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Apr 14, 2000

Police refused Thursday to release a videotape of his confrontation with an airport security guard to Rhode Island Democrat Rep. Patrick Kennedy.

Police said detectives were still investigating the March 26 incident at Los Angeles airport and there was no decision on whether charges would be filed.

Security guard Della Patton claims Kennedy shoved and grabbed her when she told him his bag was too big to fit through an X-ray scanner.

In a letter to Police Chief Bernard C. Parks, Kennedy's lawyer asked that the surveillance videotape be made public claiming the video would clear the congressman.

Police have said the video shows "physical contact" between Patton and Kennedy.

"It is still being investigated by our robbery-homicide detectives and they are proceeding. They are treating this as they would any investigation," Lt. Horace Frank said.

"It is not our intention to release that videotape. We won't do it. It's not fair for him to do this and it's not fair to the victim to do this. We have to maintain the integrity of the investigation," Frank said.

During an appearance Wednesday in Washington, Kennedy admitted, "I lost my temper." But he said he never hurt the woman. "The entire episode has been blown completely out of proportion," he said.

On Thursday, Kennedy's chief of staff, Tony Marcella, said the congressman respected police concerns but hoped that the video would be released when investigators were through with it.

"We are very confident that when the tape is viewed by the public, they are going to see something that might not be the most polite behavior in the world, but it's going to be nothing like the press has made it out to be," Marcella said.