other epecific details concerning the pamphlet
except that it had 8ome kind of ins ignia indicating the 8ource
of the pamphlet_
BOOMHOWER also stated that among the persone he
had permitted to enter the KENNEDY suite earlier on the
even ing of June 4, 1963, were the following CBS and newspaper
men:
Mr BRUNO
Mr BARRY
Mx TUCK
Mr SMTTH
Mr DUTTON
He stated that possibly a Mr DRAIN (phonetic)
had al80 entered the suite. He said he was not aware whether
any of these individual: were in the Embassy Room at the
time that Mr KENNEDY was 8hot in the early morning hours
of June 5, 1368.
On
6/3/63_ at Granada_ Hille, Cal ifornia
File # Los Angeles 56-156
by SA CARL R SCHLATTER:imk
356
Date dictated
6/14/63
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusiong of the FBI_ It i8 the property of the FBI ad is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are 'not to be distributed outside your agency.
he,
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FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-6 4)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
6/12/63
Date
THERESA L. CHRISTIANSON 131 South Hoover Street
Los Angeles
9
was interviewed at this location and furnished
the following information:
She is sixteen years of age having been born
PII at Santa Monica California At approximately
3:30 p m on The evening of June 4
9
1963 ,
9
she arrived at
the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles accompanied by her girl
friend
9
MYONN HYMER 1175 South
Windsor
Boulevard Los
Angeles
9
for the purpose of attending 8 celebration for
Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY
9
candidate in the California
Presidential primary
As CHRLSTIANSON wes standing near a metal bar
(serving alcoholic beverages) toward the rear of the
8outhwest portion of the ballroom, she became aware of a
male individual 8 tanding immediately behind her less than
one foot away Although she did not look this individual
directly in the face she obgerved his face by looking in
a nirror approximately four feet in front of her behind the
bar CHRISTIANSON noted that she and this individual were
the only ones in the immediate area , and she thought it odd
that he would stand S0 cloge to her CHRISTTANSON believes
that this nian stood behind her for between four to five
minutes During the entire four or five minutes she
observed this man in the mirror She felt a hard object
brush against her right
9
approximately waist high , and
feels that this object was either a belt buckZe or something
in the man' 8 pocket At this point
9
CHRISTTANSON stated
9 I1 I "Would you please move? and the man replied only
9 9
in a nervous voice and walled toward the east side of the
ballroom
9
diseppearing from CHRISTIANSON S sight
CHRISTTANSON advised that she has mentioned the
above individual to HYMER and that HYMER told her that she
did not see the mnan CHRISTIANSON further noted that the
bartender at the nearby bar had gone to some Coke for
6/10/63 Los Angeles
9
California Los Angeles 56-156
On at File #
357
SA RICHARD J RAYSA/eb 6/12/63
by Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusiong of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI &nd is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are 'not to be distributed outside your agency.
hip
"Yes
get
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the Coca Cola machine otherwise she would have requested
the bartender to ask the above male individual to move
away from her
CHRLSTLANSON recalled that this male individual
was approximately the sane height a8 herself namely
and that his overall appearance was unkempt and out of place
at the hotel She could not recall the man S dress _
9
other
than that his clothing was light colored; that he was not
wearing a sport or suit type coat
9
and that his shirt was
open at the collar
CHRISTIANSON indicated that she had seen photographs
of SIRHAN BLSHARA SIRHAN displayed by the news media and
she believes the individual she observed at the hotel very
closely resenbles these photographs of SIRHAN
CHRISTIANSON further described the above individual
a8 follows :
Race White
Sex Male
Complexion Dark
Age Middle to late 20s
Height 5'5
Weight 140 pounds
Build Slender
Hair Black , medium length
and wavy
Eyes Brown
Voice Medium cone and nervous
On June 11 1363 CHRLSTIANSON waz shown glossy
photographs of SIRHAN including a Los Angeles Police
Department mug photograph taken June 5, 1963 and a left
profile view of SIRHAN taken sometime after the shooting of
KENNEDY on June 5 1963 After viewing these photographs
CHRISTIANSON again advised that the individual she observed
at the Ambas gador Hotel on June 4 1963 , very closely
resembles the photogrephs of
SIRHAN
358
J
5'5"
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CHRISTTANS ON noted that she and her girl friend
9
HYMER left the hotel between 10:l5 p . Il and 10:30 p . m
arriving home at approximately 1l:00 p.m and did not further
observe the above-deecribed individual at te hotel_
359
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FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64 )
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date
6/18/68
Mr RICHARD EDWARD DREW
9
10158 Lynrose Street
9 Temple City=
9
California , telephone 447_4556
9
furnished the
following information:
He 1s currently employed as a Staff Photographer
for the Independent Star News , 525 East Colorado Bouleverd ,
Pasadena
9
California He was assigned as a photographer to
cover the KENNEDY function at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4 ,
1968
He took no photographe of the actual shooting of
Senator KENNEDY or of suspect SIRHAN SIRHAN His photographs
taken at the scene were made immediately after the shooting
occurred. He recalled seeing suspect SIRHAN SIRHAN struggling
with several people immediately after the shooting, but he can
not , of his own recollection
9
identify SIRHAN as the individual
who did the shooting or as the individual struggking with members
of the crowa around KENNEDY after the shooting_
He recalled seeing the individual later identified a8
suspect SIRHAN
9
struggling with severel people
9
tio of whom were
ROOSEVELT GRIER and RAFER JOHNSON? He did nar take
photographs of the struggle inasmuch as the light was not
sufficient for his photography and he was concentra ting on
photographs of Senator KENNEDY
Mr DREW made availabze three copies of photographs
taken of Senator KENNEDY immediately after the shooting Mr
DREW stated that the negatives of these particular shots are
being retained by the paper on the advice of coungel, and copies
of additional shots made at the same time will be made available
in the near future
Mr DREW Was unable to recall the exact time that the
above photographs were taken He remembered that the shooting
occurred shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968
9
a t the Ambassador
Hotel After he arrived at the hotel and went to the Embassy
On
6/17/68
at
Pasadena , California
File #
Los Angeles 56-156
by
SA_WILLIE R WHITE sdb 6/17/68
Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusiong of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI &d is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outgide your agency.
