Robert F. Kennedy's son Douglas Kennedy acquitted in baby case
(CBS News) The youngest son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was acquitted Tuesday of all charges stemming from a hospital confrontation. Douglas Kennedy was accused of assaulting two nurses earlier this year. Kennedy had said he just wanted to give his newborn child some fresh air.
Kennedys did nothing wrong in baby case, attorney says
During the five-day trial, the prosecution tried to prove Kennedy was guilty of harassing nurses and putting his child in danger. Kennedy insisted he was innocent, waiving his right to a jury and letting a judge make the call.
In the end, it was the surveillance video at the center of the case that helped clear Kennedy.
Robert Gottlieb, Kennedy's attorney, said, "The only people who acted inappropriately, the only people the judge found who created this situation that resulted in what everyone saw in the videotape were the nurses."
Back in January, cameras captured Kennedy, 45, trying to leave a Westchester, N.Y., hospital with his 2-day-old son, Bo.
That's when two nurses -- thinking he was violating hospital policy -- tried to stop him, and a seven-minute confrontation unfolded. In court, one nurse testified Kennedy twisted her arm, the other accused him of kicking her.
Gottlieb said, "Douglas and Molly are incredibly thrilled by the end of the nightmare. To receive an unequivocal statement from the judge that Douglas did not commit any crimes is just something that they are grateful for."
In a 10-page decision, Judge John Donohue wrote that the nurses "...(chose) to physically confront the defendant..." and that they told the court, Kennedy "was calm and did not raise his voice or threaten (them) in any way."
The women could still file a civil lawsuit.
Kennedy's lawyer says the court has already spoken, and that his client's famous last name had nothing to do with it. Gottlieb said, "People should not think for a moment that he received preferential treatment because he was a Kennedy. He went through this nightmare because he was a Kennedy."
The not-guilty decision came on what would've been the 87th birthday of Kennedy's father, who was assassinated in 1968.
For Jeff Glor's full report, watch the video in the player above.