South Carolina Lawyer suspected of Murdering Wife and son
2023.02.24 07:04
South Carolina Lawyer suspected of Murdering Wife and son
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – On Friday marks the second day that prosecutors will cross-examine Richard “Alex” Murdaugh, a disbarred South Carolina attorney who admitted lying to investigators but denied any involvement in the murders of his wife and son.
Creighton Waters, the state’s prosecutor (NYSE:) questioned Murdaugh for two hours on Thursday before the court went into recess, focusing on the defendant’s financial crimes in what appeared to be an effort to show the jury that he had been dishonest.
Before proceeding with the “other evidence,” Waters informed the judge that he still had some financial matters to review. He stated that cross examination would likely take three to four hours when the court resumes on Friday at 9:30 a.m. ET.
On Thursday, under questioning from his attorney, Murdaugh testified that he did not kill his 52-year-old wife Maggie or his 22-year-old son Paul, who were both killed on June 7, 2021, outside dog kennels on the family’s estate.
However, Murdaugh also admitted to lying when he claimed that he was not at the kennels that night. However, cellphone video shows that he was there minutes before his wife and son were shot at close range and killed.
Murdaugh, 54, testified that he lied because he did not trust the police and was paranoid as a result of his years-long opiate addiction. Additionally, he stated that he stole from his clients and law partners in part to feed his drug addiction.
In connection with the shootings, a grand jury indicted Murdaugh, the son of a prominent South Carolina legal family, in July on two counts of murder and two counts of weapon possession.
Due to the Murdaugh family’s political influence in the low-lying region of South Carolina where the murders took place and the defendant’s multiple scandals, who was once a prominent personal injury attorney in the state, the murders have received extensive media coverage.
Murdaugh’s attorneys have argued that the prosecution’s claim that Murdaugh killed his wife and child is illogical and that he did so to garner sympathy and divert attention from a number of financial crimes for which he is also facing criminal charges.
