Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel has launched a legal battle against the lead police investigator, Frank Garr, and the town of Greenwich, Connecticut. Skakel, whose murder conviction in the infamous Martha Moxley case was overturned, is now seeking justice for alleged malicious prosecution, civil rights violations, and other claimed wrongdoing.
The case, which captivated the world’s attention, revolves around the brutal murder of Martha Moxley, a 15-year-old girl who lived across the street from the Skakel family in the affluent town of Greenwich. Skakel, a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy’s widow, Ethel Kennedy, was found guilty in 2002 of bludgeoning Martha to death in 1975. However, his conviction was overturned by the Connecticut Supreme Court in 2018 due to his defense lawyer’s failure to present evidence of an alibi.
Skakel’s new lawsuit alleges that investigator Frank Garr was determined to secure his conviction and deliberately withheld crucial evidence about other potential suspects from Skakel’s defense team. The lawsuit further claims that the defendants knew there were more likely suspects and lacked probable cause to arrest and prosecute Skakel, but continued to do so maliciously in order to convict a “Kennedy Cousin.”
The lawsuit also accuses Garr of having a personal vendetta against Skakel and his family, seeking to profit from collaborating on a book about the case, and even intimidating witnesses to testify against Skakel. Skakel’s attorney, Stephan Seeger, describes the lawsuit as a civil rights action against Garr and the town, highlighting the 11 and a half years Skakel spent in jail for a crime he did not commit.
The case itself garnered international headlines due to the Kennedy name, Skakel’s wealthy background, and the various theories surrounding Martha Moxley’s murder. Several other individuals, including Skakel’s brother Tommy Skakel, were mentioned as possible suspects, but Tommy denied any involvement. The crime occurred in the exclusive Bell Haven section of Greenwich, where Martha and Skakel were neighbors.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that Skakel was motivated by anger towards Martha for rejecting his advances while being involved with Tommy. Witness testimony also claimed that Skakel made incriminating statements. However, Skakel’s appellate lawyers later argued that his trial attorney, Mickey Sherman, made poor decisions, including failing to focus on Tommy as a potential suspect and neglecting to contact an alibi witness. They maintained that Skakel was miles away from the crime scene, watching a Monty Python movie with friends when Martha was killed.
Skakel’s cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been a staunch defender, even writing a book asserting that Skakel was framed. The Moxley family, however, maintains their belief that Skakel is the killer.
The lawsuit, filed in November, seeks unspecified damages over $15,000. The state attorney general’s office, defending Garr, has declined to comment, while a lawyer for Greenwich has not responded. The responses from Garr and Greenwich are eagerly awaited as Skakel seeks to finally clear his name and find closure in this long-standing and highly publicized case.
