The man who has spent more than 50 years in prison for the assassination of former New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was hospitalized after being stabbed in prison by a fellow inmate. Sirhan Sirhan was attacked Friday and is now in stable condition, The Hill reported.
The stabbing happened in a prison yard at the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility near San Diego, California, where Sirhan is incarcerated.
“Officers responded quickly, and found an inmate with stab wound injuries. He was transported to an outside hospital for medical care, and is currently in stable condition,” the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.
TMZ reported that a suspect in the stabbing was identified and has been placed in isolation. The incident is under investigation to see if charges should be filed.
Sirhan’s Prison Life
Kennedy had just won the California Democrat presidential primary when he was shot and killed by Sirhan at a campaign rally in 1968. Sirhan was convicted in 1969 and sentenced to death.
His sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1972, and he has been in prison ever since. Sirhan has said that he doesn’t remember shooting Kennedy or his initial confession to the crime, according to The New York Times.
Kennedy was a favorite for the Democrat presidential nomination and likely could have been president. He was the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963 during his first term.
The two brothers are now buried side-by-side at Arlington National Cemetary in Virginia.
Anti-Israeli Sentiment
Sirhan was a Jordanian citizen who took issue with Kennedy’s support for Israel during his campaign for president. After he was subdued at the scene, Sirhan reportedly said, “I did it for my country.”
The assassination took place exactly one year after the start of the Six Days War, which involved Jordan and other countries in the Middle East.
Looking at history, it’s plain to see that Israel has long been a source of conflict for Americans. It isn’t just President Donald Trump who has been a target for standing by Israel’s side.
For his part, Sirhan has reportedly returned from the hospital to prison, where he will live out the rest of his days.
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