Robert F. Kennedy’s killer, Sirhan Sirhan, wins parole in his 16th attempt

Sirhan Sirhan, the man convicted of assassinating Senator Robert F. Kennedy at a Los Angeles hotel more than 50 years ago, was recommended for release by a California parole board Friday, the first step toward making him a free man.

The 77-year-old killer, an inmate at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, has been imprisoned for 53 years but claims he does not remember killing the senator in 1968.

The decision was made after two of RKF’s children—Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—pushed for their father’s murderer to be released, arguing that he has been fully rehabilitated after spending more than 50 years in jail.

“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” said Kennedy Jr. in a letter submitted to the parole board.

Six of Robert F. Kennedy’s other children condemned the decision to free his assassin after California’s parole board voted to approve the move with support from two of their siblings.

Sirhan Sirhan, 77, who shot and killed the presidential candidate in 1968, was granted parole at his 16th attempt on Friday.

The decision was made after two of RKF’s children—Douglas Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—pushed for their father’s murderer to be released, arguing that he has been fully rehabilitated after spending more than 50 years in jail.

“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” Kennedy Jr. said in a letter submitted during the hearing to the parole board.

“I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another,” said Douglas Kennedy. “And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”

In a statement on Friday night, six of Kennedy’s nine surviving children said they were “devastated” by the decision while urging the Parole Board and California governor Gavin Newsom to reverse the recommendation.

Six of Robert F. Kennedy’s 11 children expressed outrage and vowed “to challenge every step of the way” the California parole board’s vote to release their father’s assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, from prison.

“Given today’s unexpected recommendation by the California parole board after 15 previous decisions to deny release, we feel compelled to make our position clear. We adamantly oppose the parole and release of Sirhan Sirhan and are shocked by a ruling that we believe ignores the standards for parole of a confessed, first-degree murderer in the state of California,” said a statement signed by Joseph P. Kennedy II, Courtney Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy, Christopher G. Kennedy, Maxwell T. Kennedy and Rory Kennedy.

“Our father’s death impacted our family in ways that can never adequately be articulated and today’s decision by a two-member parole board has inflicted enormous additional pain,” the statement said.