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Robert F Kennedy assassin granted parole after 53 years

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  • 28-08-2021 12:03am
    #1
    dark crystal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,962 ✭✭✭✭


    Just reading that Sirhan Sirhan, the man who shot and killed RFK in 1968 is on his way to being parolled.

    https://news.sky.com/story/robert-f-kennedys-killer-sirhan-sirhan-granted-parole-after-two-of-rfks-sons-say-they-support-his-release-12392706

    In two minds about this; not sure how much good it would do keeping him locked up until he dies (he's 77 now), but another part of me thinks he should serve life for taking a life. Kennedy's death almost certainly changed the political landscape of America for decades to come, however his own children support his freedom, so I suppose one can't argue much with that.

    I do wonder how different the US would be today had Kennedy won the Presidency though, would the Vietnam war have ended earlier? Would he have beaten Nixon? Thanks to Sirhan, we'll never know!



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    #2
    Larbre34
    Registered Users Posts: 23,796 ✭✭✭✭Larbre34


    Never a Jack Ruby around when you need one.



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    #3
    Real Donald Trump
    Registered Users Posts: 1,362 ✭✭✭Real Donald Trump


    Seems like a sweet old man, he's served his time, let him enjoy the short few years he has left.



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    #4
    trashcan
    Registered Users Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭trashcan


    I saw a documentary years ago which suggested there was a bit of a “Manchurian Candidate” vibe to the RFK assassination. The fact that Sirhan claims not to remember the shooting is strange, if he’s telling the truth. Does seem a bit coincidental that both Kennedy’s were allegedly taken out by lone nut assassins.



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    #5
    Hangdogroad
    Registered Users Posts: 4,883 ✭✭✭Hangdogroad


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117813867#Comment_117813867

    His claim that he can't remember smells of bullshit. He's just another sociopath loser like Mark Chapman who wanted to be famous.



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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    One of the Kennedy sons supports his release so that's enough for me tbh.



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    #7
    Anne_Widdecombe
    Registered Users Posts: 188 ✭✭Anne_Widdecombe


    Absolute disgrace that Robert Kennedy's children are supporting the parole of the man that killed their father.



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    #8
    dark crystal
    Registered Users Posts: 10,962 ✭✭✭✭dark crystal


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117816582#Comment_117816582

    In fairness, only two of them are. The other six are very much against it and have written to the California parole board stating such:

    https://variety.com/2021/politics/news/robert-f-kennedy-children-assassin-parole-1235051114/




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    #9
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,804 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    It’s a bit odd, a few years back Paul Schrade who was also shot in the attack claims or is adamant that Sirhan wasn’t the gunman.

    he has led a long held belief that the state of Israel could have been responsible... for both RFK and JFK murders.



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    #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I would never ever support the release of someone who murdered a member of my family.



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    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,192 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    53 years is some stint in jail all the same......if he is unlikely to ever reoffend,what purpose deos it pose keeping him locked up?


    keeping this lad, who is already beyond average life expectancy for males in the US,in jail,passes beyond justicefor victim into retribution terriotory imo and that only serves to further interests of the loudest/most vocal & not whats best for society



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    #12
    ForestFire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,237 ✭✭✭ForestFire


    In Ireland he'd be out in what? 10 to 14 years?


    53 years seems long enough to take from him, leaving him a few years at 77 now. As long as they have deemed he is no longer a risk, of course.



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    #13
    Esel
    Registered Users Posts: 22,002 ✭✭✭✭Esel


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117816859#Comment_117816859

    John Shaw still locked up here afaik (44 years).

    https://extra.ie/2017/08/01/news/irish-news/depraved-double-killer-john-shaw-sues-state

    Not your ornery onager



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    #14
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    He wasn't a mass murderer nor did he kill children. He's served an adequate amount of time to pay for what he did. Let him out under parole and limited freedom.



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    #15
    Faugheen
    Site Banned Posts: 12,341 ✭✭✭✭Faugheen


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117816859#Comment_117816859

    More stupid bollocks about the Irish justice system designed to whip people into a frenzy



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    #16
    Manach
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 9,663 Mod ✭✭✭✭Manach


    Historically, reading from reports at the time there was a deep sense of shock at all societal levels. The assassination contributed to much of the chaos and social upheaval that America experienced. While it is vanishing small that Kennedy's murderer will re-offend, the harm that was done from the lost opportunities and hope still reverberates in society.



