99-540: The Chappaquiddick incident occurred on Chappaquiddick Island , Massachusetts , United States, sometime around midnight, between July 18 and 19, 1969, when Mary Jo Kopechne died inside the car driven by United States Senator Ted Kennedy after he accidentally drove off a narrow bridge, causing it to overturn in Poucha Pond. Kennedy left a party on Chappaquiddick Island, off the eastern end of Martha's Vineyard , at 11:15 p.m. on July 18. He stated that his intent
198-570: A qui tam , any U.S. citizen, provided they are represented by an attorney, can represent the interests of the United States, and share in penalties assessed against guilty parties. As chief federal law enforcement officers, U.S. attorneys have authority over all federal law enforcement personnel within their districts and may direct them to engage, cease or assist in investigations. In practice, this has involved command of Federal Bureau of Investigation assets but also includes other agencies under
297-507: A conga line down the middle of Chappaquiddick Road, a short distance south of Dike Road bridge. He stopped to ask if they needed a ride, which they declined. LaRosa and the Lyons sisters corroborated Look's testimony about meeting him in the road and the verbal exchange, but they were unsure of the time. They also said they saw a vehicle driving north on Chappaquiddick Road, which they could not describe in any detail. Dike Road leads seven-tenths of
396-451: A cookout party at the cottage at 8:30 p.m that evening, as a reunion for the " Boiler Room Girls ,” women who had served on Robert's 1968 presidential campaign . Six of these attended the party: Mary Jo Kopechne , Rosemary Keough, Esther Newberg , sisters Nance Lyons and Mary Ellen Lyons, and Susan Tannenbaum. All were in their twenties and single. The men at the party included the crew of Kennedy's sailboat: Gargan; Paul Markham ,
495-435: A grand jury investigation had more "teeth" than an inquest, as it had the power to indict defendants, whereas an inquest was only authorized to determine if a crime has been committed. Dinis met with Edgartown District Court Judge James Boyle on August 8 to explain his reasons for requesting the inquest. Boyle did not recuse himself, even though he had presided over the hearing at which Kennedy pled guilty. Boyle announced
594-401: A car matching Kennedy's license plate at 12:40 a.m. Kennedy departed from the crash site and failed to report the incident to the police until after 10 a.m. on Saturday. In the meantime, a diver retrieved Kopechne's body from Kennedy's car shortly before 9 a.m. that same day. At a court hearing on July 25, Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of an accident and received
693-467: A charge of leaving the scene of an accident causing bodily injury. His attorneys argued that any jail sentence should be suspended , and the prosecutors agreed by citing his age (37), character and prior reputation. "Considering the unblemished record of the defendant, and insofar as the Commonwealth represents this is not a case where he was really trying to conceal his identity...", Boyle sentenced him to
792-404: A gate guard in uniform for the regatta dance, returned to Chappaquiddick Island in the yacht club's private boat, and drove east and south on Chappaquiddick Road toward his home. At around 12:40 a.m., after he passed the intersection with Dike Road, he saw a dark four-door sedan driven by a man, with a woman in the front seat, approaching and passing slowly in front of him. The car drove off
891-434: A light on at the residence when she retired that evening. Kennedy returned to the cottage, where the party was still in progress, but rather than alerting all of the guests to the crash, he quietly summoned Gargan and Markham, and collapsed in the back seat of a rented Plymouth Valiant parked in the driveway. Gargan drove the three to the site of the crash to try to rescue Kopechne from the car. Gargan and Markham jumped into
990-413: A light on during his fifteen-minute walk back. His route took him past four houses from which he could have telephoned to summon help before he reached the cottage, but he did not attempt to contact the local residents. The first of the houses was Dike House, 150 yards (140 m) from the bridge and occupied by Sylvia Malm and her family. Malm stated later that she was home, she had a phone and she had left
1089-399: A mile (1.1 km) to Dike Bridge, a wooden structure angled obliquely to the road, crossing the channel connecting Cape Pogue Pond to the north and Poucha Pond to the south, leading eastward to a barrier beach known as Tom's Neck Point. At the time, the bridge was not fitted with guardrails . A fraction of a second before Kennedy reached the bridge, he applied his brakes and lost control of
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#17328557261981188-512: A national news item and influenced Kennedy's decision not to run for president in 1972 and 1976 . Later, it was said to have undermined his chances of ever becoming president. Kennedy ultimately decided to enter the 1980 Democratic presidential primaries but earned only 37.6% of the vote, losing the nomination to incumbent U.S. President Jimmy Carter . U.S. Senator Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy , aged 37, and his cousin, Joseph Gargan , aged 39, planned to race Kennedy's sailboat , Victura , in
