SERIES: "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?"

57 years after a California jury convicted Sirhan #Sirhan for the murder of Senator Robert F. Kennedy, the U.S. National Archives is finally releasing tens of thousands of formerly-secret documents related to the assassination. The 24 year-old Palestinian immigrant shot #RFK in a fury over the 1968 presidential candidate's support for arming #Israel with 50 Phantom jets. When Sirhan was apprehended by Sen. Kennedy's bodyguards in the Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel on the night of June 5, 1968, he reportedly shouted "I did it for my country!" His country was #Palestine. It was the first act of Palestinian terror on American soil -- sparking five and a half decades more of skyjackings, hostage-takings, #terrorism, and war that continues today in the Middle East. The release continued disclosures of national secrets ordered by Donald #Trump after he began his second presidency in January. It comes a month after thousands more unredacted files related to the 1963 #JFK assassination were disclosed. Lawyers for #Kennedy’s killer have said for decades that he is unlikely to reoffend or pose a danger to society. In 2021, a parole board deemed Sirhan suitable for release. But the California governor, Gavin Newson, rejected the decision in 2022. In 2023, a different panel denied him release, saying he still lacks remorse and/or understanding of what caused him to shoot Kennedy. Sirhan, now 81, still sits in prison. The late senator’s sonRobert F Kennedy Jr, who now serves as Trump’s health and human services secretary, commended the president and his director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, for what he called their “courage” and “dogged efforts” to release the files. “Lifting the veil on the RFK papers is a necessary step toward restoring trust in American government,” Kennedy Jr said in a statement. Who Killed Bobby Kennedy? I devoted much of 2024 to a re-examination of Sirhan's case -- reviewing original evidence and testimony presented by both the prosecution and the defense -- in the production of my 13-part true crime podcast series, Who Killed Bobby Kennedy? Now that I've had time to review the first tranche of these newly-released #RFKFiles (about 10,000 pages -- another 64,000 pages were just released last week, with more reportedly to come), I made many new discoveries within that provide fascinating insights and context to our understanding of this historic murder case. Those findings are presented in a NEW episode of my #truecrime podcast series, which takes viewers on a guided tour of the most important documents I've found in the archives so far. Among the boxes of long-secret files were never-before-seen photographs of RFK's autopsy taken by then-Los Angeles County Coroner Dr. Thomas Noguchi. Because the photos are extremely graphic they are not included here, as showing them would violate the community guidelines of platforms such as YouTube that host this podcast series, and go against the wishes of the Kennedy family, who have asked responsible journalists not to disseminate them. It took seven months and 14 episodes to at last unravel the full truth. It's all here. Everything you ever wanted to know about the murder of Bobby Kennedy; from the archives of federal government agencies -- the FBI, CIA, Department of Justice, State Department, and the White Houses of every president from #LBJ to #Obama. Why were these documents kept secret for nearly six decades? What was the perceived risk to National Security? What did the government NOT want us to know abut the RFK assassination? I'll unravel it in this special bonus episode of the "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy" series. Don't miss the YouTube premiere live May 12 at 9 PM Eastern. (Set a reminder at the link below.) It is my hope that you find this series as interesting and enlightening as I did putting it all together. Producing "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy" involved a lot of hard work, and I'd like to thank everyone who assisted and participated. Most of all, I'd like to thank YOU for watching! Watch all episodes for free in this YouTube playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXBcSYiYQxldlHGAjTPLcdyXmDNa2Ny0W&si=MPHh2WZEJSbTjoog

