SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #26

[10ofRods]

Alex's paralegal ( her name escapes me at the moment). Testified he was a ball of fury when he hit the office. I took that to mean he had a lot of energy, flitting from one thing to the next. If he was addicted to methamphetamine, I would understand. But don't opiods make you slow and fuzzy?

It's complicated. There are performers who are known to use both an opiate and an upper before going on stage. There are people who use both for long periods, and have their use down to a science. After a respite in opiate use, many people who are addicts report a rush or burst of energy right after using again. This is sought after.

Many of us would not have that response. Some of us have opiates (prescribed) that we never used. There are likely genes involved in this, because other people are so into opiates that they steal people's prescriptions. I know doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, police, sheriffs, professors and many others who have used opiates because of perceived benefits. The blurb below is about heroin, but contains a statement about oxycodone.

Overview | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug, and its use has repercussions that extend far beyond the individual user. The medical and social consequences of drug use—such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, fetal effects, crime, violence, and disruptions in family, workplace, and educational environments—have...

nida.nih.gov

From that page:

People who use heroin report feeling a "rush" (a surge of pleasure, or euphoria).

A little too much, though, and the person may get drowsy (the "nods"). So they often use more than one drug for the exact effect they are seeking (polypharmacy).

That's from this site:

What Does A OxyContin (Oxycodone) High Feel Like? | Oxycontin Abuse & Addiction

OxyContin is a long-acting formulation of the drug oxycodone, which is an opioid used to treat pain. Taking too much can cause a high and lead to abuse.

www.therecoveryvillage.com

Which also explains that people who use the same drug for pain do not get this feeling. It's what the addict feels. It also explains how the addict processes their pills so as to get around the built-in time release (which doesn't allow much of a high).

"Feel more happy." "Less discouraged." "Things...more pleasing."

For some people, that would certainly feel like a fire in the belly, a kind of invincibility. However, I believe that it's highly likely AM was self-medicating for other symptoms (not physical pain - but perhaps psychic pain).

IMO.

 

[Walela]

Blanca took Bubba, so he lives with her family.

Yes he does live with her now. Buster has new dogs that he walks and that live with he and his gf so he must have overcome his allergies.

 

[Walela]

Don't forget the death of Ms Satterfield(body to be exhumed?), and the High School boy that Buster knew, found dead in the roadway, very suspicious, and still being looked into as well. Many unexplained deaths around that family. MOO

And they all involve a head wound.

 

[Seattle1]

I totally agree. Add to that the fact that family-owned weapons were used for the murders, and what else do you even need to know?

Three people went out to the kennels together and minutes later, only one walked away, AM.

 

[Katrinepa]

I have yet to read anything about his stash other than the text message from Paul saying Maggie had found his bag of pills. There was evidence of an online search by Maggie for Oxycodone 30mg and some unidentified green capsules but as to their legitimacy I have no idea. I have a hard time thinking that there was a prescription for the Oxy. Hopefully there is DEA evidence somewhere of the trafficking that may be brought out in another trial but we may never know if these pills were pharmaceutical grade or "bathtub".

If LE had been smart enough to search the House, they would have probably found the Pill and much more. Idiocy.

 

[Love Never Fails]

Having worked in jails and prisons, I can say that the average employee (whether uniformed or not) is humane and dislikes being traumatized any further than necessary. There are medical personnel working in jails and prisons, too - and those doctors, nurses and others are there for a reason - we don't just throw people in cells and let them waste away or develop bed sores, etc. So if suicidality is noticed, it is addressed.

Where I currently live, all new deputy sheriffs are trained for community policing. Their first assignments are the jails.

Being a jailer is rather awful, especially at the intake/court adjacent jail. They work that for two years. They must never lose their tempers or treat inmates in any way outside of regulations. The prisoners assault the jailers, heckle them, spit on them, etc. But the goal of the training and the job is that the jailers must preserve these people until their trials (once sentenced, we have another couple of jails and of course, prisons in the state). Some young deputies have lost their jobs for responding inappropriately - because the job is to protect and to serve.

While in jail for trial, the person is still innocent, which is a further reason. Police take it really seriously if they can't deliver a living person to the courts and to prison, if that's what's coming next.

Having said all that, I have myself muttered something like your sentiment to a psychiatrist (family member). Despite having truly negative feelings about some patients, a doctor must still do their best to prevent harm to the person, including suicide (even if they're hellbent on it and blockaded with explosives in an apartment building...)

