“This is one of the most notorious political assassinations in American history and the killer was considered for release without benefit of a representative on behalf of the people of California. That is disgraceful.”

The California District Attorneys Association denounced Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón’s decision to absent his office from this morning’s parole hearing for Sirhan Sirhan.

Sirhan was convicted in 1968 of the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. Initially sentenced to death, Sirhan’s punishment was commuted to life in prison in 1972 after the California State Supreme Court declared the death penalty unconstitutional. This was his 16th parole hearing, and the first one with no prosecutor present. The last time he had a parole hearing, in 2016, the panel concluded that Sirhan had not shown adequate remorse. At today’s hearing, he was granted parole.

Vern Pierson, El Dorado County District Attorney and CDAA President said, “This is one of the most notorious political assassinations in American history and the killer was considered for release without benefit of a representative on behalf of the people of California. That is disgraceful.”

Pierson added, “It’s a deviation from historical precedent. Over the last 50 years in every county in California including Los Angeles, DAs routinely appear in these hearings to provide information to the parole board. Even in San Francisco, where the DA is considered by most to be the most progressive, prosecutors regularly appear at lifer hearings. There’s a saying that 90% of life is showing up—Robert F. Kennedy was a visionary Attorney General and historical giant, yet Gascón cannot even bother to show up?”

Gascón’s spokesman Alex Bastian falsely stated Thursday, “The role of a prosecutor and their access to information ends at sentencing,” This is a patently false statement. It has long been recognized that the duties of the prosecutor to ensure justice extend beyond sentencing.

“This statement from his office is further proof that Mr. Gascón has the neither the competence nor the integrity to run the nation’s largest district attorney’s office,” said CDAA Chief Executive Officer Greg Totten.

Immediately upon taking office, Mr. Gascón issued a number of directives, including 20-14, which states that prosecutors are not to attend parole hearings.

Pierson added, “The DA’s role is to provide information and advice to the parole board and to support any potential victim of crime. There is no other person who has access to the information of the committing crime than the DA does. Without the DA present, the hearing is one-sided.”