360
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LA 56-156
Room he scouted the area in an effort to determine the entrance
and exits which Senator KENNEDY might utilize He decided that
the most logical exit and entrance would be from the kitchen
area into the Embassy Room
He recalled seeing HAL FILAN and WALLY FONG 0f the
local office of Associated Press in the Embassy Room He does
not recall seeing them in the kitchen area where the Senator
was shot
He recalled that Senator KENNEDY came on to the
podium in the Embas sy Roora for a speech _ Mr DREW took photographs
of KENNEDY from the stage_ Mr DREW then left the stage and
Went behina the podium into a hallway and down to a smaLl room
He was looking for a sandwich a t the time He recalled that
this might have been 8 press room He found 8 sandwich and then
went back out into the Embassy Room _ He went around the room
to the television stands behind the crowd and took some additional
pictures He then went into the kitchen area and asked for
water He a glass and filled it with ice from the ice
machine He recalls standing in the kitchen talking with
Reporter BORIS YARO of the Los Angeles Times During the time
he spent in the kitchen looking for water
9
he recalled that he
wa Lked a lmost to the back of the kitchen and then returned to
stand with YARO near the entrance of the kitchen They heard
that Senator KENNEDY was coming off the podium At this time
he handed his glass of water to one of several KENNEDY girls that
were standing inside the entrance to the kitchen area 8 0 thet he
could be ready to take photographs Senator KENNEDY came into
the kitchen area and passed Mr YARO
9
and then approached DRET
Senator KENNEDY smiled and passed Mr DREW who followed hir
Mr DREW S next impression wa s 0f a "movement of people in the
m far: end of the kitchen. He heard a noise similar to a
6t firecracker and then saw smoke He looked up and saw an: &rm
Ti with a gun pointed at me He ducked Mr DRET recalled that
after he saw the smoke he noticed Senator KENNEDY S head sink
361
got
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Page 18
==================================================
3
LA 56-156
He remembered hearing two shots
9
then a pause and then three
more shots There majy have been more shots
9
but this wa s his
impression at the time Immediately thereafter
$
people
began pushing DREW back and he saW others lowering Senator
KENNEDY to the flojr The coat he vs wearing was splashed with
drops of blood At this point
9
he realized he was a photographer
and" began taking photogrephs He recalls taking some photographs
from the top of a nearby serving table He recalled that some
other photographer took a photograph which showed Mx DREW on
the serving table taking photographs
Mr DREV stated that he 18 retaining his sport coat
in a safe condition and with the blood spots still on it in the
event that it 1s needed at some future time by the authorities
Mx DREW did not see the Police Officers taking sus 'pect
SIRHAN out of the area as during this period he was looking for
a phone to call his newspaper He recal led that originally he
mentioned that he thought the suspect was dressed in some type
of blue jump suit
9
however upon further reflection he believes
that he Tas mistaken He apparently received this impression of
a blue jump suit because he thought the suepect ' 8 clothes Were
al1 one color and possibly bluish.
Mr DREW took no photograph in the kitchen prior to
the shooting and he stated that he did not recall seeing suspect
SIRHAN or any woman in a polka dot dress in the kitchen prior to
the shooting He did not recall seeing 8 woman in a polka dot
dress in the kitchen after the shooting_
He recalled seeing Reporter RON BENNETT of United Press
International in the kitchen after the shooting, but he can not
say if BENNETT was present when the shooting occurred
Subsequent to the shooting_
9
he and BORIS YARO proceeded
to the home address of suspect SIRHAN and took a number of photo-
graphs_ He recalled that YARO discovered wha t appeared to be a
22 caliber spent slug in a trash box at the back of the house
362
==================================================
Page 19
==================================================
Ce 56-156
It nas left there for the Police . Mr DREV rece lled the
items out to a Police officer who picked it up Mr DREW
recalled that he also took a photograph of a bullet found in the
garege at the house which was being pleced in a bag by a_ Policeman
363
poin ting
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Page 20
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FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL ` BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
6/20/68
Date
Mr_ ALBERT VICTOR ELLIS 842 South Berendo, Los
Angeles , California teiephone 386-8322
was interviewed at
the Ambassador
Hotei,
Los Angeles , California, and he furnished
the following information:
He was born at Cortland, New York_ PII
His Social Security Number 18 He 18 employed by PII
R, A, Watt, Incorporated, Gardena, California
He 18 a roommate of JOHN SHAMEL, the Convention
Manager for the Ambassador Hotel_
On June 4, 1968, he wa8 In the Embassy Room of the
hotel with SHAMEL _ He was al8o at various other locations with
SHAMEL in the hotel on
June 4, 1968.
He and SHANL were together in the Embassy Room when
Senator ROBERT p KENNEDY completed his victory speech and he
observed Senator KENNEDY leaving the platform and going out
of the Embassy Room through the door to the rear of the platform_
When Senator KENNEDY left the platform, he and SHAMEL walked out
of the Embassy Room through the front doors of the Embassy Room,
towards the lobby and a8 they were exiting the room, Mr UNO
TTMANSON one of the Vice Presidents of the hotel, came running
out and
tola
SHAMEL to cal1 a doctor_
SHANZL departed to call a doctor and ELLIS
returned to the Embassy Room to the platform area As he got
to the platform area, he observed a lady being carried into
the Embassy Room and noticed she had a head wound _
When he was returning to the platform area in the
Embassy Room, he believes he heard a female voice state "We
II shot him He assumed at the time this person meant we the
were the cause of the Senator being shot and therefore, Peeplec
shot him." ELLIS advised he did not see this individual,
but only heard the voice and could not recall any unusual tone
to the voice.
On
6/14/68 at Los Angeles , California File # Lo8 _ Angeles 56-156
SA ROBERT F PICKARD/mmc 364 6/17/68
by Date dictated
This document containg neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and it8 contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
he,
==================================================
Page 21
==================================================
2
LA 56-156
He left the Embassy Room shortly after hearing thi8
individual and he went out into the lobby of the hotel
where nunerous people were milling around and talking about
the shooting. He heard several other people in the audience
state something to the effect "we shot him, I and from the
other conversations he was able to determine that they meant
that the people were the cause of Senator KENNEDY being shot
MI and it was in this context that they said, shot him_
ELLIS stated that while he was touring the hotel
with SHANEL during the evening of June 4, 1968, he noticed
that there were quite 2 few shoddily dressed individuals in
the hotel_
On June 5, 1968, he saw SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN 8
photograph in the newspaper_
9
and he immediately recalled
having seen SIRHAN in the Embassy Room at approximately
10:00 pom_ on June 4, 1968. He was unable to describe
the clothing that SIRHAN had on at the time but only
recalls he did not fit in with other indi
Viduals
in the
room, He believes SIRHAN had on some sort of dungarees
and 3 jacket_ At the time he observed SIRHAN
9
SIRHAN
was standing alone He did not notice anyone else in SIRHAN 8
company _
He was shown a photograph of SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHAN ,
and he advised that SIRHAN is the individual he observed
in the Embassy Room at approximately 1o:00 p.m, on June 4,
1968.
ELLIS stated he does not recall having seen any
woman in a polka dat dress or wearing 2 piece of clothing
with a polka dot design at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4
or 5, 1968 .
365
"we
==================================================
Page 22
==================================================
3
LA 56-156
ELLIS advised he did not hear the shooting at the
hotel just after midnight on
June_5; 1968, and was not
aware that Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY and others had been
shot until he heard it being discussed by the people in the
hotel
366
==================================================
Page 23
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
Date
6/20/68
DAVID MARK ESQUITt was interviewed concerning his
knowledge
as to ROBERT F_ KENNEDY
3
after speaking to those
gathered in the Embagey Room of the Ambageador Hutel, apparently
changed hig plans a8 to the direction of his exit from the podium,
and left the stage at a point different from that where he entered .
