The Season 3 premiere episode of "Scandalous" aired Sunday and featured a look into the media frenzy that occurred in 1991 when a prominent Kennedy family member was accused of rape.
On March 30, 1991, a 29-year-old Florida woman named Patricia Bowman accused William Kennedy Smith of raping her at the Kennedy family compound in West Palm Beach, Fla.
What followed after was a media frenzy made for television.
"Obviously I'm very sad about the events today, I'm worried about my family, obviously my future and my friends," Smith told reporters in 1991 after being charged.
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Smith faced up to four and half years in prison, and was aided by a high-powered legal team.
The defense included details that Bowman used cocaine and had three abortions.
"I do not think a prior abortion should ever be used by a defense attorney to question the credibility of a witness because it's imprejudicial," attorney Alan Dershowitz said in the documentary.
The prosecution brought up past accusations of sexual attacks involving Smith.
"The prosecutor is hoping these witnesses can testify against Smith at his trial to prove he has a history of violent attacks on women, but she didn't have to release these documents to the public," reporter Rick Leventhal said in covering the trial. "And some attorneys say she's only trying to sway opinion against Smith."
The trial lasted 10 days. Smith was found not guilty.
Part two of “Scandalous” airs Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.
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