(UPDATE: On January 23, 2025 President Donald #Trump ordered the federal government to release ALL documents related to the assassination of #JFK, #RFK, and #MLK. I'll have the details in this episode.) 56 years ago this month, jury selection began in the murder trial of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Senator Robert F. #Kennedy. The 24 year-old Palestinian immigrant allegedly shot RFK in a fury over the 1968 presidential candidate’s support for arming #Israel with 50 Phantom jets. It was the first act of Palestinian terrorism on American soil — sparking five and a half decades more of terrorism and war that continues today in the Middle East. I devoted much of 2024 to a re-examination of Sirhan’s case — reviewing original evidence and testimony presented by both the prosecution and the defense — in the production of this true crime podcast series, Who Killed Bobby Kennedy? Below is a guide to every episode. Of course, I highly recommend watching the entire series to fully absorb all of this information, but this guide might help you zero in on specific topics or guests of interest. WHO KILLED BOBBY KENNEDY? (TRUE CRIME PODCAST SERIES) EPISODE GUIDE Ep. 1 Sirhan Sirhan: Innocent or Guilty? — Introduction and case overview Ep. 2 Why RFK Killer Sirhan Is Still A Hero in Palestine — A discussion of Sirhan’s influence on the Palestinian Liberation Movement and his embrace of communism with communist historian and author/journalist Caleb Maupin. Ep. 3 Sirhan’s Defense: Lisa Pease Interview — Our full 2.5 hour interview with Lisa Pease, author of the book “A Lie To Big To Fail” and leader of the “Free Sirhan” movement. Ep. 4 RFK Murder Conspiracies Debunked — Maverick News journalist Rick Walker and I discuss, debate, and debunk some of the most widely-circulated RFK conspiracy theories. Ep. 5 Sirhan’s Trial: Jim DiEugenio Interview, Part 1 — We take a deep 3 hour dive into evidence presented by Sirhan’s defense team at trial with James DiEugenio, Kennedy assassination historian, author and journalist best known for his work with Oliver Stone on the 2021 documentary “JFK Revisited.” Ep. 6: A Second Gun? Jim DiEugenio Interview, Part 2 — Jim and I discuss possible other suspects, and the ballistics investigations which DiEugenio says is proof that Sirhan could not have killed Senator Kennedy. Ep. 7 An Open and Shut Case: Jim DiEugenio Interview Part 3 — We rip the Los Angeles police and D.A.’s bungling of the original investigation, and talk about later efforts made by RFK’s friend (and shooting victim) Paul Schrade, Allard Lowenstein, #RFKJr., and others over the past five decades to release secret files and re-open the case. Ep. 8 The Motive: Mel Ayton Interview — British historian Mel Ayton is the author of “Sirhan Sirhan: The Forgotten Terrorist,” and knows the mind of Sirhan better than most. What factors drove Sirhan to murder RFK? What political statement did Sirhan make by doing so? Mel lays out the case here. Ep. 9 Premeditated Murder: My guest is journalist Craig Colgan, who has written about the RFK assassination since 1998 and interviewed many of the principals involved. Once a believer that Sen. Kennedy’s murder was the result of a conspiracy, Craig later changed his mind and now argues that what Sirhan did was a clear case of premeditated murder. Ep. 10 An Innocent Man: Thane Eugene Cesar: In Part 2 of my interview with journalist Craig Colgan he deconstructs the fiction which conspiracists allege that a security guard named Thane Eugene Cesar fired the fatal bullets. Ep. 11 Who Is Sirhan Sirhan? British historian Mel Ayton returns for another in-depth 2-part interview. In this episode, Mel tells us Sirhan’s tragic life story; from his 1944 birth in Jerusalem to his childhood trauma of witnessing a bloody war in Palestine, to his family’s emigration to America, and the events that led to his political radicalization and the murder his mother Mary once called “a patriotic act.” Ep. 12 Free Sirhan? In the series conclusion, I give Sirhan’s biographer Mel Ayton the closing argument. Mel makes a convincing case that despite errors in the L.A. authorities mishandling of the RFK investigation and trial, Sirhan is right where he belongs: behind prison bars. But should he remain there for the rest of his life? At age 80, is Sirhan still a danger to society? We discuss efforts by RFK Jr. to obtain Sirhan’s parole and the growing “Free Sirhan” movement. Watch all episodes for free in this YouTube playlist, or listen to the audio version wherever you get your podcasts. If you enjoyed this true crime series, please help support my independent journalism with a one-time donation or monthly patronage below. Support my independent journalism with a one-time donation here: http://LoriSpencer.WordPress.com/donate Join as a monthly member at: http://Patreon.com/LoriSpencer http://BuyMeACoffee.com/LoriSpencer Buy me a Gift from my Wishlist! http://GiftApp.com/RealLoriSpencer