He stated he was standing at the foot of the stairs
on the right eide of the stage as one faces the stage
9
when
ROBERT F KENNEDY entered the Embassy Room_
9
and as KENNEDY
started up the stairs ons tage he ESQUITH_ reached out and
shook hande with Senator KENNEDY saying
&ongratglationa'
II
9
or
some thing to that effect
KENNEDy
made some brief reply ;
such as Thank
3
and continued onto the stage _
During Senator KENNEDY 8 speech, ESQUITA etood at
the foot of the staire up which Senator KENNEDY had gone _
He said he had not known from which 'direction KENNEDY
planned to enter the room until he actually entered the room
He said JIM LOWE was very deeply involved in the KENNEDY
campaign organization and had apparently been in on 8 ome of the
planning for the Senator' e appearance LOWE he believed had
done some coordinating work between the KENNEDY group on the
fifth floor and the people waiting in the Embagsy Room_
It was ESQUITH ' s recollect ion that LOWE was in the
KENNEDY party a8 that party mounted the stage
9
but he did not
know at what point had joined the KENNEDY group About
8 minute or two before
IOWgenatad
KENNEDY concluded his speech,
eomeone , ESQUITH believed LOWE told hin Senator KENNEDY wa:
going to exit from the left rear of the stage_
2 as one faces
the stage , and go through the kitchen area , rather than have
to try tp fight his wajy back through the huge crowd in the
Embaesy Room _ He said there was 80 much confueion he i8 not
2ven gure it was LOWE who told him this The reason he was told,
according to ESQUITH_
5
was because he and other KENNEDY workers
On
6/15/68 at Log_ Ange Leg
9
California Loe Angeles 56-156
File #
367
by SA W _ JAMES WOCD/pih 6/15/68
Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI: It i8 the property of the FBI and is loaned
your agency; it and it8 contents are not to be distributed outside your agency to
why
son" You,
==================================================
Page 24
==================================================
2
LA 56-156
had taken it upon themselves to try to clear a path for the
Senator'8 entry and exit, and he was in no position to to
the rear of the stage to attempt to clear a there
ESQUITM eaid he was not told, and does not know for
sure what the original exit plans we re , but aesumes thejy were
different than thoge which were
eventually worked out
9
because
LOWE
9
or whoever talked to him about this
9
indicated the exit
to the left ana rear wa8 a change in plans He said he does
not know who told LOWE about this change in plang
9
if
9
in fact ,
it was LOWE who had paseed thig information on to him_
368
get
path
==================================================
Page 25
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
Date
6/17/68
Mr EDWARD P ESSERTTER , Editor
2
Independent Star-
News 525 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena
9
California
furnished a copy of the original notes by Reporter LARRY
PALMER These notes by PALMER were made during his phone
conversation with the newspaper Staff Photographer RICHARD
EDWARD DREW , who clled in to PALMER information about the
shooting of ROBERT F KENNEDY _ The call was made by DREW a few
minutes after the shooting from the Amba ssador Hotel The
first page attached designated No _ 1 are the original rough
notes by PALMER Pages two and three a ttached are the rewritten
notes by PALMER which were published Pages two and three were
dictated 2 AM, June 5 , 1968
9
to Associated Press Page four
attached hereto is the actual article besed on DREW 9 information
wh;ch appeared in the Independent Star-News , June 5, 1968
On
6/17/68
at
Pasadena California
File #
Los
Angeles 56-156
369
by SA WILLIE R_ WHITE sdb 6/17/68
Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendationg nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
==================================================
Page 26
==================================================
larry/af/drew
He' had just finihhed speaking and was being ushered through the
kithchhen his aides ~t when five Shoss were fired fron
in ihe crowa Sen< Kennedy 8lumped backwara MZ ana Ias eased
b8 ckward by %J the the crowa around him
He without a crowd around hin
5
88 the gunman was grabbed
39 Johnson
The man was wearing a blue jump suit , and I saw his arm coine
out and I Saw a gun 1 'ducked RII and 0utof the' way Ther
we two shots , 8 SR half a 'second peuse and three more shots
Roosevelt Grier ana Johnson were there and %he guards were
trjing grappling With the gunman tr to disarm nim
There were at least a dozen person around him
Iying on floor
9
peo: came over Please 8 doctor
9
% plesse
.
doctor Police wk ambulance came 411 &ids screaming ana
pushing everyone out of' the way
Barracedes went up smith 'a330" gho% in kitchen
st1eam. 0f biood from back of kennedy on floor was
flowing out
lile water
blooz: on drew' s coat kennedy shot first then smith
50 in kitchen at time of shooting taken service elevstor
'shaking-
370 -
by
lay,
FoFc r
by
got
ing
get ple
get
==================================================
Page 27
==================================================
Ict;ap 6 - $ 203
larry/rew/drew
konnody 4 jun
(ickard D6w
Iq6 & Pasada: ldl
c7
Stoc-Nx
~Sa . Kexned Inakvr =
la vicho ) &0*
TT jJvst finishad 2ArSE3 and was being ushcred tbrough
the }icchen b; his, 2ide8 when I Saw &n 0rm cone out; Or the
crond 718
It
wA3 holding gum
Soon 20 I 80W the gun--it_ Ws8 pointing fight%t Be for &
8ec8na--T Jucked ar ried to out of the way
Ju;* tben I hesrd two
shots& Then there X68 balf 10 second:
pauoe, @Id then three moree%
43"I iooked "P
zen: Kerneay started %0 753X Tall back_ and then
was" lowered +o the floor by bis 81408 Ware ebcu0 '50 af u3
in,he kifchen when tbie ehots were
fired, nostly Kenneay
men und
tp8 press
For' 2 few s80ods veryone 8ood" backc not €etting to . close
Kucnhor to hifo It was ahoub; then thar I. Saw another %i8) SE270
luing on the gound
0
9% almost xhat; Instant people began t0 cloea in round 'Ghe
bodie,s and suiemx so7oonc StIted screaning_
0
""ae} 8
doctor, Dlezse
{et; anctor0 1 thxt 45 al1 I couli hear over the yelling' end crjing
Rnfer Johnson ttna Roosevelt Gricr @rwbbed mnanl in Xki 8 bluc
wmp` SB 3ui& en] they end about; 0 helf dozen €uards began grappling
jrfi with' }ii trying t0 isarn him
0
Ker:edy
Wos 3t111 ibying on the floor &na there we
blo03 811
over Iieu ic i;?s flowing 2 {rom nix like warcro Finslly sore
doctora
" CeRc Erox into the xitchen--olon with 4 group of
371
Ae
get
Ihete
uce:
==================================================
Page 28
==================================================
supportct?
Ib edr 1 begn tryin; {6 treat hiz" @hile waited fof
014/
che sbul:ced Ahc
'Ths,crpua in the kitchen cralziusz,kep8 growing end finally
Kennedy` 0,31150*7 pide3 bgd #o begin screcming ana piahipg to
et Peeple 810 ro tne senatox
tecfil Gxfds set Jp bafricedes 11 Iound &r n0' one
wes aliow9d- ig or_ out, i0a 3 police ambulanee ived Biid
Kenned iified 63 to 4 '81rEkux%xg:zighux sfratojor and #hey
starba: wryJng him cut '08 the otner_ 'I0211 was pif on 2
pe +MO 81 ,tpein wora token 'ut of tie kote- 10 rticc eley Gor
and` }m 71t 12 polid 'ambiilance #het Was thez1
am C
0 &28r them
Jen #6cJ_ calm came over Wojt 'cf the I00smen Photograpere
in_ the Poom Zrrk22n begen 'shaking an8 searcbize or woia:
it; whez #hit I sigr2u242kkik found I bad blopd o" @y coat;
#ppareatly I wa8 St3 ding e*ozaz 30 'close *6 hin #Kay i% 'Splatkered
on mc #har na 4as shcto
{h?y
Sor
O3
ilJ;
372:
==================================================
Page 29
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'Saw &1 Arm--Helaing & Gwu?
4 TybGue}-BREP gal grappling with hin #rying to disarn:
S;a;i Nainc; hina .
