Senator Edward Kennedy was involved in a car accident on Chappaquiddick Island in 1969, resulting in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy failed to report the accident until the next morning and received a suspended sentence for leaving the scene. The incident ruined his political career and led to conspiracy theories. Some believe that the Kennedy family’s wealth and power covered up the true meaning of the incident. Kennedy’s liberal approach and advocacy for the poor are still respected in the United States Senate.
The Chappaquiddick incident refers to the personal story of Senator Edward Kennedy and his direct involvement in the death of Robert Kennedy’s former aide, Mary Jo Kopechne. Kennedy and Kopechne were in a car accident in the early hours of July 19, 1969, when Kennedy crossed the side of a small bridge called Dike Bridge, onto Chappaquiddick Island, a smaller island located near the larger Martha’s Vineyard.
Unfortunately, the car sank after the crash, and while Kennedy was able to swim safely to shore, Mrs. Kopechne was trapped in the vehicle and subsequently died. The main problem with this incident was that Kennedy was unable to report his own accident, the death of Mary Jo, or even contact the police for help until the next morning. In fact, Kennedy did not report the accident until after the car was found, which suggests to many that he might not have reported it at all if the car had been found several days later.
The crash and the death of Mary Jo Kopechne led to Kennedy receiving a two-month suspended sentence for leaving the scene of the crash after causing injuries. He also lost his license for a year and personally paid 90,000 US dollars (USD) to Ms. Kopechne’s family. He was being investigated for more serious crimes related to Chappaquiddick’s crash, including possible DUI, which could not be proven, and the potential that he or someone else killed Mrs. Kopechne and deliberately pushed off the bridge to cover up the murder of she. The review of known facts and the Kopechne family’s refusal to exhume Ms. Kopechne’s body for further study halted that investigation.
To this day, Senator Kennedy insists he was not driving under the influence, and that a wrong turn and dimly lit bridge led to the crash. However, he bears full responsibility for leaving the scene, failing to report to the police and possibly for his inaction which resulted in Ms. Kopechne’s death. He reports that he was shocked, panicked, confused and exhausted and that his actions were totally inappropriate. She made no attempt to justify his actions and pleaded guilty to the charges against him.
There have been a number of interpretations of the Chappaquiddick incident and conspiracy theories swirl around it. Some believe Kennedy’s story by implication, while others believe that Kennedy was deliberately attempting to cover up Mrs. Kopechne’s death by causing the accident on purpose. The Chappaquiddick incident did not lead to personal liability lawsuits by Ms. Kopechne’s family, who believed that suing for money would be accepting blood money. There are some who believe that the Kennedy family’s wealth, power, and influence were exercised both in the investigative process, Kennedy’s subsequent conviction, and in the Kopechne family’s decision not to press charges.
While theories about the Chappaquiddick incident abound, there are several things that clearly came out of it. First, the Chappaquiddick incident certainly ruined Kennedy’s political career. Prior to the crash, many believed Kennedy would seek the presidential nomination in 1972. The scandal surrounding the crash effectively stifled any chance of his running. Senator Kennedy ran for president against incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980, but his bid was unsuccessful and many believe his run prevented Carter from being re-elected, although it must be said that Carter was very unpopular midway through his four-year term as president.
There are people who continue to insist that wealth and power covered up the true meaning of the Chappaquiddick incident and that Senator Kennedy got away with murder. Others defend Senator Kennedy with great force. Certainly his Senate career was marked by his liberal approach, his advocacy of the poor, and his seemingly tireless efforts to help the poor and middle class. He is a highly respected member of the United States Senate, even by many who politically oppose his policies.
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