SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #12

[MerryB]

What kind of video coverage, if any, can we expect with the indictment? I know grand jury proceedings are in secret, but will Alex be present?

Guess I want to know if we will get to see the expressions on AM’s face and/or his state senator-attorney.

Wouldn't you like to have been a fly on the wall when they told AM this indictment was coming?

No coverage. Grand jury proceedings are done in secret. That’s one reason these leaks are kind of shocking.

 

[CandiceC]

Am I the only one who thinks it’s odd that “evidence will be presented Thursday” to the grand jury, yet it’s being announced that AM is being charged with murder of his wife and son? The GJ makes the recommendation whether to charge (or not). And they haven’t heard this “evidence” yet. Weird. Maybe things are different in SC.

There's an old saying that a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich if the case is presented. The prosecution at this point have considerable evidence to go forward; the presentation to grand jury on Thursday is pro forma. Very occasionally a grand jury will not act in expectation of prosecution plans but this will not happen here. There will be an indictment.

 

[CandiceC]

I tend to think AM had no accomplice with him the night of the murder. No matter the real motive, it’s a very personal crime.
That said, I’m wondering whether there will be charges brought also against the solicitor Stone and some in his office for interfering with an investigation or the like.

I love Websleuths for the different viewpoints. I respectively disagree that AM had no accomplice; where did the murder weapons disappear to? It is a very personal crime, the murder of a child and spouse. There can be accomplices after the fact and accomplices in carrying out the crime itself. This is the case where there are many more layers of onion to be unpeeled. There will be a slew of disbarments and charges for the lesser players.

 

[Megnut]

I wonder why he would go to that length to be sure Buster would get the benifit of his life insurance. Why not tell the kid to get a job and work his way up. MOO MOO MOO

Well, AM seems to have the singular talent to misappropriate other people's funds. I'd say his next course of action would have been to name himself power of attorney over his son's or (if PM hadn't been at the kennel that night) his sons' inheritance. And by the time his generosity to self would have been discovered, that money would have been long gone.

JMO

 

[Laura930]

Am I the only one who thinks it’s odd that “evidence will be presented Thursday” to the grand jury, yet it’s being announced that AM is being charged with murder of his wife and son? The GJ makes the recommendation whether to charge (or not). And they haven’t heard this “evidence” yet. Weird. Maybe things are different in SC.

I really hope that the DA has not 'jumped the gun' here by assuming that the Grand Jury will return a 'True Bill' for indictment for murder. I served on a Grand Jury for a year, six months as Jury foreperson. The original foreperson was receiving threats from someone about a case where a very big drug dealer was involved. Jury members
names are supposedly kept secret, but the names were compromised. He asked to be released from jury duty. The judge assigned me to take his place.
You never know what might happen from a Grand Jury and who may have gotten to some of them.

If a grand jury hearing is supposed to be secret, how does it get leaked to the press?

Doesn’t this give the defense an advantage as lonetraveler stated it opens up the possibility of jury tampering especially in such a small town?

 

[SuziQ]

That is exactly my point and I wanted to point out that jurors' names can be leaked out to someone in power and could be threatened. Also, these jurors are most likely reading about all the news items and online blogs. I'm very surprised that all this info is coming out before the Grand Jury even has the case. Scratching my head on this one.

I've been wondering about the Grand Jury as well. I do know that many states require a Grand Jury indictment to seek the the death penalty. Moo.

 

[worm]

I don't know the context. Is AM's brother throwing him under the bus or pointing out that they haven't mentioned or looked at any other suspects?

I took his comment as pretty honest.

 

[SuziQ]

Fwiw, I don't think all Grand Juries are held in secret. Moo.

 

[CandiceC]

Fwiw, I don't think all Grand Juries are held in secret. Moo.

It is a centuries old tradition in the judicial system that we basically inherited from the U.K. that Grand Jury proceedings are secret. No judge is present; the defendant has no right to be present or his counsel. There is a court reporter present. Given the small county and the environment where everybody know everybody, people will talk as people always do. I would love to observe the proceedings but have never had the opportunity to sit on a Grand Jury. Grand Juries are basically instruments of the prosecution but occasionally go rogue.

 

[clearskies1]

If a grand jury hearing is supposed to be secret, how does it get leaked to the press?

Doesn’t this give the defense an advantage as lonetraveler stated it opens up the possibility of jury tampering especially in such a small town?

The secrecy rule does not apply to witnesses who testify in front of grand juries. Witnesses are allowed to disclose their testimony. Witness disclosure of testimony is a way that the existence of a grand jury can be revealed. JMO.

 

[stmarysmead]

i wonder if he will try to spin a story that puts him in a better light.

Maybe he will say PM (the bad seed) shot his Mother and and he drove in on the scene, grabbed a gun to try to protect himself.

His ego is just off the scales. I know drugs were supposedly part of his downward trajectory…but a little trip around the Internet, shows that Maggie’s sister married a truly successful husband, they have several beautiful homes and move in very exclusive circles. It’s Charleston for them, not backwater Hampton.

