Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy, was granted parole on Friday after two of the sons of the former US Senator spoke in favour of the 77-year-old prisoner’s release and prosecutors declined to argue he should be kept behind bars.

The decision was a major victory for Sirhan, though it does not assure his release.

The New York senator and brother of President John F. Kennedy was a Democratic presidential candidate when he was fatally shot on June 6, 1968, at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary.

Following this, Sirhan was taken into custody and convicted of first-degree murder. 

Born in Jerusalem, Sirhan Bishara Sirhan, who is a Christian Palestinian from Jordan, moved to the United States and eventually settled in Pasadena, California in the 1950s. There he attended Pasadena City College and later held odd jobs, notably working at a horse stable and later at a health food store.

During this period, Sirhan became increasingly public in his criticism of Israel, particularly following the Six-Day War (June 1967), in which Israel gained control of a number of regions, notably the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Jerusalem’s Old City. Sirhan began aiming his rage towards Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who supported Israel during his 1968 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

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Kennedy won the California primary on June 4 and delivered a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles soon after midnight. As he left through a service pantry, Kennedy was fatally shot; he died on June 6. In addition, five bystanders were wounded. Sirhan was apprehended at the scene—tackled by George Plimpton, Rosey Grier, and others—and he reportedly said, “I did it for my country.” The attack took place on the one-year anniversary of the start of the Six-Day War.

However, later Sirhan claimed he was unable to remember the shooting, saying that he was intoxicated at the time. But he acknowledged that he was angry at RFK for his support of Israel.

On April 17, 1969, Sirhan was convicted of Kennedy’s murder, and several days later he was given the death sentence. When California abolished capital punishment in 1972, Sirhan’s sentence was commuted to life.  

After serving 53 years for the murder, the 77-year-old told members of the California Parole Board that he had learned to control his anger and was committed to living peacefully.

Sirhan got the support of RFK’s sons. Douglas Kennedy, who was a toddler when his father was killed, said he was moved to tears by Sirhan’s remorse and he should be released if he’s not a threat to others.

“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face. I think I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love,” he said, AP reported.