But if he ruffles feathers by describing the roles of other Kennedy cousins in these exploits, he also gives credit where it is due.

Photos of the Kennedy cousin in handcuffs appeared in papers all over the nation, led by page-one coverage in the regional press.

Since Mr. Smith was the only other male Kennedy cousin known to be staying at the mansion, that pointed squarely at him.

Mr. Mangelsdorf's lawyer is Michael Sherman, who represented Michael Skakel, the Kennedy cousin convicted of the long dormant murder of Martha Moxley in Greenwich, Conn.

He describes what it was like to have been constantly overshadowed by his Kennedy cousins, growing up with ostensible status, but no actual clout.

Some credit Mr. Fuhrman with helping successfully reopen their investigation into Michael Skakel, the Kennedy cousin now charged in her death.

But his lawyer, Mr. Sherman - who represented Michael Skakel, the Kennedy cousin convicted of the cold-case murder of a young neighbor - disputed their account.

Professor Moskos noted the difference between today and decades past was that "all of the Kennedy brothers served, none of the Kennedy cousins served."

He was on his way to the wedding of one of his Kennedy cousins.

"Skakel trial, Kennedy cousin," said a tall man with brushed-back hair who looked strikingly like Mark Fuhrman, the antihero of another unsolved murder - Nicole Brown Simpson's, O.J.'s wife.