◆ SpookStack

Upon entering the lobby of the hotel, Sirhan observed a sign at the entrance to the Rafferty Headquarters which was located in the Venetian Room. Sirhan joined the Rafferty celebration where he testified that he stayed an hour. Sirhan's main purpose was to see Rafferty's daughter, whom he knew from high school, but he never saw her that evening. While at the Rafferty party, he testified he -ordered two Tom Collins drinks. Sirhan testified that he returned to his automobile and "Couldn't picture myself driving my car at the time in the condition that I was in." He feared receiving a traffic citation or having an accident without being covered by insurance, and decided to return to the party to sober up with some coffee. He testified that he did not remember picking up the gun from the car seat before returning to the hotel for coffee, but that he "must have." He states the next thing he remembers was being choked and being brought to a police car with a flashlight shone in his eyes. On cross examination, Sirnan testified that ne could not recall ever having "blacked-out" except when he had the fail from the horse and at the time the present offenses occured. During the course of trial, Sirhan's attorneys Grant Cooper and Emile Zola Berman, were in the process of possibly calling certain girlfriends of Sirhan's namely, Gwendolyn Gum and Peggy Osterkamp (whose names appeared repeatedly in Sirhan's notebooks as possible witnesses for the defense. Sirhan had placed an "xX" mark beside the listed names of witnesses whom he did not wish his attorneys to call, and both girls were in this category. Qut of the presence of the jury, Sirhan screamed to the trial court "I killed Robert Kennedy willfully, premeditateiy, witn 20 years of malice aforethought." Additicnaily, Sirhan stated, "I'm willing to.fight for (the frab cause)...I'm willing to die for it." In front of the jury, on re-direct examination, Sirhan ex- plained the circumstances under which ne had declared tnat he had killed Senator Kennedy with malice aforethougnt. He had stated that at that time, outside the presence of the jury, he had informed the court, "I at this time, Sir, withdraw my originai plea of not guilty and submit the plea of guilty as charged on all counts. I also request that my counsel disassociate themselves frou tnis case completely." Sirhan stated in front of the jury that he was "bolling" at this time. And when the trial court asked him “alright, and what do you want to do about the penalty," Sirhan had responded, again outside the presence of the jury, "I will offer no defense whatsoever...I will ask to be executed, Sir." The trial court had refused to accept the plea and had erdered the trial to roceed ; finding Sirhan incapable of representing himself. Thereafter, Sirhan's mother and Mr. Nakhleh, a PalestiniandArab attorney serving as a defense advisor, had spoken with Sirhan and had given him advice. Sirhan had agreed to proceed with the trial represented by his counsel, once they agreed not to call the two girls as witnesses. And at the time that Sirhan concluded his testimony on these circumstances in front of the jury, Sirhan Stated that he was no longer angry with his attorneys but that he- was "very satisfied" with them. -13- ce eee ee . een tae. :