</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

**People:**

* John F. Kennedy, former President of the United States
* Robert F. Kennedy, Senator and brother of John F. Kennedy
* Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, defendant in the murder trial
* Dr. Seymour Pollack, prosecution psychiatrist
* Grant B. Cooper, defense attorney

**Dates and Locations:**

* June 5, 1968, date of Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination
* Los Angeles, California, location of the murder trial
* Vacaville, California, location of a state medical facility where Sirhan may be sent if convicted
* San Quentin Prison, location of Death Row

**Significant Events:**

* Murder trial of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan for the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
* Testimony by Dr. Seymour Pollack, prosecution psychiatrist, that Sirhan was not suffering from psychic delusions when he shot Kennedy
* Defense claims that Sirhan's shooting of Kennedy was done in a dissociative trance partly induced by drunkenness

**Connections:**

* Sirhan's mental illness and its impact on his ability to premeditate the murder
* The defense's theory that Sirhan was not responsible for his actions due to his mental state
* The prosecution's argument that Sirhan was fully aware of his actions and intended to kill Kennedy

**Evidence, Testimony, or Findings:**

* Dr. Pollack's testimony that Sirhan showed no remorse for killing Kennedy
* Defense claims that Sirhan had a few drinks the night of June 4 and may have been in a dissociative trance when he shot Kennedy
* Sirhan's notebook writings about his intent to kill Kennedy and his feelings towards Kennedy, Johnson, and Goldberg

**Additional Information:**

* Dr. Seymour Pollack's 18-page diagnosis in a confidential memo to the district attorney's office (February 4, 1969)
* The transcript of the meeting between psychiatrists and psychologists for both the defense and prosecution (February 2, 1969)
* Sirhan's notebook writings and mystical experiments with Rosicrucijanism
* Sirhan's violently anti-Zionist political views

**Trial Details:**

* February 2, 1969, meeting between psychiatrists and psychologists for both the defense and prosecution
* April 1-17, 1969, jury deliberations in the Sirhan trial
* June 6-7, 1969, County Jail physician's examination of Sirhan

RFK Declassified Files

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

Document Summary

Try AI Search