Maggie’s FB frequently shows them with her sister and husband. AM might have been able to throw his weight around in legal circles in little ole Hampton but he is a real SC social lightweight next to his brother-in-law.

i wonder how much of this outrageous theft was to put on a show that he was in the same financial league as his wife’s sister’s husband. A sick mind…keeping up appearances…putting on a show.

And deeper and deeper in debt he got. Then Maggie’s checks started bouncing at charity luncheons….

 

[Elley Mae]

John Marvin Murdaugh told The Hampton County Guardian that agents with the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) met with family members early Tuesday "as a courtesy" to inform them that they intended to charge Alex Murdaugh in connection with the double homicide of Margaret Branstetter Murdaugh and Paul Terry Murdaugh.

They said that charges would likely be coming before a grand jury soon, John Marvin Murdaugh said.

Murder charges pending for Alex Murdaugh. 'We want the truth,' family says

Murdaugh murder update: It has been more than a year since the double homicide happened in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

www.greenvilleonline.com

…
Under South Carolina’s Crime Victims’ Constitutional Rights, the family was notified ahead of the grand jury to seek the indictment.

Alex Murdaugh expected to face murder charges in wife’s, son’s killings, attorney says

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division met with members of Alex Murdaugh’s family Tuesday morning to inform them Murdaugh is expected to be indicted on murder charges later this week, according to Murdaugh’s attorney, Jim Griffin.

www.live5news.com

Victims' Rights - South Carolina Attorney General

 

[girlhasnoname]

John Marvin Murdaugh told The Hampton County Guardian that agents with the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) met with family members early Tuesday "as a courtesy" to inform them that they intended to charge Alex Murdaugh in connection with the double homicide of Margaret Branstetter Murdaugh and Paul Terry Murdaugh.

They said that charges would likely be coming before a grand jury soon, John Marvin Murdaugh said.

Murder charges pending for Alex Murdaugh. 'We want the truth,' family says

Murdaugh murder update: It has been more than a year since the double homicide happened in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

www.greenvilleonline.com

…
Under South Carolina’s Crime Victims’ Constitutional Rights, the family was notified ahead of the grand jury to seek the indictment.

Alex Murdaugh expected to face murder charges in wife’s, son’s killings, attorney says

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division met with members of Alex Murdaugh’s family Tuesday morning to inform them Murdaugh is expected to be indicted on murder charges later this week, according to Murdaugh’s attorney, Jim Griffin.

www.live5news.com

Victims' Rights - South Carolina Attorney General

Huge, but not shocking news. SLED kept a tight lid on things until they got all of their ducks in a row. Alex will never see freedom again, rightly so. I do however feel empathy for Buster. I simply can't imagine finding out my father killed my mother/brother. AM has destroyed so very many innocent victims and families, he is truly a sociopath IMO.

SC is a Capital Punishment state. Too bad they've put execution by firing squad on hold. Would be a fair sentence to me in this case and I'm not generally in favor of the death penalty.


MOO

 

[Rosiebones]

There is something to be said about life without parole in a maximum security prison. He would be without influence or ability to intimidate and would have at least forty years to think. I still don't think it would be enough. MOO MOO MOO

 

[RAISINISBACK]

If a grand jury hearing is supposed to be secret, how does it get leaked to the press?

Doesn’t this give the defense an advantage as lonetraveler stated it opens up the possibility of jury tampering especially in such a small town?

The murder charges may be separate. In other words he is going to be charged with two counts of murder 1 Thursday no matter what but separate charges or additional charges are being presented to GJ to see if they can be added to the murder 1 charges. Just an idea since the LE told his brother he would be charged with 2 counts murder 1 and I don't think they warned anyone. I think evidence is being presented to the GJ on Stephan S and Gloria S and additional murder or manslaughter charges are coming from that GJ on those two deaths in addition to 2 counts of murder 1 on MM and PM.

Keep in mind they found evidence on SS and reopened the investigation into his death then they exhumed GS to investigate further into her death so depends on what they found in those two investigations. The evidence may not be as strong in those 2 cases so they are taking those 2 to a GJ for an indictment. Just a theory not fact.

JMO

 

[LetsSolvIt]

I do feel sorry that he has lost his Mom & brother, I’ll wait to see how he responds to the indictment/trial that his father is the one that is being accused of murdering them before I feel sorry for him.

If that makes sense.

Jmo

I hear you.

 

[Sheila Terranova]

I’ve followed tons of murder cases but I still can’t believe a man could murder his own child in cold blood.

 

[Elley Mae]

I hear you.

Truth be told he lost his father as well.

Jmo

 

[RAISINISBACK]

There is something to be said about life without parole in a maximum security prison. He would be without influence or ability to intimidate and would have at least forty years to think. I still don't think it would be enough. MOO MOO MOO

BBM

He would be without influence or ability to intimidate

But his family would still be able to help him out with a little influence and intimidation and who knows what else like a cushy country club type prison. JMO he needs the DP. You have 2 people and possibly 2 other people we know of and no telling how many we don't know about. DP.

JMO

 

[rescuemom]

As the SS case is further investigated BM may have reason to be concerned too. He was mentioned many times in interviews as being involved or has he been ruled out or is the case not far enough along to mention anyone as a person of interest?