◆ SpookStack

he — Thane Eugene Cesar, Don Schulman, Ted Charach One of the most persistent stories that emerged in 1971, and has been in vogue for several years, was that a witness, never called to testify at trial, had stated minutes after the pantry shooting that he had seen a security guard fire a gun at the time Senator Kennedy was shot. Moreover, this statement by Donald Schulman (KNXT-TV Newsrunner on duty at the Ambassador June 4, 1968) had been taped by a news service, published in several news- papers, and by 1971, was incorporated in a film, "The Second Gun - Who Killed Robert Kennedy", made by investigative reporter Ted @harach. ihe echoing accusation was made that the security guard, Thane Eugene Cesar, (Ace Guard Service employee hired along with seven other guards by the Ambassador Hotel for security the evening of June 4) had shot his weapon, and that bullets from Cesar's gun, and not Sirhan's, had actually struck and killed Kennedy. The discovery of the mismarked bullet evidence by Wolfer (the fact that bullets from the Sirhan weapon had not been legally con- nected to the weapon at trial), and the fact that the bullet that actually killed Kennedy, People's 48, was so damaged and fragmented that it was impossible to ever scientifically link the murder bullet to any weapon, all added fuel to the growing controversy. During the past eight years, Schulman has been interviewed by the press and by representatives from various law enforcement agencies, concerning contradictory statements he made during the minutes following the shooting of Senator Kennedy. There is some confusion as to Schulman's exact physical lscation, in or out of the pantry, at the time Sirhan started firing. In an interview with Special Counsel Kranz in October 1975, Schulman recalled that he had. been behind Kennedy at the time of the shooting. Within minutes after Schulman was able to leave the Pantry, he was approached by his friend, Continental News Service reporter Jeff Brent. Shoving a tape recorder at Schulman, Brant asked Schulman what had happened. Schulman responded: "I was standing behind Kennedy as he was taking his assigned route into the kitchen. A caucasian gentleman stepped out arid fired. Robert Kennedy was hit all three times. Mr. Kennedy sunk to the floor and the security guard fired back." Minutes later, Schulman. was interviewed by KNXT-TV Newswoman Ruth Ashton Taylor, (the interview was broadcast later on KNXT's coverage of the Ambassador Hotel events, Jerry Dunphy anchorman). RUTH ASHTON TAYLOR: “Our messenger, Don Schulman, was in the Embassy Room wnen tne accident ~- the tragedy took place. "And Don, I think you were quite close to Senator Kennedy. What did you see?" BON SCHULMAN: "Well, I was standing behind him, directly behind him. i saw a man pull out a gun. It looked like he pulled it out from his pocket and shot three times. I saw all three shots ‘hit the Senator. Then I saw the Senator fall and he was picked up and carried away. . -3-