West Long Branch, N.J. (The Verge) – You’d think one world-class conspiracy would be enough for a single family, but now history is re-writting itself as new details have emerged about the Robert Kennedy assassination in 1968.
Kennedy’s brother and President of the United States, John F. Kennedy was killed in Dallas, Texas in 1963. The Zapruder Film has been analyzed for decades, pinpointing each detail of the assassination and trying to determine whether Lee Harvey Oswald worked alone or not. Was there someone on the grassy-knoll? The Magic Bullet theory has turned the current details of the event almost into taboo, but now the circumstances behind John’s brother’s assassination have been turned on its head.
Senator Robert Kennedy was at the Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968 addressing supporters after winning the California Democratic presidential primary. Shortly after his greeting, he was told to cut through the hotel’s kitchen pantry because it was a shortcut. As he made his way through, Palestinian-Jordanian Sirhan Sirhan, who was upset with Kennedy’s support of Israel, opened fire on him, striking him three times. Five other people were also shot during the commotion, but witnesses wrestled the perpetrator to the ground.
Kennedy died the next day at nearby Good Samaritan Hospital. By 1969, Sirhan was on trial and admitted to shooting the presidential candidate with malice. (Later he receded this admission).
But today, a key witness, Nina Rhodes-Hughes is coming out with eye-opening details of the event. She claims that the FBI falsely recorded her account of the event and that really, more than eight shots (the assumed number) were fired. She said anywhere between 12-14 shots were fired in the kitchen, meaning there was another shooter.
Sirhan’s weapon was only capable of firing eight shots, but with Hughes’ story, there had to have been another shooter. Also, medical professionals said that Kennedy was struck from the back, but Hughes noted that Sirhan was in fact in front of the politician. Fishy?
Hughes claimed that the police report indicated that other witnesses heard more than eight shots, but that the FBI profile of the event did not include the testimonies. Also, Hughes was never summoned to testify in court during Sirhan’s trial.
Today, the 78 year old just wants the story out there so people can understand the events of that fateful night. In an exclusive interview with CNN, Hughes said that she came to know Kennedy on a personal level. She was a TV actress who met Kennedy at the NBC studio prior Kennedy’s filming of a “Meet the Press” episode. She then talked politics with the Senator and became a campaign volunteer, charged with escorting Kennedy through the hotel on June 5th.
Once Kennedy went the wrong way through the pantry, Rhodes-Hughes followed him. She was not far behind the man when she heard what was believed to be firecrackers. Seconds later, after hearing about 12-14 shots, she came to and saw Kennedy on the ground profusely bleeding. Also, five others were slouching down, each with bullet wounds. She then frantically ran through the halls yelling “They killed him! They killed him!” (Emphasis on THEY).
It is her belief that the other shooter was to her right, and closely behind Kennedy, while Sirhan, the convicted shooter was camped in front of him.
Although Rhodes-Hughes tried alerting the FBI that there was another shooter, and more shots fired then claimed, the story was never considered. They supposedly twisted the actress’ words to make her claim she only heard eight shots, all from Sirhan.
But intently confident with her story, Hughes told CNN that, “the truth has got to be told. No more cover-ups.”
Sirhan’s legal team used this new information to call for a retrial, or a new hearing. Sentenced to life, Sirhan now claims he is innocent and that he didn’t actually shoot Kennedy.
This new legal team for Sirhan is no longer admitting that Sirhan killed Kennedy, hoping that Hughes’ story will uncover that the other shooter actually shot the popular presidential candidate.
Hughes is not happy with Sirhan’s claims, stating that she still believes Sirhan is guilty of murder.
Overall, this is hard-hitting news for the Kennedy family, who now have to deal with the workings of another conspiracy theory. From the grassy-knoll to the pantry’s mystery man, the Kennedy’s have become the subject of America’s most popular, mysterious conspiracies. One can only hope hard facts can be discovered about the event, to clear the air and finally pinpoint what actually happened to Mr. Kennedy.
My goodness. It ins’t a conspiracy theory if the physical evidence goes against the story. It is a FACT he was shot from the back at close range and it is a FACT Sirhan Sirhan was in front of him. Not hard to grasp this.
Are some people really this afraid to accept how things may not be simple (ie the “lone gunman” theory every time someone is killed) that they will refuse reality? I mean it really isn’t hard- bullets from the back, supposed “crazed gunman” standing in front of him. Guess he had super magic bullets.
I think the hardest thing to grasp is that there would have been 44 years that passed with another shooter just living amongst us, meanwhile he (potentially) killed a KENNEDY, and when that goes unpunished this long, questions linger and conspiracies are brought forth. And yes a conspiracy theory would need to go against the physical evidence…but when what’s in plain sight goes unnoticed or unanswered, minds wonder aimlessly. I would agree with you in that people do need to accept the more complex scenarios, and with “magic bullets and disguised shooters ” out there, we may never get people to believe, unless hard science can prove it
As long as your not Spam, I think that would be alright!