Reading Room Document

Liability of President or Mrs. Kennedy to Prosecution for Leaving the Scene of an Automobile Accident

The Assistant Special Counsel to the President asked the OLC “whether [the] President or Mrs. Kennedy could be prosecuted for leaving the scene of an accident, in the event of a mishap while either of them was driving.” The OLC concluded that precedent suggested that President Kennedy could not be required to appear to answer to charges for leaving the scene due to the lack of judicial authority to direct presidential action. However, Mrs. Kennedy could theoretically be prosecuted in Florida or Virginia, but not in Massachusetts. The OLC recommended that irrespective of liability, both the President and Mrs. Kennedy should not leave the scene until local police arrive unless there was an advance agreement with the local police that they could leave the scene.

February 27, 1962