BOSTON, MA – With Senator Ted Kennedy’s passing, will we ever know the truth of the accident that killed Mary Jo Kopechne?
Ted Kennedy created a successful career in politics, but was forever haunted by the secrets of the fatal accident in 1969 that killed 28 year old Mary Jo Kopechne. It is believed her death led to his decision to never run for President.
On July 18, 1969, Kennedy attended a party on a small Massachusetts island called Chappaquiddick. The party was a reunion of six “boiler room girls”, who had worked on Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign the year before. Shortly before midnight, Ted Kennedy decided to head out and Kopechne asked for a ride back to her hotel.
The events following remain unclear. According to Kennedy, they took a wrong turn onto an unlit dirt road and accidentally drove off the Dike Bridge into Poucha Pond. He was able to escape the sinking car and swim to shore. Kennedy claims he swam down numerous times to try and reach Kopechne but never found her. He soon returned on foot to where the party was being held. He did not stop at the four houses along the way to call for help.
Kennedy and two of the male guests headed back to the site of the accident to try and find Kopechne, but failed. The two men returned to the house believing Kennedy would report the accident, but he swam across the channel, returned to his hotel and fell asleep.
The following morning, two fishermen discovered the car. The police sent a diver down, who discovered Kopechne’s corpse in the flooded car. After seeing that the car had been found, Kennedy reported to the police station where he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident after causing injury. He later pleaded guilty.
He held a televised statement that evening apologizing to the citizens of Massachusetts and asking them to decide if he should resign. Viewers responded heavily in his favor, and Kennedy won re-election the following year with 62%.
Despite the fact that some blood was found on Kopechne’s skirt and in her nose, and that an inquest concluded that Kennedy had intentionally turned onto Dike Road and away from the ferry they had been supposedly trying to catch, Kopechne’s parents fought against an exhumation of her corpse for an official autopsy,
The Kopechnes also never brought a suit against Kennedy, for which they explained, “We figured that people would think we were looking for blood money.” However, they did receive $90,904 from the Senator personally and $50,000 from his insurance company following the accident.
Did something else happen inside the car before it went off the bridge? Was there improper conduct between Kopechne and the then-married Kennedy? Why did it take him until the following morning to report?
The diver, John Farrar, had found her body in a way which indicated she survived for some time in an air bubble in the car. He later stated, “Had I received a call within five to ten minutes of the accident occurring, and was able, as I was the following morning, to be at the victim’s side within twenty-five minutes of receiving the call, in such event there is a strong possibility that she would have been alive on removal from the submerged car.”
Do you think Kennedy was responsible for her death?
May Teddy burn in hell for the murder! The Kennedy money could buy anyone out of trouble, ie rapists, murderers, etc. May the Kopechne family finally be at peace.
I dont think it was murder – but it was a married man trying to conceal inappropriate behaviour with this young lady after an accident. I am a man and his story does not add up. He should have taken his lumps at that time. His punishment for his dishonesty was that he never ascended to the Presidency.
Who's driving the car now??? Come on, Mary Jo, it's your turn!
Ted did in fact run for President in 1976 but the shados of Mary Jo and his inabiltiy to answer the fundamental question.."Why are you running?" doomed his candidacy. I was angered then and am to this today, that he even had a political career after hei actions killed Mary Jo
It probably wasn't murder, but it wasn't what Kennedy claims either. He wasn't taking Miss Kopechne to her hotel – she left her handbag and keys at the party, and didn't tell anyone she was leaving. This was an intimate party – she wouldn't just leave. The inquest found Kennedy deliberately drove onto the Dyke Road. It is highly unlikely that he hadn't drunk alcohol, as he claimed. His story afterewards was highly suspicious and inconsistent. It is obvious that he was planning to spend some time alone with Miss Kopechne. What he intended to do with her can be assumed, since he was a male Kennedy and she was a young woman. It isn't just politics that ran in that family. Miss Kopechne was a devout Roman Catholic, and Kennedy purported to be Catholic. The press of the time kept quiet about the many Kennedy family infidelities. However this case couldn't be kept out of the public eye. So Ted lied to protect himself. It wasn't Miss Kopechne's death that ruined his political career, it was that he lied about the circumstances.
I wish the weekly world news would spend more time tracking down Michael Jackson
FORTY YEARS AGO EDWARD KENNEDY GOT AWAY WITH MURDER. WITH A NAME LIKE KENNEDY ANYONE CAN DO ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING AND GET AWAY WITH IT. I DON'T MOURN EDWARD KENNEDY. MAY HE BURN FOREVER IN HELL. I MOURN THE ONLY VICTIM, MARY JO KOPECHNE.
He swam away, like a coward, leaving her to drown. Instead of calling the police or fire department for help to get her out, he called his lawyers & aides, for a coverup. There are people who believe she was trapped in there for hours, with an air buble to sustain her life, untill she succomed to hypothermia &/or wore out & finaly drowned. But because he was a Kennedy, the media, washington, & police themselves, covered up for the man (more like a worm, than a man). I leave the final judgement to God. I'm not worthy to pass it all on my own. But I am mad as hell that the press, Obama, & other's are out there touting this man as some kind of hero… & Mary Jo goes un remembered & justice (on this plain/world) went un-met & the truth is still burried.
Guys, He was blind drunk and drove off a dangerous little bridge in the fog. There but for the grace of God go I in my younger days. The death of Mary Jo lays on his soul.
He voted against the Iraq war. The deaths of over five thousand Americans and the maining and dismemberment of ten of thousands more lay on the soul of George W. Bush. I am not even mentioning the thousands upon thousands of Iraqis who we claim we went to war to benefit. Where is the balance?
Well, you're right, even though Kennedy voted for troop deployment in Iraq he was probably drunk at the time. It is Bush's fault and always willbe
Her parents sold her out to the Kennedy's for a big sum of money!
Teddyboy intentionally killed MaryJo knowing she was carrying his child!
It's sad that he died, but really you'd think he was 'head of state' with all the cable news channels covering his Mass and then the trek from Hynasis Port to Boston to lie in state!
In all candor, I was frankly surprised that he didn't lie in state at the Capitol Building!
Where did you get that from? If you are going to make a statement like that, you had better have some evidence other than a dirty mind and an obvious dislike for the man. I haven't seen that alleged anywhere.
The Kennedy family have at times been able to escape the results of their bad choices. Permanent worldly escape happens, but eternal judgement will prevail. I find speculation on this past behavior trivial and unproductive. What is relevant is knowing to keep a distance from making rash pronouncements on how or what others should have as punishment. The media has an adgenda, so make sure your opinions are worthy of what sound facts. Make sure you could accept the punishment if others were deciding YOUR fate!
i do rember the day this happened and i think kennedy did know at the time he killed her and didnt try to save her i think maybe she was already dead and they gave lots of money to take care of this but you nor i have the right to say but i do think he stood before GOD and whether he is in hell now or heven is up to GOD but i tkink he will pay for this before GOD in a way we cant understand .
It sure sounds to me like she was already dead, and then he staged a huge cover up that started coming undone almost immediately. In a way I hope she was because the thought of her down there in the dark all that time waiting for help that didn't come is too much to bear. RIP Mary Jo.
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