Inventory of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Records

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.

Series Descriptions