Facing lawsuit, Kennedy cousin quits job

updated 4:55 p.m. ET Aug. 30, 2004

CHICAGO - William Kennedy Smith said Monday he has resigned from the humanitarian group he founded while he fights sexual assault allegations leveled by a former employee.

“I am simply doing everything I can to protect the organization I love,” Smith said in his first public appearance since Audra Soulias filed a lawsuit last week alleging he sexually assaulted her five years ago.

Smith, the nephew of Sen. Edward Kennedy, denied he assaulted Soulias. He said friends worried that he would appear guilty by resigning from the Center for International Rehabilitation, which helps victims of land mines.

“The damage has been done, but the truth will be sorted out,” said Smith, a 43-year-old medical doctor who was cleared of rape charges in a separate case in Florida in 1991. He did not take questions.

Soulias, 28, Smith’s former personal assistant, is seeking unspecified damages.

She claims that Smith bought her drinks while she was celebrating her birthday in January 1999 and that he later took her to his house, dragged her upstairs and sexually assaulted her.

Soulias continued to work for Smith until June 1999 and during that time had consensual sex with him on a number of occasions, according to her attorney, Kevin E. O’Reilly.

Smith said he had a five-month relationship with Soulias in 1999.

“It was in no way forced or coerced,” he said. “I cannot dignify her allegations by repeating them, even to deny them, so all I can say is that they are false.”

Smith’s attorney, Dan Webb, said that one day before the lawsuit was filed, an attorney for Soulias wrote a letter to another attorney representing Smith and demanded $3.3 million. Webb said the letter warned a lawsuit would be filed within hours if the money was not paid.

“Dr. Smith was determined not to give in to that kind of extortion, and that is why the lawsuit is on file,” Webb said.

O’Reilly held a news conference Sunday and said her motivation is to stop Smith’s alleged behavior — not to collect money.

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