Revisiting the Famous Chappaquiddick Cover Up
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At the Vineyard Haven library on Tuesday night, there was a good turn out of people to hear Donald Nelson talk about his book entitled "Chappaquiddick Tragedy, Kennedy's Second Passenger Revealed". The book gives his account and theory behind the controversial tragedy and subsequent cover up involving Senator Ted Kennedy, and the death of one of his campaign aids, Mary Jo Kopechne.
In the book Mr. Nelson reveals his theory that, along with Kennedy and Mary Jo Kopechne, there was a third person in the car that Kennedy drove off Dike Bridge and into Pocha Pond that fateful July night in 1969. The car was discovered the following morning with the dead body of Miss Kopechne in the back seat, which Kennedy's claimed to have had no knowledge of at the time and which started a complicated web of stories concocted to try to exonerate him from any involvement. As the history books tell us, he went on to change this story several times. A scientist, and self-confessed detail oriented person, Mr. Nelson has meticulously combed through the evidence and explains in his book how statements made by members of Ted Kennedy's group that night were not considered in the original testimony and revealed evidence which would have implicated him in the alleged cover up.
After he spoke there was an opportunity to ask questions of Mr. Nelson, and many people spoke up, including 91 year old Robert Knight who wondered why not one single person, from the group with Ted Kennedy that night, has come forward with their story. Given that Mr. Kennedy is now deceased and it would perhaps give them the opportunity to do the right thing. No-one can say why, but this of course opened up further heated conversation from the audience.
Refreshments were served and people gathered to chat some more and there was an opportunity to ask Mr. Nelson to sign his book, which was also available to buy. Pictured below is Mr. Robert Knight with his signed copy.
Mr. Nelson was also asked if he had any involvement with the writers or directors of the new movie about the Kennedy/Chappaquiddick incident coming out next month. He replied that regretfully no one had approached him for his opinion but he was looking forward to seeing the film when it’s released.
He doesn’t need to go far, because The Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival annouced recently that they will be screening “Chappaquiddick” for their opening night on March 15th 2018. Based on the event that took place on Martha’s Vineyard involving Ted Kennedy in a scandalous accidental death of a young female member of his "Boiler Room" campaign team.
According to an interview with MVFF’s, Brian Ditchfield for the Vineyard Gazette, Mr. Ditchfield said the film goes beyond the car crash itself, and “really dives into Ted Kennedy’s relationship with his father. It’s not exactly positing any new theories about what may or may not have happened, but sort of diving into more biography about Senator Kennedy himself,” he said.
See the full article in the Gazette here. https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2018/02/20/chappaquiddick-movie-will-open-marthas-vineyard-film-festival
A discussion with the film’s director, John Curran, and actor Jason Clarke, who stars as Mr. Kennedy, will follow the opening night screening.
The 18th Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival opens March 15th and runs until the 18th. Tea Lane will be sponsoring the festival as always, so we will see you there!