{zvrism 196;, Incepcrcrai Sfcr-NsIS
Kcinedy was slill Jying Oii thc flcor,
8
S, Ksnedy had just finished his vic and there was blocd &ll Gver hir. It was
Iory specch anrl was zshered flowving froin kin? Jike water. Finaly
1
#roush fle kiichen by his aides Whcn I Sul:e doctors came inio the kitchen
Sw a121 Arm} coine Out o {ke crowd. It 2long witi & huge group of supporters
07 ns kolding 2 gur and began trying tC treet himn while
As SCCl; 38 I saw' tic un Mt it wzs waited ior the arbuiance
3 i 1,516 poiniins right at me iOr" & second I Someone in tha crcwd handed hiz 2
ducked and nied to out 0f the Wvzy_ rosary:and he clutciied it it: his hard 4c
JJust theI heard fio sho:s, #hen there The crowc in the kitchen kcpt growing IO
,14 was 3 hal secord pjiise, and thrce rore ad finally Kenucay'& &ides hzi io begin
shgis screaning and pusii:g t get people Jus
1,87055 As T lookci Ip) Scn_ Kciccy slarted 2Way frcrn the scnaior i0
212 f0 ia!} Nck aC ;kcm #as'lowrrad lo &he Specicl guards scl "p herricades 3}l
Je
Co W" !s zin~ Tncrc {ere about 50 3round the area I8 OrC was allowed Jez
fi Ms Kic hickcw Ihhcn ihe siots #ere in Or Oud;. Finally & police ambulance &r
0
firc, zony Kcnncciy xer a di the rivedi , and Kennedy Ias Jiftcd ontc 3 isi strctchier; ard {hey started cerrying hin Jibli? Dnes:: oii: &S the other man was on a kitclz-
1;f Fcr R {c; scads cvcryoilz slood $ ei} iable_
06 mc_ #1g1. zciriz :OG clcsc to him. 1t was The fwo 0f ther were taken out of (hc
08 &hii; ikcn Iiial 1 SW acfher 3llan lying iotcl in a service elcvator and put in &
8}
on thc grouc police ambulaicc That Twas the Jast 1 620]
h1,t At almosi thai insiant icople began ict SaWV 0L citilei of #kein
clo;e in arouwdl fhe Godcs &nd jorleone 45 ,A momncniary cinl carie cver mlost 3
slprad scrzaming "Get 2 Zcctor; pliase Of" thc Iesmci 3m4 photographers in RCRARD Dew
135 sc: 4 dactor; That Was 2ll [ could hear Ixe IOOrl,.We begau shakin; and scarch-
;o orcr the ycli:g anc cryins: ing icr wvorcs it Was thein 1 Icund 1 05.$ cn*G :cero
Rafer Johnson 2nd Roosevell . {Gricr haz biood or nw:coct
13,34 graited 2 miall in & &lwe junp sull sixl 1#8s Slanding z0 cloze Ic him that it
j,20 a1d abnut & halt duzen guards be- splattered on me waen ke was shot;
being
they
sct
and
piit: j:
[[}z>
nhey
==================================================
Page 30
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FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
6/13/68
Date
ANNIE GANI, 237 South Palm Drive, Beverly Hille,
California (telephone 274-9795)
2
adviged that she ie presently
erp loyed at the Letters and 3rence Departnlent at the Univereity
pf California at Loe Angeles UCLA )
9
telephone nuber 478-9711,
extension 3561. She algp adviged that she is part-time empLoyee
in the office of Congregenan REESE.
GANI adviged that ghe has worked a2 a
part-time employee
at the KENNEDY Campaign Headquarters
9
5615 Wilshire Boulevard
Loe Angeles
9
during the Democratic prinary She
etated
that in the past she has taken photographe
fangapaign
in Headguarterg
on Wilehire Boulevard_ She etated that she gave thege photographe
to college students who had worked at Campaign Headquarterg
GANI advised that ehe wa present at the Ambageador
Hotel on election night
9
June 4 , 1968
9
when Senator ROBERT F
KENNEDY was aeeaeeinated . She noted , however , that she wag in
the preee area when the ehooting occurred, and stated that she
was not a witnese to the events that occurred prior during
or after the aggae8ination GANI related that ehe had no further
information of value to relate and poinbed out that ghe has made
an atteropt to recall any evente that occurred prior to the agsase-
ination which might now be of value_ She noted, however, that ehe
can recall na pertinent information or evente
GANI wae located and interviewed a9 a result of contact
with LUCY SALINGER a prese room secretary at KENIEDY Campaign
Headquarters
5
Log Angelee
9
who had advieed that she had seen GANI
take photographs of workere at the campaign headquartere However
GANI explained that the photographe were taken at random of
student:
with whor she worked, doing volunteer work for the KENNEDY cause.
She advised that ghe has eince given the picturee away to varijug
etudents
9
and noted that the only eignificance of the photographg if
the intereet of the etudents wh? are shown therein
5/12/68 Loe Angelee
9
California Loe Angeleg 56-153
On at File #
374
711 L[-+
SA IRVIN B WELLS , III/lb 6/12/68
by Date dictated
This document containg neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are 'not to be distributed outside your agency.
t?,
==================================================
Page 31
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
6/17/68
Date
RAFER LEWIS JOHNSON
2
5470 West Boulevard Los
Angeles_
2
California
9
telephone No _ 294-1270_
9
furnished the
following information to SAs JAMES CAGNASSOLA , JR_ and JAMS
W WOOD of the Federal Bureau of Investigation:
JOHNSON arrived at the Ambassedor Hotel
9
3400 Wilshire
Boulevard
9
Los Angeles
9
California
9
8 PM , on June 4 , 1968
JOHNSON met two personel friends and escorted them to the
Embassy Room in the Amba sgador Hotel At 8;30-8.45 PM_
9
JOHNSON
went to the suite of roois occupied by Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY
and his staff which were located on the fifth floor of the hotel_
Upon arrival at the suite he spoke with BILL BARRY
3
Senator
KENNEDY S body JOHNSON asked BARRY when the Senator was
going
'Gownbodygsard
to make a speech
9
but BARRY could not supply
this information at that tine JOHNSON told BARRY to let him
know when the Senator planned to leave JOHNSON waited in the
KENNEDY suite and spoke with Mrs ETHEL KENNEDY and other friends
At approximately 11 Senator KENNEDY went to the
fourth floor of the hotel and was interviewed on television
Immediately thereafter he returned to the fifth floor and was
interviewed in a television s tudio which was set up on that
floor JOHNSON acc ompanied KENNEDY during the interview
Senator KENNEDY returned to his suite approximately at.11;20 PM
and at that time JOHNSON left the group and visited with his
friends in the Embassy Room
JOHNSON explained that entry into the Embessy Room was
restricted to people who had passes He recalled that the
Mi press' 1i had green passes and that the KENNEDY staff and possibly
campaign workers were issued red passes _ There a180 may have
been other colored passes in use Security guards were stationed
8t the main entrance to the Emba ssy Room He recalls that there
was an entrance to this room on the south side which was being
used by the major television networks There were no guards
on this door
6/13/68 Los Angeles_
9
California Los Angeles 56-156
On at File #
SA JAMES WT WOOD and
375
SA JAMES CAGNASSOLA_
9
JR./Jc /sdb 6/14/68
by Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency_
' >
PM ,
==================================================
Page 32
==================================================
2
LA 56-156
After completing his vis it in the Embassy Room JOHNSON
returned to the fifth floor at 11:40-11:45 PM , and asked BILL
BARRY when the Senator would g0 down stairs Since BARRY did not
know the time of departure
9
JOHNSON jolned the other guest 8 in
the KENNEDY suite
At midnight or shortly afterwards the KENNEDY party
cons isting of approximately_30 people_began to leave the suite_
The group inc luded Senator KENNEDY
9
ETHEL KENNEDY
5
JESSE UNRUH
"TUCK" (complete name unknown )
5
ROOSEVELT GRIER , Mr FNU)
WILSON
1 of CBS STAN" LNU) of Look Magezine and BILL EPPRIDGE (phonetic)
of Lfe Magazine The party also consisted of other newsmen,
camera men and writers whose identity are unknown
Senator KENNEDY left his suite in the company of
BARRY and JOHNSON _ The group wa lked down the hallway to the
right from the Senator 1 8 room and turned in the first corridor
to the right_ They waited for an elevator
5
however
9
when it
arrived it was occupied by other passengers Senator KENNEDY
onto the elevator and then immediately got off since he
realized that there was not sufficient space to accommodate his
party The KENNEDY pa then moved to another elevator on the
same floor and Senator KENNEDY a lso on it and left this
elevator for the same reason as stated above _ Thereafter the
KENNEDY party went around the corner and turned left and were
proceeding in the direction of the freight elevator JOHNSON
recalls that the elevator operator who was wearing an unrecalled
uniform wa s standing neax the elevator door He is not certain
who dec ided to take this elevator
2
however , he did not think
that it was strange that a freight elevator would be used since
most of the people in the KENNEDY party had used this elevator
previously _ JOHNSON could not furnish any description of the
elevator operator other than to say he was not a Negro ma le
got
rty
got
376
==================================================
Page 33
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3
LA 56-156
When the party entered the elevator JOHNSON recalls
seeing Senator KENNEDY ETHEL KENNEDY , JESSE UNRUH
9
BILL BARRY
and ROOSEVELT GRIER He does not know who instructed the elevator
operator to take them to 8 specific floor When the elevator
stopped and the doors opened JOHNSON observed that were in
the kitchen or serving area of the hotel and he presumed that it
was the same floor where Senator KENNEDY was to make his speech-
JOHNSON does not remember who was off the elevator
first
5
but it may have been the men from Life and Look Magazines .