Our series "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" concludes tonight with an in-depth interview of Sirhan Sirhan's biographer Mel Ayton. British author and historian Mel Ayton has penned two books on Sirhan's life. Tonight he will give us a sneak preview of his upcoming biography of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan "The Making of an Assassin: Why Sirhan Shot Robert F. Kennedy." Ayton’s previous book “The Forgotten Terrorist: Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy” is highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to understand Sirhan’s Arab nationalism, his antisemitism, his past in Palestine, his deep-rooted hatred of Israel, and his motives for the crime. The 2019 edition features a Foreword by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. Of all the many journalists, researchers, authors, and historians who have tackled the RFK case over the past half-century, I believe that Mel Ayton's work stands heads-and-shoulders above the rest. No one understands the mind of Kennedy's killer the way Ayton does. In this episode Mel and I take you through the story of Sirhan's life, from his birth in Jerusalem in 1944. Mel will describe Sirhan's early memories, education, family, religion, and tragic upbringing during the 1948 Israeli war of independence (known as the Nakba to Palestinians). We will learn about Sirhan's indoctrination into communism and the cause of Palestinian liberation -- factors which led directly to his murder of Senator Kennedy on June 5, 1968. Numerous hijackings and hostage-takings have been committed over the past 56 years in Sirhan's name -- including the 1972 hijacking of a Lufthansa flight with RFK's eldest son Joseph Kennedy as one of the hostages. On more than one occasion terrorists have demanded the release of Sirhan Sirhan in exchange for hostages -- and in a 1973 incident at the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, they tortured and killed those hostages after President Nixon refused to negotiate. Don't miss Part 1this incredible conversation on the final episode of "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" Set a reminder below and join us for the premiere tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Catch all 12 episodes of "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy" in this series playlist. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXBcSYiYQxldlHGAjTPLcdyXmDNa2Ny0W&si=H3MCh-s5A5GySEqI

When he was arrested after the #RFK assassination, one of #Sirhan Sirhan’s appellate lawyers says there was a newspaper clipping in Sirhan’s pocket that discussed the incongruity of Sen. Robert Kennedy’s advocacy for the oppressed while also supporting #Israel over #Palestine. Sirhan’s friend and appellate attorney says he cannot be certain there was not some sort of conspiracy, but has little doubt Sirhan shot Kennedy. “Sirhan never said there was somebody else,” Abdeen Jabara insists. The official motive for Sirhan’s murder of #RFK was “anti-#Zionism.” After he was captured by Kennedy’s bodyguards, witnesses in the Ambassador Hotel kitchen heard Sirhan say: “I can explain. I did it for my country. I love my country." On Episode 20 of the "Kennedy Americans" podcast, we take a deep dive into the debate over RFK's convicted killer Sirhan's innocence or guilt. Was he a mind-controlled patsy, or a Palestinian terrorist? Whether Sirhan's motives were political or not, he has been heralded as a hero in the Palestinian Liberation Movement for assassinating Robert F. Kennedy (an act Sirhan claims he has no memory of). Shortly after the RFK assassination, Al Fatah, the Arab Commando organization, distributed thousands of posters with pictures of Sirhan over the words, “I did it for my country! “ In 1973, when the Black September group burst into the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Khartoum and took 10 hostages, their demands included the release of Sirhan Sirhan from prison. Sirhan told David Frost in a 1989 interview: "I wanted to show that the Palestinian problem didn't just erupt with the assassination of #Kennedy," a reference to the displacement of Palestinians after the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. "If I had shot Bobby Kennedy in an Arab country, I doubt any Arab court would have convicted me," he said with a smile. By killing RFK Sirhan advanced the cause of the Palestinians, a cause which promoted the return of Arab land from the state of Israel. He told Robert Kaiser in 1969, "They (the Palestinians) want action. They want results. Hey! I produced action for them. I'm a big hero over there." Sirhan’s guilty plea, conviction, and strong anti-Israel motives do not necessarily exclude the possibility of other gunmen present who may have delivered the fatal shots to Kennedy, as some historians suggest. However, the fact remains that Sirhan did fire and hit 5 other people that night -- even if his shots did not strike Kennedy. In this episode we will