January 9, 2009 Skakel appeals Moxley murder conviction Play video

(NECN) - Lawyers for Michael Skakel, nephew of Ethel Kennedy, have filed a new appeal of his 2002 murder conviction, claiming that police and prosecutors failed to provide him with evidence pointing to another suspect and discrediting a key state witness.

The motion was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in New Haven, Connecticut. It seeks a hearing and the setting of bail.

Skakel was convicted of killing Martha Moxley, 15, in their Greenwich neighborhood in 1975 -- the conviction coming in 2002. He is currently serving 20 years to life in prison.

His new appeal alleges his lawyers were never given two crucial pieces of evidence - a report received by Greenwich police that implicates another suspect and statements by a lawyer who said a key prosecution witness had a history of lying.

Fairfield County State's Attorney Jonathan Benedict declined to comment Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.