Sirhan Sirhan
Palestinian convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Palestinian convicted for the assassination of United States Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Sirhan Sirhan was a Palestinian-Jordanian man who assassinated Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. The circumstances of the attack, which occurred on the anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, have led to numerous conspiracy theories. Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder but later had his sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
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About the Sirhan Sirhan
Sirhan Bishara Sirhanis a Palestinian-Jordanian man who was convicted of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy Sr., a younger brother of American president John F. Kennedy and a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1968 United States presidential election. On June 5, 1968, Sirhan shot and mortally wounded Robert Kennedy, who died the next day. The circumstances surrounding the attack, which took place five years after his brother’s assassination, have led to numerous conspiracy theories.
In 1989, Sirhan told British journalist David Frost: “My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 fighter jets to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians.” Some scholars believe that the assassination was the first major incident of political violence in the United States stemming from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Sirhan carried out the attack on the first anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War), though it occurred at a time when the American public was overwhelmingly focused on the Vietnam War.
On April 17, 1969, Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder, among other charges, and subsequently sentenced to death by gas chamber. In 1972, this was commuted to a life sentence in the aftermath of People v. Anderson. He is incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego. On August 27, 2021, after 15 years of being denied parole by the local state board, Sirhan was granted parole by a two-person panel. Prosecutors declined to participate or to oppose his release under a policy by George Gascon, the Los Angeles County District Attorney. On January 13, 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom blocked Sirhan’s release on parole. He was denied parole again on March 1, 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sirhan Sirhan was a Palestinian-Jordanian man who was convicted of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
Sirhan Sirhan claimed that his only connection with Robert Kennedy was Kennedy’s support for Israel and his attempt to send fighter jets to Israel, which Sirhan saw as harmful to the Palestinians.
Sirhan Sirhan assassinated Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, which was the first anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War.
Sirhan Sirhan was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death by gas chamber in 1969. In 1972, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
In 2021, Sirhan Sirhan was granted parole after 15 years of being denied, but in 2022, California Governor Gavin Newsom blocked his release. Sirhan Sirhan was denied parole again in 2023.
The circumstances surrounding Sirhan Sirhan’s attack on Robert Kennedy, which occurred five years after the assassination of his brother John F. Kennedy, have led to numerous conspiracy theories.
Scholars believe that Sirhan Sirhan’s assassination of Robert Kennedy was the first major incident of political violence in the United States stemming from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though it occurred at a time when the American public was overwhelmingly focused on the Vietnam War.