Seeger said that the statute was clear in its intent, and that should Skakel be transferred to superior court, one of the defense's first moves would be to file a motion to dismiss. Ron Gold, senior assistant public defender for the capital defense and trial services unit and an expert in juvenile law, said Benedict's statements about not prosecuting Skakel, if Dennis decided not to transfer the case, put even more pressure on the judge. I'd be screaming and yelling if that was my case. Mickey's not a shrinking violet. I'm surprised he is not screaming.
Judges are very concerned about ramifications of the decisions they make.
I suspect Judge Dennis will probably be thinking about that . . . Come her re-appointment time, she could take a lot of heat in the legislature for why she let that guy go. I know it runs through judges' minds. Dennis ruled in August that there was reasonable cause to proceed with murder charges against Skakel in superior court and ordered the probation report as part of the transfer statute. He has been around.