1287-408: A newspaper reporter to collect information, since he believed Kennedy would be his rival in the 1972 presidential election . Although Ulasewicz was able to interview several witnesses before law enforcement authorities, he found no useful information. Farrar, who recovered Kopechne's body from the submerged car, believed that she died from suffocation , rather than from drowning or from the impact of
1386-407: A noisy party. At 8 a.m., Gargan and Markham found Kennedy at his hotel where they had a "heated conversation" in his room. According to Kennedy's testimony, the two men asked why he had not reported the accident, and he responded by telling them "about my own thoughts and feelings as I swam across that channel... that somehow when they arrived in the morning that they were going to say that Mary Jo
1485-461: A record of reckless driving and driving without a license . In one particular incident on March 14, 1958, Kennedy ran a red light, then cut his tail lights and raced to avoid a highway patrol officer. When Kennedy was caught, he was cited for reckless driving, racing to avoid pursuit and driving without a license. Kennedy's wife Joan was pregnant at the time of the Chappaquiddick incident. She
1584-410: A residence. The 2020 census reported 253 residents on Chappaquiddick, up from 179 in 2010. The racial makeup was 92% White, 1% Native American, 1% Asian, and 4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1% of the population. Socially, its residents form a tight-knit community and see themselves as distinctly separate from the rest of Edgartown. Longtime residents speak of "going to
1683-495: A school friend of Gargan who had previously served as the United States Attorney for Massachusetts; and John B. Crimmins, aged 63, a long-time political associate of Kennedy who served as his chauffeur for the weekend. Others in attendance were attorney Charles Tretter, a Kennedy advisor; and Raymond LaRosa, who had worked on Kennedy's Senate campaigns. All the men were married, except Crimmins; wives were not invited to
1782-611: A term of four years, with appointments subject to confirmation by the Senate . A U.S. attorney continues in office, beyond the appointed term, until a successor is appointed and qualified. By law, each United States attorney is subject to removal by the president. The attorney general has had the authority since 1986 to appoint interim U.S. attorneys to fill a vacancy. The governing statute, 28 U.S.C. § 546 provided, up until March 9, 2006: (c) A person appointed as United States attorney under this section may serve until
1881-419: A two-month suspended jail sentence . In a televised statement, that same evening, Kennedy said that his conduct immediately after the crash had "made no sense to me at all" and that he regarded his failure to report the crash, immediately, as "indefensible.” A January 5, 1970, judicial inquest concluded that Kennedy and Kopechne had not intended to take the ferry and that Kennedy had intentionally turned toward
1980-472: A wrong turn and accidentally driven it off a bridge late the previous night. He did not report the accident to the police for ten hours. A January 1970 judicial inquest into Kopechne's death found that Kennedy's turn toward the bridge was intentional, and he operated his car in a manner "at least negligent and possibly reckless". A grand jury investigation was held in April 1970; no indictments were issued. Dike Bridge
2079-486: Is a peninsula and occasional island off the eastern end of Martha's Vineyard . Norton Point, a narrow barrier beach, connects Martha's Vineyard and Chappaquiddick between Katama and Wasque ( / ˈ w eɪ s k w iː / ). Breaches occur due to hurricanes and strong storms separating the islands for periods of time. The two islands most recently reconnected on December 31, 2023. While both land forms have mostly been connected to one another in modern history, Chappaquiddick
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#17328557261982178-562: Is both the primary representative and the administrative head of the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the district. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) is the chief prosecutor for the United States in criminal law cases, and represents the United States in civil law cases as either the defendant or plaintiff, as appropriate. However, they are not the only ones that may represent the United States in Court. In certain circumstances, using an action called
2277-521: Is nevertheless referred to as an island. Visitors come to the isolated island for beaches, cycling, hiking, nature tours and birding, and the MyToi Gardens , a small Japanese garden created amidst the native brush. Two fire trucks are stationed on the island from Edgartown . Chappaquiddick Road and Poucha Road, both paved, provide access to sandy, woodland roads, trails, and shorelines. Chappaquiddick became internationally known following an incident of
2376-467: The United States Attorneys' Manual . They supervise district offices with as many as 350 assistant U.S. attorneys (AUSAs) and as many as 350 support personnel. U.S. Attorney's Offices are staffed mainly by assistant U.S. attorneys (AUSA). Often colloquially called "federal prosecutors", assistant U.S. attorneys are government lawyers who act as prosecutors in federal criminal trials and as
2475-415: The 1969 Edgartown Yacht Club Regatta on Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19, 1969, after having forgone the previous year's Regatta, because of the assassination of Kennedy's brother, Robert , that June. Gargan rented the secluded Lawrence Cottage for the weekend on Chappaquiddick Island , Massachusetts , a tiny island accessible by ferry from Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard . Kennedy and Gargan hosted
