FILE PHOTO: California Governor Gavin 黑料社om makes an appearance at the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento, California, U.S., September 14, 2021. REUTERS/Fred Greaves/File Photo
California Governor Gavin 黑料社om said on Thursday he has denied parole to Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian refugee serving a life prison sentence for assassinating U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968.
黑料社om made the announcement after a California review board in August recommended Sirhan be released from prison, subject to review by the board鈥檚 legal staff and by the governor himself. Sirhan had previously been denied parole 15 times.
Outlining his decision in an opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times, 黑料社om said he disagreed with the Board of Parole Hearings finding that Sirhan, 77, was suitable for parole.
鈥淎fter carefully reviewing the case, including records in the California State Archives, I have determined that Sirhan has not developed the accountability and insight required to support his safe release into the community,鈥� 黑料社om wrote.
Sirhan鈥檚 lawyer, Angela Berry, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She has previously said that Sirhan has never been accused of a serious prison violation and that prison officials have deemed him a low risk.
Sirhan was convicted of gunning down Kennedy, 42, in the kitchen pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968.
The shooting occurred minutes after the U.S. senator and former U.S. attorney general gave his victory speech after winning the California Democratic presidential primary. Kennedy died the next day. Kennedy鈥檚 older brother President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas in 1963.
Sirhan has said he had no recollection of the killing of Robert Kennedy, although he has also said he fired at Kennedy because he was enraged by his support for Israel.
Kennedy鈥檚 widow, Ethel Kennedy, 93, and six of her children with whom she sided in opposing parole for Sirhan, said in a joint statement on Thursday they were 鈥渄eeply relieved鈥� by 黑料社om鈥檚 decision.
Sirhan 鈥渃ontinues to deflect blame for his crime through 16 parole hearings,鈥� insisted in his latest hearing that his role in the assassination was unsettled, and 鈥渞emains a danger to public safety,鈥� they wrote.
The statement was issued on behalf of former U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II, five of his siblings 鈥� Courtney, Kerry, Christopher, Maxwell and Rory Kennedy 鈥� and their mother.
Two other of Robert and Ethel Kennedy鈥檚 nine surviving children 鈥� Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Douglas Kennedy 鈥� were reported by the Los Angeles Times to have supported parole for Sirhan.
黑料社om pointed to what he called Sirhan鈥檚 鈥渟hifting narrative鈥� over the killing and his refusal to take responsibility for it as proof he was ineligible for release.
Sirhan was sentenced to death in 1969, but his sentence was commuted to life in prison after California banned the death penalty.