</s>NEWS.R.E.LEASE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Office of the District Attorney FOR FOURTHER INFORMATION Call: Jerry Littman 600 Hall of Justice Los Angeles, California 90012 News Secretary 626-3888, Ext. 82396 R SLASE: Wed ., March 19, 1969 After 10 a.m. WEEKLY SUMMARY #41 WEEKly summary of Re: The assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy Note to editors: Because of the widespread interest in the assassination of Senator Robert F ., Kennedy in Not to editors; Because of senator Robert F, Kennedy Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 5, 1968, and pro- ceedings in court, the Office of Los Angeles County District Attorney swelle the Younger is publishing a Weekly summary to the case. This is the list summary, and others will be for release on subsequent Wednesdays. MONDAY, MARCH 10 - Dr. Martin M. Schorr, a clinical psychologist, today in court described Sirhan B. Shriran, the accused assassin of Sen. Robert F.Kennedy, as a paranoid personality -- who felt he was right and everyone else was wrong, according to a story in a Los Angeles newspaper (Times). The newspaper continued that the defendant is also "a schizophrenic guided by inner beliefs that didn't match the realities of the outside world." Meanwhile, another Los Angeles Newspaper (Herald-Examiner) de- clared that psychiatric testimony conflicted "sharply with claims of" Emilie Zola Berman, one of the defense attorneys. The newspaper related that Berman, in his opening statement, said: The "The evidence in this case will disclose that the defendants, Sirhan Sirhan, is an immature emotionally-disturbed and mentally-ill youth." The newspaperrelated that Sirhan, accordingto Berman, was "totally a product of a sick, obsessed mind and personality." Schorr said that Siran has no "psychotic responses." Raving maniac." The doctor also said his examination turned up no evidence of brain damage in the Jordanian immigrant. But despite this, Sirhran is far from normal, he added. ENCLOSURE. 2025 REFERNS UNDER E.O. 14176 62-589-1151

Summary  
The document details the trial of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, with a focus on psychological testimony and legal proceedings. Dr. Martin M. Schorr, a clinical psychologist, testified that Sirhan exhibited paranoid schizophrenia, citing results from the Rorschach ink-blot test and Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) indicating anxiety and delusions of persecution. The defense argued Sirhan was in a dissociative state during the crime, while prosecutors presented post-arrest interviews highlighting his initial silence and later engagement with investigators. Psychological evaluations by Dr. O. Roderick Richardson and others confirmed paranoid schizophrenia and diminished capacity, though debates persisted over whether actions were premeditated or influenced by delusions tied to Palestinian Arab grievances. The trial included discussions about plea bargains, psychiatric testimony, and Sirhan’s alleged intoxication during incarceration. A separate personal memoir describes the author’s upbringing in California, academic interests, political development, and involvement in civil rights activism, reflecting on family influences, education at UCLA, and participation in leftist movements like Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and Du Bois Clubs.  

Key People  
- Sirhan Bishara Sirhan: Defendant accused of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy.  
- Dr. Martin M. Schorr: Clinical psychologist who testified about Sirhan’s mental state.  
- Dr. O. Roderick Richardson: Psychologist who evaluated Sirhan for the defense.  
- David N. Pitts: Deputy District Attorney involved in prosecution.  
- Grant B. Cooper, Jerry Litman: Defense attorneys.  
- Robert F. Kennedy: Senator assassinated on June 5, 1968; subject of personal memoir.  
- Walter Crowe: Mentioned in unrelated FBI notes as a subject of investigation.  

Key Locations  
- Los Angeles, California: Site of the assassination and trial.  
- Pasadena, California: Home to Dr. Schorr’s affiliation and referenced individuals.  
- Ambassador Hotel: Location of the assassination.  
- UCLA: Educational institution referenced in the author’s memoir.  
- Berkeley, California: Center for political activism mentioned in the memoir.  

Key Events  
- Trial of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy.  
- Psychological evaluation by Dr. Schorr and subsequent cross-examination by Deputy District Attorney David N. Pitts.  
- Testimony regarding Sirhan’s alleged dissociative state and intoxication during incarceration.  
- Discussions about plea bargains and potential life sentencing for Sirhan.  
- Author’s memoir detailing childhood, education, political activism, and involvement in civil rights movements.  

Key Organizations  
- Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office: Oversaw the RFK assassination investigation and trial.  
- FBI: Conducted investigative notes on potential associates of Sirhan and others.  
- Students for a Democratic Society (SDS): Mentioned in the author’s memoir as an organization they participated in.  
- Du Bois Clubs: Civil rights and labor advocacy group referenced in the memoir.  
- University Co-operative Housing: Affordable living arrangement mentioned in the memoir.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_041_ser_1125-1175-part_4_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search