Posted on 07/26/2005 12:59:12 AM PDT by lunarbicep
Mary Jo Kopechne, the daughter of an insurance salesman, was born in the village of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania, on 26th July 1940. After graduating from Caldwell College for Women in New Jersey, she moved to Washington where she worked as a secretary for George Smathers and Robert Kennedy. During this time she shared an apartment with Nancy Carole Tyler, who worked for Bobby Baker.
On 17th July, 1969, Kopechne joined several other women who had worked for the Kennedy family at the Edgartown Regatta. She stayed at the Katama Shores Motor Inn on the southern tip of Martha's Vineyard. The following day the women travelled across to Chappaquiddick Island. They were joined by Edward Kennedy and that night they held a party at Lawrence Cottage. At the party was Kennedy, Kopechne, Susan Tannenbaum, Maryellen Lyons, Ann Lyons, Rosemary Keough, Esther Newburgh, Joe Gargan, Paul Markham, Charles Tretter, Raymond La Rosa and John Crimmins.
Kopechne and Kennedy left the party at 11.15pm. Kennedy had offered to take Kopechne back to her hotel. He later explained what happened: "I was unfamiliar with the road and turned onto Dyke Road instead of bearing left on Main Street. After proceeding for approximately a half mile on Dyke Road I descended a hill and came upon a narrow bridge. The car went off the side of the bridge.... The car turned over and sank into the water and landed with the roof resting on the bottom. I attempted to open the door and window of the car but have no recollection of how I got out of the car. I came to the surface and then repeatedly dove down to the car in an attempt to see if the passenger was still in the car. I was unsuccessful in the attempt."
Instead of reporting the accident Edward Kennedy returned to the party. According to a statement issued by Kennedy on 25th July, 1969: "instead of looking directly for a telephone number after lying exhausted in the grass for an undetermined time, walked back to the cottage where the party was being held and requested the help of two friends, my cousin Joseph Gargan and Paul Markham, and directed them to return immediately to the scene with me - this was some time after midnight - in order to undertake a new effort to dive."
When this effort to rescue Kopechne ended in failure, Kennedy decided to return to his hotel. As the ferry had shut down for the night Kennedy, swam back to Edgartown. It was not until the following morning that Kennedy reported the accident to the police. By this time the police had found Mary Jo Kopechne's body in Kennedy's car.
Edward Kennedy was found guilty of leaving the scene of the accident and received a suspended two-month jail term and one-year driving ban. That night he appeared on television to explain what had happened. He explained: "My conduct and conversations during the next several hours to the extent that I can remember them make no sense to me at all. Although my doctors informed me that I suffered a cerebral concussion as well as shock, I do not seek to escape responsibility for my actions by placing the blame either on the physical, emotional trauma brought on by the accident or on anyone else. I regard as indefensible the fact that I did not report the accident to the police immediately."
At the inquest Judge James Boyle raised doubts about Kennedy's testimony. He pointed out that as Kennedy had a good knowledge of Chappaquiddick Island he could not understand how he managed to drive down Dyke Road by mistake. For example, on the day of the accident, Kennedy had twice had driven on Dyke Road to go to the beach for a swim. To get to Dyke Road involved a 90-degree turn off a metalled road onto the rough, bumpy dirt-track.
An investigation at the scene of the accident by Raymond R. McHenry, suggested that Kennedy approached the bridge at an estimated 34 miles (55 kilometres) per hour. At around 5 metres (17 feet) from the bridge, Kennedy braked violently. This locked the front wheels. According to McHenry: "The car skidded 5 metres (17 feet) along the road, 8 metres (25 feet) up the humpback bridge, jumped a 14 centimetre barrier, somersaulted through the air for about 10 metres (35 feet) into the water and landed upside-down."
Investigators found it difficult to understand why he was crossing Dyke Bridge when he said he was attempting to reach Edgartown which was in the opposite direction. They also could not understand why he was driving so fast on this unlit, uneven, road. They also could not work out how Kennedy escaped from the car. When it was recovered from the water all the doors were locked. Three of the windows were either open or smashed in. If Kennedy, a large-framed 6 foot 2 inches tall man could manage to get out of the car, why was it impossible for Mary JO Kopechne, a slender 5 foot 2 inches tall, not do the same?
Local experts could not understand why Kennedy (and later, Markham and Gargan) could not rescue Kopechne from the car. It also surprised investigators that Kennedy did not seek help from Pierre Malm, who only lived 135 metres from the bridge. At the inquest Kennedy was unable to answer this question.
There were also doubts about the way Kopechne died. Dr. Donald Mills of Edgartown, wrote on the death certificate: "death by drowning". However, Gene Frieh, the undertaker, told reporters that death "was due to suffocation rather than drowning". John Farrar, the diver who removed Kopechne from the car, claimed she was "too buoyant to be full of water". It is assumed that she died from drowning, although her parents filed a petition preventing an autopsy.
Other questions were asked about Kennedy's decision to swim back to Edgartown. The 150 metre channel had strong currents and only the strongest of swimmers would have been able to make the journey safely. Also no one saw Kennedy arrive back at the Shiretown Inn in wet clothes. Ross Richards, who had a conversation with Kennedy the following morning at the hotel described him as casual and at ease.
Kennedy did not inform the police of the accident while he was at the hotel. Instead at 9am he joined Gargan and Markham on the ferry back to Chappaquiddick. Steve Ewing, the ferry operator, reported Kennedy in a jovial mood. It was only when Kennedy reached the island that he phoned the authorities about the accident that had taken place the previous night.
