Appeal Denied Kennedy family member Michael Skakel has lost his bid to have the United States Supreme Court overturn his murder conviction on a statute of limitations claim. Skakel, who was convicted in 2002 of beating neighbor Martha Moxley to death with a golf club in 1975 received a sentence of 20 years to life according to an Associated Press story by Mark Sherman. The Connecticut Supreme Court's decision on direct appeal is available here.