</s>LA 56-156 OAL/C/lp L. CHARLES BARON (Lakewood Democratic Club) 4507 Palo Verde Lakewood, California Lakewood. On June 12, 1968, L. CHARLES BARON, 1507 Palo Verdes, Lakewood_and his wife, JACKIE BARON_ are Lakewood Advised he and his wife. JACKIE BARON_are Lakewood Democratic Club workers on May 28, 1968; they arrived at the Lacrosse Club workers in May 28. 1968, they arrived preparations for the KENNEDY luncheon and rally. BARRON advised his wife spent her time in the lunching and speaking's table and area were in order and he spent his insulting salk guests had tickets for the luncheon on the checking persons salk guest's hand tickets for lunch and the lunchtime and checking persons KENNEDYS arrived, when he accompanied KENNEOY and his party to the speaker's table. He stated he took numerous photos of KENNÉDY's arrival and his greeting numerous guests. photos of kENNEDys arrival and the greetings numerous and he does not recall anyone fitting the above descriptions in the photos. BARON made the photos available for viewing by the Agent and anyone fitting of the photos failed to reflect by the agent and the examination of the photographs contained in advised there were numerous young descriptions. including his seventeen year old daughter, and her boyfriend. He started his daughter was wearing a yellow there with a large brown collar around the neck. The stated there were a few brown collars in the neck, the stated including a Democratic Party worker FERNANDEZ, who is a slightly built person with rather long dark curly hair, who was attired in a suit and white shirt and tie. BAROM was who was attached to a suit or white shirt that he did not see STIRMAN at the luncheon or rally. He said that he died not slightly resembles the photo or STIRIAN. BARON voluntarily made available four slides depicting scenes at the May 28 , 1968 luncheonand various individuals in attendance. One of the slides depicted FERNANDO HERNANDEZE and others depicted various guests. -701 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential connections between individuals (KATES, BELFORT, STROSS) and events surrounding Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination. KATES, a former inmate at Federal Correctional Institution Englewood, Colorado, was arrested in 1960 for unauthorized vehicle use and later charged with oral threats against the President in 1966. His criminal record includes a 1964 stolen vehicle incident involving LAPD. KATES reportedly associated with the American Nazi Party (ANP) during incarceration and exhibited paranoid tendencies. The FBI searched for STROSS, BELFORT, and GLORIA GONZALES in Los Angeles, Santa Ana, and Orange County but found no identifiable matches. A 1968 investigation noted that KATES’ claimed address (3545 Oakridge Drive) was invalid, with physical evidence from his Pasadena residence including spiral notebooks, a U.S. Treasury envelope containing handwritten notes referencing RFK’s assassination ("RFK must be disposed of like his brother was"), and other writings. Fingerprint and handwriting analyses conducted by the FBI Laboratory yielded no conclusive links to Sirhan Sirhan or others. The FBI also examined materials related to the ANP and noted a 1963 discharge from the California Cadet Corps for Sirhan B. Sirhan, though no direct connection to RFK’s assassination was established in the document.  

Forensic analyses included handwriting comparisons of a Pasadena Public Library Card (No. C13359) and fine slip attributed to "Shiran B." with other questioned documents, which were deemed insufficient for comparison. Fingerprints from Sirhan’s mother and brothers were compared to latent prints from the case but showed no matches. A hand-printed note referencing "Oswald" sent to the FBI was examined and returned after analysis. Anonymous letters postmarked from Pittsburgh and Bellevue, Pennsylvania, were forwarded to the FBI by the NAACP Watts Section in Los Angeles.  

Key People:  
- **KATES**: Former inmate with criminal history, associations with ANP, and alleged threats against President Johnson.  
- **Sirhan B. Sirhan**: Linked to physical evidence (notebook, envelope) but no direct connection to RFK’s assassination confirmed.  
- **Don Graham**: California congressman nominee who spoke with a woman warning of an assassination plot.  
- **Diane Vanderbof**: Santa Rosa resident linked to the woman in Eureka who claimed to have seen someone shoot Kennedy.  
- **Edward Van Antwerp**: Eureka resident who admitted living with Sirhan under the alias “Soli” for six months.  
- **Jerry De La Vega**: San Francisco cab driver who delivered flowers to Kennedy, noting bugging devices.  
- **Fred Cannon**: Hotel employee who overheard a bartender’s comment about Kennedy’s safety.  
- **Janos Radvanyi**: Hungarian Embassy official providing background on Middle Eastern communist parties.  
- **John Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director overseeing investigations.  
- **Evelle J. Younger**: Los Angeles District Attorney.  
- **Richard L. Cromwell**: FBI employee involved in analysis.  
- **Edward D. Warren**: NAACP Watts Chapter President.  
- **Roy Wilkins**: Executive Director, NAACP.  

Key Locations:  
- **Pasadena, California**: Public Library (library card No. C13359), FBI Laboratory.  
- **Lakewood, California**: Democratic Club and Baron’s residence.  
- **Santa Rosa, California**: Kennedy campaign headquarters and Vanderbof’s residence.  
- **Eureka, California**: Location of Vanderbof’s claim about witnessing the shooting.  
- **Albany, California**: Home of Lloyd Everett Walker and Golden Gate Fields racetrack.  
- **San Francisco, California**: Site of De La Vega’s cab operations and Kennedy’s appearance at a television station.  
- **Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania**: Postmark on anonymous letters.  
- **Bellevue, Pennsylvania**: Postmark on anonymous letters.  

Key Events:  
- **May 28, 1968**: Preparation for Kennedy luncheon and rally in Lakewood, with Baron photographing attendees.  
- **June 13–14, 1968**: Identification of Fernando Hernandez by Mrs. Brons and Graham’s warning about an assassination plot.  
- **June 1, 1968**: De La Vega’s cab ride delivering flowers to Kennedy, discovering bugging devices.  
- **June 9, 1968**: Cannon overheard a bartender’s comment about Kennedy’s safety before his assassination.  
- **1968 Investigation**: FBI examined KATES’ invalid address and physical evidence from his Pasadena residence.  
- **Handwriting Analysis**: Examination of library card and fine slip linked to Sirhan B. Sirhan, with insufficient comparison results.  
- **Fingerprint Comparison**: Sirhan’s family members’ prints compared to latent prints from the case; no matches found.  
- **Note Examination**: Hand-printed note referencing "Oswald" sent to FBI analyzed and returned.  
- **Anonymous Letters**: Postmarked from Pittsburgh and Bellevue, forwarded to NAACP Watts Section and FBI for examination.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, forensic analysis, and investigations into the assassination plot.  
- **Democratic Party**: Involved in Kennedy’s campaign activities in Lakewood and Santa Rosa.  
- **Hungarian Embassy**: Provided background on Middle Eastern communist parties, possibly relevant to Sirhan’s nationality.  
- **National Association for Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)**: Received anonymous letters postmarked from Pittsburgh and Bellevue, Pennsylvania.  
- **International Business Machines (IBM)**: Typeface analysis conducted on a note sent to the FBI.

RFK Declassified Files

56-la-156-x-3_sec_003_ser_653--part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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