Douglas Kennedy Invokes Father's Assassination During Court Appearance

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. -- The son of Sen. Robert Kennedy invoked his father's assassination Thursday in a case stemming from his attempt to take his newborn son from a hospital maternity ward.

Douglas Kennedy is charged with endangering the baby and physically harassing two nurses in the January incident.

After a mostly procedural court session, Kennedy said, "It is OK for a father to hold his son in his arms ... my father was taken away from me when I was a baby."

"The only thing I wanted to do that night was to be with my son and hold him in my arms," Kennedy said.

On Jan. 7, Kennedy tried to take his 2-day-old son from the maternity ward at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco, about 30 miles from Manhattan. He said he wanted some fresh air for the baby, but nurses tried to stop him, citing hospital policy, and a tussle was recorded on hospital video. Security guards were summoned and the baby stayed in the hospital.

The hospital reported the incident to police and the state's Child Protective Services. Kennedy was arrested in February.

One nurse said Kennedy twisted her arm as she tried to keep him from leaving with the baby, and another said he kicked her.

Kennedy, 44, said Thursday "I was protecting my son from a complete stranger who tried to grab him from my arms."

Kennedy's wife, Molly, said "our lives have been turned upside down simply because my husband wanted to take a walk with our son."

Kennedy lawyer, Robert Gottlieb, called the prosecution "a disgrace." He said Kennedy had received a letter from a personal injury lawyer representing the two nurses.

"Certain individuals have taken advantage of a situation to line their pockets," Gottlieb said.

A state investigation, including a visit to the Kennedy home in Chappaqua, found no evidence of child abuse by Kennedy. That conclusion does not directly affect the child endangerment charge, but Gottlieb has filed a motion to dismiss all charges.

Assistant District Attorney Amy Puerto said in court that the prosecution would fight the motion.

A small group of nurses from the state nurses union demonstrated outside court demanding that the harassment charge be upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Juliane Hatzel, a recovery room nurse at Westchester Medical Center, said "nurses get hurt all the time and there's usually nothing that comes of it."

Donna Hemmer, a nursing supervisor at the same hospital, said "I commend the nurses for putting the safety of the baby ahead of their own safety."

Kennedy is next due in Mount Kisco Town Court on June 14.

Kennedy, a reporter for Fox News, is the 10th of 11 children of Robert and Ethel Kennedy. His father was assassinated in 1968.

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Comments

[Watching rock grow]

10:37 AM on 04/15/2012

How is a poor Douglas Kennedy supposed to get news notice when you are the son of RFK, and have as big brother Robert Jr?

He tried by working at Fox, he was just another Kennedy there. Therefore, instead of having the baby at home, and with his money this was a real possibility. He has to cause a ruckus in the hospital fighting women, to take his newborn son for a walk in January!

Next time Kennedy have your kid at home, don’t touch women that are only doing their jobs, and do something worthy of being RFK son and RFK Jr.’s little brother.

[Antidiot]

03:05 PM on 05/07/2012

It is your health not your wealth that determine if you can have a baby at home. They are very likely too old to be low risk.

[Spike5]

08:42 AM on 04/14/2012

Glad Robert Kennedy doesn't know that his son is trying to trade on his father's assassination. I was shocked until I read that he works for Fox News. Then I wasn't surprised any longer.

[MIKEinNYC]

11:35 PM on 04/13/2012

The guy had every right to take his own kid out of the hospital, doctors' orders of not, whether it was wise or not. Forcibly keeping the kid or any other patient in a hospital amounts to false imprisonment, which is actionable.

[April Dancer 25]

08:00 AM on 04/16/2012

By refusing to allow the parent custody of the baby the hospital is guilty of kidnapping.

[MIKEinNYC]

10:46 AM on 04/16/2012

Exactly. But Kennedy was a shmuck for invoking his dad's plight, which in this case, has no relevance.

[MARTinNJ]

09:15 PM on 04/13/2012

The nurses were carrying out their responsbilities under hospital procedures and the law. Some folks think that law does not apply to them. If they didn't try to protect the child they would have been negligent.

[Karen1]

12:55 AM on 04/28/2012

Those nurses knew he was the father. They had no right to take the baby out of his arms. They don't supersede the parents!

[MARTinNJ]

10:15 AM on 04/28/2012

Actually the responsibilities of the nurses do supercede the rights of parents while the child is in the care of the medical facility. If he wanted to sign the child out, that would have been another matter. And there is no 'Kennedy-Clan Right of Exception', to the rule of law.

[Quinn M]

08:37 PM on 04/13/2012

This is ridiculous.

[bobbiewick]

07:30 PM on 04/13/2012

His father's murder made him want to beat up a nurse.

[rhooperg]

07:16 PM on 04/13/2012

He is a reporter for Fox News? Are my eyes deceiving me? That is amazing!

[jadl124]

06:28 PM on 04/13/2012

Very much to do about nothing. They should have let him sign a release and take his child. Not very good judgement on the part of the nurses or Douglas to take a newbon out in January. Let's move on.

