Kerry Kennedy says she accidentally took her Ambien before crash
Kennedy, 53, says in a court filing she mistook her sleeping pill for daily thyroid medication
The ex-wife of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants all charges from the July incident dropped
This according to a 99-page motion that includes letters of support from famous friends and family like mother Ethel Kennedy
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of late Robert F. Kennedy, is fighting to get charges against her of driving under the influence dropped by claiming she accidentally took her sleeping medication.
In New York court filings, Kennedy argued Friday she inadvertently took the drug zolpidem instead of her daily thyroid medication, prior to the July 13 incident.
The filing claims the two bottles 'are virtually identical in size, shape and appearance.'
Kennedy, who was once married to New York governor Andrew Cuomo, crashed her Lexus into a tractor trailer in North Castle, New York this past summer.
Police say the 53-year-old mother of three then fled the scene and was found at an exit ramp.
Kennedy failed a sobriety test and was allegedly slurring her words.
A small amount of the drug, also known as Ambien, was found in Kennedy’s blood.
Letters of support from famous family members and friends, including her mother Ethel Kennedy, were all part of the 99-page motion.
“I have too much regard for the lives of others, as well as my own, to place them at risk by driving under the influence of zolpidem,’ Kennedy wrote in an affidavit.
Also included was a reference to the assassination of Kennedy’s father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy’s lawyers noted their client had ‘experienced more tragedy by the age of 8…than most people experience in a lifetime.’
The filing praised Kennedy’s humanitarian work.
‘By any objective standard,’ wrote defense attorney Gerald Lefcourt ‘Kerry Kennedy is a uniquely remarkable and selfless woman committed to women's rights and social justice.’
No injuries or damage to other vehicles resulted from the incident.
Prosecutors have until March 26 to respond to the motion to dismiss the case.
The ex-wife of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants all charges from the July incident dropped
This according to a 99-page motion that includes letters of support from famous friends and family like mother Ethel Kennedy
Kerry Kennedy, daughter of late Robert F. Kennedy, is fighting to get charges against her of driving under the influence dropped by claiming she accidentally took her sleeping medication.
 |
Drugged driving: Kerry Kennedy was charged with
driving under the influence in July and now says she accidentally took
sleeping medication
|
The filing claims the two bottles 'are virtually identical in size, shape and appearance.'
Kennedy, who was once married to New York governor Andrew Cuomo, crashed her Lexus into a tractor trailer in North Castle, New York this past summer.
Police say the 53-year-old mother of three then fled the scene and was found at an exit ramp.
Kennedy failed a sobriety test and was allegedly slurring her words.
A small amount of the drug, also known as Ambien, was found in Kennedy’s blood.
Letters of support from famous family members and friends, including her mother Ethel Kennedy, were all part of the 99-page motion.
“I have too much regard for the lives of others, as well as my own, to place them at risk by driving under the influence of zolpidem,’ Kennedy wrote in an affidavit.
Also included was a reference to the assassination of Kennedy’s father, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle John F. Kennedy.
 |
Pill mix-up: The daughter of assassinated senator RFK says she meant to take her daily thyroid medication that morning last July
|
The filing praised Kennedy’s humanitarian work.
‘By any objective standard,’ wrote defense attorney Gerald Lefcourt ‘Kerry Kennedy is a uniquely remarkable and selfless woman committed to women's rights and social justice.’
 |
Close call: There were no injuries on I-684
(pictured) after Kennedy reportedly hit a tractor trailer, fled, and was
found nearby by cops
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Prosecutors have until March 26 to respond to the motion to dismiss the case.