BARRY wa8 leading Senator KENNEDY JOHNSON wa8 following
behind the Senator and ROOSETELT GRIER with Mr s KENNEDY wa s
behind him After leaving the elevator Senator KENNEDY stopped
when a man dressed in a white uniform, presumably a kitchen
worker reached across the table to shake his hand JOHNSON
moved toward this individual and raised his arm to keep him
away The Senator reached across JOHNSON 8 arm and shook hands
with this man Senator KENNEDY then moved approrimately 15 feet
ahead and shook hands with 8 white female who was dressed in a
White uniform The Senator then moved ahead five feet and
greeted another ma le kitchen worker The Senator may have also
shaken hands With 8 fourth kitchen employee JOHNSON 18 unable
to recognize any of the men Who shook hands with Senator KENNEDY
but said he could recognize the voman employee _
When Senator KENNEDY finished shaking hands with the
kitchen emp loyees
9
BARRY led him to the Embassy Room The hallway
or corridor which the group was walking through was very crowded
with television cameras , KENNEDY workers and KENNEDY staff mmbers
The Senator was walking ahead of the group with BARRY _ JOHNSON
and Mr and Mrs GEORGE PLIMPTON became separated from the
Senator because S ome member of a CBS camera crew was pulling 8
cable in the corridor and blocked their passage for 8 few moments _
377
they
==================================================
Page 34
==================================================
LA 56-156
JOHNSON observed Senator KENNEDY enter the Embassy
Roor through a door way which w3 crowded with people _ He then
proceeded on to the stage _ JOHNSON recalls that the stage was
surrounded by a curtain and that if the stage was viewed from
the center of the ballroom , Senator KENNEDY would have entered
the right side of the stage During this time BARRY and JOHNSON
were standing together and he questioned BARRY as to how the
Senator planned to leave the S tage upon the conclusjon: of the
speech _ BARRY indicated that the exit wou ld be made the same
way as they previous entered the stage _ Shortly before the
end of KENNEDY S speech
2
BARRY moved towards the Senator
Senator KENNEDY turned from the podium and started towards the
side of the stage by which he had previously entered Senator
KENNEDY paused for a moment and then turned to the opposite
direction (left side of stage) JOHNSON co uld not see whether
the Senator continued to the far left of the stage
9
but did
notice that his direction of travel was slightly towards the
rear JOHNSON reaLized that the Senator was leaving the stage
by a different way and atteipted to reach him but because of'
the crowd he could. not mOVe forward JOHNSON_
2
in the company of
Mrs PLIMPTON
9
walked to the back of the stage (right side)near
the corridor and joined Senator KENNEDY a8 he walked past JOHNSON
is unaware as to why KENNEDY left the stage in a different
direction
As Senator KENNEDY wa Lked past JOHNSON
9
he noticed that
BARRY and unrecalled other individuals were in front of the
Senator Between Senator KENNEDY and JOHNSON
9
who were epproximatelf
five feet apart,there Was a camera man and a sound man , identities
unknown JOHNSON and Ms PLIMPTON continued to follow Senator
KENNEDY through a darkened area and at a point
9
three or four
feet from an opened double doorwayy with divider in the center ,
JOHNS ON heara 3 sound which reminded him of a bursting balloon-
A second or two later
9
JOHNSON heard a second similar sound and
looking in the direction where he assumed the Senator should have
been , he saw smoke and fragments of paper in the air_ The area
in Tront of JOHNSON was brightly: lit possibly by camera lights
After hearing the second noise
9
JOHNSON immediately assumed that
these noises were gunshots JOHNSON immediately moved forward pushinj
378
ly
==================================================
Page 35
==================================================
5
LA 56-156
people 8side, Due to the great number of people in the area
forward movement was seriously impaired As he passed through
the open double doors he saw BARRY hit and push a white male who
was standing on the floor in front of him (JOHNSON) but
slightly to the right JOHNSON continued to push forward end
observed 8 wounded man lying on the floor in front of the doorwey
He saw blood on this person 8 forehead and a lso thought that he
saw a bullet hole in the top of his head JOHNSON then observed
Senator KENNEDY lying on the floor in the same area The
Senator was lying on his back in an a lmost flat position but
looked a8 if he wa s struggling to up . His left arm was on
the floor
2
his right arm moved from a down position beside his
head through an arch and down to his side JOHNSON saw blood
on the floor beneath the right side of Senator KENNEDY 5 head
He als0 saw blood on the right side of KENNEDY 8 head below the
ear and extending down the right cheek and down the right side of
his chest Senator KENNEDY looked at JOHNSON and they stared
at each other for a moment
JOHNSON We.8
then deciding whether to assist the Senator
or proceed towards BARRY who was attempting to subdue thewhite
ra le Who JOHNSON as sumed had been firing the gun He approached
this individual and observed that he was still holding a gun
in his hand JOHNSON does not reca1l if the gun was being hela
in the right or left hand _ Other unrecalled individuals were
trying to seize the weapon and at this time the assailant was
pushed back against a table JOHNSON lunged at the man and
grasped the front part of the gun with his left hand _ ROOSEVELT
GRIER had the butt end of the gun in his hand The assailant still
had hls finger in the trigger housing_ GRIER twisted the gun
from this individual's hands and a t the same time JOHNSON tightly
hela this person 8 body JOHNSON then turned towards Senator
KENNEDY and saw that BARRY as now at his side
379
get
==================================================
Page 36
==================================================
LA 56-156
At the same time that JOHNSON wa s holding the
assailant
5
ROOSEVELT GRIER was holding the man around the
weist and by the left leg. GEORGE PLIMPTON wa s holding the
man 8 right arm and was holding his right side A hotel
employee who JOHNSON described as having a fair complexion with
a sunburn , was
holding the assailant around the neck Another
hotel employee who appeared to be an Italian or Armenian was a1s0
holding this individual At this time a ma le voice said
X1 "Let me have the gun Let g0 ROSIE
9
(meaning ROOSEVELT GRIER ,)
Ii "Let go RAFER JOHNSON then shouted to this individual who
1I was speaking
9
shut 4R JOHNSON then shouted to GRIER
9
"ROSIE
let me have the gun The ma le voice then said "Let RAFER have
the gun JOHNSON then repeated to GRIER , "ROSIE give me the
Mi gun and GRIER complied with his request JOHNSON placed the
gun in his left pocket and released his grip on the a8sailent
JOHNSON remained next to this man and while he was standing
there said to this individual did you do it?" The man did
not answer JOHNSON
9
moving hig face directly in front of the
assailant and looking directly into his eyes repeated 'W hy did you
do it?" The man did not respond JOHNSON then clenched his
fist and placed the back of nis fist on the assailant' s forehead
JOHNSON then repeated_
9
did you do it2i The assailant
i answered I'll explain it The assailant did not speak any
other words while he wa S in JOHNSON' s presence Several minutes
later
9
JOHNSON observed two unifmdl Police Officers approaching
and he left the assailant and moved to where Senator KENNEDY
was laying Two men with a stretcher were with the Senator and
ETHEL KENNEDY said to then t move him Don t lift hin"
I fi JOHNSON heard the Senator say no don't The Senator was then
placed on the stretcher and taken to the freight elevator JOHNSON
stood guard at the elevator door and only allowed the KENNEDY
