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CNN Live At Daybreak

In Norwalk, Connecticut, Kennedy Relative Michael Skakel Heads Back to Court Today

Aired May 08, 2002 - 05:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In Norwalk, Connecticut, Kennedy relative Michael Skakel also heads back to court today. Testimony in his murder trial opened yesterday. Skakel is charged with the 1975 murder of his neighbor, Martha Moxley. The prosecutor told jurors they'll hear from witnesses who talked to Skakel about the crime. Skakel is the nephew of Ethel Kennedy.

And we want to get more details on the Skakel murder trial in Connecticut.

Our Deborah Feyerick has been in the courtroom for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She's been dead 26 years, but Martha Moxley's presence was very much alive in a Connecticut courtroom as her friend, Michael Skakel, went on trial for her murder. In the morning, her smiling face projected on a screen, beaming down on the jury. In the afternoon, a very different image -- crime scene photos of Martha laying face down, her skull bashed in, her hair bloody.

TIMOTHY DUMAS, AUTHOR, JOURNALIST: I think the prosecution really wanted to contrast this young girl who was full of life to this act of brutality that had been done on her.

FEYERICK: Martha's voice also coming to life. Photocopies of her diary entries in the weeks before she died handed to the press. She writes of her feelings about Michael Skakel and his brother Tommy. Michael treating her to an ice cream cone, a double scoop, later accusing Martha of leading Tommy on. Another day, another entry, a night ending badly when Michael nearly got into a fistfight with Tommy and his other brothers. Martha describing Michael as acting like a big he man.

DUMAS: We do have this part in the diary about Michael getting mad at Martha about leading Tommy on, which is also very interesting. And you wonder what's going on beneath the surface of that.

FEYERICK: The first witness on the stand, Martha's mom. She says she heard a commotion, teenage voices on the side of her house in the area where Martha was later found. Dorothy Moxley says she looked out the window, but didn't see anyone. So she turned off the porch light, fearing someone might steal Martha's new 10 speed bike. Then, a mother's worst fear. Mrs. Moxley wondering whether she heard Martha's screams as she closed the window that night.

(on camera): The one time Michael Skakel showed emotion was when the judge allowed the diary entries into evidence, overruling Skakel's lawyers. Skakel looking visibly agitated, two of his attorneys patting him on the shoulder to calm him down.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Norwalk, Connecticut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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