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In a stunning announcement, Connecticut Chief State’s attorney Richard Colangelo said on Friday, Oct. 30, that he would not retry Skakel because he could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
While speaking before Stamford Superior Court Judge Gary White, Colangelo said a recent review of the case showed that of the 51 potential witnesses, 17 had died. He also said he had reviewed all the evidence and could find nothing new to use in a trial.
Neither Skakel nor his attorney made a statement following the announcement. He had agreed to waive his privilege of confidentiality before the hearing.
Moxley, who was 15 years old at the time of her death, was with other teens out and about in the Belle Haven neighborhood for a night of pre-Halloween fun including toilet papering homes.
During the outing, the group visited the Skakel home where she had contact with Michael Skakel and his brother, Thomas.
Her body, which has been bludgeoned with a golf club owned by the Skakel family and stabbed in the throat, was found the next day on her family's estate, police said at the time.
Skakel, who is a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, was convicted of the teen's death in 2002 and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. He served 11 years and was released in 2013 on a $1.2 million bail.
Numerous appeals followed but the state Supreme Court upheld the decision in 2018, and U.S. Supreme Court later declined to hear the case.
During the hearing, Moxley's brother John Moxley briefly thanked all the employees of the state of Connecticut for their long hours and hard work on his sister's death.
Upon leaving the courthouse, Skakel's attorney, Stephen Seegar, said they were glad about the decision and his client was happy it was over.
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