Nephew of Robert F. Kennedy could be retried for murder
Michael Skakel walked free in 2013 after a judge overturned his conviction for the murder of his 15-year-old neighbor. But more than 40 years after Martha Moxley was found dead outside her home, prosecutors in Connecticut are expected to petition the state Supreme Court for the nephew of Robert F. Kennedy to return to prison.
Prosecutors will ask for a new trial, which they see as their last shot at reinstating Skakel's conviction, reports "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant.
Skakel was convicted in 2002 for Moxley's death, but the case has been a rollercoaster for the Skakel and Moxley families, remaining in the spotlight, partly because Skakel is the nephew of Ethyl Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy's widow.
Skakel's new criminal defense lawyer, Stephen Seeger, said while the "case is not about the Kennedy family," the family dynamic has brought unwanted attention.
But Skakel's cousin, attorney Robert Kennedy Jr., fought for years to get the conviction overturned.
"I'm utterly convinced that he did not do the crime," Kennedy said.
The 2013 appeal centered on whether Skakel's trial attorney, Mickey Sherman, provided a competent defense.
Skakel testified his former lawyer was more interested in his own public profile, even calling him a "media whore."
The judge agreed, saying Sherman did not point the finger at other possible suspects. Seeger said he won't make the same mistake.
"I can tell you that Michael Skakel is innocent of his crime," Seeger said. "He certaintly didn't kill Martha Moxley."
But Seeger did not rule out that a member of Skakel's family - possibly his older brother of two years, Tommy Skakel - could have blood on his hands.
It could be several months before the Supreme Court issues its ruling. Until then, Michael Skakel remains free on $1.2 million bond.