Dr. Robert Watt, Kennedy's family doctor, explained his patient's strange behaviour by claiming he was in a state of shock and confusion and "possible concussion."
I had no idea...I'll bet most people think like me..She died from drowning...How awful those last few moments, when she kept hoping help would come but knowing she was close to death...Why do the people of mass keep voting for that slug,kennedy?????????
from Ted's televised statement to the nation on 7 - 25 - 69:
On the weekend of July 18th, I was on Martha's Vinyard Island participating with my nephew, Joe Kennedy, as for 30 years my family has participated in the annual Edgartown Sailing Regatta. Only reasons of health prevented my wife from accompanying me.
On Chappaquiddick Island off Martha's Vinyars, I attended on Friday evening, July 18th, a cookout I had encouraged and helped sponsor for a devoted group of Kennedy campaign secretaries. When I left the party around 11:15 PM, I was accompanied by one of these girls, Miss Mary Jo Kopechne. Mary Jo was one of the most devoted members of the staff of Senator Robert Kennedy. She worked for him for four years and was broken up over his death. For this reason and because she was such a gentle, kind and idealistic person, all of us tried to help her feel that she still had a home with the Kennedy family.
for the entire statement:
http://www.ytedk.com/tvstatement.htm
Hopefully on this alcoholic gasbags tombstone we will see the words "Murdering Lier" spraypainted on a regular basis. Hell, if I know where they plant his piano case coffin I might just do it myself.
His place in history is assured for the incident.
"...only a couple of the girls at the party were attractive."
Beer-goggles...or in Teddy's case, Scotch-goggles.
Well to give the old boozer/sleaze his due, he did pick the most attractive one.
"...he did pick the most attractive one."
It's because he's a Kennedy. He didn't want to end up with a hag like Hillary or Botox Pelosi...bad for the Kennedy reputation.
There were also doubts about the way Kopechne died. Dr. Donald Mills of Edgartown, wrote on the death certificate: "death by drowning". However, Gene Frieh, the undertaker, told reporters that death "was due to suffocation rather than drowning". John Farrar, the diver who removed Kopechne from the car, claimed she was "too buoyant to be full of water". It is assumed that she died from drowning, although her parents filed a petition preventing an autopsy.
Wonder if NPR will devote a segment to MJK's 65th ..?
I love that quote. I'm surprised Pierce was able to pry his lips off of Kennedy's butt for long enough to sit down at the keyboard and compose it. ;)
I just did yet another google image search looking for some other photo of Mary Jo other than that yearbook one. Has anyone ever seen any other photo of her?
thats the only picture I've ever seen of her
The mean -spiritedness publicly displayed by Kennedy since Chappaquidick, give further testament that it was no accident.
"Anyone who had even the slightest concern for someone who may be in imminent peril would immediately go for the Police."
You hit the nail on the head. She was expendable. Plain and simple. An idle rich guy's plaything to be discarded or denied at his whim. I do not understand how even a casual observer of the Kennedys, regardless of your political persuasion, would allow their children (boys or girls) to become involved in their campaigns or associate with them at any level. Campaign workers, staffers, baby-sitters - it is open season/no-limit on all of them and they are all disposable.
"Do we operate under a system of equal justice under law?
Or is there one system for the average citizen and another for the high and mighty?"
- Senator Ted Kennedy, 1973
Buy it. Read it. Have your children, grandchildren, grandparents, nieces, nephews, brothers, sisters, cousins, friends and casual acquaintances read it.
After the delivery of $1,000,000 to their house.
After the delivery of $1,000,000 to their house.
Now, I'll have to kill you after I tell you this, so you may not want to read it.
Good ole Teddy was feeling his gin and oats, and the Kennedy boys never took NO for an answer. They were used to taking the pick of the litter, and those picked were usually thrilled.
Teddy found a stray sheep in Mary Jo. She was a GOOD GIRL, and nothing pleases wolves more than plundering a sheep with virgin wool.
Mary Jo had been stalled just long enough to miss the ferry back to the mainland. Good OLE Teddy offered her a ride. He told her he could get her to the ferry on time.
His being one of the big K's and being older, she trusted him.
He headed out with her in his car, then he turned off onto a bumpy road that led to a deserted beach area.
Mary Jo complained about not going to catch the ferry, and Teddy told her this was a shortcut.
When they got to the beach, Teddy told her they missed the ferry, so they might as well get out and relax on the beach, maybe take a swim.
She didn't want to, and Teddy kept pushing. He started man-handling her, in a drunk attempt at petting and fondling.
She kept fighting, and he started telling her how rich and important he was, and that she should be dying to make out with him.
She started slapping out at him, and he lost his temper. He choked her to death.
He drove back along the side road, parked the car somewhere off the main road, and walked back to the hotel to get help.
He got in touch with a his lawyer and 'the cleanup man'. The cleanup man went back, got the car, and decided to run it off the bridge, and make the death appear to be an accident.
The rest of the story you know.
"I just did yet another google image search looking for some other photo of Mary Jo other than that yearbook one. Has anyone ever seen any other photo of her?"
Mary Jo who? As far as the American Left is concerned, no such woman ever existed. If the incident had occurred 25 years earlier, the Kennedys probably could have covered-up the whole thing and, as time passed, referred to it as a mean-spirited, right-wing urban myth. I would not expect to find many pictures.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.