Series Descriptions
96-03-17, Box 1/1-Box 1/30
Series 1
Jail Logs
1968-1969
Physical Description: 30 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(1)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
The jail logs document Sirhan's behavior, meals, visitors, and movements on 24-hour basis, recorded by deputies at least every
fifteen minutes and often more frequently, from June 5, 1968 to May 22, 1969. Log entries include titles of books requested
and received by Sirhan during his imprisonment. The jail logs also record Sirhan's sleeping and eating patterns and exercise
activities.
96-03-17, Box 1/31-Box 3/6
Series 2
Personal Deputies Statements
1968-1969
Physical Description: 54 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(1-4)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date then in reverse chronological order by shift.
Scope and Content Note
Memoranda from individual deputies to Sheriff's Department supervisors describing in detail their conversations with Sirhan,
his behavior, and visitors from June 5, 1968 to May 22, 1969. Deputies also reported his requests for candy bars, cigarettes,
books, and other items. On a number of occasions, Sirhan asked deputies what was being reported about him in the press as
well as about current events. Deputies were instructed to give very brief answers and not to engage Sirhan in conversation.
96-03-17, Box 3/3-Box 3/9
Series 3
Visitor Passes and Interview Request Forms
1968-1969
Physical Description: 3 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(4)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Signature cards recording Sirhan Sirhan's visitors as well as requests from the media to interview him from June 5, 1968 to
May 22, 1969. Visitors include Sirhan's mother, brothers, attorneys, Russell Parsons, Grant Cooper, Emile Z. Berman and investigators
Michael McCowan and Robert Kaiser.
96-03-17, Box 3/10
Series 4
Meal Diaries
1968-1969
Physical Description: 2 volumes
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(4)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Records kept by deputies of the foods served to Sirhan from July 14, 1968 to May 22, 1969.
96-03-17, Box 3/11
Series 5
Requests for Reading Materials
1968-1969
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(4)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Notes and memoranda concerning Sirhan Sirhan's requests for books from the Los Angeles County Public Library from June 1968
to February 1969. Subjects include U.S. history, psychology, and mysticism.
96-03-17, Box 3/12-Box 3/29
Series 6
Subject Files
1968-1971
Physical Description: 15 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(4-5)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Access Information
Specific law enforcement security procedures are restricted under California Government Code Section 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly
Gov. Code section 6254(f)), which exempts from public disclosure records of security procedures of any state or local police
agency.
Records of intelligence information of the Office of the Attorney General, Department of Justice are exempt from public disclosure
under California Government Code Section 7923.600-7923.625 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(f)).
Personnel information is restricted under California Government Code Section 7927.7 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(c)),
which exempts from public disclosure personnel, medical, or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy.
Scope and Content Note
Subject Files date from June 5, 1968 to September 12, 1971 and include expenditures by the Sheriff's Department for emergency
security alterations to the jail and courtroom and personnel overtime cost. The series also includes press releases, newspaper
clippings, memoranda, correspondence, and information concerning the Organizing Committee for Clemency for Sirhan. The files
also include records of other inmates jailed at the same time or people arrested in the vicinity of the jail for various reasons,
reflecting the precautions taken by the Sheriff's Department to insure Sirhan's safety.
Files also contain Sheriff's Department operational plans for Sirhan's security.
96-03-17, Box 3/30
Series 7
Publicity Order
1968
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(5)).
Scope and Content Note
Order issued by Judge Arthur Alarcon on June 8, 1968 prohibiting anyone associated with the case from discussing the case.
Also includes records of service of the publicity order.
96-03-17, Box 3/31-Box 4/15, Box 15
Series 8
Chronological Files
1968-1969
Physical Description: 25 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(5)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Access Information
Personnel information is restricted under California Government Code Section 7927.7 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254(c)),
which exempts from public disclosure personnel, medical, or similar files, the disclosure of which would constitute an unwarranted
invasion of personal privacy.
Scope and Content Note
Chronological Files include a log of events from June 5, 1968 to May 28, 1969 relating to Sirhan's incarceration, press releases,
newspaper clippings, memoranda, correspondence, and reports.
Included with the chronological files is a glass vial that at one time contained a sample of Sirhan Sirhan's blood. The chronological
files also include the safety pins used by Dr. Bernard Diamond to prick Sirhan Sirhan's hand during neurological tests, and
the ballpoint pen Sirhan broke in an incident in the courtroom during the trial.
96-03-17, Box 4/16
Series 9
Letter Logs
1968-1969
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(6)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Record of letters received from the public for Sirhan Sirhan dating from November 25, 1968 to May 28, 1969.
96-03-17, Box 4/17-Box 6/27
Series 10
Letters
1968-1969
Physical Description: 85 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(6-7)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by the date received or by the date the letter was recorded into a letter log.
Scope and Content Note
There are two groups of letters dating from June 5, 1968 to July 1969. The first group consists of photocopies of letters
sent to Sirhan Sirhan. The second group consists of letters sent to Judge Herbert Walker, who presided over the trial.