explore the theories of mind control and blanks fired from Sirhan's gun advanced by case researcher Lisa Pease. We'll discuss my late friend Paul Schrade's efforts to get the case re-opened, and how he finally convinced #RFKJr that Sirhan could not have acted alone. We will also dive into the dispute between the RFK family members over parole for Sirhan, which was denied for the 17th time in 2023. Sirhan Sirhan is now 79. If he is ever released on parole he will most likely be deported immediately back to Palestine or Jordan because he is not a U.S. citizen. Will he receive a hero's welcome in the Arab world? We can only wonder. Finally, we address concerns over #RFKJr's safety as he now finds himself treading the same dangerous waters that inflamed his father's convicted killer: campaigning for president on an antiwar platform while staunchly supporting Israel's war against #Hamas, attracting death threats from mentally ill stalkers and pro-Palestine fanatics while left unprotected by the U.S. Secret Service. Don't miss this in-depth investigation Thursday, January 4 at 9 P.M. Eastern. Sign the petition asking President Biden to provide #RFKJr with Secret Service protection: http://Security.Kennedy24.com Also watch my report, "The Curious Case of RFK Stalker Adrian Paul Aispuro" here https://youtu.be/iwSrrbiqDKM On Episode 21, we will profile yet another violent individual obsessed with #Kennedy; Jonathan Macht, who was charged last week by the Los Angeles District Attorney with three criminal harassment misdemeanors. Macht wrote over 400 threatening emails to Mr. Kennedy, attempted to break into #RFK's house twice, and has said he will "put a bullet in (Kennedy's) brain." I've been covering Macht's court case in Los Angeles and will have an update for you next week on the "Kennedy Americans" podcast.

55 years ago this month, the trial of Sirhan Sirhan got underway for the murder of 1968 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. #Kennedy. The trial lasted three months. Eventually the jury found him guilty of first degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to commit murder (five counts; one for each of the other people Sirhan shot). The official motive for Sirhan’s murder of #RFK was “anti-#Zionism.” After he was captured by Kennedy’s bodyguards, witnesses in the Ambassador Hotel kitchen heard Sirhan say: “I can explain. I did it for my country. I love my country." On Episode 20 of the "Kennedy Americans" podcast, we took a deep dive into the evidence for both the prosecution and the defense. Was Sirhan a mind-controlled patsy, or a Palestinian terrorist? Whether Sirhan fired the fatal shots that killed #RFK or not -- a topic that is still debated among historians of the case today -- there is no doubt that Sirhan is heralded as a hero in the Palestinian Liberation Movement for assassinating Senator Kennedy (an act Sirhan claims he has no memory of). Shortly after the RFK assassination, Al #Fatah, the Arab Commando organization, distributed thousands of posters with pictures of Sirhan over the words, “I did it for my country!" In September 1970 the Popular Front for the Liberation of #Palestine (PFLP) hijacked three passenger planes and demanded the release of Sirhan Sirhan from prison. After releasing the hostages, the Palestinian hijackers blew up one of the planes on a Cairo runway "in retaliation for the United States' support of #Israel." Three Arabs hijacked a West German jumbo jet in February 1972 on which RFK's eldest son Joseph P. Kennedy (then 19 years old) was a passenger. The plane, on a flight from New Delhi to Athens, landed safely eight hours later at Aden, Southern #Yemen. That specific flight was targeted because the terrorists knew Kennedy would be on board. In 1973, when the Black September group burst into the embassy of Saudi Arabia in Khartoum and took 10 hostages, their demands included the release of Sirhan Sirhan from prison. Sirhan told David Frost in a 1989 interview: "I wanted to show that the Palestinian problem didn't just erupt with the assassination of #Kennedy," a reference to the displacement of Palestinians after the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. "If I had shot Bobby Kennedy in an Arab country, I doubt any Arab court would have convicted me," he said with a smile. By killing RFK Sirhan advanced the cause of the Palestinians, a cause which promoted the return of Arab land from the state of Israel. He told Robert Kaiser in 1969, "They (the Palestinians) want action. They want results. Hey! I produced action for them. I'm a big hero over there." Sirhan Sirhan is now 79. If he is ever released on parole he will most likely be deported immediately back to Palestine or Jordan because he is not a U.S. citizen. Will he receive a hero's welcome in the Arab world? We can only wonder. In this highlight from Episode 24 of "Strange Bedfellows" I discuss with guest Caleb Maupin growing concerns over #RFKJr's safety as he now finds himself treading the same dangerous waters that inflamed his father's convicted killer: campaigning for president on an antiwar platform while staunchly supporting Israel's war against #Hamas, attracting death threats from mentally ill stalkers and political fanatics while left unprotected by the U.S. Secret Service. Watch the premiere tonight at 9 P.M. Eastern. Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer

