There's Nothing Like Having Money and the Kennedy Name in Connecticut

The Connecticut Supreme Court just reversed itself on the conviction of Michael Skakel who was found guilty after a trial of killing his neighbor Martha Moxley in Greenwich.  Skakel (who is the nephew of Ethel Kennedy) went to jail and served about ten years.  Then a judge overturned his conviction on the grounds that Skakel had not had the services of an adequate attorney during the trial.  It is worth noting that Skakel's attorney was one of the foremost criminal defense lawyers in the state.  The Connecticut Supreme Court reversed the trial judge two years ago, but after more of the endless machinations that mark this case, it had to consider the matter again this year.  This afternoon, it ruled the other way this time in favor of Skakel.

I will not pretend to know all the details of the case or even of the current matter considered by the Supreme Court.  I do wonder, however, what other criminal defendant in Connecticut would have gotten two hearings by the Supreme Court and all the endless proceedings that we've seen in this matter.  I also wonder who else besides a Kennedy relative would actually argue (and do so successfully) that one of the best criminal lawyers in the state failed to provide adequate legal representation.  Maybe this was all nothing special, but then again, maybe it is.