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Senator Edward Kennedy -Official Senate Photo
The truth of what really happened on July 18, 1969, on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts will never be known. What is known is that at the end of the evening, Mary Jo Kopechne was found dead in a car that Edward (Ted) Kennedy had been driving. Was her death the result of a tragic accident or due to gross negligence on the part of Ted Kennedy?
Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne attended the same party on the evening of July 18, 1969. Kennedy left the party with Kopechne as a passenger in his car and accidentally drove off the road and into a tidal channel on Chappaquiddick Island. As reported in the Boston Globe, Kennedy was able to escape the submerged car and swim to safety. Kopechne was not and her body was later found in the car. Kennedy contacted multiple aids right after the accident, but did not notify authorities until the following morning. In fact, by the time Kennedy contacted local police, Kopechne's body had already been found.
In countless interviews following the incident, Kennedy claimed that he made a wrong turn which resulted in driving over the edge of the narrow bridge. The area is dark and roads are unmarked, making his story believable. What creates doubt as to his honesty are his actions following the accident. FBI files show that Kennedy went back to the party to ask his friends for help. After failing to rescue Kopechne from the submerged car, the men left the scene of the accident, still having not reported it to authorities.
Did Kennedy fail to report the incident right away because he was distraught to have caused a fatal accident? Or did he not go to authorities because he did not want to reveal that he had been driving drunk. By the time Kennedy was in contact with police, over 10 hours had passed. Long enough that, even if Kennedy been drunk at the time of the accident, he had long since sobered up.
Senator Kennedy paid a high price after the accident. Some speculate it cost him his presidency bid, although he did keep his Massachusetts Senate seat. Not having survived the accident, Kopechne paid the ultimate price.
Comments
Mary Jo Kopechne should realize that Ted spent a lifetime advocating the spending of other peoples' money. She is so insignificant and should feel honored to not be rescued by Ted. He was sooo busy with his important work. Hatch and McCain should have asked Ted about Mary Jo. Maybe they wouldn't think he is so cool.
The author is sadly informed. She wrote: "The area is dark and roads are unmarked, making his story believable".
The main road was paved. Where the main road curved to the left, Kennedy took a very sharp right turn onto a bumpy dirt road (Dike Road). Life magazine photos from that time showed a big arrow on the main road pointing to the left. Kennedy was familiar with the island.
The only reasonable conclusion is that Kennedy intentionally made the sharp right hand turn onto Dike Road.
This is a country of redemption in which Senator Kennedy was forgiven for any transgressions and redeemed through a life totally dedicated to service to his nation. No one else in the history of this nation, gave as much to others, especially when, in this era of the "idle rich" he could have withdrawn into oblivion...he is to be admired, not admonished, for his life was one of purpose and dedication. There is no proof of any wrongdoing on his part on that fateful night in which his car crashed. If both parties were under the influence of alcohol as probable, it is likely the passenger could not have been rescued by the driver, despite his many attempts, not to mention Republican "set ups" to destroy Senator Kennedy in an attempt to kill all Kennedy Presidential hopefuls....
He got away with murder in his life time, but in death I am not sure he will get away with it. They say "what goes around comes around" and the Kennedy family had lots of tragic in their lifes. We do not get away with the wrongs we do in life. It does catch up with us.
He was driving and she died. This is the rich and politically influential getting away with murder. Anyone else would have been charged with her death. To defend this crime, and the killer, is insane. Rest in peace Mary Jo.
Most people who know the area say that Kennedy, believing he was being followed by a state trouper, got out of the car and hid in the bushes, leaving Mary Jo, to drive off by herself, asking her to circle around and pick him up. He was over six feet; she was five foot two. The only car she had ever driven was a Volkswagen, with a 25-HP engine. Kennedy's Oldsmobile had the seat set up for him. The engine was 265 horsepower.
She drove of in haste, to get away into the darkness. Where the road turned she was unaware of the sharpness of the turn and ran off the bridge, by herself.
Meanwhile, the trouper decided not to follow the Oldsmobile. He was tired and wanted to go home. Kennedy, after half an hour of standing in the bushes and being bitten by mosquitoes and sand fleas, walked back to the party house, passing several lighted places where he could call for help.
When he arrived at the party house, he told everyone that he didn't know where she(Read book by Jack Olson of Time)
I don't believe Ted was driving the car, I think he was covering up for someone else who was driving drunk and he took the blame for the accident knowing his celebrity and false account of the accident would get him off the hook so the real drunk driver and killer of Mary Jo wouldn't go to jail.
I thought they thought they were being followed by someone from the *press* (not police) which is why Ted got out of the car & had her drive off alone? Then the poorly-thought-through bullcrap story the group initially manufactured was committed to as soon as it escaped their lips (still drunk?), and subsequently all decided it would be better to cling to the horrible-sounding story (that he was driving and then schlepped all the way back to the bar for help - you're an idiot if you think that's believable, btw), rather than admit to being liars/conspirators. What I don't understand is why the people close to this (my personal sources) haven't come out with the truth now that he has passed....
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