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    #17
    osarusan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,545 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    I don't think who was murdered (famous politician, musician, whoever) should come into the equation.

    If, applying their own regulations and evaluations, he is eligible for parole and he is deemed no longer a risk, then so be it.



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    #18
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,129 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    I don't think people should be talking as if this is a done deal. It still has to be approved by the full parole board and the governor of california has the power to overrule any decision to release. The man should be left to rot.



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    #19
    Nermal
    Registered Users Posts: 2,614 ✭✭✭Nermal


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117816798#Comment_117816798

    What purpose does it serve to keep him locked up?

    Justice.



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    #20
    Melanchthon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Melanchthon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117822925#Comment_117822925


    I don't really see why he should be left in jail, he's an old man now that killed one person and has spent 50 years in jail, if they release him they could lock up for a proper sentence someone much more likely to re-offend. Those young girls that killed the Uber driver in Washington DC while robbing his car won't ever see the inside of a jail cell for example.

    Or is it only because of who he killed that it matters?



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    #21
    o1s1n
    Registered Users Posts: 34,410 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Imagine being a 77 year old man knowing you're still stuck in prison for something you did when you were 24. You'd be raging at your younger self.

    53 years in prison, over twice his age when he committed the crime.



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    #22
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,129 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824115#Comment_117824115

    nothing to do with who he killed. he committed a premeditated murder. If it was my father I wouldn't want the murderer to see the light of day again. Life should mean life.



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    #23
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,295 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    one question i'd have would be how would he be expected to cope with life outside prison, after over 50 years?

    i've seen 'the shawshank redemption' so know all about the issues.



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    #24
    AbusesToilets
    Registered Users Posts: 9,957 ✭✭✭AbusesToilets


    Isn't there fairly credible forensic evidence that the shot that killed Kennedy was from behind? It has always struck me as very odd case.



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    #25
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    Mixed feelings. Do not believe in capital punishment in any case. He was serving life after court ruling reduced sentence from death. Social status of victim should not be a factor. Mitigating factors in the commission of the crime may apply in some cases, but I do not see any here. Consequently, l would not be in favor of his release on parole.



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    #26
    Melanchthon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,118 ✭✭✭Melanchthon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824165#Comment_117824165

    There is limited space in the prison system even in the USA, and I gave the example of those girls that killed the Uber driver? His death doesn't matter a day in jail? I know much younger but sure I could find other examples of short US sentences since they seem to have gone much softer the last year or two.



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    #27
    osarusan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,545 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    I have no problem with the 'Life should mean life' argument, but in this particular jurisdiction it doesn't always mean that - there are conditions under which a person can be released.

    If his legal team can convince the relevant people that he meets those conditions, then I don't have an issue with it tbh.



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    #28
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,223 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824415#Comment_117824415

    Depends upon the state.



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    #29
    ForestFire
    Registered Users Posts: 2,237 ✭✭✭ForestFire


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117818548#Comment_117818548

    I asked a question, which if you know the answer, you could have simple said so with the accusations?


    So I looked into a bit more and found this published in the Irish media below, about life sentences (my not all be for murder per say, but must be something almost as bad)


    Yes it's more than 14 years in my question, but no where near 53 years and has been as low as 11 years for life sentences in the past.


    So not sure where your getting , stupid, and trying to whip up anything by having a discussion and some questions?


    "The average jail time served by prisoners sentenced to life who were released from custody in 2019 was 20 years, up from around 18 years in 2018 and 2017, new figures show.

    The shortest amount of time a ‘lifer’ released last year served was 14 years and the longest was 28 years, according to the Parole Board.

    Its annual report for 2019 shows that the jail time released ‘lifers’ have served has fluctuated over the last two decades, from a low of 11 years in 2002 and a high of 22 years in 2012 and 2016"



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    #30
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,129 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824415#Comment_117824415

    So because somebody else didn't get the jail time they deserved Sirhan Sirhan should be released? What sort of stupid thing is that to say?



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    #31
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,129 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117824486#Comment_117824486

    28 years is not the longest served by a lifer in Ireland. John shaw is still locked up after 45 years and will never be released. The only way he is leaving prison is in a wooden box.



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