Sirhan, 78, has spent 54 years in prison. In a 3 1/2-minute message played during a news conference held by his lawyer, he said he feels remorse every day for his actions.
“To transform this weight into something positive, I have dedicated my life to self-improvement, the mentoring of others in prison on how to live a peaceful life that revolves around nonviolence," he said. “By doing this, I ensure that no other person is victimized by my actions again and hopefully make an impact on others to follow.”
It was the first time Sirhan’s voice had been heard publicly since a televised parole hearing in 2011, before
Sirhan shot Kennedy moments after the
Sirhan originally was sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life when the
He was denied parole 15 times until last year, when a board recommended his release. But
Sirhan's attorney,
Sirhan's younger brother,
Berry filed a 53-page writ of habeas corpus asking the judge to rule that Newsom violated state law, which holds that inmates should be paroled unless they pose a current unreasonable public safety risk. Recent
She is challenging the governor's reversal as an “abuse of discretion," a denial of Sirhan's constitutional right to due process and as a violation of
Berry said the governor “acted with personal bias, incorporated the wrong law, ignored mitigation evidence, and did not afford Sirhan the same rights as others eligible for parole.”
The governor has cited RFK as his political hero and keeps RFK photos in both his official and home offices, including one of Kennedy with his late father. Berry accused him of politicizing the parole process.
Newsom’s office declined to comment.
Newsom overruled two parole commissioners who had found that Sirhan no longer was a risk. Among other factors, Newsom said the Christian Palestinian who immigrated from
The ruling split the Kennedy family, with RFK’s wife,
“The political passions that motivated this inmate’s act still simmer today, and his refusal to admit the truth makes it impossible to conclude that he has overcome the evil that boiled over 53 years ago,” they wrote when Newsom rejected his parole.
They did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday's court filing.
In his recording, Sirhan noted that one of his wounded victims,
“I’m humbled by their love and empathy as it very rare that an offender’s victims stand with them to support their freedom," Sirhan said in a steady, unemotional voice during the recorded call made earlier this week from the
“He needed help in being able to demonstrate these positive attributes,” Abreu said. “Sirhan has set a benchmark in prison-based rehabilitation” with no disciplinary reports in 49 years, she said. “To have an immaculate record for almost five decades is the exception, not the rule.”
Berry said the court process will take several months at a minimum, and either side could appeal. Sirhan is set for a new parole hearing on
© 2022 The Canadian Press. All rights reserved., source