This training plan in my county results in far fewer officer-involved incidents of misconduct compared to two nearby counties that do not require two years of patience training in jail. In my county, after 2 years in the jail, they spent 1-2 years as a bailiff before they go on regular patrol (and some of them go back to being bailiffs, as a preference, as patrol isn't for everyone, either). And our longterm jail has won awards of various kinds (mostly to do with recidivism but also with inmate and employee health - we don't have as many jailers out on work-related disability as the next door counties).

IME/O.

This really made me see things in a different light. I appreciate you for that and for all your insightful posts. I suppose in my dream world, there would be no prisons because there would be no crimes. I grew up in an area where i lived safely in the countryside and people obeyed the laws. And our small community were all poor. We just loved our neighbors. Imagine that.

Thinking there are people like Murdaugh or Watts or Morphew or Koghberger or all the mothers who abuse and kill their children really makes my blood boil. I cannot understand evil. I remember watching the Scott Peterson trial. When he was given the death penalty I stood up and shouted, even though i was home alone. I was so angry with him for killing his wife and baby. And then, i felt bad inside that I was glad to see someone get the DP. I appreciate all our law enforcement but I could never do that job. Never.

Thank you for your great post.

 

[10ofRods]

Reading about MM's drug search for pills found in AM's computer bag, makes me wonder if by May 2021, AM had a subconscious suicidal wish:

Are benzodiazepines contraindicated with opioids?

It is extremely dangerous to mix benzodiazepines with other depressant/downer drugs like alcohol, gabapentin and opioids (such as heroin, buprenorphine and methadone). All of these drugs can depress breathing resulting in a serious risk of death if mixed. Dec 1, 2022

They absolutely are contraindicated and it's surprising to me that AM survived all this drug use (if it's true he was doing it).

OTOH, I have two relatives (one still living) who are/were addicted to benzos and opiates (ratio favors the opiate side). Indeed, I think both of them would take almost anything they could, if it were in pill form. Both went to more than one doctor and/or used other people's medications to get this effect. And I've seen people who are on a regular anxiolytic (benzo) get prescribed vicodin without the doctor asking about possible benzo use. I don't know anyone who prescribes oxycodone outside of a hospital setting, but my research is mostly in psychiatric settings.

Of course, we don't know how AM used his drugs. In some studies of illicit pharmaceutical use, benzos are the longterm/steady drug, but heroin or oxy become add-ins.

Benzodiazepine Use Among Rural Prescription Opioids Users... : Journal of Addiction Medicine

rviewer-administered survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, medical (source was valid prescription) and nonmedical (source other than prescription, such as dealer, friend, or family member) prescription drug use, illicit substance use, psychiatric disorders, and pain. Results...

journals.lww.com

And here's an article on Oxycontin as currency (both literal and social):

OxyContin® as currency: OxyContin® use and increased social capital among rural Appalachian drug users

Studies have shown that position within networks of social relations can have direct implications on the health behaviors of individuals. The present …

www.sciencedirect.com

The upshot of that article is that there's a heckuva lot of secrecy surrounding the circulation of illicit oxycontin, which is crucial to the dealers maintaining control over their consumer base.

 

[Loveallmyhorsesdogsandcats]

Alex himself was telling them it was targeted.....by the boat wreck people. Now the defense wants to say they focused on him from the get go when in reality they were only believing and going by what Alex said.
jmo

Agree, while considered a mistake, poor police work, not done because of who AM and family are, the fact that they did not search Moselle, let B clean, let guests go in the house did not search Almeda til weeks later actually work in favor of the prosecution that he was not an immediate suspect.

 

[Seattle1]

The Law firm paid back all the people. In my opinion this should of been caught a long time ago.

While I agree, I think it goes to how effective AM was as a manipulator and schmoozer. We heard a lot of testimony about how likable AM was to his clients -- a sociopathic trait. I'm recalling an interview from more than a year ago by a former highway trooper-- victim (stolen settlement) of AM that said all was forgiven and given a chance, he'd hire him again!

 

[Seattle1]

The Law firm paid back all the people. In my opinion this should of been caught a long time ago.

While I agree, I think it goes to how effective AM was as a manipulator and schmoozer. We heard a lot of testimony about how likable AM was to his clients -- a sociopathic trait. I'm recalling an interview from more than a year ago by a former highway trooper-- victim (stolen settlement) of AM that said all was forgiven and given a chance, he'd hire him again!

They absolutely are contraindicated and it's surprising to me that AM survived all this drug use (if it's true he was doing it).

