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Skakel Trial Testimony Highlights

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Highlights of testimony in the prosecution's case against Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel, charged with murder in the 1975 beating death of Greenwich teen-ager Martha Moxley:

DORTHY MOXLEY: Moxley's mother; testified May 7 about the frantic efforts to find her daughter the morning of Oct. 31, 1975. Moxley said she went to the Skakel house looking for her daughter and Michael opened the door. She said he appeared "hung over."

THOMAS KEEGAN: A Greenwich police captain at the time of the murder; testified May 8 that police applied unsuccessfully for an arrest warrant for Skakel's older brother, Thomas, who was the last person seen with Moxley.

DR. H. WAYNE CARVER: Chief state medical examiner; testified May 8 about the injuries Moxley suffered. He said he could not pinpoint a time of death.

HENRY LEE: Noted forensics expert and former state commissioner of public safety; testified May 8 that there was no direct evidence linking Skakel to the murder, but said there was indirect evidence suggesting a link.

JAMES LUNNEY: Former Greenwich police detective; testified May 9 that he saw a set of golf clubs in the Skakel home matching the murder weapon.

KENNETH LITTLETON: Former Skakel family tutor who began his job the day Moxley was killed and was an early suspect in her slaying; testified May 9 that he was unexpectedly instructed to take Skakel, his siblings and a cousin to a home in upstate New York the day after Moxley's body was found. On cross-examination, defense lawyer Michael Sherman raised questions about statements Littleton made during an interview with a psychologist and in tape-recorded conversations with his ex-wife.

ANDREA SHAKESPEARE RENNA: Friend of Skakel's sister; testified May 9 that Skakel was not among the youths who drove Skakel's cousin to another part of Greenwich the night of the slaying, contradicting Skakel's expected alibi.

MARY BAKER: Ex-wife of Littleton; testified May 13 that Littleton never confessed to killing Moxley. Said she was collaborating with prosecutors when she told Littleton he had confessed during an alcoholic blackout.

MILDRED IX: Skakel neighbor; testified May 15 that she was mistaken when she told a grand jury that Skakel made incriminating statements to his father, but said Skakel inquired about taking a test with sodium pentathol, a drug used to help people remember.

MATTHEW TUCCIARONE: Hairdresser; testified May 15 that Skakel made an incriminating statement while sitting in his barber's chair in 1975 or 1976. He said Skakel was talking about getting a gun and killing somebody; when a girl who was with him said, "You can't do that," Skakel replied, "Why not, I killed before."

LAWRENCE ZICARELLI: Former Skakel family driver; testified May 16 that Skakel once said he had done something "very bad" and had to either kill himself or get out of the country, then threatened to jump off the Triborough Bridge in New York City.

JOHN HIGGINS: Former student at the Elan School, a residential substance abuse treatment center Skakel attended; testified May 16 that Skakel confessed to killing Moxley in a tearful conversation at the school.

ELIZABETH ARNOLD: Former student at Elan; testified May 17 that Skakel said his brother had stolen his girlfriend.

GREGORY COLEMAN: Former student at Elan; Coleman died last year after using drugs, but his testimony in pretrial hearings was read into the record May 17. Coleman said Skakel once told him, "I'm going to get away with murder, because I'm a Kennedy." Coleman admitted he was high on heroin when he testified before a one-judge grand jury, but stood by his testimony.

MICHAEL MEREDITH: Former student at Elan, though he did not attend the school with Skakel; testified May 20 that Skakel told him he had climbed a tree outside Moxley's home the night of the murder and masturbated.

ANDREW PUGH: Childhood friend of Skakel; also testified May 20 about the tree incident.

RICHARD HOFFMAN: Planned to write a book with Skakel about life with the Kennedys; prosecutors on May 21 played an audiotape of Skakel discussing his attraction to Moxley and his activities the night of the murder.