</s>he shot the Senator. Appellant had capacity to harbor malice aforethought, to form maturely and meaningfully an intent to kill his victim, to premeditate, and to reflect upon the gravity of the contemplated act. (Rep. tr. pp. 7619), 7621-23, 7665-67, 7671-72.) In arriving at this conclusion Dr. Pollack took into account the following psychological functions of appellant: . . Consciousness, state of awareness, alertness, the capacity for attention, the ability to perceive, to develop perceptions, to make meaningful associations out of what the individual senses, the person's ability to have foresight, the ability to look forward . . . abilities to recall, as well; the ability to understand . . and . . . .. . . .. . .. . .. .. . ... .. evaluation of the freedom of choice." (Rep. Tr. pp ., 7643-44). Among the reasons for Dr.Pollack's conclusions that appellant did not suffer from diminished mental capacity or psychotic mental illness were appellant's lack of any impairment in consciousness, reasoning, 127. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document outlines the legal proceedings and appellate review of Sirhan Sirhan’s trial for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. It details psychological evaluations assessing Sirhan’s mental capacity, including Dr. Pollack’s conclusion that he did not suffer from diminished capacity due to his ability to reason, recall, and plan. Legal arguments centered on plea negotiations, jury selection, and constitutional rights, with the court rejecting a conditional guilty plea offering a life sentence. Appellant claimed pretrial publicity about potential plea deals prejudiced the trial, but the court found no substantial evidence jurors were influenced by such information. The appellate court upheld procedural validity, citing precedents like *Sheppard v. Maxwell* (1966), and affirmed the admissibility of Sirhan’s in-court admission of guilt. Prosecution arguments regarding death penalty considerations during the penalty phase were addressed, with the court rejecting claims of prosecutorial misconduct or constitutional violations related to plea bargaining.  

Key People  
- Sirhan Sirhan: Defendant convicted of assassinating RFK; central figure in all legal proceedings.  
- Dr. Pollack: Psychologist who evaluated Sirhan’s mental capacity and testified against a diminished capacity defense.  
- District Attorney Evelle Younger: Prosecution representative involved in plea negotiations and trial strategy.  
- Defense counsel (unnamed): Represented Sirhan during trial and appeals, arguing for mental incapacity and procedural errors.  
- Jurors (specific individuals referenced include Martinez, Grace Stillman, Brumm, Stittlitz, Busby, and Galindo): Subject of pretrial publicity concerns and sequestration measures.  
- Mrs. Mary Sirhan: Testified about her son’s criminal history during appeals.  

Key Locations  
- Los Angeles, California: Site of trial, jury sequestration, and media coverage.  
- Baltimore Hotel: Jurors were sequestered here to mitigate pretrial publicity exposure.  

Key Events  
- February 10, 1969: Plea negotiations in chambers; court sealed records to prevent media disclosure.  
- February 12–13, 1969: Jurors and alternates sequestered at Baltimore Hotel; media reported on potential guilty plea discussions.  
- Trial proceedings: Court denied mistrial motion due to pretrial publicity, citing jurors’ ability to disregard external information.  
- Penalty phase: Prosecution argued for death penalty considerations, while defense sought to restrict such advocacy.  
- Appellate review: California Supreme Court evaluated constitutional claims regarding plea bargaining, jury instructions, and psychiatric testimony.  

Key Organizations  
- California Supreme Court: Addressed legal precedents (e.g., *Sheppard v. Maxwell*) and reviewed constitutional issues in the trial.  
- Los Angeles County Superior Court: Oversaw trial proceedings, including jury sequestration and media restrictions.  
- District Attorney’s Office (California): Prosecuted Sirhan and managed plea negotiations.  
- Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office: Supervised jury sequestration and monitored media exposure during trial.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_sec_047_ser_1279_only-part_4_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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