The Killing of Robert F. Kennedy: An Investigation of Motive, Means, and Opportunity

by Dan E. Moldea

A behind-the-scenes look at Robert Kennedy's assassination draws on unofficial evidence that suggests that Sirhan Sirhan did not act alone and presents a heavily researched interpretation of what actually happened.

Genres: History, True Crime, Politics, Nonfiction, Crime

342 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1995

About the author

Dan E. Moldea, a specialist on organized-crime investigations since 1974, bestselling author, and independent journalist, has published eight nonfiction books: The Hoffa Wars: Teamsters, Rebels, Politicians and the Mob (1978); The Hunting of Cain: A True Story of Money, Greed and Fratricide (1983); Dark Victory: Ronald Reagan, MCA, and the Mob (1986); Interference: How Organized Crime Influences Professional Football (1989); The Killing of Robert F. Kennedy: An Investigation of Motive, Means, and Opportunity (1995); Evidence Dismissed: The Inside Story of the Police Investigation of O.J. Simpson (with Tom Lange and Philip Vannatter, 1997); A Washington Tragedy: How the Death of Vincent Foster Ignited a Political Firestorm (1998); and Confessions of a Guerrilla Writer: Adventures in the Jungles of Crime, Politics, and Journalism (2013). He is currently at work on his ninth true-crime book.

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Moldea's book reads like a Perry Mason novel, with all the twists and turns that any bloodhound mind following this case will take. His investigations sift the mysteries and the rush to judgement, with interviews and interesting evidence. Like any good detective novel it ends with a twist. However, like any good detective novel, much of Moldea's text is fiction. His investigation of motive, means and opportunity results in a guilty verdict upon Sirhan Bishara Sirhan as another lone nut.
I would recommend the work of Turner and Christian or Philip Melanson to get closer to the truth.

[Rob Sedgwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was written in the 1990s before the Pruszyński recording was discovered. It's something of a "Road to Damascus" book as the author begins the book essentially intending it to peddle a conspiracy theory, pointing the finger at security guard Eugene Cesar as the real assassin. After immersing himself in the subject and speaking to everyone still alive connected with the case and crime scene, Moldea probably knew more about the case than anyone ever. In an epiphany, he realises that the evidence is that Sirhan Sirhan was the assassin after all. Only in the final two chapters does the author reveal, Sherlock Holmes-like, what actually happened. And it makes total sense!

The RFK assassination is a textbook example for applying Occam’s Razor. A man fires eight bullets at point-blank range at the Senator and is immediately tackled by bystanders trying to stop him. With around 70 people present in the room, there's no need to invoke additional gunmen. The simplest explanation remains the most plausible. Sadly, those with a need to find conspiracies where there are none will likely disagree.

[Elliot Ratzman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not care about the Kennedy conspiracy theories, but students asked me about RFK’s assassin and thought I’d do some reading up on his motives. Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was a short Palestinian-American (though not a citizen), Eastern Orthodox Christian who flirted with Theosophy and other occult matters. He seems to have been just a disturbed loner/loser who, perhaps drunk, and seeking to make a name for himself, killed RFK, wounding a few other people. The football player Rosey Grier held him down while the police came. Most relevant, he had a newspaper clipping in his pocket about RFK’s support for Israel, and shot him on the year anniversary of the Six Day War. He later insisted that he shot RFK “for my country” and RFK’s support for selling jets to the Israelis. Conspircists posit a second gunman, a Palestinian plot, a sleeper agent, etc. but the bulk of this book—which addresses the forensics of the case—shows that all the discrepancies resulted from shoddy policework by the LAPD.

[Steve Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The definitive investigative book on the assassination of RFK. After reading this book if you don't believe in conspiracy then you never will. Highly recommend. Very disturbing evidence that Sirhan Sirhan did not kill Bobby.

[Ben M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitive and unequivocal in it's conclusion. Durham did it and he did it alone. If you have any doubts, read this edition which has some very cool updates and additions that I found extremely intere
sting and insightful.

[Sarah O]

Stopped Temporarily.

