Judge dismisses part of Skakel appeal

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A judge has thrown out two claims in Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's latest appeal of his 2002 murder conviction that argues his trial attorney did a poor job, but allowed the rest of the appeal to head to trial.

Skakel, the 52-year-old nephew of Robert F. Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, is serving 20 years to life in prison for the fatal beating of Martha Moxley in Greenwich in 1975, when they were 15-year-old neighbors.

Superior Court Judge Samuel Sferrazza ruled Skakel's attorneys did not have to bring up the claim related to trial attorney Michael Sherman in an earlier appeal as prosecutors argued. But he said claims related to prosecutors' closing arguments and the transfer of the case from juvenile court were previously rejected and could not be argued again.