</s>LA 56-156 On 6/18/68, REX NEVINS, Reporter for the Riverside Press-Enterprise, Indio, California, advised that REX WESTERFIELD, Public Relations Director for Western Division, John Birch Society, held a press conference in Indio that afternoon concerning CAESAR CHAVES, Director of United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, APL-CIO, who is in Indo Area attending to organize grape workers, CHAVESE, andidentified various communist sympathizers. The distributed an article entitled "The Grapes, concerning the Delano Grape Strike, which appeared in the June, 1966, issued of American Opinion, Page 4. There was a picture of SAM KUSHNER, whom WESTERNFIELD identified as communist. At press conference, WESSTERFIELD pointed to young man in a photograph, who was wearing light colored sweater. With a photograph of him was a newspaper photograph of SIRIAN AND MICHAN, NEWIS was in light colored sweater and said there was close resemblance. KUSHNER is a member of the Southern California District Communist Party and was active in covering Delano GrapeStrike for Daily People's World. LEADS SACRAMENTO AT DELANO, CALIFORNIA: Attempt to identify individual pictured on Page 4 of "The Gropes," whom the John Birch Society members think may be identical to SIRIAN BISHRA SIRIHAN. It is noted that upon comparison, with photographs of SIRHAN to the individual pictured, he does not appear to be identical. -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and LAPD investigations into the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Key figures include Sirhan Sirhan, identified as the shooter, and witnesses such as Adam Walnsky (Kennedy’s aide), Bill Weisler (hotel employee), Jesse Unruh (political leader), and Pete Hamill (writer). The FBI conducted interviews with individuals connected to the case, including potential legal counsel Grant Cooper for Sirhan, and analyzed handwriting on documents like a Rosicrucian Order sign-in sheet and a San Gabriel Valley Gun Club roster. Investigations also included inquiries into unrelated matters such as Hagoop Deredian’s school attendance in Oklahoma and embassy communications from Tripoli. A press conference by REX WESTERFIELD, Public Relations Director for the John Birch Society, in Indio, California, discussed communist sympathizers, including SAM KUSHNER of the Southern California Communist Party and CAESAR CHAVES of the United Farm Workers. A translated German text referenced threats against RFK and U.S. involvement in Vietnam, linking the assassination to retaliation for American actions. Interviews with BUDZISLAWSKI (Peace and Freedom Party attendee) and WALLACE TURNER (New York Times correspondent) provided witness accounts, while the FBI sought information about KAREN TRACY and JERRY SIMS for potential testimony.  

Key People  
- Sirhan Sirhan (assailant)  
- Adam Walnsky (Kennedy aide, hotel employee)  
- Bill Weisler (hotel employee)  
- Jesse Unruh (California political leader)  
- Pete Hamill (writer)  
- Grant Cooper (Los Angeles attorney, potential legal counsel for Sirhan)  
- Rex Westerfield (John Birch Society Public Relations Director)  
- Caesar Chaves (United Farm Workers leader)  
- Sam Kushner (Southern California Communist Party member)  
- Budzislawski (Peace and Freedom Party attendee)  
- Wallace Turner (New York Times correspondent, witness to assassination)  
- Jerry Sims (CBS cameraman, sought for testimony)  
- Karen Tracy (subject of unclear reference)  

Key Locations  
- Ambassador Hotel (Los Angeles, California) – scene of the shooting  
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)  
- FBI Field Offices: Los Angeles (56-156), Oklahoma City (89-64), St. Louis (44-782)  
- Indio, California (John Birch Society press conference)  
- Nashville, Tennessee (Roy Acuff Exhibit Shop, Ernest Tubb Record Shop)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI SAC office)  
- Tripoli, Libya – embassy communications  
- New York City (New York Times offices)  

Key Events  
- June 5, 1968: Robert F. Kennedy shot and killed at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- FBI and LAPD interviews with witnesses including Sirhan Sirhan’s alleged associates, hotel staff, journalists, and CBS cameraman Jerry Sims.  
- Handwriting analysis of documents (e.g., Rosicrucian sign-in sheet, gun club roster) to verify Sirhan’s presence at the hotel.  
- Press conference by John Birch Society in Indio, California, discussing communist sympathizers and the Delano Grape Strike.  
- Translation of a German text containing threats against RFK and U.S. involvement in Vietnam, referencing the assassination as retaliation.  
- Interviews with Roy Acuff and Peter Kirby in Nashville regarding a telegram addressed to "ROY ACUFZ" (likely Roy Acuff) and a handwritten letter.  
- Wallace Turner’s testimony about witnessing the shooting at the Ambassador Hotel and identifying Sirhan Bishara as the shooter.  
- FBI efforts to locate Jerry Sims for potential witness testimony and investigation into Karen Tracy’s connections.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Los Angeles Field Office (56-156), Oklahoma City (89-64), St. Louis (44-782)  
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)  
- Rosicrucian Order (California)  
- United Farm Workers Organizing Committee (UFW)  
- John Birch Society  
- New York Times (Wallace Turner’s affiliation)  
- U.S. Probation and Parole Offices (e.g., St. Louis, Miami, Ohio)

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_018_ser_661-736-part_4_of_7.pdf

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