OTOH, I have two relatives (one still living) who are/were addicted to benzos and opiates (ratio favors the opiate side). Indeed, I think both of them would take almost anything they could, if it were in pill form. Both went to more than one doctor and/or used other people's medications to get this effect. And I've seen people who are on a regular anxiolytic (benzo) get prescribed vicodin without the doctor asking about possible benzo use. I don't know anyone who prescribes oxycodone outside of a hospital setting, but my research is mostly in psychiatric settings.

Of course, we don't know how AM used his drugs. In some studies of illicit pharmaceutical use, benzos are the longterm/steady drug, but heroin or oxy become add-ins.

Benzodiazepine Use Among Rural Prescription Opioids Users... : Journal of Addiction Medicine

rviewer-administered survey assessing sociodemographic characteristics, medical (source was valid prescription) and nonmedical (source other than prescription, such as dealer, friend, or family member) prescription drug use, illicit substance use, psychiatric disorders, and pain. Results...

journals.lww.com

And here's an article on Oxycontin as currency (both literal and social):

OxyContin® as currency: OxyContin® use and increased social capital among rural Appalachian drug users

Studies have shown that position within networks of social relations can have direct implications on the health behaviors of individuals. The present …

www.sciencedirect.com

The upshot of that article is that there's a heckuva lot of secrecy surrounding the circulation of illicit oxycontin, which is crucial to the dealers maintaining control over their consumer base.

Thanks for the links @10ofRods. I also think AM's physical size was to his advantage. JMO

 

[Warwick7]

I think we will see a very different type of defense when they start. Everything they do has a purpose. Like the John Grisham book.... they had that done for a reason. I have never watched a trail that was like a performance like this one.

What I've watched does not agree with what you just said. moo

Here's examples: How many times did DH/the defense "opened the door” for prosecutors to introduce evidence??
2? 3? 4?

And when the judge closed the door on the roadside fiasco, the next day he "reversed" that decision, saying the door had been "opened by the defense".....again.

I've seen bumbling, mubling, listened to incoherent sentences and I've watched him almost fall asleep at his desk.

He's been chastised by Newman for not letting witnesses answer. The Judge has also had too interject telling DH he could not testify (only the witness could).

And his, in my own opinion, condescending disposition towards women witnesses makes me sick. I would imagine all those women jury members feel the same.

Do I see a different defense headed to the courtroom? No. DH is who he is and we've already seen it...

MOO

 

[Cindizzi]

August 2022

 

[detectivewannab]

It's complicated. There are performers who are known to use both an opiate and an upper before going on stage. There are people who use both for long periods, and have their use down to a science. After a respite in opiate use, many people who are addicts report a rush or burst of energy right after using again. This is sought after.

Many of us would not have that response. Some of us have opiates (prescribed) that we never used. There are likely genes involved in this, because other people are so into opiates that they steal people's prescriptions. I know doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, police, sheriffs, professors and many others who have used opiates because of perceived benefits. The blurb below is about heroin, but contains a statement about oxycodone.

Overview | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug, and its use has repercussions that extend far beyond the individual user. The medical and social consequences of drug use—such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, fetal effects, crime, violence, and disruptions in family, workplace, and educational environments—have...

nida.nih.gov

From that page:



A little too much, though, and the person may get drowsy (the "nods"). So they often use more than one drug for the exact effect they are seeking (polypharmacy).
View attachment 404076
That's from this site:

What Does A OxyContin (Oxycodone) High Feel Like? | Oxycontin Abuse & Addiction

OxyContin is a long-acting formulation of the drug oxycodone, which is an opioid used to treat pain. Taking too much can cause a high and lead to abuse.

www.therecoveryvillage.com

Which also explains that people who use the same drug for pain do not get this feeling. It's what the addict feels. It also explains how the addict processes their pills so as to get around the built-in time release (which doesn't allow much of a high).

"Feel more happy." "Less discouraged." "Things...more pleasing."

For some people, that would certainly feel like a fire in the belly, a kind of invincibility. However, I believe that it's highly likely AM was self-medicating for other symptoms (not physical pain - but perhaps psychic pain).

IMO.

To me his office behavior and never wanting to sit down with Maggie for 10 minutes screams ADHD.