family and a few other people to' enter elevator JOHNSON wanted
to remain with the Senator S0 he ran from The kitchen area into
the lobby and took the nearest elevator to the fifth floor where
he assumed Senator KENNEDY would be taken Since he did not
find the Senator on the fifth floor
9
he returned to the ground
floor of the hotel and found the area where the arbulances were
parked He then learned that the Senator was taken to the
380
"why
"why
"Don
thez
==================================================
Page 37
==================================================
LA 56-156
hospital and he with Deputy Mayor QUINN went to Central Receiving
Hospital in QUINN 8 automobile At the hospital
$
Police Officers
8 ]lowed him to enter 8t QUINN S direction and he saW Senator
KENNEDY While in the hospital a Police Officer asked JOHNSON
for the &sailant S gun and JOHNSON denied that he had the
weapon He then saW two men whom he rec ognized as Police
Detectives JOHNSON told these men that he had the a8sailant
gun and a sked if Chief THOMAS REDDIN was at the hospital One
of the detectives told JOHNSON that REDDIN was not present
2
but
that would take pos session of the gwn JOHNSON informed
the detectives that he would only surrender the gun at Police
Headquarters The detectives thereafter transported JOHNSON
to Good Samaritan Hospital and accompanied him to the floor
where Senator KENNEDY was being treated The same detectives
then drove him to the Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters
and at this time JOHNSON surrendered the gun The gun wa s given
to Sergeant CALKINS and Sergeant MC GANN who are a88igned
to the Los Angeles Police Department Detective Bureau_
9
150
North Los Angeles Street , Los Angeles
9
California
JOHNSON said that the assailant S gun was a revolver ,
black in color with brown grips The barrel of the gun was
epproximately four inches long_ JOHNSON was unable to recall
the caliber 0f this weapon
JOHNSON stated that he has seen photographs of SIRHAN
BISHARA SIRHAN in the newspaper and on television and SIRHAN is
the same person who he helped to subdue following the shooting
of Senator KENNEDY and others on June 5
9
1968_
9
at the Ambassador
Hotel JOHNSON is certain that he did not 8ee SIRHAN in the
hotel or elsewhere prior to the time he helped to subdue him_
381
1$
they
==================================================
Page 38
==================================================
8 X
TA 56-156
JOHNSON does not recall seeing a woman weering a
white dress with polka dots either prior to or after the
shooting- He did not see anyone run from the kitchen area after
the shooting occurred_
He explained that the kitchen or serving area was very
crowded and that when the first shots were heard people_ immediately
fell to the floor or attempted to hide to keep out of the line
of fire.
JOHNSON said that he 18 certain that he heard at least
four shots The first shot was followed one or two seconds
later by a second shot The second shot was followed by a
'tring of shots"
9
exact number unrecalled _ No shots were fired
while JOHNSON was attempting to seize the assailant 1 8 gun
382
==================================================
Page 39
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
1 6/15/68
Date
DAVE KENNERLY 876 Manhattan Beach Boulevard
Apartment A Manhattan Beach
9
California, telephone
379-4227 ,
who is employed a8 3 staff photographer for United Press
International (UPI)_
9
1543 West olympic Boulevard, Suite 438,
Log Angeles , California, telephone 387-7221, furnished the
following information with respect to his knowledge of the
events of June 4 and 5, 1968 at the Ambassador Hotel, where
Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY waj shot .
On June 4 , 1968, he was as8igned to shoot photographs
0f Senator KENNEDY at the Ambassador Hotel, 80 he proceeded
there at approximately 1O:00 p.m., and parked in the red zone
in front of the hotel
4
facing Wilshire Boulevard He then
entered the front docr of the hotel and proceeded to look
over the ballroom and al1 the areas where he 'thought the KENNEDY
party might be After iooking over the ballroom he proceeded
to the Fifth Flooz
7
where the KENNEDY suite was located and
where a vate press party involving thirty or key
members of the press was in progress He had two or three
beers with another photographer
9
ONDINE VAUGHN from Screen
Gems Productiong i1l Ios Angeles While there he took several
photographs of Senator KENNEDY In the hallway and coming out
of his private room which was located adjacent to the larger
party room where the party was taking place He recalls seeing
ETHEL KENNEDY and several of the KENNEDY children pregent in
the party room_
Senator KENNEDY then proceeded to the Fourth Floor
where National Broadcasting Company had some television cameras
eet up. The Senator then proceeded back to the Fifth Floor
where Columbia Broadcasting System and American Broadcasting
Company had 8imilar setups He made television statements at
each of these locations KENNERLY advised he followed Senator
KENNEDY when the Senator made his television statements
KENNERLY then went; to the main ballroom and obtained a vantage
point near the television cameras which were set up there to
record the rally and the speech later made by the Senator
On
6/13/68 at Los Angeles_ California File # Los Angeles_ 56-156
SA WILLIAM L. BOURQUE and
383
by
SA DAVID H. COOK DHC mmc Date dictated
6/14/68
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusiong of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it &nd its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
pri forty-
==================================================
Page 40
==================================================
LA 56-156
Jz0,1 ti1et point , he shot many photographs of the crowd and the
Senacor 28 he was making his speech and greeting the public
Just before the speech ended
9
he
9
KENNERLY , proceeded to the
downs tairs ballroom where he knew another rally was going to
take place _ Ehere were many people downstairs and a band _
He waited approximately ten minutes and then he heard
rumblings in the crowa that the Senator had been ahot . He
als0 heard a call requesting a doctor He then went outside
and observed an ambulance leaving the hotel Since hig
automobile was parked in a good position to leave the
Ambagsador Hotel
9
he wa3 able to leave the area just a8 it was
being blocked off He followed the ambulance to the
Central Recei Hospital, 1401 West Sixth Street, Los
Angeles and observed several photographers who were already
on the scene when he arrived He was able to obtain several
photographs of Senator KENNEDY as he was being removed from
the ambulance A short time thereafter, as Senator KENNEDY
was removed to the Good Samaritan Hospital, he was able to
take S ome more photographs of him_
He advised that al1 of his photographs were
carrled by messenger to his Los Angeles UPI office, and
thereafter the negatives Were forwarded to UPI headquarters
in New York City He advised copies of these negatives
could be obtained by the FBI from the New York UPI headquarters
KENNERLY advised that the above information is true
and correct to the best of his knowledge and that it portrays
his personal observations of Senator KENNEDY at the Ambassador
Hotel on June 4 and 5 , 1968 , He stated he can furnish no
further information than that already related above
384
ving
==================================================
Page 41
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64 )
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
6/12/68
Date
JOHANNES A= KORTHOFF
9
Assistant Manager Ambassador
Hotel, Los Angeles , California, furnished the
Zoliowing
signed statement:
Angeles Calif
June
11,-1968"
Johannes A Korthoff , Iake the
following voluntary and free statement to"' John
HS Borgman_
9
who has identified hinself to me as
a Special Agent of the FBI.
