</s>. Fd-323 (Rev. 31-29-61) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Los Angeles, California April 24, 1969 In Reply, Please Refer to File No. LA 56-156 Title SIRHAN BISHARA SIRIAN Character Reference Los Angeles Letterhead Memorandum dated and captioned as above. All sources (except any listed below) whose identities are concealed in referenced communication have furnished reliable information in the past. This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loomed to your agency; It and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) investigations into Sirhan Bishara Sirian, a suspect linked to the 1968 assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Interviews with Walter Crowe, Ivan Garcia, Joseph Marcoveccchio, Chester Krill, and others are summarized, focusing on their interactions with Sirian in Pasadena, California, in May 1968. Sirian was described as having anti-Semitic views and associating with radical groups, though no direct ties to RFK’s assassination were confirmed. Walter Crowe claimed Sirian was influenced by Communist Party ideology but later disassociated from politics. Interviews with Garcia and Marcoveccchio noted no references to Kennedy or political activism during their 1968 meetings. Chester Krill described Sirian as emotionally unstable, with conflicts involving Crowe and Tom Good. The FBI and LAPD conducted interviews in March–April 1969 to clarify inconsistencies in accounts.  

Additional documents include an FBI inquiry into potential Communist Party of the United States (CP-USA) involvement in RFK’s assassination, concluding no credible evidence linked CP-USA leadership or individuals like Sirian, Crowe, or Thomas Good to a conspiracy. A Canadian reporter, Stanislaw Pruszyński, recorded audio at the Ambassador Hotel during the assassination and provided it to the RCMP for analysis by the FBI Laboratory. Intelligence reports from March 1969 referenced Middle East political activities involving Palestinian Arab delegations, Syrian officials, and U.S.-based Arab groups. Trial proceedings of Sirhan Bishara, including jury deliberations on a potential death sentence, prison conditions at San Quentin and Vacaville, and defense arguments against capital punishment, were detailed in Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office summaries from May 1969.  

Key People  
- **Sirhan Bishara Sirian**: Suspect linked to RFK’s assassination; described as anti-Semitic and associated with radical groups.  
- **Walter Crowe**: Interviewed regarding his 1968 meeting with Sirian; claimed Sirian was influenced by Communist Party ideology but disassociated from politics later.  
- **Ivan Garcia**: Identified as a former Pasadena City College student linked to Sirian; no direct ties to RFK assassination mentioned.  
- **Joseph Marcoveccchio**: Recalled meeting Sirian and Crowe at Bob’s Restaurant in 1968; noted no discussion of political activism or Kennedy.  
- **Chester Krill**: Described Sirian as emotionally unstable, with conflicts involving Crowe and Tom Good.  
- **Stanislaw Pruszyński**: Canadian reporter present at the Ambassador Hotel during RFK’s assassination; provided audio recording for FBI analysis.  
- **Grant B. Cooper**: Defense counsel for Sirhan Bishara, advocating for life imprisonment over execution.  
- **Russell E. Parsons**: Defense attorney who argued against the death penalty, comparing it to Nazi practices.  
- **Mary Sirhan**: Mother of Sirhan Bishara; present during trial proceedings.  

Key Locations  
- **Pasadena, California**: Site of Bob’s Restaurant and Hi-Life bar where Sirian and Crowe met in 1968.  
- **Pasadena City College (PCC)**: Where Crowe, Garcia, and Marcoveccchio were students; referenced in discussions about their associations.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Site of RFK’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel and subsequent trial of Sirhan Bishara.  
- **Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles**: Location of RFK’s assassination on June 5, 1968.  
- **San Quentin State Prison**: Proposed location for Sirhan Bishara’s death sentence; described as a maximum security facility with isolation measures.  
- **Vacaville Medical Facility**: Alternative prison site considered for Sirhan Bishara due to its medical capabilities.  
- **Ottawa, Canada**: Headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), which provided the audio tape for FBI examination.  

Key Events  
- **May 2, 1968**: Meeting between Walter Crowe and Sirian at Bob’s Restaurant in Pasadena, attended by two unidentified individuals.  
- **June 5, 1968**: Assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; Sirian was a suspect in the investigation.  
- **February 26, 1969**: FBI requested analysis of Stanislaw Pruszyński’s audio recording from the assassination night.  
- **March–April 1969**: Intelligence report discussing Middle East political activities involving Palestinian Arab delegations, Syrian officials, and U.S.-based Arab groups.  
- **May 7, 1969**: Weekly summary detailing Sirhan Bishara’s trial, jury deliberations on the death penalty, and prison conditions.  
- **May 21, 1969**: Scheduled date for arguments regarding a new trial or formal sentencing of Sirhan Bishara.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Sirian, reviewed polygraph results, and analyzed Pruszyński’s audio recording.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Collaborated with FBI on the investigation; Crowe’s statements were part of their inquiry.  
- **Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)**: Provided Stanislaw Pruszyński’s audio tape for FBI examination.  
- **Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office**: Published weekly summaries of trial proceedings and public interest in Sirhan Bishara’s case.  
- **Communist Party of the United States (CP-USA)**: Mentioned as a potential ideological influence on Sirian, though no direct membership was confirmed for Garcia or Marcoveccchio.  
- **U.S. Department of Corrections**: Discussed prison conditions and security measures for Sirhan Bishara.  
- **Arab League and Palestinian Arab Delegation**: Mentioned in intelligence reports as part of Middle East political activities.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_042_ser_1176-1198-part_3_of_5.pdf

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