Sen. Edward M. Kennedy appeared Friday before a Palm Beach County grand jury that is apparently hearing evidence on possible obstruction of justice stemming from the rape case against the senator's nephew.
The Massachusetts senator went into the grand jury room at the Palm Beach County Courthouse shortly after 10 a.m. Grand jury proceedings are secret.Prosecutors and Palm Beach police say they are still considering obstruction of justice charges related to the rape case against William Kennedy Smith.
State Attorney David Bludworth can file obstruction charges directly, drop the case, or ask a grand jury to consider whether police were misled when they attempted to interview Smith after a woman accused him of rape last Easter weekend.
Smith, 30, has pleaded innocent to the rape charges. He faces trial Jan. 13.