name 18 Johannes A Korthoff I reside
3198 W 7th Street , Los Angeles ,
Apt"104.
I was
PII born Utricht , Netherlands
"I am the a88ist,ant manager of the
Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles _
Wednesday June 5, 1968, I was on
duty
in my normal
capacity
at the hotel Shortly
after midnight on
the morning of June 5 I was in
the Embassy Room while Senator Kennedy was on
the podium _ Shortly before the senator left
the podium I went to the lobby and then to the
main kitchen _ As I wa8 walking into the
kitchen I heard several reports At the
time L-thought' these reporte were' balioons
bursting or firecraclkers- I cannot recall how
many reports or in what sequence I was
standing at the corner of the entrance to the
kitchen from the pantry wey , at the corner of
the kitchen nearest the Embassy Room Senator
Kennedy was moving down the pantry way toward
me at about a distance of 25 to 30 feet _ At the
tire I heard the reports I saw the Senator
lurch At that point the Senator disappeared
from my view , and a male voice, either beside or
behina me shouted either "I m shot I or "he ' 8 shot"
Immediately there Na8 chaos_ 2 pres8 of people
On
6/11/68 at Log Angeles California File #Los_ Angeles 56-156
385
by
SA JOHN H BORGMAN /clp_
Date dictated
6/11/68
Thie document containg neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it &d its contents are 'not to be distributed outside your agency.
"Los
"I,
"My
"On
==================================================
Page 42
==================================================
2
LA 56-156
"moving back and forth_ I did not see the person
who had fired the shots _ I immediately pushed my
way through the crowd to the Bell Captain'8 Desk
to use the telephone However, as 1 reached the
phone I found that Pat Murphy
9
our Security Guard
was on the phone telling the operator to contact
the police and to have an emergency ambulance
sent to the hotel
I then went back to the pantry wajy- There
was a great wrestling of people going
on and I
could see people standing around or looking down
on others who were apparently injured. I ran
back to the Bell Captain' s phone and told
the switchboard supervisor who was on duty, to
call additional ambulances and police because I
thought from the number of people involved and
their violent actions that many more people were
injured - I think my exact words were,
God , they re slaughtering each other" _
"I went back to the kitchen and I saw a
man on the steam table in the pantry way and
a large colored fellow lying across him The
gun , a very small gun , being hela up in the
air
9
pointed toward the ceiling_ It was my
impression that the gun was being held by the
man lying on the steam table I did not see
the face of the man on the steam table at
that time I then left the scene and returned
to my desk in the lobby where I locked my
phone _ While I was
'ting
the lock on my
phone a Los Angeles police officer brought a young
man whose hands were handcuffed behind him
past my deslc, past the public phones and the
two disappeared from my view down the corridor
leading to Executive Suites A & B~ The man
in custody appeared to be of Mexican extraction,
in his early twenties , 5 foot 6 or 7 inches
medium dark complexion
3
dark hair
9
dressed in a
bluish-grey dress shirt with sleeves rolled up
and wearing dark trousers
386
Ruby ,
Vmy
put
==================================================
Page 43
==================================================
3
GA 56-156
"i was then kept busy in the lobby trying to
maintain some semblance of order_ After what
seems like 20 to 30 iinutes I saw about 6 or 7
police officers bring a a Caucasian who
was short with dark hair in his early twenties
out of the pantry Way , through the lobby and
down the stairs to the bottom floor_ I was
standing at the head of the stairs where the
officers with the suspect passed lie at an
approximate distance of two or three feet. I
was amazed at the calm demeanor of the suspect .
"The individual with police
9
the suspect ,
looks just like the photo of Sirhan Bishara
Sirhan whose photo was shown to my by Mr _
Borgman _
"I have read the above 6 page statement
and it is true to the best of my
knowledge.
"s / J. A Korthoff
"witnesses:
s / John H. Borgman= Special FBI,
Los Angeles ,
'GalifE '&a11/38nt,
s / Robert E Sage
9
Special-Agent_
9
FBI,
Los Angeles
3
Calif
)
6/11768
387
man ,
==================================================
Page 44
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64 )
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Date
6/10/63
Mr JAMES TT LOWE , 4620 Coligeum street, Log Angeles ,
home phone number 296-7505, furnighed the following eigned
statement :
Ii June 9,
Los Angeles , Calif
James W _ Lowe 4620 Coliseun 8t Los AngeLes
Calif' make the following voluntary statement to
William A Ba ilejy who hag identified himself to gle
a8 a Special Agent of the FBI I have been told
that this may be used in cjurt I Tia: the
chairman of' the membership of' the Young Professionals
for Kennedy _
"Because of this position I was asked to work
with the Kennedy Advance Party and the coordinators
connected with the Kennedy staff I mas present
in the Embasey Room at the Ambaesador Hotel on the
evening &; mor 'ning of' June 4-5 1968; After assisting
in clearing a path for Senator Kennedy to enter the
Embassy Room through the kitchen & pantry I then
positioned myself' on the stepe leading to the stage
in the Embassy Room while Senetor Kennedy made his
speech
"According to the plang as told to me by Pierre
Salinger , Senator Kennedy was to leave the stage
after his speech and g0 directly to the Ambassador
Room downstairs to addrese the people there
sometime during the Senator 8 speech I wae
approached by an individual that I assumed to be
a part of' the Senators Advance Team This individual
stated that xhe Senator was going to the Colonial
Roor after his speech for 8 press conference and
that I was to aid in clear a for_ him
On 6/9/68at Los Angeles CaLifornia
File #
Los_Anzelee_ 56-156
388
by S4 WILLTAM A BATLEY /ele Date dictated
6/10/68
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI_ It i8 the property of the FBI ad is loaned to
your agency; it and itg contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
1968
"I,
"At
ing path
==================================================
Page 45
==================================================
2
LA 56-156
"After Senator Kennedy completed his speech
nyself' Rafer Johnson & several others began clearing
a path for Senator Kennedy through the pantry and
into the kitchen_ I stopped at the double doors
lead to the kitchen & at xhe door on ny left Which was
open &c clear_ Thig is the door that Senator Kennedy
wa lked through preceeded by Rafer Johng= Rosj Grier,
Paul Shieb and several others I stopped at the
door in order to keep it clear & also to allow Bill
Barry & Fred Dutton to catch up to Senator Kennedy _
"At this point &enator Kennedy ' s wife Ethel
came through the door at which time I began to
accompany her in order to keep a path clear for her
to reach or join the Senator
"Imediately after ehe came through thig door
I heard gun fire a % least 4 rapid ghote, at vhich
time I
iEmediateiy
turned to cover Ethe 1 Kennedy_
9 picked her up bodily & carried her back through the
door to the pantry area I etayed #ith her & held
hex till I thought it was 8afe to let her go _ I
then did 80 and Mrs Kennedy #ent beck through the
door to the kitchen and I went to the Embassy Room
to check on my wife'8 Kelfare a: she & friends were
near the etage I then attempted to secure medical
help for anyone Tho might have been hurt .
