Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Prosecution Continues Case Against Michael Skakel

Aired May 20, 2002 - 11:27   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 Norwalk, Connecticut, the prosecution continues its case today against Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel. More testimony is expected about Skakel's alleged confession in the death of Martha Moxley almost 26 years ago.

Our Deborah Feyerick is covering the trial for us. She has just left the courtroom to come out and give us an update -- hello, Deborah.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Leon.

Well, right now it is all about the confessions, what Michael Skakel did or did not say while he was at this rehab school. The jury right now is hearing testimony from a dead guy, a man who died last year after taking tainted heroin. Transcripts from an earlier hearing are being read to the jury and entered into evidence.

Now Gregory Coleman was the man who was guarding Michael Skakel late one night. Skakel had run away, and so he was assigned somebody to watch after him this. This took place on the mess hall stage. And Coleman was apparently looking around at Skakel's belongings and saw a record player, which really wasn't allowed to the majority of students. So Coleman made the statement, "Boy, you are getting away with murder." To which Skakel allegedly replied, "Well, I'm going to get away with murder, I'm a Kennedy"

Coleman then also testified that Skakel went on to say that he had driven her head in, which Coleman to mean that it had been with a golf club. We are hearing a lot of testimony right now. And what's interesting is not the certainty of the confessions, so much as the uncertainty of the confessions.

A lot of people have taken the stand, former classmates. And then said, well, Michael Skakel was very drunk that night and he always said that he couldn't remember what had happened that night. Whether he did do it, whether he didn't do it. He just said he couldn't remember. And it was the headmaster who had said the reason that he was at the school was because of something involving the Moxley murder.

Now one schoolmate did go a little further, and he describes a story with a sobbing Michael Skakel basically saying, you know, "I must have done. I did it." The question is, how much weight does the jury put on all of these confessions that not only happened 26, 27 years ago, but also the credibility of the witnesses themselves? This case is moving very quickly. It could wrap up, Leon, as early as next week.

HARRIS: So in that case, then, this is really moving pretty much according to -- I guess the way that they had everything scheduled going into it then? No surprises?

KOCH: Absolutely. They thought it was going to...

HARRIS: I'm sorry -- go ahead.

KOCH: Yes, no surprises right now. The prosecution has laid out their case. And then the defense is going to come back and really hit hard, because there has been some evidence that has been damaging. A lot of people don't see it that way. But, boy, when a jury hears something that somebody said some sort of a confession, that really does stick in the mind of a jury. But the defense is going to hit hard at all of this.

HARRIS: All right. Deborah Feyerick, we'll let you get back inside. Deborah Feyerick reporting live for us.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com