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RFK Assassination Page> The LAPD Investigaton
The Cover-up
In 1968 it was not a federal offence to murder a
presidential candidate. The case, therefore, came under LAPD
juristriction. The investigation was based on the wish of Police Chief
Ed Davis that it would not be "another Dallas." Whether this
meant an intense, professional investigation or a tighter cover-up is
debatable.
As the case was the responsibility of the LAPD, there
was no pressure to release their findings, the "Summary
Report". Researchers into the RFK Assassination finally forced
the Report and the LAPD's files to be released, in 1988. Compare this
to 1964 for the Warren Commission Report (the year after JFK's
assassination) and it becomes obvious why the official version of the
assassination has been unchallenged, despite the obvious
complications.
After the release of the files, it became clear to
what extent the cover-up had been carried out. Evidence which
contradicted the official version was destroyed. The more extreme acts
of destruction included:
-
2,400 photographs burned because they were
"duplicates." In fact, there were no lists precise
enough to show that all the photos destroyed were indeed
duplicates.
-
Ceiling tiles and the door frame from the pantry
destroyed, because, according to then Assistant Chief Daryl Gates,
they wouldn't fit into card files.
In addition, LAPD records showed that they had
recorded 3,470 interviews during the course of the investigation. Only
301 interviews were released. Examination by researchers showed that
for 51 key "conspiracy" witnesses, there were no interviews.
The LAPD were not alone in conducting this cover-up.
The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office was also involved. The
scope of this involvement was seen in the files released to
researchers in 1985, due mainly to the inclusion of a box of tapes,
videos and documents sent from the LADA branch at Van Nuys. This box
contained evidence which went against the official version. The most
graphic examples were the video reconstructions from 1968 and 1977,
which prove that Sirhan could not have inflicted the wounds on Senator
Kennedy. However, by using selected stills from the reconstructions,
the official version was supported.
The coverup of the RFK assassination has been
maintained because the facts are simply not known. Whereas the Warren
Commission report was released the year following the JFK
assassination, LAPD's "Summary Report" was not released
until 1986. The files were released two years later. Both of these
achievements were made despite strong LAPD/LADA resistance, for
obvious reasons.
The RFK assassination was not investigated in by the
House Select Commitee on Assassinations because of the seemingly open
and shut nature of the case. Now that the facts are known, perhaps it
is time that the RFK assassination was investigated. While the JFK
assassination has reached the point where the answer is "Oswald
might have done it or he might not have", there is no possible
way that Sirhan could have inflicted the wounds on Senator Kennedy.
All that is required is the official investigation.
Batrcop.com>
RFK Assassination Page> The LAPD Investigaton