"s / James W Lowe
JWL
"Witneeged:
8/ William A Bailey FBI , Los Ange Calif'
6/9/68"
In addition to the above etatenent
5
Mr LOWE said
tha he 18 employed by the John Hancock Ineurance Company
8600 West Wilshirc Boulevard , Los Angelee , that he i8
empioyed
389
ing
on ,
SA , lee ,
==================================================
Page 46
==================================================
3
CA 56-155
as an insurance agent , and that he was born on
PII
PII He stated that he had been told by members oi the
Kennedy Caupaign Staff that if Senator KENNEDY had received
the Democratic Pres idential nomination, he would in al1
probability be employed by the Kennedy Campaign Headquartexg
a8 part of' the campaign etaff'
LOMB eaid that he had pereonaLly met approximately
18 of the 25 individuals that were part of' the Kennedy Advance
Party_
9
but that he did not recognize the individual who gave
him the order to clear a for Senator KENNEDY to the
Colonial Room for the press conference He stated that this
individual was a white male , approximately 32 years of age ,
5 feet S inches , tall
3
had a mediur build
9
light bromn hair,
and wa8 wearing a bueiness suit _ Fe said thie individual
seemed to know What he vas doing and where hne was going and
it appeared as though s ome Of the membere of the Kennedy
Campaign Staff' did know this individual LOWE stated that he
saw numerous individuals in the pantry and kitchen area just
prior to the time that Senator KENNEDY #as shot that did not
have preee paseee nor were they part Of the Kennedy Canpaign
Staff Hence they technically should not have been in that
area He stated tha t he did obgerve a hotel &ecurity Guard
in the pantry area who was checking the paeeee of' s ome
individuale
390
path
==================================================
Page 47
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64)
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
Date
6/15/68
WILLIAM (BILL) V MANNISS 8041 Fordham Road _ Los
Angeles California,
teiephone 645-1929;
advised that he was
on
Senator ROBERT
F KENNEDY ' s staff MANNTSS had no specific
title but hi8 job was taking care of the manifest for the air-
plane and taking care of luggage and office equipment
He had previous ly worked for Continental Airlines in Los
Angeles and 18 presently on leave of absence from that
organization
MANNISS stated that when the KENNEDY party came
to Los Angeles, he was staying at his residence, but the
rest of the staff was residing at the Ambassador Hotel
On June 4, 1968, at about 9:00 p.m,, MANNISS and his wife
PEGGY B. MANNISS arrived at the Ambagsador Hotel They
had come straight from their home to the Ambagsador Hotel
and had parked about three blocks south of Eighth Street,
because the parking lots were filled to capacity. The
MANNISS entered through the Elghth street entrance and
proceeded to the victory speech _
There were about two hundred persons in the room
where the speech was to be held MANNISS is not sure of the
name of the room, because he does not kow the Ambassador
Hotel that well_ PIERRE SALINGER announc ed twice that
Senator KENNEDY was coming down to the room to make a speech _
Senator KENNEDY however did not come after either announcement,
probably because he
wanted
to make sure of the voting
Senator KENNEDY finally arrived and spoke He and his wife
turned to walk off the podium and MANNISS and his wife left
by a door on the other side of the room from the Senator
They left with American Airlines personnel
MANNISS and his wife walked to his car, turned on the
radio and 1mmediately heard about the shooting. They did not
re-enter the Ambassador Hotel because the radio said the entrance:
had been blocked off 80 no one could enter or leave .
6/14/68 Los Angeles , California Los Angeles 56-156
On at File #
SA BILLY DALE HUBBARD and 391
SA LEONARD M HALE , LMH/mmc 6/15/68
by Date dictated
Thi8 document containg neither recommendationg nor conclusions of the FBI. It i8 the property of the FBI ad is loaned to
your agency; it ad its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
==================================================
Page 48
==================================================
2
IA 56-156
MANNISS further stated that he knew nothing about a
pres8 conference and he had heard nothing of a change of plan
for Senator KENNEDY - It 18 possible , however_
9
that his body-
guard could have changed the Senator 8 route downstairs ,
because of the position of the crowd _
MANNISS was only at the Ambassador Hotel for the
victory celebration and knew nothing about any other type
0f plans While he was at the celebration, he saw nothing
unusual and can not remember anything that could possibly have
had to do with the shooting.
392
==================================================
Page 49
==================================================
FD-3 02 (Rev. 4-15-64 )
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGA TION
1 6/24/68
Date
Miss GERALDINE AGNES MC CARTHY wh? resides
at 4419 Stansbury
9
Sherman Oaks was interviewed at her
place jf emp loyment
5
Security First
National Bank_
3
Studi?
City, California, during her lunch break Miss MC CARTHY
advised that_ she had been born in Birkenhead
9
Cheshire, England
) PII on She stated that on the e vening
Jf June 4 1968 , she and other members jf her family were
in the Ambassador Hotel, where they were participating in
the activities with the other KENNEDY supporters wh3 were
waiting for final election results and the victory speech
by Senator ROBERT F KENNEDY _
She advised that she and her family spent the
evening at the Ambas sador Hotel in the Ambassador Ballroom,
which is located Jn the floor Jf the hotel immediately
below the floor Jn which Senator KENNEDY was sht She
stated that they had been perticipating in the festivities
and had been singing and dancing on the stage in the Ambassadr
Ballroom with the other celebrants and that shortly after
midnight on June 4 , 1968
9
she and several members 3f her
family left the stage Jf the Ambassador Ballroom and went t?
a small alcove to the left Jf the stage and near the rear
jf the Ambassador Ballroom This alcove had access to
a stairway leading up to the Embassy Room and als3 had access
to an jutside door opening ont? the Wilshire Street parking
lat of the hotel. She stated that immediately Jutside this
dorway to the parking lot there was a fire escape leading
down from the floor above
Miss MC CARTHY advised that 88-she and several
members Jf her family were in this alcove attempting t3
a breath jf fresh air, several people came down the stair-
way from above and a in an orange dress stated "KENNEDY
Mi has been shot Shortly after that a girl in a beige dress
with black dots came down the outside fire escape and exclaimed ,
0n6[20/68 at Studi? City, California File # Los Angeles 56-156
393
SA E. RHEAD RICHARDS , JR./kaf 6/24/68
by Date dictated
This document contains neither recommendationg nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to
your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
get
girl
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IA 56-156
"Oh my God , KENNEDY ' s been shot 11 Miss MC CARTHY stated
at nj time did she hear anyone make the statement "We ve
shot KENNEDY" She stated that several more peop
ie
came
down the stairway of the fire escape and she asked them
questions attempting t? verify what they had heard and
it became apparent t? her that KENNEDY ac tually had been
shot She said that things became very confused and that
within a short time the palice began t? request all those
who were not directly involved tj leave the building
very quickly and calmly She stated that at this time
she and her family left the building and returned t3 their
home in Sherman Oaks
394