LAPD APOLOGIZE TO KENNEDY FAMILY FOR CONFERENCE EXHIBIT

THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS RECENTLY APOLOGIZED TO THE FAMILY OF ROBERT F KENNEDY FOR EXHIBITING THE TIE, WHITE SHIRT AND BLACK JACKET THE SENATOR WAS WEARING WHEN HE WAS ASSASSINATED IN 1968. AFTER A COMPLAINT FROM THE FAMILY, THE LAPD REMOVED THE ITEMS FROM A DISPLAY AT A HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS CONFERENCE IN LAS VEGAS. 'THIS IS SUPPOSED TO A BE A LEARNING EXPERIENCE', POLICE CHIEF CHARLIE BECK TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. 'IT WASN'T INTENDED TO CAUSE ANYONE GRIEF OR TO BE PRURIENT OR SALACIOUS IN ANY WAY.' KENNEDY WAS SHOT IN THE HEAD BY SIRHAN SIRHAN AT THE AMBASSADOR HOTEL IN LOS ANGELES. BECK SAID IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THE CLOTHING HAD BEEN ON DISPLAY. SANDI GIBBONS, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, HAS VIEWED THE CLOTHING MANY TIMES AND SAID IT CONTAINS SPOTS THAT ARE LIKELY BLOOD. POLICE SPOKESPERSON MARY GRADY SAID THE KENNEDY FAMILY MADE THE ONLY COMPLAINT SHE WAS AWARE OF. SHE SAID THE EVIDENCE ON DISPLAY HAD ALL BEEN PRESENTED IN COURT AND WAS PART OF THE PUBLIC RECORD. PHOTOS OF MANY OF THE ITEMS HAVE BEEN POSTED ON WEB SITES, SHE SAID. OTHER ITEMS IN THE EXHIBIT ENTITLES 'BEHIND THE SCENES' INCLUDED GLOVES AND A KNIT CAP FROM THE OJ SIMPSON MURDER TRIAL AND ROPE THAT WAS TIED AROUND THE NECK OF SHARON TATE AND OTHER WEAPONS USED WHEN SEVEN PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY THE MANSON FAMILY 40 YEARS AGO. DEBRA TATE, THE SISTER OF SHARON TATE, SAID SHE AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE OTHER VICTIMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE THAT EVIDENCE WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN. TATE PLANS TO COMPLAIN TO THE LAPD, HOWEVER, SHE SAID SHE UNDERSTANDS THE VALUE OF THE EXHIBIT. 'I UNDERSTAND USING IT AS A TEACHING TOOL AND KEEPING THE PUBLIC AWARE OF HOW HEINOUS THESE MURDERS WERE', SHE SAID. 'FROM THAT ASPECT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.' THE KENNEDY ITEMS WERE REMOVED TUESDAY BEFORE THE EXHIBIT OPENED TO THE PUBLIC. THE DISPLAY WAS PREPARED BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THE 2010 CALIFORNIA HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS CONFERENCE AT THE PALMS HOTEL AND CASINO RESORT IN LAS VEGAS. IT ALSO INCLUDED PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEO FOOTAGE AND VINTAGE VEHICLES FROM LOS ANGELES HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS SPANNING OVER 100 YEARS.