2574-488: The 94 U.S. federal judicial districts . Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal criminal prosecutor in their judicial district and represents the U.S. federal government in civil litigation in federal and state court within their geographic jurisdiction. U.S. attorneys must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate , after which they serve four-year terms. Currently, there are 93 U.S. attorneys in 94 district offices located throughout
2673-591: The Chappaquiddick weekend. Other friends and campaign workers, male and female, had been invited, but they did not attend, for various reasons. Markham and Crimmins intended to spend the night at the cottage, while the others were booked at hotels on Martha's Vineyard—the men at the Shiretown Inn, one block from the Edgartown ferry slip , and the women at the Katama Shores motor inn , about 2 miles (3.2 km) south of
2772-628: The Department of Justice, such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Drug Enforcement Administration . Additionally, U.S. attorneys cooperate with other non-DOJ law enforcement agencies – such as the United States Secret Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – to prosecute cases relevant to their jurisdictional areas. The U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia has
2871-470: The Dynasty He Founded , Gargan said that he and Markham returned to the scene of the accident with Kennedy, and they both urged Kennedy to report the accident to police. "The conversation was brief about having to report", Gargan told Kessler, a former Washington Post reporter. "I was insistent on it. Paul Markham was backing me up on it. Ted said, 'Okay, okay, Joey, okay. I've got the point, I've got
2970-598: The Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands has a single U.S. attorney for both districts), including: These responsibilities include certain legal, budgetary, administrative, and personnel services, as well as legal education. The EOUSA was created on April 6, 1953, by Attorney General Order No. 8-53 to provide for close liaison between the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, and the 93 U.S. attorneys located throughout
3069-704: The Justice Department's Executive Office for United States Attorneys . Selected U.S. attorneys participate in the Attorney General's Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys . The Office of the United States Attorney was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 , along with the office of Attorney General and United States Marshal . The same act also specified the structure of the Supreme Court of
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3168-462: The Kennedy family's business manager and "master fixer ", decided the political damage was catastrophic and eliminated Kennedy's chance to run for president in 1972, recommending focusing efforts on protecting Kennedy from a charge of manslaughter . Kennedy's court hearing was held before Massachusetts District Court Judge James Boyle on July 25, seven days after the incident. Kennedy pleaded guilty to
3267-494: The Kennedys", whether there was "some justifiable reason for me to doubt what had happened and to delay my report", and whether, "somehow, the awful weight of this incredible incident might in some way pass from my shoulders". He said he was overcome "by a jumble of emotions — grief, fear, doubt, exhaustion, panic, confusion, and shock". He said he instructed Gargan and Markham "not to alarm Mary Jo's friends that night", then returned to
3366-721: The Senate, then the Senate confirmation process was avoided, as the Attorney General-appointed interim U.S. attorney could continue in office without limit or further action. Related to the dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy , in March 2007 the Senate and the House voted to re-instate the 120-day term limit on interim attorneys via the Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007. The bill
3465-553: The United States and established inferior courts making up the United States Federal Judiciary , including a district court system. Thus, the office of U.S. Attorney is older than the Department of Justice. The Judiciary Act of 1789 provided for the appointment in each judicial district of a "Person learned in the law to act as attorney for the United States...whose duty it shall be to prosecute in each district all delinquents for crimes and offenses cognizable under
3564-551: The United States federal government's lawyers in civil litigation in which the United States is a party. In carrying out their duties as prosecutors, AUSAs have the authority to investigate persons, issue subpoenas, file formal criminal charges, plea bargain with defendants, and grant immunity to witnesses and accused criminals. U.S. attorneys and their offices are part of the Department of Justice . U.S. attorneys receive oversight, supervision, and administrative support services through
3663-528: The United States, Puerto Rico , the U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam , and the Northern Mariana Islands . One U.S. attorney is assigned to each of the judicial districts , with the exception of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, where a single U.S. attorney serves both districts. Each U.S. attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer within a specified jurisdiction, acting under the guidance of
