Posted on 02/23/2023 10:06:12 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
Alex Murdaugh, a once-wealthy and powerful South Carolina attorney on trial for allegedly shooting his wife and son, took the stand Thursday, testifying he had no part in the grisly double murder and blaming an addiction to painkillers for his erratic behavior in front of friends and law enforcement officials.
"I did not shoot my wife or my son any time — ever," he said of Maggie, 52, and Paul, 22, who had been gunned down in June 2021.
Murdaugh admitted he had lied several times to authorities about his whereabouts the night of the shootings.
"I lied about being down there, and I'm so sorry that I did," he said, adding that he was overly "paranoid" and claimed attorneys from his family's law firm urged him not to say a word without representation present.
Murdaugh also apologized to his son Buster and relatives for lying about the last time he saw Maggie and Paul and said once he started lying, he could not stop.
Prosecutors have argued that Murdaugh, who belongs to a powerful family that has dominated the legal landscape for more than a century, killed his family members in a desperate attempt to hide his financial crimes, which they said included swindling clients out of ten million dollars.
The mother and son were killed on June 7, 2021, near the kennels on the family's sprawling, 1,772-acre Colleton County hunting estate.
They were found in a pool of their own blood, Paul dying from two shotgun blasts and Murdaugh's wife being killed by 5 rifle shots.
The prosecution, which rested its case on Friday, also pointed to footage found on Paul Murdaugh's phone that was taken minutes before he died in which multiple witnesses testified hearing Alec Murdaugh's voice despite him claiming he was nowhere near the scene.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
“Big question I have is WHY would he murder his wife and son.”
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All of his problems were coming to a head that day.
He lied about being at the crime scene.
He was there with both victims at the time of the murders.
“He should never have taken the stand. Too much baggage/x material.”
***
He’s confident he can out maneuver the prosecution.
“Well, somebody killed them, and to this point, I haven’t heard an alternate theory of the crime.”
***
Me either.
“I live in the area and there are quite a few people, rich and poor, who believe the Murdaughs get away with everything, and they probably have.”
***
When you talk to your friends, do they think he’s capable of murder?
Rumors have swirled about this family way before the double homicide, the power, influence etc. I would say most of the ones I have talked to can’t come to grips with a father doing this to his son and no realistic motive, truthfully I can’t either. Also, most are tired of hearing about the financial crimes, boat accident and are concerned about lack of evidence. One of the PROSECUTION’s witnesses, the dog caretaker, related a story about a hunting dog got hung up in a cage and was in bad shape. Alex and he decided it was best to put it down. Alex asked him if the caretaker would “take care of it” (shooting the dog) because he just couldn’t, tore him up too bad, which the caretaker did. Truthfully, that was interesting testimony for me.
If I was on the jury, I would still have doubts about his motive.
Next week could see the case decided.
“I would say most of the ones I have talked to can’t come to grips with a father doing this to his son and no realistic motive, truthfully I can’t either.”
***
I hear you. The women at FAT JACKS in Walterboro were interviewed on Court TV last night & think he’s guilty.
I liked it when Judge Newman said:
“Sit down Mr. Griffin.”
“New charge issued for accused killer Alex Murdaugh”
https://www.live5news.com/2023/02/25/new-charge-issued-accused-killer-alex-murdaugh/
Heard it has something to do with him receiving contraband (drugs?) sometime during the trial from a family member, or possibly from one of his attorneys during a lunch break.
THen stay away from the story.
Fox news cares. Possibly others as well.
The function of the story is to create an impression in the viewer that the story is news and will draw him back into viewership over and over.
The trial is thus monetized
There could financial incentives. The murdered son Paul at some point was going on trial for DUI in the death and injuries of passengers on the boat he was driving. That is big bucks. I don't know if this was covered in the trial, but I suspect there was a big life insurance policy taken out for his wife.
HE cared more for the dog than his son and wife.
The phone and black box data put it over the top for the prosecution.
“HE cared more for the dog than his son and wife.”
***
I actually had that same thought.
The video Paul took immediately before the murder put Murdaugh at the scene of the crime, and he denied being there.
The change of clothes suggests he did it.
The pattern, too, starting with the death of the maid. He got paid by insurance.
It seems that people around him die.
It’s crazy that a classmate of his older son also died, apparently murdered, close to their property.
If the accusations are true, he seems so crazy that I suspect some of the pills he was taking put him in that state. It reminds me that most people doing random shootings, maybe all, received things to take from a psychiatrist.
I caught a few minutes of his cross examination yesterday and he admitted to abusing drugs. From the sounds of it, he stole from everybody he knew and had no one left to con..
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