Subjects include arguments for and against Sirhan Sirhan being given the death penalty. Many letters offer prayers or religious
guidance to Sirhan. Some letters are from individuals seeking Sirhan's autograph. Included is correspondence from the Organizing
Committee for Clemency for Sirhan and the Action Committee on Arab-American Relations. The letters are multi-lingual with
many letters sent from outside the United States.
96-03-17, Box 7/1-Box 7/9 and Box 14/1-Box 14/3
Series 11
Security Files
1968-1969
Physical Description: 7 file folders and 2 notebooks
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(8)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date. Photographs of security and court personnel are arranged alphabetically.
Access Information
Specific law enforcement operational procedures are restricted under California Government Code Section 7923.600-7923.625
(formerly Gov. Code section 6254(f)) which exempts from public disclosure records of security procedures of any state or local
police agency.
Scope and Content Note
Security Files date from October 1968 to January 1969 and include operational plans and procedures for security of the courtroom
during Sirhan Sirhan's trial, courtroom floor plans, security passes, security post orders, and Hall of Justice and court
personnel photographs and assignments. Also included is information concerning courtroom security procedures used by Alameda
County during the 1968 trial of Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton. Also included is information concerning press access
to the courtroom during the trial of James Earl Ray for the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Security files also include five x-rays taken of Sirhan Sirhan's shoes and signs listing jail rules.
96-03-17, Box 7/10-Box 8/3
Series 12
Courtroom Admittance Rosters
1969
Physical Description: 18 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(8)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Access Information
Consistent with the California Public Records Act, Government Code sections 7920-7931 (formerly Gov. Code section 6254), selected
pages of the Courtroom Admittance Rosters have been restricted since they contain personal information concerning individuals
including social security numbers, credit card numbers, and drivers' license numbers.
Scope and Content Note
Rosters of individuals admitted into the courtroom from January 7 to April 23, 1969 during Sirhan Sirhan's trial. Lists include
members of the public, the media, investigators, attorneys, and Sirhan family.
96-03-17, Box 8/4-Box 8/10
Series 13
Correspondence and Memorandums
1968-1969
Physical Description: 7 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(8-9)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Memorandums to and from the Sheriff's Department and inter-office memorandums dating from June 5, 1968 to February 13, 1969.
Includes a copy of a handwritten letter from Robert Kennedy's brother, Edward M. Kennedy, to Los Angeles District Attorney
Evelle Younger asking that Sirhan Sirhan not be given the death penalty.
96-03-17, Box 8/11-Box 9/3
Series 14
Newspaper Clippings
1968-1969
Physical Description: 23 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(9)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date received by the Sheriff's Department.
Scope and Content Note
Newspaper articles dating from April 22, 1968 to July 9, 1969 sent to the Sheriff's Department by news clipping services concerning
the shooting, Sirhan's arrest, incarceration, and trial.
96-03-17, Box 9/4-Box 9/11
Series 15
News Releases
1968-1969
Physical Description: 17 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(9)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date of issue and numerically by summary number.
Scope and Content Note
Weekly summaries were issued by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office concerning the progress of the case against Sirhan
Sirhan and other matters relating to the assassination investigation. A total of fifty-two summaries were issued from June
12, 1968 to April 9, 1969.
96-03-17, Box 9/12
Series 16
Press Inquiries Log
1968
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(9)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Log of requests from the press dating from June 10-21, 1968 for information concerning Sirhan Sirhan, security measures to
protect him, and threats against him.
96-03-17, Box 10/1-Box 10/25
Series 17
Photographs
1968-1969
Physical Description: 25 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
A microfilmed copy of this series is available (MF11:1(10)). However, photocopies of the photographs have been produced for
researcher access.
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date and includes photographs removed from other series.
Access Information
Specific law enforcement operational procedures are restricted under California Government Code Section 7923.600-7923.625
(formerly Gov. Code section 6254(f)) which exempts from public disclosure records of security procedures of any state or local
police agency.
Scope and Content Note
Photographs date from June 14, 1968 to April 23, 1969 and include Central Jail chapel where Sirhan Sirhan was arraigned, Sirhan's
cell area at the Los Angeles Hall of Justice, and photographs of the courtroom. Other photos show Sirhan consulting with his
attorneys and being escorted to and from the courtroom. Also included are photographs from a press conference with Kathy Fulmer,
one of the women investigated and cleared, as "the woman in the polka-dot dress." Diagrams showing the location of security
personnel in the courtroom are restricted.
Note
There is a considerable amount of duplication in this series.
96-03-17, Box 11/1-Box 13/13
Series 18
Trial Transcripts
1968-1969
Physical Description: 90 file folders
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(11-14)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department was provided with copies of the Reporters' Daily Transcripts from the Los Angeles
Superior Court trial of Sirhan Sirhan,
People v. Sirhan Sirhan, A233421. The transcripts begin with volume number 10 and date from January 15 to April 21, 1969.
96-03-17, Box 15
Series 19
Publications
1968-1969
Physical Description: 1 file folder
Alternative Form of Materials Available
Researchers are required to access this series on microfilm (MF11:1(10)).
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically by date.
Scope and Content Note
Publications date from June 21, 1968 to January 17, 1969 and include issues of
Life Magazine containing stories relating to Sirhan Sirhan, another magazine concerning Robert Kennedy, and several newspaper clippings.