3762-504: The accident to the police immediately as "indefensible". To the horror of Gargan's attorney, his statement revealed his enlistment of the help of Gargan and Markham to try to rescue Kopechne (despite assurances he had made to the effect that he would not involve them). Kennedy said "all kinds of scrambled thoughts" went through his mind after the accident, including "whether the girl might still be alive somewhere out of that immediate area", whether "some awful curse actually did hang over all
3861-471: The additional responsibility of prosecuting local criminal cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia , the equivalent of a municipal court for the national capital. The Superior Court is a federal Article I court. The Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) provides the administrative support for the 93 United States attorneys (encompassing 94 United States Attorney offices, as
3960-410: The authorities that he was the operator of the vehicle, which was still upside down in the pond. He called his brother-in-law Stephen Edward Smith , Congressman John V. Tunney and others that morning, but he still did not report the accident to authorities. Kennedy was still at the payphone when he heard that his car and Kopechne's body had been discovered; he then crossed back to Edgartown to go to
4059-462: The authority of the United States, and all civil actions in which the United States shall be concerned..." Prior to the existence of the Department of Justice, the U.S. attorneys were independent of the attorney general, and did not come under the AG's supervision and authority until 1870, with the creation of the Department of Justice. U.S. attorneys are appointed by the president of the United States for
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4158-425: The authority was first vested with the circuit courts in March 1863. Then, in 1898, a House of Representatives report explained that while Congress believed it was important to have the courts appoint an interim U.S. attorney: "There was a problem relying on circuit courts since the circuit justice is not always to be found in the circuit and time is wasted in ascertaining his whereabouts." Therefore, at that time,
4257-472: The body for embalming , and directed that a blood sample be collected and sent to the Massachusetts State Police for analysis of alcohol content. The result was 0.09%, which Mills mistakenly thought represented only a "moderate" level, but, in fact, indicated in a person of Kopechne's weight, up to five drinks of liquor within an hour prior to death. Kopechne's body was released to her family, and
4356-436: The bridge, operating his vehicle negligently, if not recklessly, and at too high a speed for the hazard which the bridge posed in the dark. The judge stopped short of recommending charges, and a grand jury convened on April 6, returning no indictments . On May 27, a Registry of Motor Vehicles hearing resulted in Kennedy's driver's license being suspended for sixteen months, after the crash. The Chappaquiddick incident became
4455-413: The call, in such event there is a strong possibility that she would have been alive on removal from the submerged car. Farrar believed that Kopechne "lived for at least two hours down there." Chappaquiddick Island Chappaquiddick Island ( / ˌ tʃ æ p ə ˈ k w ɪ d ɪ k / CHAP -uh- KWID -ik ; Massachusett language : Noepe tchepi-aquidenet ; colloquially known as "Chappy”)
4554-453: The call. But he didn't call. Farrar testified that Kopechne's body was pressed up in the car in the spot where an air bubble would have formed. He interpreted that to mean that she had survived in the air bubble after the car submerged, and he concluded that: 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
4653-417: The car's license plate began with an L and contained two 7s, consistent with Kennedy's license plate (L78–207) on his Oldsmobile Delmont 88 . He returned to his car and continued on his way south. Look's version, if true, leaves over an hour of Kennedy's time with Kopechne unaccounted, before the crash. About a minute later, Look saw Kennedy's party guests Nance and Mary Ellen Lyons, and Ray LaRosa, dancing in
4752-495: The car, which launched over the southern end of the bridge, plunged nose-first into the channel, and flipped over, resting on its roof in six to eight feet of water. Kennedy was able to swim free of the vehicle, but Kopechne was not. Kennedy said that he called her name several times from the shore, and tried to swim down to reach her seven or eight times. He then rested on the bank for around fifteen minutes before he returned on foot to Lawrence Cottage. He denied seeing any house with
4851-454: The cottage at approximately 2 a.m. but told no one what had happened. When questioned by the guests, they said that Kennedy had swum back to Edgartown and Kopechne was probably at her hotel. Gargan then told everyone to get some sleep. By 7:30 a.m., Kennedy was talking casually to the winner of the previous day's sailing race and gave no indication that anything was amiss. At 8 a.m., Gargan and Markham had crossed back to Edgartown on
4950-480: The cottage with Kopechne. He further claimed that after he turned onto Dike Road, he was driving and did not realize that he was no longer headed west toward the ferry landing but was instead heading east toward the barrier beach. Kennedy estimated his speed at the time of the accident to be "approximately 20 miles per hour [32 km/h]". Kennedy testified that he had "full intention of reporting it. And I mentioned to Gargan and Markham something like, 'You take care of
