(Another) Kennedy Sex Scandal

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Aug 26, 2004 3:13AM

The former personnel assistant to doctor William Kennedy Smith filed a $50,000 lawsuit this afternoon accusing him of sexually assaulting her inside his North Side home in 1999.

The plaintiff says that she was out for drinks with her friends celebrating her birthday when Smith showed up and bought them all a ton of drinks. He then followed them to another bar even when they tried to ditch him, where they kept drinking more. The plaintiff's friends left and when the bar closed Smith took her to his home where he forced her in to bed, removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her. CBS 2 is interviewing the woman on TV right now and she says that Smith raped her and then said "Happy Birthday". That last bit makes our stomachs turn.

The suit says that after the incident Smith called the plaintiff and left 4 voice messages saying things like "it was not your fault", "I have a problem," and "I will get help if you want me to." Sounds pretty incriminating.

Smith is the founder of and runs the Chicago-based Center for International Rehabilitation, a not-for-profit organization that develops technologies and programs to help people with disabilities worldwide reach their full potential. He is the nephew of the late John F. Kennedy and was found not guilty of rape and battery charges following a 1991 televised trial in West Palm Beach.