Page 5 - ATD25Febr2016

U.S. NEWS A5
Thursday 25 February 2016

Lawyer: Evidence shows Skakel’s brother committed murder

coherent defense.” Michael Skakel had an alibi the killing to an undeter-
Hubert Santos, Skakel’s ap- on the night of the killing at mined time between 9:30
pellate lawyer, said Sher- 10 p.m., the time that he p.m. on Oct. 30, 1975, and
man made numerous poor said evidence shows Mox- 5:30 a.m. the next day, in
decisions, including not ley was killed. He cited tes- response to Skakel’s alibi.
focusing on Skakel’s older timony that Michael Skakel Prosecutors deny that.
brother, Thomas Skakel, as and some relatives left the Santos also said there was
a possible suspect. neighborhood at about no forensic or physical evi-
“This defendant did not get 9:30 p.m. to go to his cous- dence linking Michael Ska-
a fair shake,” Santos told in’s house 20 minutes away kel to the killing.
the court. “The weight of to watch a Monty Python Thomas Skakel’s attorney
the evidence is that Tom- movie. has previously said that his
my Skakel killed Martha Santos accused prosecu- client had nothing to do
Moxley.”Santos also said tors of moving the time of with the slaying.q

Michael Skakel leaves the state Supreme Court after his hear-
ing, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016, in Hartford, Conn. State prosecu-
tors asked the state Supreme Court to reinstate the 2002 murder
conviction against Kennedy cousin Skakel in the bludgeoning
death of Martha Moxley when they were teenage neighbors in
wealthy Greenwich.

(AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

DAVE COLLINS in 2013 ordered a new trial
Associated Press after finding that defense
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — attorney Michael Sherman
Kennedy cousin Michael failed to adequately repre-
Skakel’s conviction for a sent his client.
1975 murder was the result Skakel, now free on $1.2
of a myriad of poor deci- million bail, sat next to Ken-
sions by his trial lawyer, who nedy Jr. in the gallery of the
failed to tell jurors that his courtroom during the argu-
brother might have com- ments. Skakel declined to
mitted the killing, Skakel’s comment.
appellate attorney told It’s not clear when the
the Connecticut Supreme court will issue its decision.
Court on Wednesday. Prosecutor Susann Gill told
Outside the courtroom, the justices that Sherman,
Skakel’s cousin Robert F. who has defended his
Kennedy Jr. repeated pre- work, did a competent job
vious statements he has investigating and trying the
made about evidence case, and that Skakel’s ap-
showing two other men pellate lawyers have not
killed teenager Martha met the high burden under
Moxley, who was blud- case law to prove ineffec-
geoned to death with a tive counsel. She also stood
golf club in the wealthy by the state’s position that
Greenwich neighborhood there was “substantial” evi-
where she and the Skakel dence that Michael Skakel
family lived at the time. killed Martha Moxley.
Prosecutors went before Gill noted that Sherman put
the state’s highest court together a defense team
Wednesday to argue that that included other lawyers
Skakel’s 2002 murder con- and several investigators.
viction should be reinstat- “This was far from a slipshod
ed. Skakel, 55, a nephew defense,” Gill said. “This
of Robert F. Kennedy’s was a well-planned ... well-
widow, Ethel, had been thought-out defense. Mr.
sentenced to 20 years to Sherman pulled in a lot of
life in prison. But a judge resources and presented a