5049-448: The day off, Associate Medical Examiner Donald Mills was called to the crash site to examine Kopechne's body. He was satisfied that the cause of death was accidental drowning but asked the district attorney 's office for direction on whether an autopsy was necessary, and was told it was not as long as there were no signs of foul play ; Mills was satisfied it was a drowning. He signed Kopechne's death certificate to that effect, released
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#17328557261985148-528: The earlier of— (d) If an appointment expires under subsection (c)(2), the district court for such district may appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled. The order of appointment by the court shall be filed with the clerk of the court. On March 9, 2006, President George W. Bush signed into law the USA PATRIOT and Terrorism Prevention Reauthorization Act of 2005 which amended Section 546 by striking subsections (c) and (d) and inserting
5247-579: The exhumation on December 1, saying that there was "no evidence" that "anything other than drowning had caused the death of Mary Jo Kopechne." The inquest convened in Edgartown in January 1970. At the request of Kennedy's lawyers, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered it to be performed secretly with Judge Boyle presiding, and the 763-page transcript was released four months later. Kennedy testified that Kopechne told him, when he
5346-418: The ferry and met Kennedy. A short time after 8 a.m., a man and a fifteen-year-old boy, who went fishing off Tom's Neck Point, saw Kennedy's submerged car in Poucha Pond and notified the residents of the cottage nearest the scene, who, in turn, called the authorities at about 8:20 a.m. Edgartown Police Chief Dominick James Arena arrived at the scene about ten or fifteen minutes later. He attempted to examine
5445-407: The ferry landing, Kennedy dove into the water and swam 500 feet (150 m) across the channel to Edgartown. He then walked to his hotel room, removed his clothes and collapsed on his bed. He later put on dry clothes, left his room and asked someone what the time was; it was somewhere around 2:30 a.m., he recalled. Gargan and Markham had driven the rented Plymouth back to the cottage; they entered
5544-466: The ferry slip. According to Kennedy, Kopechne asked him to give her a ride back to her hotel in Katama. Kennedy requested the keys to his car (which he did not usually drive) from his chauffeur, Crimmins. Kennedy put this time at "approximately 11:15 p.m.,” although he was not wearing a watch; the time came from Crimmins' watch. Returning to Edgartown and Katama required making the last ferry, which left
5643-709: The ferry with the two men and "suddenly jumped into the water and impulsively swam across, nearly drowning once again in the effort, returning to my hotel around 2 a.m. and collapsed in my room". Kennedy then put down his manuscript (though he continued reading from cue cards ) and asked the people of Massachusetts to decide whether he should resign: "If, at any time, the citizens of Massachusetts should lack confidence in their Senator's character or his ability, with or without justification, he could not, in my opinion, adequately perform his duties, and should not continue in office. The opportunity to work with you and serve Massachusetts has made my life worthwhile. So, I ask you tonight,
5742-469: The following new subsection: (c) A person appointed as United States attorney under this section may serve until the qualification of a United States Attorney for such district appointed by the President under section 541 of this title. This, in effect, extinguished the 120-day limit on interim U.S. attorneys, and their appointment had an indefinite term. If the president failed to put forward any nominee to
5841-510: The funeral director. Judge Bernard Brominski of the Court of Common Pleas in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania , held a hearing on the request on October 20–21. The request was opposed by Kopechne's parents, Joseph and Gwen Kopechne. Forensic pathologist Werner Spitz testified on behalf of the parents that the autopsy was unnecessary and the available evidence was sufficient to conclude that Kopechne died from drowning. Judge Brominski ruled against
5940-475: The funeral was held on Tuesday July 22 in Plymouth , Pennsylvania . Nevin strongly disagreed with Mills's decision to forgo an autopsy, believing that ruling out foul play would work to Kennedy's advantage by laying prurient public speculation to rest. After U.S. President Richard Nixon 's security operative Jack Caulfield learned of the incident, he dispatched Anthony Ulasewicz to Dike Bridge in disguise as
6039-604: The inquest was scheduled to start on September 3 and would be open to the press. On September 2, Kennedy's lawyers petitioned the Massachusetts Supreme Court for a temporary injunction against the inquest, which was granted. Dinis petitioned for an exhumation and autopsy of Kopechne's body, and on September 18, 1969, he publicly disclosed that blood had been found on her long-sleeved blouse and in her mouth and nose, "which may or may not be consistent with death by drowning", when her clothes were given to authorities by
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#17328557261986138-449: The interim appointment authority was switched to the district courts; that is, in 1898 it was switched to the district courts. Thus, for almost 100 years, the district courts were in charge of appointing interim U.S. attorneys, and they did so with virtually no problems. This structure was left undisturbed until 1986 when the statute was changed during the Reagan administration. In a bill that
