</s>Weekly Summary #3/3 Page 4. "Sirhan became agitated shortly before adjournment ,, reported the newspaper, as Fitts, "questioning Sgt. Brandt began leading up to the controversial diaries in which Sirhan is reported to have written 'Kennedy must be assassinated before June 5.1. As the three 82-by-11 inch spiral notebooks were shown to the police sergeant, 'Sirhan began whispering urgently to his attorneys. Cooper 'quickly asked Judge Walker for a recess, saying 'our client has re- quested it, 'continued the newspaper's account. The judge instead adjourned court for the day. . Cooper later told newsmen that Sirhan didn't want the notebooks admitted into evidence and mistakenly thought they had been accepted into evidence without objection from his defense, added the newspaper. . They hadn't, but it is a certainty that they will be, related the newspaper. . Reporter Smith said "the prosecution claims the notebooks show Sirhan's premeditation to murder Sen. Kennedy. And while the defense has moved to suppress those portions of Sirhan's diaries, the defense nonethe- less plans to use other portions of support their contention that Sirhran's capacity to plan was diminished by obsessive traits. 'The defense, in fact, quoted from the notebooks in its opening statement, citing a so-called declaration of war against American humanity' by Sirhan last May . Before adjournment, Brandt told of going to the Sirhan home and admitted that he did not have a search warrant. The newspaper related. that he didn't attempt to get one after being given Adel's (Sirhan' s brother) permission to enter the home. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail the trial of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) on June 5, 1968, and related legal proceedings. Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the county coroner, concluded that RFK’s fatal wound was caused by a bullet fired at close range, penetrating his skull and brain, while a second bullet found in his neck did not cause death. Medical testimony indicated RFK’s condition deteriorated after a tracheotomy, leading to his death at 1:44 a.m. on June 6. Sirhan’s trial involved evidence from his diaries, which expressed anger toward the U.S., belief in communism, and intent to kill RFK. He initially sought to plead guilty but later changed his plea after legal disputes with prosecutors and judges. Defense attorneys argued for mental capacity defenses, planning to call psychiatrists and psychologists, while the prosecution called over 80 witnesses. Judge Herbert V. Walker warned Sirhan against courtroom disruptions and self-representation. FBI communications noted no evidence of Communist Party involvement in the assassination. The coroner’s office faced scrutiny, with Dr. Noguchi resigning following the case.  

Key People  
- **Robert F. Kennedy (RFK)**: Senator assassinated on June 5, 1968.  
- **Sirhan Bishara Sirhan**: Defendant accused of killing RFK; expressed intent to kill him in diaries.  
- **Dr. Thomas Noguchi**: County coroner who conducted RFK’s autopsy and testified about the fatal wound.  
- **Judge Herbert V. Walker**: Presided over Sirhan’s trial, ruled on evidence admissibility, and warned against self-representation.  
- **Grant B. Cooper**: Defense attorney for Sirhan; opposed his guilty plea and argued for mental capacity defenses.  
- **Lynn D. Compton**: Chief Deputy District Attorney; oversaw prosecution’s case and evidence handling.  
- **Dr. Martin M. Schorr, Dr. O. Roderick Richardson, Dr. Bernard L. Diamond, Dr. Eric Marcus**: Psychiatrists who testified about Sirhan’s mental state.  
- **Antonio Albizo Ortiz**: Suspect linked to RFK’s assassination; subject of FBI tracking efforts.  

Key Locations  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s assassination and Sirhan’s trial.  
- **Good Samaritan Hospital**: Where RFK was transferred for surgery after the shooting.  
- **Central Receiving Hospital**: Where RFK was taken post-assassination; Dr. Bazilauskas testified about his condition.  
- **Ambassador Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada**: Location of RFK’s assassination.  
- **Mexico City, Mexico**: Site of FBI tracking efforts related to Antonio Albizo Ortiz.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: RFK assassinated during a campaign event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- **June 6, 1968**: RFK declared dead at 1:44 a.m. after medical deterioration.  
- **February 25–March 14, 1969**: Sirhan’s trial, including his attempts to plead guilty, legal disputes over evidence, and courtroom outbursts.  
- **Resignation of Dr. Thomas Noguchi**: As county coroner following scrutiny of his autopsy report on RFK.  
- **FBI Investigations (March 1969)**: Efforts to locate Antonio Albizo Ortiz, a suspect in RFK’s assassination, through contacts with his employer.  
- **Psychological Evaluations**: Multiple psychiatrists testified about Sirhan’s mental state, including claims of paranoid schizophrenia and dissociative states.  

Key Organizations  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Prosecuted Sirhan; called witnesses and managed evidence.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted tracking operations on Antonio Albizo Ortiz and provided assessments on political groups.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Conducted interrogations of Sirhan, whose tapes were played in court.  
- **Communist Party of the U.S.A. (CP-USA)**: Investigated for potential involvement in RFK’s assassination but found no conspiracy.  
- **University of California, Berkeley**: Dr. Bernard L. Diamond was affiliated with this institution.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_041_ser_1125-1175-part_2_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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