Community Chat

[gertrudecloset]

---

@stevieb wrote:

@gertrudecloset  We'll agree to disagree, but there are vast differences between the two cases, the two individuals and the extent of their crimes, legally and psychologically speaking.

---

That works just fine for me, because I clearly don't see things the way you do @stevieb .

[Drythe]

---

@stevieb wrote:

For those hung up on on his sentence and what it should or shouldn't mean, Sirhan was first sentenced to death but his sentence was commuted in 1972 to life WITH the possibiity of parole. As for the two Kennedy's suggesting he be paroled, there was, indeed, some evidence that Sirhan's gun was not the actual murder weapon. Let him out, don't let him out, whatever, but facts should probably trump emotion.

---

@stevieb 

Thanks for repeating.  Many don’t seem to have a grasp on this fact.  He was given the possibility of parole.

The fact that many remember it, were horrified by it, saw it on TV, that it was a sad time in our history, that it ‘changed the trajectory of our politics,’ really doesn’t play into a parole decision.  It rather highlights that this is NOT so much about WHAT, but rather to WHOM and WHEN.

Justice shouldn’t be weighed by how many times it was watched on TV..

[Goodie2shoes]

I agree that he should spend the rest of his life in prison. I don't really see him being welcomed back into society

[lulu1]

Did they ever establish a clear motive for this killing?

I remember standing along the railroad tracks, watching the train carrying RFK's body, family and friends from NYC to Arlington.  I was sobbing uncontrollably.

[stevieb]

---

@lulu1 wrote:

Did they ever establish a clear motive for this killing?

I remember standing along the railroad tracks, watching the train carrying RFK's body, family and friends from NYC to Arlington.  I was sobbing uncontrollably.

---

As for motive, (per Wickipedia) Sirhan was quoted in an interview as saying:

"My only connection with Robert Kennedy was his sole support of Israel and his deliberate attempt to send those 50 [fighter jet] bombers to Israel to obviously do harm to the Palestinians."

[stevieb]

---

@Drythe wrote:

---

@stevieb wrote:

For those hung up on on his sentence and what it should or shouldn't mean, Sirhan was first sentenced to death but his sentence was commuted in 1972 to life WITH the possibility of parole. As for the two Kennedy's suggesting he be paroled, there was, indeed, some evidence that Sirhan's gun was not the actual murder weapon. Let him out, don't let him out, whatever, but facts should probably trump emotion.

---

@stevieb 

Thanks for repeating.  Many don’t seem to have a grasp on this fact.

The fact that many remember it, were horrified by it, saw it on TV, that it was a sad time in our history, that it ‘changed the trajectory of our politics,’ really doesn’t play into the decision.  It rather highlights that it is NOT so much about WHAT, but rather WHO and WHEN.

Justice shouldn’t be weighed by how many times it was watched onTV.

---

@Drythe  Agree. It's sometimes cause for concern how many folks seem to be ruled by pure emotion that overwhelms cognitive processes and/or by strict adherence to information that might not be correct and consequent ill-formed opinions. Sort of makes you breathe a sigh of relief that more of them aren't in decision making positions.

[hyacinth003]

My take on ANY convicted murderer is that they never be released from jail.  They took someone's LIFE - which is all we've got.  And caused untold grief to all who cared for the victim.

I feel the only real punishment is to take the murderer's "life," ie, his freedom to live a normal life.  It's all we have (other than death penalty), and it still doesn't give the victim's life back.

I read the Governor COULD say no to the parole.

Hyacinth

[Venezia]

@Cakers3 - There were enough people who saw Sirhan shoot RFK and others, including his bodyguard William Barry, writer George Plimpton and former NFL player Rosey Grier.  They were the ones who tackled and disarmed him.

The gun was identified as the murder weapon and verified as having been purchased by Sirhan.  The ballistic report matched the bullets to the gun.

And a read of his diary entries about needing to "eliminate" RFK sums it up.

They got the right killer.  As for RFK Jr and his "fantasy" that another shooter was involved - well, his views on some things make for interesting reading.  He's definitely not his father's son and that's all I'm going to say.

I'm hoping the Governor overturns the decision of the two-member California Parole Board.  There is no way in this lifetime that I would trust Sirhan to not commit another atrocity. 

The parole board duo cited his age as a factor in their decision; because of "his age" they think he wouldn't be a threat to society.  Well, in my own state a judge released a man who had violently killed his first wife and then, years later, violently wounded another.

The judge said the man would "age out" of his violent tendencies.  Guess what?  Judge was wrong and the man a few years later killed a woman on the street in front of her young sons.  (I hope that judge can sleep at night.)  Age should not be a factor ever.

[agb80]

I remember Rosey Grier tackled him.  The ballistic report stated that the bullet came from his gun. 

[Cakers3]

---

@Venezia wrote:

@Cakers3 - There were enough people who saw Sirhan shoot RFK and others, including his bodyguard William Barry, writer George Plimpton and former NFL player Rosey Grier.  They were the ones who tackled and disarmed him.

The gun was identified as the murder weapon and verified as having been purchased by Sirhan.  The ballistic report matched the bullets to the gun.

And a read of his diary entries about needing to "eliminate" RFK sums it up.

They got the right killer.  As for RFK Jr and his "fantasy" that another shooter was involved - well, his views on some things make for interesting reading.  He's definitely not his father's son and that's all I'm going to say.

I'm hoping the Governor overturns the decision of the two-member California Parole Board.  There is no way in this lifetime that I would trust Sirhan to not commit another atrocity. 

The parole board duo cited his age as a factor in their decision; because of "his age" they think he wouldn't be a threat to society.  Well, in my own state a judge released a man who had violently killed his first wife and then, years later, violently wounded another.

The judge said the man would "age out" of his violent tendencies.  Guess what?  Judge was wrong and the man a few years later killed a woman on the street in front of her young sons.  (I hope that judge can sleep at night.)  Age should not be a factor ever.

---

@Venezia   Yes, I am quite aware of Sirhan being tackled, etc. 

I  was not the poster who said the gun ownership was in question.

I was responding to the point that the shooting itself was not captured on film.  That is the issue his two children have-that they themselves do not see the actual shooting.  We only see footage when RFK was on the floor.

RFK Jr. and Paul Schrade (sp), who was one of the victims in that shooting, were seeking a reinvestigation.  Interesting that one of Sirhan's victims also theorizes about a second shooter.

I am not in the position to question the reinvestigation nor subscribe to the second shooter theory.

I merely responded to the fact that there is no footage showing Sirhan pointing that gun and firing.  Again, this is the point his 2 children were making for a reinvestigation, not me.

I don't know why we are getting into the age factor-another issue I did not mention.  Nor are other cases germaine to the topic.