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Supreme Court Won't Take Michael Skakel Case

The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will not hear the state of Connecticut's bid to reinstate Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel’s conviction for the murder of Martha Moxley in 1975 in Greenwich.

Supreme Court, front row (left to right): Stephen Breyer, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts (Chief Justice), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Samuel Alito. Back row (left to right): Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Brett Kavanaugh.

Supreme Court, front row (left to right): Stephen Breyer, Clarence Thomas, John Roberts (Chief Justice), Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Samuel Alito. Back row (left to right): Neil Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Brett Kavanaugh.

Photo Credit: U.S. Supreme Court

The original 2002 conviction was vacated in May 2018 by the Connecticut Supreme Court who ruled that Skakel, 58, was deprived of his right to effective counsel and was entitled to a new trial on charges he beat Moxley to death with a golf club. 

The court found Skakel's attorneys failed to investigate a potential alibi witness who could have helped his defense, thus causing the deprivation of effective counsel.

The nephew of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, Skakel was accused of bludgeoning to death Moxley, who was 15-years-old at the time, with a golf club that belonged to his mother. 

According to court documents, Skakel was infatuated with Moxely, who instead was reportedly attracted to his older brother, Tommy.

 Moxley’s mother, Dorthy Moxley, 86, told the Boston Herald that although she’s “disappointed” by the decision, she will continue to support Connecticut’s Chief State’s Attorney Office whether they retry Skakel or not. 

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