</s>UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION In Reply, Please Refer to Los Angeles, California November 22, 1968 File No. SIRHAN BISHARA SIRHIAN . On June 5, 1969, at 12:15 A.M. Senator Robert P. Kennedy, United States Senate, was at the Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles. California, celebrating his victory in the primary elections for the election of a Presidential candidate- date for the Democratic Party for the forthcoming elections in November 1968. At that time for Senator Kennedy was shot and killed, and the assassin was taken into custody. The assassin was assassinated in the Los Angeles County awarding prosecution in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office, Los Angeles, California. California, was furnished a letter addressed to John Weidner, The Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angels, 1380 North Lake Street, Pasadena, California, from one Mr. Esbes, Poste Restante Urethra, Bernardplain, Utrecht, Mr. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, a copy of the letter, Involved for Sirhan Bishop Sirhan a copy, of the Letter, Involvement, and a copy off a letter sent by the Los Angels Police Depart- ment to the Hoofbureau, Gentle Politie, Utretcht, The Netherlands, are attached. The Los Angels police Department are most inter- ested in making a determination as to: . The identity and background of Mr. Ebbes. . The Identity of the person for whom the letter was intended. 3. If the letter was intended for Sirhan Bisharra Sirhan, all information that might be in the possession of Mr . Esbes concerning this individual. - 1+ - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
On June 5, 1968, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was arrested by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office and later faced trial. The FBI and Los Angeles Police Department investigated letters sent to John Weidner of the LAPD from Mr. Esbes in Utrecht, Netherlands, seeking clarification on their authenticity and intent. A letter dated 21 VI 10, 1968 (interpreted as June 10, 1968) was attached, with doubts raised about its legitimacy. The FBI also reviewed correspondence between Esbes and Dutch authorities, questioning whether it referenced Sirhan’s alleged involvement in the assassination. Personal letters between Esbes and Sirhan contained unclear or possibly fabricated content, including references to political views and personal grievances. Inconsistencies in the timeline and authenticity of these communications were noted.  

The FBI compiled witness lists for Sirhan’s trial, including individuals from the Ambassador Hotel, Pasadena City College Cafeteria, and Fish Canyon Firing Range. Grant B. Cooper, an attorney for Sirhan, previously involved in a case involving unauthorized access to grand jury transcripts, joined his defense. Emilie Zola Berman, known for defending a Marine sergeant in a manslaughter case, also joined the defense team. The FBI requested information about Esbes’s identity and potential connections to Sirhan. A telegraphic message noted Cooper’s request for a continuance of Sirhan’s trial from December 9, 1968, to January 7, 1969, citing prior commitments in Los Angeles and New York. The Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, Herbert V. Walker, approved the request and planned to sequester the jury during the trial. Arrangements were made for closed-circuit TV coverage.  

A separate FBI interview with Subrina Dubrin (also referred to as Subrina Duble) detailed his claims of having information about RFK’s assassination but later retracting them, stating he had no knowledge beyond what he read in newspapers. His mother, Louisa Myrtle Pitts, was noted as a school crossing guard in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The document includes FBI file numbers (e.g., Jackson 56-94) and references to interviews conducted on December 3, 1968.  

The text also discusses a letter addressed to Mrs. Tippitt from Wolfgang, linked to the JFK assassination investigation, and Amsterdam police inquiries into whether Wolfgang wrote the letter. Dutch authorities concluded it was likely a hoax with a fictitious name (ESBSES), possibly derived from initials S.B.S. of Sirhan Bishara. A translation of an Amsterdam police report notes Wolfgang’s history of writing letters to individuals involved in sensational cases, including Mrs. J. S. Tippitt, widow of the officer killed in JFK’s assassination.  

