◆ SpookStack

(, Pollock stated\wis conclusion in this matrfer. Pollock felt that if Sirhan had really had a paranoid obsession, Sirhan would have been much more personally invelved with Senator Kennedy in that Kennedy would have been perceived by Sirhan as an individual who had wronged him personally. Pollock felt that Sirhan at no time showed such ideas of reference, ideas of influence, mis- interpretation of reality, or illogical or bizarre thinking which would have been present had he been obsessively developing his paranoid thinking with regard to Kennedy. . Additionally, Pollock stated that although Sirhan believed that the United States was unfair to the poor and minority groups and that he felt that laws in this country were unjust, and that the country favored the rich over the poor, Sirhan did not feel that he was personally surrounded by hostile Americans. Defense psychiatrists had attempted to show, through state- ments by Sirhan, that Sirhan actually loved Bobby Kennedy, both before and after he had killed him, and this reflected a mentally deficient state of mind. However, Pollock, in rebuttal, stated “that this particular swing in emotional attachment reflected a wide are of strong love and strong hatred that was possibly present in Sirhan. Furthermore, Pollock felt Sirhan would not be aware of his logical inconsistency in his statement "I love the guy. But [I hate him enough to kill him." Sirhan also stated in interviews with Pollock, "I killed Kennedy so I am responsible, but I shouldn't be held legally responsible because Kennedy himself is a murderer to be." Pollock concluded that Sirhants identification with the Palestinean-Arab cause was logical and rational. Pollock felt that Sirhan's interest in reading the B'nai B'rith Messenger Newspaper and his interest in attending Jewish meetings and parades (a news- paper clipping in Sirhan's pocket the night of his arrest announced a march to support Israel) demonstrated, to Pollock, a somewhat peculiar extension of his concern about the Arab-Jewish problem, and could be interpreted as a tendency toward seeking out current events that would support his attitude and justify his point of view. The prosecution offered several uncontroverted facts sup- porting the proposition that Sirhan acted with premeditation and malice aforethought, and thus was guilty of first degree murder. Several of these statements and actions by Sirhan in the days pre- ceding the assassination reflected a premeditated state of mind. Included in these actions were the fact that Sirhan had spent June ist at a rifle range practicing target practice. On June 2nd, Sunaay, he had been seen at the Robert Kennedy rally at the Ambas- sador Hotel, and in the kitchen area following Kennedy's speech. Sirhan spent several hours on the rifle range, with alternating Slow and rapid fire practice, on the day of the assassination, June 4th. Sirhan parked his car several blecks away from the hotel and left his identification in the glove compartment on the evening of the shooting. Sirhan had articles concerning Kennedy's promise to give phantom jets to Israel in his pocket. Sirhan carried his. = nko tha hidde gun to the Ambassador and into the kitchen area with the gun hidden in his belt. Several times Sirhan asked witnesses of the where- abouts of Kennedy, which route Kennedy would be taking, and inquired about: hotel security. Sirhnan's statements immediately following the shooting such as "I can explain," "I did it for my country," and his refusal to identify himself or make any state- ments after telling police officers "you think I'm-crazy to tell you anything!" o_h I