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CNN Sunday Morning

Testimony Resumes Tomorrow in Skakel Trial

Aired May 12, 2002 - 11:30   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.
JONATHAN KARL, CNN ANCHOR: Testimony is expected to resume tomorrow in the trial of Michael Skakel, accused of killing a teenage neighbor 27 years ago. Week one wrapped up Friday.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick brings us up to date.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Skakel's world 26 years ago came together in Connecticut court. The smiling face of the girl he once liked, her mother, her diary, her best friends, and then her autopsy photos and details of how she died.

Martha Moxley, struggling with her killer, an expert says, possibly trying to fend off a sexual attack from someone she likely knew. Someone, experts testified, who left no forensic evidence behind.

Michael Skakel says he was nowhere near Moxley when she was beaten to death with a golf club, but his alibi was undermined by a witness, a friend of his sister's, testifying she saw Michael in the Skakel house at the time he says he was driving his cousin home.

(on camera): There was a lot of testimony about other suspects as well, like brother Tommy Skakel. Police wanted to arrest him for the murder in 1976, but the chief prosecutor back then said there wasn't enough evidence.

(voice-over): Also on the suspect list, family tutor Ken Littleton. Skakel's lawyer says Littleton confessed. Prosecutors say he did not. His ex-wife testifying investigators recruited her to make up a story, convincing Littleton he had admitted stabbing Martha in the neck.

But now, she says, none of it was true. Littleton never confessed.

(on camera): So you have a scorecard and you've got 10 points on it. How many do you give to prosecutors, how many do you give to the defense?

TIM DUMAS, AUTHOR/JOURNALIST: Probably six to the defense right now, four to the prosecutors. But I think that's about to reverse itself. I think we're going to see the prosecutors game some points from here on in.

FEYERICK: A key witness is expected to testify this week, Tommy Skakel, the last person seen talking to Martha when she was alive. The two were standing in the Skakel driveway at about 9:30 at night, flirting, says one friend, Tommy playfully pushing Martha in the bushes. They were enjoying an unusually cold night, a moment in time when life seemed full of possibilities.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Norwalk, Connecticut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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