The document details an investigation into RFK’s assassination by U.S. intelligence agencies and the Office of Special Investigations (OSI), which interviewed three Japanese nationals—M. AOYAMA, H. HIRANO, and T. MORINAGA—who were guests at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968. All three denied knowledge of Sirian (likely a reference to Sirhan Sirhan) and provided no information about the assassination. The OSI report notes an investigation initiated in October 1962, though this date appears inconsistent with the timeline of events (RFK was assassinated in June 1968). Additional records include correspondence between U.S. diplomatic offices and FBI requests for information, including attempts to locate individuals linked to the case.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan Bishara Sirhan**: Arrested for RFK’s assassination; subject of multiple investigations and witness lists.  
- **John Weidner**: LAPD officer contacted regarding letters from Esbes.  
- **Mr. Esbes**: Sender of letters to Dutch authorities, whose identity and connection to Sirhan were under scrutiny.  
- **Grant B. Cooper**: Attorney for Sirhan; previously involved in a case involving unauthorized access to grand jury transcripts.  
- **Emilie Zola Berman**: Defense attorney for Sirhan, known for defending a Marine sergeant in a manslaughter case.  
- **Herbert V. Walker**: Los Angeles County Superior Court judge who approved Sirhan’s trial continuance.  
- **Subrina Dubrin (also referred to as Subrina Duble)**: Individual who claimed information about RFK’s assassination but later retracted his claims.  
- **Louisa Myrtle Pitts**: Mother of Subrina Dubrin, noted as a school crossing guard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.  
- **Wolfgang**: Individual linked to letters addressed to Mrs. Tippitt; history of writing letters to individuals involved in sensational cases.  
- **M. AOYAMA, H. HIRANO, T. MORINAGA**: Japanese nationals interviewed by U.S. intelligence agencies and OSI regarding RFK’s assassination.  

Key Locations  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s assassination and the Ambassador Hotel; location of Sirhan’s trial.  
- **Ambassador Hotel**: Key location where RFK was shot; witnesses listed included staff and guests.  
- **Pasadena City College Cafeteria**: Location where Sirhan was allegedly observed on June 4, 1968.  
- **Fish Canyon Firing Range, Monrovia, California**: Site of another alleged observation of Sirhan on June 1, 1968.  
- **Utrecht, Netherlands**: Origin of letters sent to the LAPD and Dutch authorities.  
- **Amsterdam, Netherlands**: Location of police inquiries into a letter addressed to Mrs. Tippitt.  
- **Tokyo, Japan**: Where AOYAMA, HIRANO, and MORINAGA were based; interviews conducted with their representatives.  
- **Nagasaki Hospital (AOYAMA), Hagiwara Hospital (HIRANO)**: Medical facilities mentioned in the context of individuals’ health status.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: RFK assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- **June 10, 1968**: Postmark on a letter from Esbes interpreted as June 10, 1968; FBI requested clarification.  
- **December 3, 1968**: FBI interviewed Subrina Dubrin and his mother regarding potential information about RFK’s assassination.  
- **December 4, 1968**: Grant B. Cooper announced involvement in Sirhan’s defense; federal grand jury investigated unauthorized access to transcripts from a prior case involving Cooper.  
- **December 9, 1968–January 7, 1969**: Request for continuance of Sirhan’s trial approved by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Herbert V. Walker.  
- **October 1968**: U.S. intelligence agencies and OSI interviewed Japanese nationals linked to the Ambassador Hotel during RFK’s assassination.  
- **Amsterdam police investigation**: Determined a letter addressed to Mrs. Tippitt was likely a hoax with a fictitious name (ESBSES).  
- **OSI investigation**: Initiated in October 1962 (possibly a typographical error) and expanded to include diplomatic and FBI coordination.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Sirhan’s background, authenticity of letters, and potential illegal activities related to grand jury transcripts.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Collaborated with the FBI on the investigation of Esbes’s correspondence.  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Compiled witness lists for Sirhan’s trial.  
- **Los Angeles County Superior Court**: Approved continuance of Sirhan’s trial and planned to sequester the jury during the trial.  
- **Amsterdam Municipal Police**: Investigated authenticity of a letter addressed to Mrs. Tippitt.  
- **Office of Special Investigations (OSI)**: Conducted separate review, including interviews with Japanese nationals.  
- **U.S. Department of State**: Involved in diplomatic efforts to locate individuals linked to the case.  
- **Legal Attachés (Tokyo, Paris)**: Provided assistance in interviewing witnesses and gathering information.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_034_ser_984-1026-part_5_of_5.pdf

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