L.A. airport officials release videotaped incident involving Rep. Patrick Kennedy

May 17, 2000
Web posted at: 5:57 p.m. EDT (2157 GMT)

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Officials from Los Angeles International Airport on Wednesday released a video of a March 26 altercation between Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-Rhode Island) and airport security guard Della Patton.

Rep. Patrick Kennedy

In the video, Patton is seen telling Kennedy that one of his carry-on bags is too big to fit through the X-ray machine. He then grabs one of his smaller bags and attempts to rush through the metal detector, but she blocks his path.

As he tries to pass, he grabs her shoulder and appears to give her a quick shove, shaking the arch of the metal detector.

They argue for a few moments before he picks up his bags, turns around and leaves.

The video was released a day after city officials decided against bringing charges against Kennedy over the encounter. The congressman, son of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Massachusetts), attended a hearing last week to answer allegations he committed battery against the guard.

A hearing officer declined to take action based on testimony from both Kennedy and Patton.

"I am obviously happy that the Los Angeles city officials agree that I did not do what I was accused of," Kennedy said in a statement.

Patton, an employee at LAX for 11 years, had claimed that Kennedy shoved her after she told him his bag was too big to fit through an X-ray scanner. She filed a battery complaint with police.

Kennedy attorney Abbe David Lowell said the congressman "admitted that he was rushed and rude. He apologized at the time and a number of times after. That should be the end of it."