Dismissed South Carolina attorney Richard “Alex” Murdaugh denied killing his wife and son but admitted lying to investigators Thursday as he testified in his own defense at his double murder trial.
Murdaugh, 54, has been charged with murder in connection with the 2021 shootings of Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22. He has pleaded not guilty.
At the start of his testimony, Murdaugh denied shooting Maggie and Paul on June 7, 2021, at the family’s property in Colton County.
“I never, ever shot my wife or my son,” he said under questioning by his defense team. “I would never do anything intentionally to hurt either one of them. EVER. EVER.”
On Wednesday, defense attorney Jim Griffin asked Judge Clifton Newman whether Murdaugh would be able to exercise his Fifth Amendment protection against indicting himself on 100 other financial crimes, which include stealing from clients, money laundering, Tax evasion and insurance fraud are included. , Newman said prosecutors generally have wide latitude in cross-examination.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office is seeking a life sentence for Murdo if convicted.
Murdoff admits to lying to investigators
Murdaugh admitted that his voice could be heard on a cellphone video taken at the kennels where Maggie and Paul were killed about five minutes before the shooting and that he repeatedly lied to South Carolina Department of Law Enforcement investigators that The last time he saw his wife and son. , whom he went by the nicknames “Mags” and “Pow-Pow” on the stands.
Murdaugh, at times emotional and at a loss for words, told defense attorney Jim Griffin that he had lied to agents about his whereabouts on the night of the murders because of his distrust for the agency and his drug-addiction-induced paranoia. . Marger was treated for oxycodone dependence following the murders.
“I lied to them,” he said. “I don’t think I was capable of reason and I lied about being down and I’m sorry I did.”
Murdoff testifies about day of murder
Murdaugh recalled the day of the murders, saying that he had met Paul after work at his estate to spend time together. he addressed a snapchat video taken by his son which shows Murdo wearing clothing different from that in which he was later seen by responding officers.
Murdaugh said he showered and changed clothes after sweating from walking around the property and taking drugs.
After spending time with the family dogs at the kennel, Murdaugh said, he went to visit his ailing mother. Murdaugh stated that she briefly stopped in her driveway before driving home and denied using that time to dispose of the murder weapon or bloody clothing.
Murdoff breaks down upon discovering the bodies of his wife and son. He testified that he called 911 as he tried to “tend to” Maggie and Paul.
“Paul was like – he was so bad,” Murdaugh said. “I know I tried to check his pulse. I know I tried to turn him over.”
Murdaugh said he did not remember exactly where he had touched his wife’s body.
Witnesses who saw Murdaugh in the minutes and hours after he was shot said they did not see any blood on him. Murdaugh testified that he was covered in blood after touching the bodies, but said “There’s no way that blood splattered on me at that speed.”
“I was nowhere near Paul and Maggie when they were shot,” he said.
Murdaugh explains his actions, comments after killings
Griffin played the 911 call made by Murdoff after finding the bodies, and Murdoff, speaking to the dispatcher, explained what he was doing. Murdaugh repeatedly stated that he did not know why he went to the main house to get the gun and ammunition, then indicated that he thought the killer could be older.
“I didn’t know anyone was still there,” he said.
Murdaugh can be heard saying on the 911 call “I should have known.” He explained that the family disregarded a number of “despicable” threats against Paul related a fatal 2019 boating accident in which they were implicated because they were “too high.”
Murdaugh also offered an explanation for the suspicious phone activity presented by prosecutors that showed he searched a restaurant and called a wedding photographer in the moments after the murder. In a hurry to call the family members, Murdaf said that he must have met with an accident.
Murdaugh denied taking a blue tarpaulin or raincoat to his parents’ home in the days following the murders.
family caregiver Mushel Smith testified earlier that about a week after the murders, he saw Murdaugh carrying a blue, vinyl object to his mother’s house. SLED investigators later seized a blue tarp and blue raincoat from that home and found “significant” amounts of gunshot primer residue inside and outside the raincoat.
“Never seen it before, never touched it, and know nothing about it,” Murdaugh said.
Murdo admits to stealing money, plotting suicide
Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh killed his wife and son to gain sympathy and buy time to cover up his financial crimes that were about to be discovered. Murdaugh admitted to stealing the client’s funds, but testified that his confrontation with the former CFO of his law firm about the theft on the day of the murder “wasn’t a huge concern.”
“Did you believe your financial house of cards was about to crumble on June 7th?” Griffin asked.
“Not at all,” said Murdog.
Murdaugh said he was “not quite sure” how he got into this financial situation but added that he was “spending so much money on pills.” He described how his addiction to opioids began after a knee injury and a series of surgeries and tried several times to quit the habit. Murdaf said that he has been sober for 535 days and he is very proud of it.
Before entering detox in September 2021, Murdaugh said he asked a friend, Curtis Edward Smith, to kill him. Police told Murdoff arranged unsuccessful shooting His surviving son would therefore receive a multimillion-dollar life insurance payout. But Murdaugh testified that Magee was the beneficiary of his policy and that “he meant to shoot me so that I would go away.”
When asked about his wife, Murdaugh lovingly described her as a wonderful woman whose laugh would light up the room and insisted he would never hurt her. Murdaugh described his son Paul as a good man who had been misrepresented in the media.
Murdo faces tense cross-examination
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters began a sometimes combative cross-examination, questioning Murdaugh about his family’s legal heritage in South Carolina, his work as an attorney, and his relationships with law enforcement. For three generations, Murdaugh’s family developed legal and political power as back-to-back solicitors for the 14th Judicial Circuit.
Waters questioned Murdaugh in 2019 about a photo of him wearing the badge at the hospital following a boating accident involving Paul that claimed the life of Mallory Beach. Murdaugh acknowledged that he would put his badge on in a visible location when speaking with law enforcement, but said he was not sure why he was visible wearing the badge. He denied asking anyone not to cooperate with law enforcement during the accident investigation.
When asked about his financial misconduct, Murdaugh said he was not sure when he started stealing money from his clients and was dismayed because Waters questioned him about an affair 12 years earlier.
“You accused me of murdering my wife and my son and I’ve been sitting here all these weeks listening to all these financial things I’ve done wrong that I’m ashamed of,” he said. “I can’t remember specifically sitting down, the details you’re asking me.”
Waters repeatedly asked Murdaugh about other customers from whom he had stolen money, and Murdaugh insisted that what he had done was wrong but that he could not remember all the details.
“Do you have any independent memory of a time when you sat and looked someone in the eye and you lied to them and assured them everything was fine and stole their money?” Waters asked.
“I’m sure I did,” Murdaugh replied.
The questioning is expected to resume on Friday.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contributing: Michael DeWitt, Jr., Greenville News; The Associated Press
Contact breaking news reporter N’dea Yancey-Bragg at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @NdeaYanceyBragg
