HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, whose homicide conviction within the Nineteen Seventies killing of a youngster in Connecticut was overturned, is suing the lead police investigator within the case and the city of Greenwich for alleged malicious prosecution, civil rights violations and different claimed wrongdoing.
Skakel, 63, a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, was discovered responsible in 2002 of the 1975 bludgeoning dying of Martha Moxley, who lived throughout the road from the Skakel household in rich Greenwich and whose physique was present in her household’s yard. Each Skakel and Moxley have been 15 on the time of her dying.
The Connecticut Supreme Court docket overturned Skakel’s conviction in 2018, after he had served greater than 11 years in jail, saying his protection lawyer did not current proof of an alibi. A state prosecutor announced in 2020 that Skakel wouldn’t be placed on trial once more and the homicide cost was dropped.
The brand new lawsuit alleges the investigator, Frank Garr, was intent on getting Skakel convicted and withheld key proof about different potential suspects from Skakel’s trial protection.
The defendants within the lawsuit “knew that there have been different extra possible suspects and that there was no possible trigger to arrest and/or preserve a prosecution towards the Plaintiff (Skakel), however continued to take action deliberately and maliciously, in an effort to convict a ‘Kennedy Cousin,’” the go well with alleges.
The state legal professional normal’s workplace, which is defending Garr, declined to remark Tuesday. A lawyer for Greenwich didn’t instantly return an e-mail message. A message additionally was left at a cellphone itemizing for Garr.
Skakel’s legal professional, Stephan Seeger, referred to as the lawsuit a civil rights motion towards Garr and the city.
“He spent 11 and a half years in jail for against the law he didn’t commit and was put by way of each thinkable continuing till the case was lastly dismissed,” Seeger mentioned.
The lawsuit, filed in state court docket in Stamford in November, seeks unspecified damages over $15,000.
The case drew worldwide consideration due to the Kennedy identify, Skakel’s wealthy household, quite a few theories about who killed Moxley and the brutal means during which she died. A number of different individuals, together with Skakel’s brother Tommy Skakel, have been talked about as potential killers. Tommy Skakel denied involvement within the killing.
The slaying happened within the unique Bell Haven part of Greenwich the place Martha and Skakel have been neighbors. At trial, prosecutors mentioned Skakel was indignant with Martha as a result of she had spurned his advances whereas having a sexual liaison with Tommy. There additionally was witness testimony about incriminating statements Skakel allegedly made.
Skakel’s appellate attorneys later argued that Skakel’s trial legal professional, Mickey Sherman, made poor choices, together with not specializing in Tommy as a potential suspect and failing to aim to contact an alibi witness. They mentioned Skakel was a number of miles away from the crime scene, watching a Monty Python film with pals when Moxley was killed on Oct. 30, 1975.
Sherman has defended his illustration of Skakel.
There was no bodily proof and no eyewitness linking Skakel to the killing, his attorneys mentioned.
Skakel’s cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now a presidential candidate, was certainly one of his staunchest defenders and wrote a ebook saying Skakel was framed.
Skakel was first arrested in 2000, after new books concerning the Moxley case reignited the police investigation.
The lawsuit claims Greenwich police, prosecutors and Garr, who labored for Greenwich police earlier than turning into an inspector with the state’s legal professional’s workplace, withheld essential data helpful to Skakel from his trial protection.
The knowledge, the go well with says, included sketches of a possible suspect who didn’t resemble Skakel, psychological experiences on different suspects and statements from witnesses who mentioned two different males have been in Moxley’s neighborhood on the evening of her killing, together with one who made incriminating feedback.
The lawsuit additionally alleges Garr had “deep antipathy” towards Skakel and his household, was trying to revenue from collaborating on a ebook about Skakel killing Moxley, and threatened witnesses so they might testify towards Skakel.
Skakel suffered violations of his constitutional rights, lack of liberty from his time in jail, humiliation, embarassment, “extreme emotional misery, terror and worry,” monetary loss and hurt and “destruction of fame and household relationships,” the lawsuit says.
Attorneys for Garr and Greenwich haven’t but filed their responses to the go well with.
Moxley’s household has maintained their perception that Skakel was the killer.
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