[Nicholas E. Roberson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I'd give it a 3.75 stars to a maximum rating of 4.21 stars. I found the set up of this novel to be very intriguing. But as a conspiracy theorist, this book sticks to the original narrative of R.F.K.'s death. I'm not saying Mr. Moldea didn't write truthful information. He was very close to this case, one can clearly tell from a first time read through. As a realistic reader, this novel was still, a decent one. I can't say it is the greatest novel about the case, but I do believe it holds an important place on a researchers book shelf. If I had to classify this novel in as few words as possible, I would tag it as such "R.F.K. Death", "Cops" and "Bible".

Meaning if there was a angle you want to know more about, in terms of the assassination and if that angle was "F.B.I./L.A.P.D." than this is the the book to study. As an average researcher, this was a treasure trove of information, names, dates, job titles, times stamps, evidence examiners, police divisions, investigators, firearms experts, forensic ballistic examiners, retirement dates and years. Additionally there were death records within the novel, which gave this novel an identity, as a 'book of whose who".

As a researcher I felt propelled to read with Dan, but towards the last quarter of the novel I felt the 'want', was becoming very forced. To this reader it almost felt as if the novelist didn't know how to end it. I will not spoil this novel, to the best of my abilities. So in summation, this novel didn't feel as though it was structured correctly. Again I did find it interesting and intriguing, however my interest began waning to the side of flipping the novel over and picking it up, later on.

The momentum of this novel is very strange as well. It was as if we started a road trip on the east coast and traveled the entire countryside, to get to Los Angeles. Imagine the scenery you'd see, then translate that imagery, (the plains, the forests, lakes, streams, rivers, highways, byways, train crossings, wild skies and dry desert bottoms) into the R.F.K. assassination. For example; The Witness Testimony's aka the 'streams'. For example; the SUS (Special Unit Senator) the 'forests'. The massive incompetence of the L.A.P.D. aka the 'dry dessert bottoms'. I think I have established my point. One minute as the reader we were in the thicket of a forest. Next chapter we were stranded on a lake and had to paddle back to shore.

Again it was good read, beside the jarred style of this novel, it still holds a place on any ones shelf interested in the R.F.K. assassination. I can understand why and how Dan came to his conclusion by the end of the Novel. But personally I disagree, though I could see how some could agree with his findings.

It was a very logical, scientific and sophisticated read on a horrendous topic. However I was not convinced of the authors conclusion, I was not convinced of what Mr. Moldea suggested. Maybe he shouldn't have taken me 'as a reader' to the backwoods or to some back county road, only to redirect me back to the lake we started from. That's how most of this novel reads, it's not great, its a little confusing at times, has weird flow, but is an important novel regardless .

[Gerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

A conspiracy theory type book. Plenty of detail about the actual event but too much about the number of bullets and bullet holes and argument as to how many shots were fired from how many guns. You can only take so much about these issues! And then, to cap it all at the end the author reneges on everything he has debated and does a complete about turn and so the whole book becomes something of a waste of time! However, I suppose it does give some understanding of the killing providing the reader can dismiss the extraneous material so is just about worth a couple of stars. And be prepared for 192 footnotes, some of them so lengthy that they either occupy three-quarters of a page or even run on to another page - talk about disruptive! Overall a trifle disappointing.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Killing of Robert Kennedy by Dan Moldea is a book that left something to be desired. The author raises great questions and issues with the assassination of RFK but pulls a 180 at the very end of the book after his jail house interview with Sirhan Sirhan.

A great deal of evidence that is either not known or overlooked by the general public is brought to the fore front but Moldea doesn't conduct his investigation very thorough and the book ends rather abruptly.

Decent read, but I would look for something more current (if there is anything available) if you're interested in RFK or the shady episode of his assassination.


Huzzah

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian Arab from Jerusalem murders the U.S. Democratic Presidential candidate. Anyone who has lived and worked in the Middle East doesn't even need to analyze this statement of fact.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half was fantastic (heard various accounts of shooting) but the second half drags a bit.