LAWYERS representing the man convicted of killing Robert F. Kennedy say he was framed for the 1968 assassination.

In their latest appeal, they are seeking to overturn Sirhan Sirhan's conviction - claiming a bullet was switched in evidence at his trial.

Experts have said Sirhan was programmed through hypnosis to fire shots as a diversion for the US senator's real killer.

And lawyers William F. Pepper and Laurie Dusek say recordings prove 13 shots were fired on the night Kennedy died.

Sirhan's small pistol could only fire eight bullets. Prosecutors said only eight were fired and three hit Kennedy. Five hit others who all survived.

Sirhan's lawyers claim one bullet taken from Kennedy's neck did not match their client's gun and was switched before it was placed in evidence. They suggest a second gun was involved in the assassination.

Pepper said the new evidence filed in Los Angeles last week is sufficient to prove Sirhan is innocent.

He added: "They put fabricated evidence into court before the judge and jury.

"For the first time in 43 years of this case, we think we have the evidence to set this conviction aside."