State to Argue for Reinstatement of Skakel Murder Conviction

Michael Skakel will have another day in court this week when lawyers will argue before the Connecticut Supreme Court whether the Kennedy cousin should be retried for the 1975 murder of his Greenwich neighbor Martha Moxley.

Prosecutors are scheduled to present their arguments on Wednesday that Skakel’s 2002 murder conviction should be reinstated. Lawyers for Skakel are scheduled to argue that their client deserves a new trial.

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Skakel was convicted of the 1975 Halloween Eve bludgeoning murder of Moxley in which a golf club was used. Her death occurred in the exclusive Belle Haven section of Greenwich where both families lived. Both were 15 years old. Skakel was sentenced to 20 years to life.

After years of appeals, Skakel’s lawyers won with a ruling in 2013 that the nephew of Ethel Skakel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, had inadequate defense from trial lawyer Michael Sherman. A judge agreed with Skakel’s attorneys that Sherman ignored evidence that included other suspects and alibi witnesses and that a new trial is warranted.

Prosecutors are expected to argue that Skakel’s defense was adequate and that the prosecution had enough convincing evidence to warrant the conviction.

Skakel has been free on a $1.2 million bond since his conviction was overturned in October 2013 .

The high court is scheduled to hear arguments Wednesday.

Patch file photo: Michael Skakel.