Michael Skakel Gets Court OK to Visit Son, Relatives

Written by Barbara Heins
Kennedy nephew Michael Skakel who is free after his murder conviction in the Martha Moxley case was overturned this fall, has been granted court permission to visit relatives out-of-state.

According to a report in the Cape Cod Times, the nephew of Ethel Kennedy received court approval of his requests for permission to travel to see his son in New York, and visit other relatives in Oregon for Thanksgiving. It was not clear when Skakel wanted to visit his son or where in New York.

Skakel was released from prison Nov. 21 after posting $1.2 million bond set by a state Superior Court judge in Stamford. Conditions of Skakel's release included wearing an electronic monitoring device, not leaving the state of Connecticut and not having contact with the Moxley family.

Skakel had served 11 years of a 20-year to life sentence following his conviction for the Halloween 1975 murder of his neighbor Moxley in the waterfront enclave of Belle Haven. Both were 15 at the time of the murder.

Skakel's conviction was overturned in October when a judge ruled Skakel was not adequately represented by Greenwich attorney Mickey Sherman during the 2002 trial. 

Prosecutors have said they will appeal the ruling and retry Skakel.