[Marie Jackie]

07:35 PM on 04/13/2012

jadl124: Let's move on? The hospital is responsible for what happens to the baby while on the hospital grounds. I never heard of someone wanting to take a baby out for "fresh" air. Kennedy's behavior was not normal. I don't believe I would have allowed him to take the baby home without a mental evaluation.

[jadl124]

08:28 PM on 04/13/2012

Marie,

You have a good point. I just think the situation was poorly handled by all parties. Including Kennedy. I would have just waited till the baby was released.

But once the baby was in his arms and he was determined to leave, I see little point in a physical confrontation. Had he taken the baby & something happened to the baby, it was all on Kennedy, hands down. Just an unfortunate situation all around and definitely NOT newsworthy

[April Dancer 25]

08:01 AM on 04/16/2012

Westchester had a VERY warm January.

[jadl124]

01:08 PM on 04/16/2012

True April but, still, the whole incidentwas foolish on both sides. I can understand Mr. Kennedy, although his remarks were quite astounding, and I can understand the nurses. Pity that the incident turned physical in close proximity to a new born.

[Snapdragon03]

04:19 PM on 04/13/2012

why does huff keep censoring my comments? they are not inflammatory. It is very frustrating!!

[Snapdragon03]

04:17 PM on 04/13/2012

I really cannot believe the abuse of our justice system. Had this been a pennyless Joe Schmoe from smalltown usa, this would not involve a personal injury lawsuit. I would hope I could tell a loving dad cradling his newborn from an abductor. Even if there was a suspected abduction, I am sure the only protocol would be to call security/police, and let them handle it. Not attack the person holding the child. If anything the nurse put the child in harms way, and exasperated the entire situation. Kennedy was present for the birth, he is not an estranged husband lurking in doorways. He also was walking with the doctor, who gave him permission to go out with the child. Now this poor family is dealing with CPS? Are you serious?! How quickly they run to his house, where was CPS when numerous calls were made regarding the woman who drove her van into the Hudson River with her 4 children in the car? Oh thats right, she wasn't a Kennedy!
Leave that family alone, let them enjoy their new son for heavens sake.

[patman77]

02:13 PM on 04/13/2012

works for fox news. say no more.

[freegeg]

12:27 PM on 04/13/2012

1 in 10 patients are infected with staph in hospitals every year. According to the CDC 1.7 million people die every years from infections contracted in hospitals. GET OUT as soon as possible is my motto!!!!! Funny, the nurses who are the primary cause of these infections don't want to talk about those facts.

[Hellooo]

06:17 PM on 04/13/2012

We will be burying one of those patients midweek.

[freegeg]

11:58 AM on 04/13/2012

Like George Zimmerman, the nurses over reacted.

[Marie Jackie]

07:37 PM on 04/13/2012

freegeg: The nurses were doing their job! These spoiled self-centered Kennedy's display the same kind of attitude from Bobby and Ted Kennedy.

[Karen1]

01:02 AM on 04/28/2012

Bobby never did anything wrong.

[tammy716]

11:52 AM on 04/13/2012

Who takes a 2 day old infant out for fresh air in January in NY....
The child was probably due to be discharged the next day anyway.
As a parent in a maternity ward he should have been well aware of the rules and procedures in that department.

[freegeg]

12:09 PM on 04/13/2012

Typically, babies are released form the hospital within 48 hrs after delivery.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/113/5/1434.full

[tammy716]

04:12 PM on 04/13/2012

I was in the hospital for 3 days - regardless if the baby was ready for discharge this would not have happened

[Anne Mccormick]

12:35 PM on 04/13/2012

Douglas and Molly Kennedy have both legal guardianship and custody of their child not the State. the nurses could have discussed their concerns with Douglas but they had not right to legally interfere. i see a major lawsuit coming from the "family".

[tammy716]

04:19 PM on 04/13/2012

This has nothing to do with the state. There are a number of conditions that must be met before the child is to leave the hospital. Pediatricians tell parents to limit the infant's contact with people for 4-8 weeks after birth to reduce infections, etc. And then to let this man carry his child through a hospital filled with sick people... I believe that security should have been called in this matter, however when we all see a video of a stranger abducting a baby from a hospital we all cry - how could that have happened? And now when the nurses step up and follow proper procedure people get angry? Douglas could have simply returned to the nurses desk to discuss this with them before fighting his way out of there. They only reached out to him physically after he went through the door.

And who in their right mind takes a 2 day old out of the hospital wrapped only in a blanket in January in NY?

[Snapdragon03]

04:28 PM on 04/13/2012

I just have a hard time justifying a nurse grabbing at ANYONE. I think the Kennedys are a loving family and feel very badly they have to be put through this.
I will light a candle for them this Sunday.

[whoaDaddy]

11:49 AM on 04/13/2012

stupid nurses. stupid policy. maternity is not an illness and being a baby is not either.

if they knew who he was they should have smiled sweetly and gone back to work.