NORWALK, Conn. — A former classmate of Michael Skakel testified about the "progression of statements" the Kennedy cousin made in a tearful confession to the slaying of Martha Moxley, first saying he didn't know whether he had killed her and eventually saying "I did it."
John Higgins, who attended the Elan School in Maine in the 1970s, was one of three former students to take the stand at Skakel's murder trial on Thursday and the first to allege that Skakel admitted killing Moxley.
Under cross-examination, Higgins said he initially lied to an investigator by withholding information about the confession. But Dorthy Moxley, the victim's mother, eventually persuaded him to cooperate, he said.
Other former Elan students were expected to testify Friday.
Skakel, 41, a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy's widow, is charged with beating Moxley to death with a golf club in their Greenwich neighborhood in 1975 when they were both 15. He could get life in prison if convicted.
Under questioning by prosecutors, Higgins described a prolonged and tearful confession that took place while he and Skakel sat together on a porch at Elan.
Higgins said Skakel told him about a party at his home the night of the slaying and that he remembered going through some golf clubs in his garage. Skakel "related that he was running through some woods; he had a golf club in his hand. He looked up, he saw pine trees. The next thing he remembers is he woke up in his house," Higgins said.
Higgins said Skakel then made a "progression of statements" that eventually led to "I did it."
"He was crying and sobbing," Higgins said.
Another witness, Charles Seigan, who also attended Elan with Skakel, testified that Skakel told classmates he was drunk and had a blackout the night Moxley was beaten to death and that he did not know whether he killed her.
"He would generally come to tears, shake his head and say, 'I don't know,"' Seigan said. "And there were other times when he was irritated with the questions."
Seigan said Skakel's alleged involvement came up on several occasions. The first time was during a group meeting of about 90 people called to confront Skakel about running away from Elan, Seigan said.
Joseph Ricci, the school's director, "blurted out" the possibility that Skakel killed someone, Seigan said.
Seigan said he never heard Skakel confess or deny the killing.
Judge John F. Kavanewsky Jr. allowed prosecutors to present the written testimony of another Elan student, Gregory Coleman, who died last year after using drugs.
Coleman admitted during pretrial hearings that he was on heroin when he told a grand jury that Skakel confessed.
But Coleman stuck by his statement that Skakel told him: "I'm gonna get away with murder. I'm a Kennedy."
Earlier Thursday, a former limousine driver for the Skakel family testified that Skakel told him in 1977 he had done something "very bad" and had to either kill himself or get out of the country.
Lawrence Zicarelli said he asked Skakel what he had done that was so terrible. "He said if I knew what he had done, I would never talk to him again," Zicarelli said.
Zicarelli testified he gave two weeks' notice to the family that day, and was then fired by Skakel's father.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Michael Sherman suggested Skakel may have been upset because he slept in his dead mother's dress the night before. Sherman later told reporters he misspoke during the cross-examination. He said Skakel had the dress with him in bed but was not wearing it.