</s>Weekly Summary #44 Page 4 Sirhan was mentally ill -- suffering from paranoid schizophrenia! Then, according to Berman, Dr. Pollack changed his mind and his report. It "Pollack said he thinks the defendant is a developing patronojd, personality, but his diagnosis stopped far short of the testimony of seven defense psychiatrists and psychologists who unanimously diagnose:a Sirhran as a paranoid schizophrenic," reported the Times. Continued the article: "Pollock said he felt Sirhan's mental illness fell under the classification described as "psychosis, non-psychotic." He described this as a condition in which a person may exhibit psychotic tendencies. in a clinical sense. "Although he said Sirhan showed paranoid tendencies, Pollack said he found no evidence of paranoid delusions or of organic brain damage -- which the defense has never claimed -- nor had he found evil- dence of 'peculiarity' in Sirhan' s sexual fantasies or of 'bizarre thinking' in his attitude towards (former) President Johnson, former U.N. Ambassador Arthur Goldberg or Sen. Kennedy. "In his notebook, Sirhan had written over and over about two girls he had known slightly, and he also wrote of his desire to assas- sinate (former). President Johnson and Goldberg wrote of this well as Kennedy. "Pollak said Sirhran's feelings toward these people were not delusionary, but based on political disillusionment and aresentment. of what he believed was hypocritical in American policy toward the Palestinian Arabs and the Israelis." more - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document details Dr. Seymour Pollack’s psychiatric testimony during the trial of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Pollack initially diagnosed Sirhan as a "psychotic" individual with borderline schizophrenia but later revised his assessment to describe him as having a "developing paranoid personality." The defense argued that Sirhan’s mental state impaired his capacity for premeditation and malice, while the prosecution maintained he understood the consequences of his actions. Pollack testified that Sirhan believed his killing of Kennedy was justified due to perceived betrayal of Arab interests, dismissing claims of dissociative trance or hypnotic influence. Disputes arose over psychiatric terminology, with Pollack clarifying that "psychotic" referred to a broad range of personality disorganization rather than clinical psychosis. The trial involved debates over mitigating factors for sentencing, including potential life imprisonment versus the death penalty. Key legal proceedings included motions for offers of proof related to the penalty phase and discussions about plea negotiations that ultimately collapsed.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan Bishara Sirhan**: Defendant accused of assassinating RFK; described as mentally ill but not clinically psychotic.  
- **Dr. Seymour Pollack**: Prosecution psychiatrist who testified about Sirhan’s mental state, motives, and lack of remorse.  
- **Grant B. Cooper**: Defense attorney challenging Pollack’s diagnoses and arguing for diminished capacity.  
- **Bernard L. Diamond**: Defense psychiatrist who disputed Pollack’s conclusions.  
- **Evelle J. Younger** and **John E. Howard**: District Attorneys involved in prosecution and plea negotiations.  

Key Locations  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of the trial, psychiatric evaluations, and legal proceedings.  
- **Vacaville State Prison**: Proposed facility for Sirhan’s potential incarceration if convicted of first-degree murder.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy by Sirhan at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.  
- **April 1–4, 1969**: Testimony and cross-examination of Dr. Pollack regarding Sirhan’s mental state during the trial.  
- **February 2, 1969**: Meeting between psychiatrists and prosecutors where initial agreement on Sirhan’s mental illness was reached, leading to a collapsed plea deal.  
- **March 21, 1969**: Pollack revised his diagnosis of Sirhan as a "developing paranoid personality" after the trial began.  

Key Organizations  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Oversaw prosecution and plea negotiations.  
- **California Department of Corrections**: Planning for Sirhan’s potential incarceration at Vacaville State Prison.  
- **FBI**: Involved in communications regarding the case, though not directly part of trial proceedings.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_041_ser_1125-1175-part_6_of_6.pdf

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