[4] Reach for Your Gun, Sirhan

As Sirhan Sirhan’s trial approaches, a prosecution psychiatrist named Dr. Seymour Pollack tries to get answers to the question at the heart of the Robert F. Kennedy case: was Sirhan a calculating political assassin? Or does he really not remember committing the crime?

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Episode Extras

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes

A scan of Sirhan's notebook from his session with Drs. Pollack and Diamond. The red writing is a description from Lynn Mangan.

R.F.K. must die

One of the incriminating pages from Sirhan Sirhan's notebook, photostated by the FBI.

The Mastery of Life

A mailer from the Rosicrucians. Sirhan Sirhan applied for membership after reading the book advertised here, "The Mastery of Life."

The Sirhan trial

Munir Sirhan leads his brother Adel and mother Mary into court during Sirhan Sirhan's trial in January, 1969. (AP, David F. Smith)

Behind bars

Sirhan Sirhan reads a newspaper in his jail cell, photo undated. (Courtesy of the California State Archives)

The Sirhan Family

The Sirhan family in former Palestine, long before their emigration to the United States. Sirhan Sirhan is the baby at bottom left. (Courtesy of Lynn Mangan)

Episode Credits

Crimetown is Zac Stuart-Pontier and Marc Smerling.
The RFK Tapes is made in partnership with Cadence 13.

This episode was produced by Jesse Rudoy, with help from Bill Klaber, Ula Kulpa and Ryan Murdock. Our senior producer is Austin Mitchell.
Editing by Marc Smerling. Fact checking by Jennifer Blackman.
This episode was mixed, sound designed, and scored by Kenny Kusiak. Additional music by John Kusiak. Our title track is Maria Tambien by Khruangbin. Our credit track is Dr. Solution by Doran Danoff. Music supervision by Josh Kessler and Dylan Bostick at Heavy Duty Projects.

Archival footage courtesy of NBC News and Pacifica Radio Archives.
Archival research by Brennan Rees. Production assistance by Kevin Shepherd.
Our website is designed by Curt Courtenay.

Thanks to Jean Klaber, Emily Wiedemann, Greencard Pictures, Alessandro Santoro, Paul Schrade, Laurie Dusek, Munir Sirhan, and the team at Cadence 13.

For more information on the Robert Kennedy murder, pick up a copy of Bill’s book, Shadow Play, from St. Martin’s Press. You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @theRFKtapes. If you like the show, leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It really helps others find out about show.

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