As part of our ongoing investigative series marking the 55th anniversary of Sirhan Sirhan's 1969 trial for the murder of Senator Robert F. #Kennedy, I've recently conducted a re-review of all available materials and evidence in the case. In Part 1 of the "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy" series, I presented original documents, trial testimony, Sirhan's own words in press interviews and in court for the prosecution, and arguments from conspiracy researcher Lisa Pease (author of the book "A Lie Too Big To Fail") for the defense, as well as #RFKJr, who also advocates for Sirhan's parole. In Part 2 I explained why Sirhan is considered a hero in #Palestine to this day for killing #RFK over the Senator's support for #Israel. As Sirhan himself told reporters: "If I had been tried in an Arab country, no Arab court ever would have convicted me." Sirhan's act of political violence inspired many later acts of #terrorism, aircraft hijackings, bombings, kidnappings, hostage-taking, and murders. His release from prison was demanded on numerous occasions by Palestinian terrorists over the past 50 years. Part 3 contains our 2.5 hour in-depth interview with #JFK/RFK historian and expert James DiEugenio, author of "The Assassinations" (with Lisa Pease) and screenwriter for Oliver Stone's "JFK Revisited" documentary film series. DeEugenio makes a compelling case for conspiracy, and argues that Sirhan could not have fired the shots that killed Kennedy. This week on Maverick News, my co-host Rick Walker asked me why I have recently changed my mind after 25 years of believing Sirhan was innocent to now being convinced of his guilt. Over the course of researching this case for more than 35 years I've revised my views more than once, based upon where the facts and evidence lead. I'll explain my own conclusions in Part 4 tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Don't miss this one! Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer

The trial of Sirhan Sirhan for the murder of Robert F. #Kennedy concluded 55 years ago this week after four months of courtroom drama. The jury found Sirhan guilty of first degree murder for the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and attempted murder of five other innocent bystanders wounded by his barrage of bullets at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The seven men and five women, who deliberated 16 hours and 42 minutes before reaching their verdict, found the young Palestinian was mentally capable of mature premeditation before shooting down the senator on June 5, 1968. As the verdict was announced Sirhan, who had been nervously chewing at his fingers, stared straight ahead and showed no emotion. After a one-day recess, the same jurors heard arguments as to whether Sirhan's fate should be life in prison or a sentence to the gas chamber at San Quentin. The penalty phase lasted only a few days in contrast to the 15-week trial. The prosecution did not seek the death penalty but told the jurors either sentence would be just. The jury's ultimate unanimous verdict was death in the gas chamber for Sirhan. (The sentence was commuted to life in prison a few years later when California abolished the death penalty.) As part of my ongoing investigative series "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" marking the 55th anniversary of Sirhan's trial, I recently spoke to #JFK/#RFK assassination historian James DiEugenio about the evidence in the case, which Jim believes points to a #conspiracy. In this highlight from our interview, we dive into the autopsy and ballistics evidence presented at trial. In Sirhan's defense, DiEugenio argues that it was impossible for Sirhan's bullets to have hit and killed Senator Kennedy. Jim DiEugenio is editor in chief at KennedysAndKing.com, author of numerous books on the assassinations of the 1960s,and wrote the screenplay for Oliver Stone's "JFK Revisited" documentary series. Don't miss this important discussion! Premiers tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer

