RFK shooting victim Sirhan parole hearing and possible 2nd gunman

Coalinga - Former ABC Newsman Bill Weisel who was shot covering the Robert F. Kennedy political event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles in 1968 appeared at the parole board hearing for Sirhan B. Sirhan convicted assassin now serving a life sentence.

The MuseumOfBroadcastCommunications reports: “Robert F. Kennedy Assassination” Sirhan was convicted of killing Kennedy and wounding five other people as well. Sirhan now 66 claims he does not remember the shooting and after 43 years in prison was again denied parole by the board. Mike Prizmich the Commissioner of the California Board of parole hearings informed Sirhan that his parole request had been denied. Sighting reasons ranging from not seeking enough self help programs to blaming others for his problems and immaturity in his actions. Sirhan for his part constantly interrupted and was chided by Prizmich for a lack of control. None of the Kennedy family attended the parole hearing. Bill Weisel who was covering the event in 1968 and was shot while being an innocent bystander is believed to be the only one of the remaining wounded to attend a Sirhan parole hearing. Weisel who was hit by a stray bullet to the abdomen submitted a favorable report to the parole board regarding parole for Sirhan. The FrumForum reports” Now 73, Weisel, of Healdsburg, California, was an ABC News associate director at the time of the shooting. “I’m advised that two reputable psychologists, one representing the state of California and the other from Harvard University, have concluded, after examining him — Sirhan Sirhan — that if he is granted parole, he would not be a threat to himself and others, and the community at large. If this is a fact and the board is inclined to grant him parole after him being in prison for nearly 43 years, I would not be opposed to the decision,” Weisel said in a telephone interview with CNN.” Video footage of later comments by Weisel indicates that his feelings regarding the possibility of a second gunman should be taken into account. Weisel who saw Sirhan face to face for the first time indicated that even when he was shot he did not actually see Sirhan but realized he was shot by the stray bullet.