Alex Murdaugh Takes Witness Stand Thursday in Double Murder Trial
Former attorney Alex Murdaugh took to the stand in South Carolina on Thursday as a witness in his own defense. Murdaugh is on trial for the violent murder of his wife and adult son. The defense first questioned Murdaugh before turning it over to the prosecutors for cross-examination. The case has been adjourned until 9:30 am Friday. Here is what you need to know about what transpired in the courtroom on Thursday.
About the Case
Read More »According to the prosecutors, Murdaugh killed his wife and son in an attempt to distract authorities from a number of allegations of financial misconduct. Conversely, the defense team continues to allege that Murdaugh is a loving father and husband who has been falsely accused.
It was a risky move for the defense to allow Murdaugh to take the stand in his own trial. Only time will tell if the decision paid off.
Murdaugh Admits he Lied
The biggest revelation of Thursday’s testimony is that Murdaugh admitted that he lied to investigators when he originally said that he was not at the murder scene just prior to when the shooting happened. Murdaugh admitted that it was his voice heard in a video at the estate’s dog kennels, the same place of the home where their bodies were later discovered. He said that he lied to law enforcement at least three different times as a result of the paranoid thinking that was going through his mind due to his use of opioids.
The prosecuting team has been using the video and Murdaugh’s voice as evidence to put the suspect in the place of the shooting. Despite admitting to lying about being at the kennels just before the double murder, Murdaugh continued to deny on the stand that he killed his wife and son. Instead, he asserts that he found the bodies later on the night of June 7 after visiting his ailing mother.
The now disbarred attorney is also currently facing 99 charges of financial crimes. Murdaugh is a member of a powerful South Carolina family, including three generations that have held the role of the local solicitor.
The prosecution rested their case last week. Although they called over 60 witnesses to the stand, they have not been able to produce any direct evidence that Murdaugh was responsible for the murders. Meanwhile, the defense is aiming to prove that Murdaugh is being honest about his role in the murders while also conceding that he lied to investigators.
Murdaugh Admits to Financial Crimes
While under oath on Thursday, Murdaugh also admitted to stealing from his law firm and its clients. He eventually resigned from the firm then known as PMPED because of the controversy. Murdaugh said that he was forced to steal money to fund his drug addiction. During his time on the stand, he detailed how he suffered a knee injury playing football in college that fueled his addiction to pain pills. Murdaugh was clear that he stole money from clients that he represented in civil cases, saying that he was embarrassed for his crimes and that he hated that he did that to his family.
Recounting the Moment Murdaugh Discovered the Bodies
Considerable time was spent by both the prosecution and defense asking Murdaugh to recount the moment that he discovered the bodies of his wife and son. Murdaugh recounted how he saw the bodies when arriving at the kennel, prompting him to jump out of his vehicle. He then ran back to his car to call 911 as he went back and forth between his son and wife trying to help.
The defense also played an audio clip of the 911 call when Murdaugh said that he “should’ve known.” When asked about that, Murdaugh said that his son had been the focus of “vile social media threats” due to his involvement in the accidental death of a young woman while boating two years prior. Paul Murdaugh was driving the boat that crashed on February 19, sending 19-year-old Mallory Beach overboard and to her death. While Paul pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges, he was set to face trial for his involvement.
The prosecuting team said that they expect the further cross-examination to take up to three hours on Friday.
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