</s>1/2-581-1336- FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER HQ - HEADQUARTERS Class / Case #: Sub Vol. Serial # 00622 587 1 1338 ONLY LRTE EFT 7/18/143627 RRFWA4AZZL

The investigation into the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department (L.A.P.D.) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.). The primary suspect, Sirhan Sirhan, was charged with murder in the first degree and convicted based on ballistic evidence.

However, questions were raised about the integrity of the ballistics evidence, particularly regarding the handling and storage of critical evidence by the Los Angeles County Clerk's Office. A 1971 Grand Jury investigation found that the office failed to keep an accurate record of visits to exhibits, provide adequate security, and ensure that court-imposed restrictions on viewing and handling of Court exhibits were enforced.

A court order issued on June 7, 1968, required that exhibits be specifically packaged to preserve their integrity. However, the County Clerk's Office did not comply with this instruction, resulting in doubts as to the integrity of the bullets entered in the Sirhan trial.

The investigation also found that the management and overall operation of the department were generally satisfactory, but there were some issues with upper and middle management. The CAO task force found that systems, records, and security measures implemented by the department were deficient.

Investigator Ted Charach had given his theory of a potential second gun and firing of such a security guard Thane Caesar to Grant Cooper, chief defense counsel in Sirhan's trial. Cooper referred Coach to ballistics expert William Harper. When cooper had known professionally for many years, and the ballistics findings in the Kennedy case.

Harper had begun his work after leading Special Unit Senator had been accused of being involved in the investigation. Harper has been puzzled due to apparent inconsistency over a slug too large to have come from Sirhan's small revolver. In the first of what was to become small visits to the criminals that the large slug was a nearly flattened 22 bullet.

And after many months of testing, weighing, photo-micrographing with a Balliscan camera, as well as studying, Coroner Noguchi, massive criticism appears to be well-known. At least two of the bullets removed from the pantry, one from Kennedy's body (Exhibit 47) and did not match each other and newsmakers' body (exhibit 47).

Thus could not have been fired from the same gun. The absence on the bullets of any 'phase marks' - usually the investigators initials to serve as guideposts in that were the individual characteristics.

That was Wolfer matched the bullets down to "class characteristics but not as far as individual characteristics, There was a difference of 14% in the rifle angles of the two bullets - again pointing to a conclusion that they came from different guns -.

Supervisor Baxter Ward conducted hearings in 1974 regarding ballistic evidence presented at the trial of Sirhan, criticizing the manner in which ballistics evidence was presented.

Ward asked his fellow supervisors to subpoena power to compel District Attorney Joseph Busch and LAPD's DeWayne Wolfer to appear before his hearing.

Busch challenged the authority of Supervisor Ward to hold such a hearing, but Ward relied on advice from County Councilor John Larson that it was appropriate for him to do so.

Ward laid a preliminary foundation for his hearing by telling other Board of Supervisors members that he was satisfied with Sharp's response and felt that the integrity of the exhibits could only be dispelled in a proper inquiry.

The Grand Jury had conducted its findings only after an intense testimony of members of the Clerk's Office actually involved in the matter.

Ward called the criminal Lowell Bradford to testify, who stated that he did not find sufficient evidence to identify one bullet as having fired from the same weapon.

Herbert MacDowell testified that an examination of the photographs suggested a difference in cannellures and the possibility of two guns.

Dr. Noguchi stated that the muzzle distance was very close, but Ward questioned him about the possibility of closeness between the muzzle and Senator Kennedy's body.

District Attorney Busch responded to Ward's hearing, stating that it was a skillfully drafted scenario designed to establish Police Department and/or the District Attorney's Office failed to investigate the possibility of a second gunman.

The American Academy of Forensic Sciences stated in its July 13, 1975 report that legitimate forensic questions could be answered if there was a new re-examination of the physical evidence in the case.

President Robert J. Jolly issued a statement stating that he was currently the President of The United States Supreme Court as well as his state of residence, Arizona.

The Ad Hoc committee reviewed numerous materials that had been under the committee recommended hearing concerning the ballistic evidence and qualified be assembled to review the ballistic evidence as well as the trial persons having expertise in firearms examination and identification be assembled in review the ballistics evidence as the trial any formal accusation against the District Attorney's Office of the findings of the court and jury.

The article written by respected Los Angeles Times ran a major feature: "The Robert Kennedy Case Still Stirs Question: Pressure to Reopen Assassination Inquiry Includes Gun, Bullet Holes."

District Attorney Joseph Busch died June 27, 1975, from sudden heart attack, and Chief Deputy District Attorney Howard S. Howard became Acting District Attorney.

Acting District Attorney Howard assigned Deputy District Attorney Dinko Bozanich to review and review the statutes and procedure permitting an application to the State Supreme Court for the appointment of an Special Master.

Paul Schrade filed a civil law suit for personal injuries suffered the night of the assassination, naming Sirhan and ten John Does as defendants.

Schrade applied for an order authorizing the firearms exhibited in the Sirhan case, as well as the application for the investigation and testing was filed in the Department 1, before Judge Robert Wenke.

CBS Best Presiding Judge Robert Wenke seeking an order for the inspection and examination of the various ballistics and firearms exhibits in the Sirhan case.

John F. Kennedy assassination investigations related individuals and events:

* CBS sought a scientific examination of firearms and bullets from the Sirhan weapon.
* The First and Sixth Amendments guarantee free press and a right to a fair trial, resulting in restrictions on access to evidence.
* Lowell Bradford declared that the bullet which entered Senator Robert Kennedy's body had come from the Sirhan weapon, but this was not argued at trial.
* Herbert MacDowell and William Harper concluded that both the Kennedy and Weisel bullets were fired from the same rifle.
* Bradford cited Harper's previous statements that he failed to find individuals in Sirhan when compared with the Kennedy bullet.
* Bradford requested a scientific re-examination of all firearms identification evidence, citing differences in bullets, cannellures, or evidence of a second gun.
* Bradford pointed out lack of written notes and documents relating to the prosecution's exhibits on firearms and ballistic.
* Bradford called for a thorough examination test procedure, including classical with a stereoscopic microscope, micromeasures of the bullets, and chemical tests on bullets.
* Vincent Guinn would conduct examinations using energy-x-ray analysis and neutron activation metal tests concerned energy-ray analyses and neutron activations analysis.
* A further test advocated by Bradford dealt with powder residue composition analysis by gas chromatography.
* The Sirhan weapon was re-tested at the conclusion of his declaration, and Bradford admitted that small firearms exam was conducted by the experience well-known that small firearm exam was "22 caliber guns have the capability of producing successfully fired test bullets that identify with each others on a basis of microscopic characteristics".
* Judge Wenke ordered the re-testing of the Sirhan weapon and the re-examination of all bullet evidence in September 1975.
* Counsel were instructed to formulate an examination and test procedure, and submit such test for the court's approval.

RFK Declassified Files

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