[Howlin]

Dominick Dunne: I did not even think of Michael Skakel until a report called "The Sutton Report," which had been commissioned by the father Skakel to clear the name of his son Tommy, who had been the chief suspect for years. The Sutton Agency was a group of private detectives who signed confidentiality oaths when they went on the case for Mr. Skakel. It was one of the great ironies of this story that the private detectives hired by Mr. Skakel were the ones who first discovered that it was Michael, not Tommy, who had committed the murder. The report took three years and cost $750,000. Right after it was presented, the money was paid, the project was called off, but there was one person at the agency who had not signed the confidentiality oath, and he took the report and brought it to me. That was when I realized that it was Michael, who had never been a suspect before. And that was 1995 or 1996.

[hershey]

Thanks for the details. I think I heard/saw DD on tv, talking about the person Skakel's lawyers hadn't made sign that confidentiality oath, and that he'd sent the ms. to DD. Talk about for the want of a nail a shoe was lost, etc. etc.