6237-481: The interior of the submerged vehicle, then summoned a trained scuba diver and equipment capable of towing or winching the vehicle out of the water. John Farrar, captain of the Edgartown Fire Rescue unit, arrived at 8:45 a.m., equipped with scuba gear, and discovered Kopechne's body in the back seat; he extricated it from the vehicle within ten minutes. Police checked the car's license plate and saw that it
6336-412: The island at midnight, or else calling to arrange a later ferry. Kopechne told no one else that she was leaving for the night with Kennedy, and, in fact, she left her purse and hotel key at the party. The exact time the crash occurred is unknown, due to a conflict between the testimony of Kennedy and a deputy sheriff who claimed to have seen his car at a later time. Kennedy claimed that, as soon as he left
6435-500: The island has continually faced shifting coastlines due to ocean currents, storm surges, and astronomical tides, the 21st century has presented new erosion challenges, particularly to Wasque Point which, during the Patriots' Day Storm of 2007 , was battered severely. Between 2007 and 2013, approximately 40 acres (16 ha) of land were lost at Wasque, where currents eroded bluffs, swallowed Swan Pond, damaged shoreline trails, and threatened
6534-436: The land. The United States Census Bureau defines it as Block Group 1, Census Tract 2003 of Dukes County, Massachusetts . It has 15.915 km (6.145 sq mi) of land. Administratively, it is part of the town of Edgartown and Dukes County . The Trustees of Reservations , a non-profit conservation organization, owns and manages nearly 1,000 acres (405 ha) of land from the southeastern point, Wasque, to Cape Poge, at
6633-477: The mainland" when they travel to Edgartown and of "going to America" when (for example) they travel to Boston or Cape Cod . Access to the island is served by privately owned barge-like ferries named the On Time II and On Time III which shuttle pedestrians, bicycles, and up to three cars at a time between Chappaquiddick and Edgartown, on Martha's Vineyard. Two ferries run during the summer months and one during
6732-591: The northeast. Wasque is a popular fishing spot for catching bluefish , striped bass , and other species. The Cape Poge Lighthouse , first erected in 1801, has served ships navigating the shoals and shallows of Muskeget Channel. Chappaquiddick is mainly defined by its diverse land and water ecologies with expansive salt marshes, ponds, red cedar woods, grassy meadows, and coastal wildlife including sandpipers , piping plovers , blue heron , osprey , and oysters . The main interior bodies of water include Cape Poge Bay , Katama Bay , and Poucha Pond , all salty. While
6831-433: The off-season. Oversand access is possible with four-wheel drive vehicles and on foot on the south shore when the islands are connected and conditions permit. Chappaquiddick Island gained international attention on July 19, 1969, when the body of Mary Jo Kopechne was discovered inside an overturned Oldsmobile 88 off Dike Bridge in Poucha Pond. The car belonged to U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy , who claimed that he had taken
6930-444: The other girls; I will take care of the accident!'—that is what I said and I dove into the water." Kennedy had told Gargan and Markham not to tell the other women anything about the incident "because I felt strongly that if these girls were notified that an accident had taken place and Mary Jo had, in fact, drowned, that it would only be a matter of seconds before all of those girls, who were long and dear friends of Mary Jo's, would go to
7029-463: The overturned vehicle, based upon the posture in which he found the body in the well of the back seat of the car, where an air pocket would have formed. Rigor mortis was apparent, her hands were clasping the back seat and her face was turned upward. Bob Molla, an inspector for the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles who investigated the crash at the time, said that parts of the roof and
7128-470: The party, he immediately drove one-half mile (0.8 km) north on Chappaquiddick Road headed for the ferry landing and mistakenly made a wrong turn, right, onto the unpaved Dike Road, instead of bearing left, to stay on the paved Chappaquiddick Road, for another two and a half miles (4.0 km). There is also a northbound unpaved Cemetery Road at this intersection. Part-time Deputy Sheriff Christopher "Huck" Look left work by 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, as
7227-402: The pavement, onto Cemetery Road, and stopped. Thinking the occupants might be lost, Look stopped and walked towards the other vehicle. When he was 25 to 30 feet (7.6 to 9.1 m) away, the car reversed and started backing up towards him. As he called out to offer help, the car moved forward and veered, quickly, eastward onto Dike Road, speeding away and leaving a cloud of dust. Look recalled that
7326-483: The people of Massachusetts, to think this through with me. In facing this decision, I seek your advice and opinion. In making it, I seek your prayers. For this is a decision that I will have finally to make on my own." The speech concluded with a passage quoted from John F. Kennedy 's book Profiles in Courage ( ghostwritten by Sorensen): "A man does what he must — in spite of personal consequences". Critical reaction to