As part of my ongoing investigative series "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" marking the 55th anniversary of Sirhan's murder trial, I recently spoke to #JFK/#RFK assassination historian James DiEugenio about the evidence in the case, which Jim believes points to a #conspiracy. I disagree with my friend Jim on this case, arguing that the jury reached the correct verdict in April 1969 when they unanimously decided that Sirhan Sirhan was guilty of first degree murder for the killing of Senator Robert F. #Kennedy and the attempted murder of five other innocent bystanders at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968. Sirhan's lead defense attorney Grant Cooper said in his final argument at the trial that he felt #Sirhan should spend the rest of his days in the penitentiary, asserting that "American public opinion will see to it that the assassin is never released." Sirhan's lawyer said the only circumstances in which he could foresee Sirhan's release would be if the United States were to "trade" him for some American in captivity in an Arab state. In this friendly debate between two longtime historians of the case with differing views, Jim DiEugenio brings the case for Sirhan's defense. I argue for the prosecution. We also discussed how the first degree murder verdict was in a bizarre way a victory for Sirhan. The former racetrack exercise boy has denied all along that he was seriously ill mentally and told psychiatrists he wanted to be a hero in the eyes of the Arab world, a martyr for #Palestine. The official motive for Sirhan's killing of RFK was "anti-#Zionism." Sirhan was angered by Kennedy's support for #Israel, and his Senate vote to send military aid to the country. Jim DiEugenio is editor in chief at KennedysAndKing.com, author of numerous books on the assassinations of the 1960s,and wrote the screenplay for Oliver Stone's "JFK Revisited" documentary series. Catch the premiere tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer

56 years ago this week, Senator Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on the campaign trail in Los Angeles, just after winning the California Democratic presidential primary. The latest episode in my ongoing series "Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?" explores the murder trial of Sirhan Sirhan, and evidence possibly pointing to a second gun. In April 1969, a jury found Sirhan guilty of first degree murder for the assassination of RFK, and attempted murder of five other innocent bystanders wounded by his barrage of bullets at the Ambassador Hotel. The seven men and five women, who deliberated 16 hours and 42 minutes before reaching their verdict, found the young Palestinian was mentally capable of mature premeditation before shooting down the senator on June 5, 1968. At trial, Sirhan confessed to the crime, saying "I killed Robert Kennedy with 20 years of malice aforethought," a reference to the suffering of his family during the 1948 Israeli/Arab war. Sirhan explained that he targeted Sen. #Kennedy because of his support for #Zionist #Israel. As the verdict was announced Sirhan, who had been nervously chewing at his fingers, stared straight ahead and showed no emotion. After a one-day recess, the same jurors heard arguments as to whether Sirhan’s fate should be life in prison or a sentence to the gas chamber at San Quentin. The penalty phase lasted only a few days in contrast to the 15-week trial. The prosecution did not seek the death penalty but told the jurors either sentence would be just. The jury’s ultimate unanimous verdict was death in the gas chamber for #Sirhan. (The sentence was commuted to life in prison a few years later when California abolished the death penalty.) As part of my ongoing investigative series “Who Killed Bobby Kennedy?” marking the 55th anniversary of Sirhan’s trial, I recently spoke to #JFK/RFK assassination historian James DiEugenio about the evidence in the case, which Jim believes points to a #conspiracy. In this episode -- "A Second Gun?" --DiEugenio argues that it was impossible for Sirhan’s bullets to have hit and killed Senator Kennedy, and says that RFK's real killer (a security guard named Thane Eugene Cesar) escaped justice. Jim DiEugenio is editor in chief atKennedysAndKing.com, author of numerous books on the assassinations of the 1960s,and wrote the screenplay for Oliver Stone’s “JFK Revisited” documentary series. Catch the premiere tonight at 9 PM Eastern. Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer

