KENNEDY WEIGHS QUITTING, SEEKS ADVICE OF VOTERS; PLEADS GUILTY TO CHARGE; MISHAP DESCRIBED He Calls 'Indefensible' His Delay in Reporting to Police on Fatality Kennedy Weighs Quitting Senate, Seeks Voters' Advice; Pleads Guilty to Charge Depicts as 'Indefensible' Lag in Reporting Mishap
Kennedy goes on natl TV presenting acct of accident; s from father's home in Hyannis Port; illus; calls failure to rept accident immediately 'indefensible'; says he weighs resigning from Sen and asks constituents to help him reach decision; s comes 10 hrs after he pleaded guilty in Edgartown courtroom to charge of leaving scene of accident; plea resulted in suspended sentence of 2 mos in jail; in TV s he says he had had no private relationship with Kopechne, says he was not intoxicated, says he actually felt sensation of drowning when car overturned, that he returned to bridge with Gargan and Markham to try to recover Kopechne body; describes confusion and irrational thoughts that raced through his mind; says he swam channel between island and Edgartown after Gargan and Markham took him to ferry crossing; Kennedy appeal to constituents seen reminiscent of R M Nixon's 'Checkers' speech of '52 Pres campaign; details of Kennedy appearance in ct; he was accompanied by wife and bro-in-law S E Smith; Arena testimony detailed; in response to Judge Boyle question, Arena says no effort was made to conceal Kennedy's identity; med examiner issues statement that he had no knowledge that Kennedy was involved when he decided no autopsy was required; Kennedy reptd more relaxed after s; Troy, NY, campaign workers for late R F Kennedy form com to keep E M Kennedy from resigning