 

[Batman's Mommy]

They're just doing a job for pay which they'll get and continue to get as long as there are charges against AM. Of course he lied to them which is why, IMO, they wanted AM to be able to keep discovery and work product in his jail cell so he could "help them with his case". They only got 1 hour every other day with him at the jail and that wasn't enough time. When that didn't fly, they asked if he could be brought to their offices to work with them (I guess "office" meant the wedding venue they had rented). When that didn't fly they asked for a laptop he could keep that had everything on it... I took that to mean that they needed AM to fabricate the answers to the discovery so they could look over the answers to see if they were believable or not and adjust if necessary. DH I believe made the statement that AM is a lawyer and can help them and CW quickly interjected "was a lawyer your honor"..priceless.
jmo

I wouldn't be surprised if AM hadn't drafted some of the motions, and I feel certain he drafted the responses to discovery. IMO, his reaction to the judge's ruling on the directed verdict was very telling. He was writing something and threw his pen when he finished when the jury was coming back in. He was furious.

JMO. moo

 

[detectivewannab]

It's complicated. There are performers who are known to use both an opiate and an upper before going on stage. There are people who use both for long periods, and have their use down to a science. After a respite in opiate use, many people who are addicts report a rush or burst of energy right after using again. This is sought after.

Many of us would not have that response. Some of us have opiates (prescribed) that we never used. There are likely genes involved in this, because other people are so into opiates that they steal people's prescriptions. I know doctors, nurses, lawyers, judges, police, sheriffs, professors and many others who have used opiates because of perceived benefits. The blurb below is about heroin, but contains a statement about oxycodone.

Overview | National Institute on Drug Abuse

Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug, and its use has repercussions that extend far beyond the individual user. The medical and social consequences of drug use—such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, fetal effects, crime, violence, and disruptions in family, workplace, and educational environments—have...

nida.nih.gov

From that page:



A little too much, though, and the person may get drowsy (the "nods"). So they often use more than one drug for the exact effect they are seeking (polypharmacy).
View attachment 404076
That's from this site:

What Does A OxyContin (Oxycodone) High Feel Like? | Oxycontin Abuse & Addiction

OxyContin is a long-acting formulation of the drug oxycodone, which is an opioid used to treat pain. Taking too much can cause a high and lead to abuse.

www.therecoveryvillage.com

Which also explains that people who use the same drug for pain do not get this feeling. It's what the addict feels. It also explains how the addict processes their pills so as to get around the built-in time release (which doesn't allow much of a high).

"Feel more happy." "Less discouraged." "Things...more pleasing."

For some people, that would certainly feel like a fire in the belly, a kind of invincibility. However, I believe that it's highly likely AM was self-medicating for other symptoms (not physical pain - but perhaps psychic pain).

IMO.

To me his office behavior and never wanting to sit down with Maggie for 10 min screams ADAD.

 

[detectivewannab]

What I've watched does not agree with what you just said. moo

Here's examples: How many times did DH/the defense "opened the door” for prosecutors to introduce evidence??
2? 3? 4?

And when the judge closed the door on the roadside fiasco, the next day he "reversed" that decision, saying the door had been "opened by the defense".....again.

I've seen bumbling, mubling, listened to incoherent sentences and I've watched him almost fall asleep at his desk.

He's been chastised by Newman for not letting witnesses answer. The Judge has also had too interject telling DH he could not testify (only the witness could).

And his, in my own opinion, condescending disposition towards women witnesses makes me sick. I would imagine all those women jury members feel the same.

Do I see a different defense headed to the courtroom? No. DH is who he is and we've already seen it...

MOO

They are doing this to confuse and move the jury to a not guilty verdict. These dont slip up. I think its killing Alex to not be the front guy. That is why we may see him on the stand. He thinks he can talk his way out of anything.

 

[EyeCandy]

Oxycodone is prescribed in pain management .. however no benzo's I do know some people here who get Xanax and Norco from family docs. Not high amounts though Each person is an individual .. docs need to understand that

 

[detectivewannab]

If LE had been smart enough to search the House, they would have probably found the Pill and much more. Idiocy.

He knows she wont leave him. She had it to good.

 

[Elley Mae]

I can’t see Alex getting on the stand against Waters, I just can’t.

 

[Batman's Mommy]

I have yet to read anything about his stash other than the text message from Paul saying Maggie had found his bag of pills. There was evidence of an online search by Maggie for Oxycodone 30mg and some unidentified green capsules but as to their legitimacy I have no idea. I have a hard time thinking that there was a prescription for the Oxy. Hopefully there is DEA evidence somewhere of the trafficking that may be brought out in another trial but we may never know if these pills were pharmaceutical grade or "bathtub".

And didn't they say that the "bag of pills" MM found were on May 6th.... only a month prior to their murders?

IMO, this was something recent, and IMO, knowledge of said "bag of pills" was isolated, as far as I can tell, to AM, MM, and PM. This could also contribute to motive, IMO.

JMO. moo

EDITED with the correct date...May 6th not May 26th. IMO, a month is still recent.