</s>ENCLOSURE FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER HQ - HEADQUARTERS Class / Case # Sub Sub Vol. Serial # 062 587 1 1167 ONLY 7/18/143610 RRP0A4723 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178.

Summary  
This document details the trial of Sirhan B. Sirhan for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, as reported by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Testimony from psychiatrists and psychologists centered on Sirhan’s mental state, with Dr. Bernard L. Diamond (UC Berkeley) describing him as a paranoid schizophrenic influenced by self-hypnosis, dissociative episodes, and delusions of grandeur. Diamond linked Sirhan’s actions to exposure to violence in Jerusalem during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and his psychological struggles post-immigration to the U.S. Prosecution psychiatrist Dr. Seymour Pollack (USC) argued Sirhan’s actions were politically motivated rather than a result of mental illness. The trial, which spanned over 6,000 pages of testimony and cost nearly $400,000, included cross-examinations of defense witnesses such as Dr. Georgene Seward (USC) and Dr. George Devos (UC Berkeley), who corroborated the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia. The DA’s office also noted Sirhan’s family history, including his father Bishara Sirhan’s abandonment of the family in 1957 and his brother Saidallah Sirhan’s injuries from a car accident in July 1968. Legal proceedings were interrupted on March 31, 1969, due to the death of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan B. Sirhan**: Defendant accused of assassinating RFK; described as a paranoid schizophrenic with dissociative tendencies and delusions of grandeur.  
- **Dr. Bernard L. Diamond**: UC Berkeley psychiatrist who testified about Sirhan’s mental state, self-hypnosis, and dissociative episodes.  
- **Dr. Seymour Pollack**: USC psychiatrist who argued Sirhan’s actions were politically motivated rather than a result of insanity.  
- **Dr. Georgene Seward**: USC psychology professor who evaluated psychological tests confirming paranoid schizophrenia.  
- **Dr. George Devos**: UC Berkeley psychologist who corroborated the diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.  
- **Bishara Sirhan**: Sirhan’s father, whose abandonment of the family in 1957 is cited as a contributing factor to Sirhan’s mental state.  
- **Saidallah Sirhan**: Sirhan’s brother, hospitalized after a car accident in July 1968 and reported being shot at on a freeway.  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel (Los Angeles)**: Site of RFK’s assassination; where Sirhan allegedly acted under dissociative influence.  
- **Berkeley, California**: Home of Dr. Bernard L. Diamond (UC Berkeley).  
- **Jerusalem, Israel**: Sirhan’s childhood exposure to violence during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.  
- **Pasadena, California**: Location of Saidallah Sirhan’s hospitalization after a car accident.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- **March 24–28, 1969**: Testimony and cross-examinations during Sirhan’s trial, including Dr. Diamond’s detailed account of Sirhan’s mental state and dissociative episodes.  
- **April 1, 1969**: Court session adjourned due to the death of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower.  
- **July 7, 1968**: Saidallah Sirhan reported being shot at twice on a freeway (unrelated to RFK case).  

Key Organizations  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Oversaw the investigation and prosecution of Sirhan B. Sirhan.  
- **University of California, Berkeley**: Home institution of Dr. Bernard L. Diamond, who provided psychiatric testimony.  
- **University of Southern California (USC)**: Institution where Dr. Georgene Seward conducted psychological evaluations.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_ebf_1167_sec_001_ser_1167_only.pdf

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