Moldea, Dan E. The Killing of Robert F. Kennedy: An Investigation of Motive,
Means, and Opportunity. New York: W.W. Norton, 1995. 342 pages.
Dan Moldea, an author whose previous books dealt with organized crime,
became interested in the RFK assassination in 1987. He promoted the theory
that more bullets were recovered from the scene than could have fit in
Sirhan's revolver. Until now, that is. Philip Melanson, another major RFK
researcher, refers to this book as a "schizophrenic trip in which, after 300
pages laced with issues and controversies, the author summarily writes them
off in twenty pages." Two of the many points made by Melanson are especially
strong: 1) Moldea dismisses the issue of Sirhan as a victim of hypnotic
manipulation by quoting an LAPD officer in a footnote, and 2) his extensive
interviews with Thane Eugene Cesar climax in a lie-detector test which Cesar
passes -- but the case for a second gun has never rested solely on Cesar,
and certainly not on Cesar's own words, lie-detected or not.
I've been impressed by Moldea's gang-buster muckraking style, while
noticing that he lacks interest and familiarity with the history of U.S.
intelligence. Several years ago he told me that if he had six months, he
could crack the RFK case. I suspect that's also what he told others, and
one day W.W. Norton heard him and took out their checkbook. As the deadline
approached Moldea needed closure, but "lone nut" was the best he could do
to justify a fat advance. -- D.Brandt
ISBN 0-393-03791-6
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