Chappaquiddick incident, Political scandal in the United States
The Chappaquiddick incident was a fatal car accident that took place on Chappaquiddick Island, a small island off Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, in July 1969. Senator Edward M. Kennedy was driving when the car went off a bridge into a tidal pond, and his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, died in the water.
After the crash, Kennedy left the scene and did not report the accident to police until the following morning, which caused a public outcry across the country. He pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and received a suspended sentence, but the exact events of that night were never fully established in court.
In the United States, the Chappaquiddick incident is often used as a reference point when people talk about political accountability. It has appeared in films, books, and news discussions for decades, because many felt that the full truth was never made public.
Chappaquiddick Island is reached by a short ferry ride from Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard. The bridge where the accident happened still stands and some visitors go to see it, though there is no formal memorial or marked site at the location.
A few days after the accident, Kennedy gave a televised address to the nation in which he suggested he had considered resigning from the Senate and asked the public to weigh in on his future. This direct appeal to voters was unusual in American politics and is still discussed by those who study the case.
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