Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, is requesting a judge free him from prison by reversing a decision by the California governor denying him parole, the Guardian reports.
In 1968, moments after the senator from New York claimed victory in California's pivotal Democratic presidential primary, Sihran shot Kennedy at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.
In January, California Gov. Gavin Newsom overruled two parole commissioners claiming that Sirhan was no longer a risk. Newsom argued Sirhan remains a threat to the public, as he has not taken responsibility for a crime that forever changed American history.
Still, Sirhan's attorney, Angela Berry, maintains there is no evidence that her now 78-year-old client is dangerous.
In a filing known as a writ of habeas corpus, Berry is asking a judge to rule that Newsom violated state law by not acknowledging that Sirhan is no longer a threat to the public and should be allowed parole.
Berry argues that the governor "acted with personal bias, incorporated the wrong law, ignored mitigation evidence and did not afford Sirhan the same rights as others eligible for parole."
In a recorded statement, Sirhan said he was hopeful that the judge would issue an "unbiased and apolitical decision." Sirhan goes on to cite his achievements behind bars, including "self-help programming, a college education, mentoring incarcerated people and facing no disciplinary write-ups for nearly a half-century," the Guardian notes.
"All I want to do is return home to my brother and live out the rest of our days in peace," Sirhan stated. "The remorse I carry for my actions is something I live with each day. To transform this weight into something positive, I have dedicated my life to self-improvement and mentoring others in prison on how to live a peaceful life that revolves around nonviolence."
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