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Trial of Kennedy Cousin Michael Skakel Continues Today in Norwalk, Connecticut

Aired May 15, 2002 - 13:48   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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The trial of Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel continues today in Norwalk, Connecticut. Prosecutors trying to discount other potential suspects and theories as to who killed Martha Moxley back in 1975. Jeffrey Toobin, our legal analyst, back outside the courtroom there.

Jeff, good afternoon.

Hey, Bill, I've got a number of things I want to go through. First, just get us up to speed right now.

What's happened so far in court today?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL EXPERT: OK, a DNA expert testified about a hair that was found in the blanket where Martha Moxley's body was wrapped, was taken away from the scene. And this hair, earlier testimony had suggested that it might possibly have come from Ken Littleton, who is the tutor, the defense has been pointing to as a possible suspect. Today's testimony ruled out Ken Littleton as the source of that hair. It wasn't Michael Skakel's hair either. But it was part of the prosecution effort to discount Ken Littleton as a suspect that.

That was the first witness of the day, but the most dramatic moment in the courtroom today was when Rushton Skakel Senior, the defendant's father, hobbled into the courtroom. He is very -- he is 78 years old. He is ill. He has frontal lobe dementia. At first, it wasn't even clear if he would be able to testify because of his mental condition, and he gave testimony that was really not very helpful to one side or the other, but it was certainly a poignant scene to see father testifying at his son's trial.

HEMMER: It is truly remarkable, 26 years later, just how many lives have changed in this story. You point out, again, the father, Rushton Skakel there.

Listen, I want go back to this morning. I heard you talking with Paula. You say in court on many days, or on a couple days anyway, the name of Michael Skakel has not even been mentioned. I'm curious to know from a legal perspective what that does to the case.

TOOBIN: Well, it certainly doesn't help. That's the simple answer. And what has happened here is that over the past three days, this case has devolved completely into a trial about Ken Littleton. Ken Littleton was the tutor. It was his first night in the house. And he testified, and as you recall, he had all sorts of mental and emotional problems. He has bipolar disorder. He is taking many medications. He has been arrested. He's claimed at times to be a Kennedy relative. He's claimed that the Kennedys have been trying to kill him.

And then yesterday his wife, his ex-wife testified all day, about whether he had or had not confessed to him. Now it seems pretty clear that he did not confess, at least most of the time that he was talking about the case. But I think in a larger sense what this means for the prosecution's case, all this discussion about Ken Littleton means that the jury is not hearing anything about Michael Skakel. That can't be good.

HEMMER: His wife, Mary Skakel, she had 300 conversations she recorded, so that right.

TOOBIN: It was extraordinary, and the jury heard one of them at great, great length. She claimed, and I have to say this sounded pretty implausible, that the reason she taped these calls was to exonerate her ex-husband, when in fact it seemed pretty clear to many people in the courtroom that she was trying to incriminate her ex- husband, it turned out unsuccessfully. That actually is pretty much a side issue in the case, but it is just an example of how much the trial has gone astray from the issue of whether Michael Skakel is guilty to whether Ken Littleton is guilty.

HEMMER: Prosecutors will tell you they do not like that when that happens.

TOOBIN: Not good. Back in court under a few minutes.

HEMMER: OK, pal, we'll talk to you later.

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