I don't know if I'd call that murder. Was it negligence? Certainly. Was it cowardly to leave her? Certainly. Was he morally and ethically responsible for her death? Certainly.

But murder is a different kettle of fish. Because murder requires the intent to kill, or at the very least criminal malice. You could argue malignant heart in that he left her in the car and didn't get help, but that assumes that he knew she was still alive and chose to leave her there to drown. His behavior afterwards seems to hint that he didn't know.

I read the pet theory further down the thread that Ted Kennedy's squeeze was someone else, that Mary Jo was passed out in the back seat and they didn't know she was in the car - that would tie up a lot of loose ends in what is unquestionably a strange affair.

Either way, Ted Kennedy dodged one helluva bullet. Only a Kennedy would have a political career after that.