56 years ago this month, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down in a kitchen pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. My ongoing investigative series on the RFK assassination continues on Episode 38 of "Strange Bedfellows" with tonight's guest, historian Mel Ayton (author of "Sirhan Sirhan: The Forgotten Terrorist") -- who will tell us what motivated Kennedy's killer. Researchers have spent the past 56 years bogged down in ballistics and bullet trajectories, all the while overlooking the most important aspect of the crime: motive. We are all guilty of focusing too much on the HOW, and not enough on the WHY. So, why did he do it? Sirhan told us why. Many times. Minutes after shooting Sen. Kennedy, Sirhan told arresting officers: "I can explain! I did it for my country! I love my country." After being convicted of Kennedy's murder, Sirhan told his jailer: “It’s not very many people my age who is considered a martyr by his people. Just think, I’ll go down in history as a martyr and will always be remembered, at least by my countrymen.” He told us, over and over again, why he killed Kennedy. He did it for his country; for Palestine. Sirhan envisioned himself as a revolutionary, committing a revolutionary act. And it's true that he did put the Palestinian liberation movement on the front pages of newspapers for the very first time. Assassinating RFK brought attention to the plight of Palestinians -- and that's exactly what Sirhan intended to do. In addition, Sirhan's anti-Zionism was the primary motivating emotion that drove him to target high-profile political leaders for assassination. More than a year before he shot RFK, Sirhan was already naming the pro-Israel politicians he wanted to kill in his notebook, starting at the top: President Lyndon Baines Johnson. (See this thread for more details.) https://twitter.com/RealLoriSpencer/status/1799558104834560147 Sirhan also wanted to murder U.N. Ambassador Arthur Goldberg. (More info on Sirhan';s notebook entries about killing Goldberg below) https://twitter.com/RealLoriSpencer/status/1799561907415711884 Even after he was locked up awaiting trial for killing RFK, Sirhan was wishing death upon Vice President Hubert Humphrey. (See this thread for more) https://twitter.com/RealLoriSpencer/status/1800377657546379541 After his arrest, Sirhan was asked if he felt any shame. "Hell no!" He said. Clearly, Sirhan had no remorse for what he did. He was quite proud of himself. While behind bars, Sirhan constantly asked for newspapers from the Arab world, eager to read what was being written about his "heroic act" by those who -- unlike Americans -- fully understood his motives. Indeed, Sirhan was hailed a hero in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and back home in Palestine. Even the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Haj Amin Al-Husseini instructed his fellow Arabs to give Sirhan all possible aid after his arrest. The Grand Mufti's call was answered by Arab lawyers who came to assist Sirhan, and Arab Americans who held fundraisers for his legal defense fund and provided financial support for the Sirhan family. In 1968, Sirhan's motives were lost on most Americans, who rationalized the assassination of Robert Kennedy as the senseless act of a madman. We, as a nation, did not yet understand the complexities or history of the Middle East conflict. This was before the era of Palestinian skyjackings, hostage-takings, the Munich Olympics massacre, terrorist attacks, and 9/11. In 2003, The Los Angeles Times wrote that Sirhan "fired the first shot in the War on Terror." Indeed, he did. Sirhan's name will be recorded in the history books as the first Palestinian terrorist to strike at the heart of America, on American soil. Tonight on Episode 38 of "Strange Bedfellows" British author and historian Mel Ayton will give us a sneak preview of his upcoming biography of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (his second book about Sirhan). Ayton's previous book "The Forgotten Terrorist: Sirhan Sirhan and the Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy" is recommended reading for anyone seeking to understand Sirhan's Arab nationalism, his antisemitism, his past in Palestine, his deep-rooted hatred of Israel, and his motives for the crime. The 2019 edition features a Foreword by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. Mel Ayton says that Kennedy's son RFK Jr. (currently running for president as an Independent) is wrong about a conspiracy in his father's murder, and tonight he will explain why. Sirhan is as guilty as sin, Ayton argues -- and he makes a very compelling case. Don't miss this interview tonight at 9 PM Eastern on "Strange Bedfellows!" Buy Mel Ayton's book "The Forgotten Terrorist" about Sirhan here: https://www.amazon.com/Forgotten-Terrorist-Sirhan-Assassination-Kennedy/dp/1597970808 Support my independent journalism with a donation or monthly membership at http://StrangeBedfellowsPodcast.com I've endorsed #RFKJr for president in 2024. Join me! http://Kennedy24.com/LoriSpencer