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CNN Live Today

Michael Skakel's Father May Testify Today

Aired May 15, 2002 - 11:33   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Connecticut, Michael Skakel's father was set to take the stand today in his son's murder trial but his testimony depends on his health.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick is watching the case for us today. She's standing by at the courthouse in Norwalk, Connecticut. Let's check in with her now live.

Hello, Deborah.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Leon.

Well, Michael's father arrived at the courthouse just after 10:30. He was accompanied by his wife. That is not Michael's mom who died when he was only 12 years old. Walking into the court a CNN producer asked him how he was feeling, and he said that he was improving. His lawyer yesterday said that he was not feeling well and so there was a question as to whether he would take the stand. Mr. Skakel does suffer from dementia and can often exhibit quirky behavior, according to his lawyer.

Right now the jury is getting a science lesson on DNA on hair. Whose hair, well that's the big question. The forensic scientists analyzed two strands that were found on sheets used to wrap the body of Martha Moxley. The hair was then compared to hair from a brush taken from the Skakel family tutor Ken Littleton. Her conclusion was that while some similarities were the same, others were different. So she could not say whether or not it definitely was Ken Littleton who the hair belonged to. She said in the end, hair analysis is not exactly like fingerprinting. It's not a positive ID. The reason it's done is to rule out a certain group and sort of narrow the playing field.

It was the second forensic scientist who had a bit more powerful testimony. She said that when she took a blood sample from Ken Littleton within the last year and then compared it to the hair found on the sheets used to wrap Martha Moxley, she said that it was definitely not the same -- Leon.

HARRIS: All right. Deborah Feyerick, reporting live for us from Norwalk, Connecticut, thank you very much.

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