LOS ANGELES - The daughter of former US presidential candidate John Kerry will not be charged after being arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, Los Angeles prosecutors said Monday.

Alexandra Kerry, 36, a film producer and director, was detained early Thursday after being pulled over in Hollywood.

"We've declined to file charges in that matter due to insufficiency of the evidence," Frank Mateljan of the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office confirmed on Monday.

US Senator John Kerry issued a statement criticizing those who rushed to the conclusion that his daughter had been inebriated.

"Despite some speculation, my daughter was pulled over for an expired registration, not for erratic driving," he said.

"A breathalyzer test at the police station revealed she was under the legal limit. She was released a short time later, not at 5:30 am or after being held overnight, as some reported," said the Massachusetts senator, who as Democratic Party candidate lost the 2004 presidential election to George W. Bush.

The senator added: "While she regrets driving with an expired registration, and takes full responsibility for it, that mistake should never have been compounded by erroneous reports suggesting she was driving drunk."

Alexandra Kerry was arrested after she allegedly committed a traffic violation. Officers then conducted a field sobriety test and placed her under arrest. A blood alcohol test produced a reading of 0.06, under California's legal limit of 0.08, according to news reports.

She wrote and directed a short film in 2004 and had a bit part role in David Mamet's 2004 thriller "Spartan."

Under California law, individuals can still be prosecuted for DUI - even if the level is less than 0.08 - if a vehicle was judged to have been operated unsafely due to alcohol.