7425-456: The point.' Then he took a few steps and dove into the water, leaving Markham and I expecting that he would carry out the conversation." Farrar testified: It looked as if she were holding herself up to get a last breath of air. It was a consciously assumed position…. She didn't drown. She died of suffocation in her own air void. It took her at least three or four hours to die. I could have had her out of that car twenty-five minutes after I got
7524-459: The police station with Markham. Meanwhile, Gargan went to the Katama Shores to inform the Boiler Room Girls of the incident. Kennedy entered the police station at approximately 9:50 a.m. He asked to make some telephone calls, and was told he could use Arena's office. When Arena returned to the station at 10:00 a.m., he was "stunned" to learn Kennedy already knew of the accident and
7623-405: The pond and tried repeatedly to rescue her but were not able to, due to the strong tidal current. After they recovered, Gargan drove Kennedy and Markham to the ferry landing. The three were all lawyers and they discussed what they should do while standing next to a public phone booth at the landing. Gargan and Markham insisted multiple times that the crash had to be reported to the authorities. At
7722-584: The same day Kennedy returned to his Senate seat, Dinis wrote to the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court , Joseph Tauro , asking for a judicial inquest into Kopechne's death. He received a response the next day that such inquests are under jurisdiction of the District Court . Dinis then sent his request to Kenneth Nash, the Chief Justice of the lower court. Nash advised Dinis that
7821-522: The same name in 1969, when U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy accidentally drove his car off the island's Dike Bridge into Poucha Pond. Kennedy's 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne , suffocated inside the car. The name Chappaquiddick comes from a Native American word "cheppiaquidne" meaning "separated island", so named because this island is separated from Martha's Vineyard by a narrow strait or gut . The island has been historically spelled "Chaubaqueduck" or, alternatively, "Chappaquidgick". The island
7920-435: The scene of the accident and enter the water with, I felt, a good chance that some serious mishap might have occurred to any one of them." Kennedy testified that he was back at the hotel and "almost tossed and turned and walked around that room.... I had not given up hope all night long that, by some miracle, Mary Jo would have escaped from the car." He complained to the hotel owner at 2:55 a.m. that he had been awakened by
8019-490: The speech off a prepared manuscript. Kennedy explained that his wife did not accompany him to the regatta due to "reasons of health". He denied engaging in any "immoral conduct" with Kopechne or driving under the influence of alcohol that evening. He said that his conduct during the hours immediately after the accident "made no sense to me at all" and said that his doctors had informed him he had suffered "cerebral concussion and shock". He said he regarded his failure to report
8118-538: The speech was immediate and negative. NBC newsman John Chancellor compared it to Richard Nixon 's 1952 Checkers speech . Kennedy admirer David Halberstam wrote in Harper's magazine that it was "of such cheapness and bathos as to be a rejection of everything the Kennedys had stood for in candor and style. It was as if these men had forgotten everything which made the Kennedys distinctive in American politics, and simply told
8217-412: The statutory minimum two months in prison, which he suspended, saying that he "has already been, and will continue to be punished far beyond anything this court can impose." Despite an Associated Press story published that morning, Boyle was unaware that Kennedy's driving record was, in fact, far from "unblemished". While attending University of Virginia School of Law from 1956 to 1959, he had compiled
8316-466: The true identity of the victim, and admitted he was the driver. Arena led Kennedy to another empty office where he could privately dictate his statement to Markham, who wrote it out in long hand. Arena then typed out the statement: On July 18, 1969, at approximately 11:15 p.m. in Chappaquiddick, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, I was driving my car on Main Street on my way to get the ferry back to Edgartown. I
8415-472: The trunk appeared to be dry. Farrar publicly asserted that Kopechne likely would have survived if a more timely rescue attempt had been conducted. Kennedy returned to his family's compound in Hyannis Port . Stephen Smith, Robert McNamara , Ted Sorensen , Richard N. Goodwin , Lem Billings , Milton Gwirtzman , David W. Burke , John Culver , Tunney, Gargan, Markham and others arrived to advise him. Smith,
8514-431: The water, and landed with the roof resting on the bottom. I attempted to open the door and the window of the car, but have no re-collection 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. I was exhausted and in a state of shock. I recall walking back to where my friends were eating. There
8613-485: The youngest brother that he could get away with whatever he wanted because he was a Kennedy in Massachusetts." Although Kennedy received many messages from voters opposed to his resignation from the Senate, reaction in much of the news media, and of District Attorney Edmund Dinis , was that Kennedy's televised speech left many questions unanswered about how the accident happened, and his delay in reporting it. On July 31,
8712-430: Was a car parked in front of the cottage, and I climbed into the backseat. I then asked for someone to bring me back to Edgartown. I remember walking around for a period and then going back to my hotel room. When I fully realized what had happened this morning, I immediately contacted the police. Kennedy said the statement was correct as Arena typed it, but did not sign it. As the local medical examiner , Robert Nevin, had
8811-585: Was about to leave the party, "that she was desirous of leaving" and asked "if I would be kind enough to drop her back at her hotel." Crimmins and some other guests "were concluding their meal, enjoying the fellowship and it didn't appear to be necessary to require him to bring me back to Edgartown." Witnesses at the party variously placed the time of Kennedy and Kopechne's departure between 11:00 and 11:45 p.m.. Kennedy also testified that he never stopped on Cemetery Road, never backed up, never saw Deputy Sheriff Look and never saw another car or person after he left
8910-402: Was closed until 1995. In 2017, a film based on the incident was released with many scenes filmed on Chappaquiddick itself and in Edgartown. [REDACTED] Media related to Chappaquiddick Island at Wikimedia Commons United States Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of
9009-413: Was confined to bed because of two previous miscarriages , but she attended Kopechne's funeral and stood beside her husband in court. Soon after, she suffered a third miscarriage, which she blamed on the Chappaquiddick incident. At 7:30 p.m. on July 25, Kennedy delivered a lengthy statement about the incident, prepared by Sorensen and broadcast live by the three television networks. He began by reading
9108-508: Was introduced by Senator Strom Thurmond, the statute was changed to give the appointment authority to the Attorney General, but even then it was restricted and the Attorney General had a 120-day time limit. After that time, if a nominee was not confirmed, the district courts would appoint an interim U.S. attorney. The adoption of this language was part of a larger package that was billed as technical amendments to criminal law, and thus there
9207-591: Was no recorded debate in either the House or the Senate and both Chambers passed the bill by voice vote. Then, 20 years later, in March 2006 – again without much debate and again as a part of a larger package – a statutory change was inserted into the PATRIOT Act reauthorization. This time, the Executive's power was expanded even further, giving the Attorney General the authority to appoint an interim replacement indefinitely and without Senate confirmation. The U.S. attorney
9306-549: Was once mainly the home territory of the Chappaquiddick band of the Wampanoag people , and remained exclusively theirs well into the nineteenth century. They still have a reservation of about 100 acres (40 ha) (40 hectares) of brush land in the interior. Early colonists settled Edgartown in 1642, and quickly proclaimed Chappaquiddick as village property. The first homes owned by people of exclusively European descent were built around 1750; these residents raised livestock and farmed
9405-512: Was registered to Kennedy. Rosemary Keough's purse was found in the front passenger compartment of the car, causing Arena to misidentify Kopechne. Meanwhile, Kennedy, Gargan and Markham crossed back to Chappaquiddick Island on the ferry, where Kennedy made a series of telephone calls from a payphone near the ferry crossing—the same phone that the three men had stood by approximately six hours earlier discussing Kennedy's options. Kennedy called friends and lawyers for advice, however, instead of notifying
9504-519: Was signed by President George W. Bush, and became law in June 2007. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D, California), summarized the history of interim United States Attorney appointments, on March 19, 2007 in the Senate. When first looking into this issue, I found that the statutes had given the courts the authority to appoint an interim U.S. attorney and that this dated back as far as the Civil War. Specifically,
9603-480: Was still alive." Markham testified that after their rescue attempt, Kennedy was sobbing and on the verge of becoming crazed. He and Gargan testified that they assumed that Kennedy was going to inform the authorities about the accident once he got back to Edgartown, and thus did not do the reporting themselves. In an October 15, 1994, interview for Ronald Kessler 's book The Sins of the Father: Joseph P. Kennedy and
9702-534: Was to immediately take Kopechne to a ferry landing and return to a hotel in Edgartown , but that he made a wrong turn onto a dirt road leading to a one-lane bridge. After his car skidded off the bridge into the pond, Kennedy swam free and maintained that he tried to rescue Kopechne from the submerged car, but he could not. Kopechne's death could have happened any time between about 11:30 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday, as an off-duty deputy sheriff stated he saw
9801-447: Was unfamiliar with the road and turned right onto Dyke [ sic ] Road, instead of bearing hard left on Main Street. After proceeding for approximately one-half mile on Dyke [ sic ] Road, I descended a hill and came upon a narrow bridge. The car went off the side of the bridge. There was one passenger with me, one Miss Mary ___, a former secretary of my brother, Sen. Robert Kennedy. The car turned over and sank into
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