SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #30

[I am not Sherlock H.]

I am not sure on this - but looking over much of the testimony today, that defendant testimony on direct about his clothes, blood spatter, and apparent defense analysis that supposedly reflutes high impact blood spatter? And his testimony from the stand on that? Appearing almost as an expert? Is that going to be troublesome? Enough to hang the jury? I’m surely uncertain, but that appears to be an interesting tidbit? MOO.

 

[kaen]

the motive was to buy time? seems absurd and there is no financial reason behind this , no insurance..etc..
I dunno...seems like white collar crime is one thing..he might go to jail , he may have to make restitution...but murder? come on.. why do this? to your baby? to your wife? I don't believe it. mOO

It seems to me that the reason to do this is because he needed time AND he knew he would lose his wife and kid because of his actions. I don't think he thought he would lose BM. The other two were confronting him about his addiction and would be the first to hear as things unravelled.

He went to detox 3x and tried on his own a number of times. Their lifestyle--parties and drinking etc never changed. But he never worked a program or got help to stay clean. He just kept relapsing and they kept covering for him.

He lured his family into a sense of security and that was about to blow up. He knew he would be disbarred/fired/charged based on the crimes. He knew they were looking at his behavior the evening of the boat accident. He tried to hide money starting in 2005 (round my home, lawyers and doctors protect their assets by buying through an LLC so it is not uncommon). He admitted in court today that MM would have signed loan papers because all he had to do was ask. She already felt like a pariah with the boat case. What would have been her reaction if she found out that her husband left people he represented with little to nothing of the settlements ---injured children, grieving children, police officers, grieving families, and people he called friends --vulnerable people who needed all they could get. His actions were the antithesis of helping the little guy. I am not sure she would have stuck by him as he was not only an unrepentant addict but a hustler, thief and abuser of people who put their faith in him. Her association with him would have torn her apart given what we have heard about her and her reported response to the boat accident.

And, why did he do it? Coach bags, private planes, high price tickets, and multiple home. Their family name would be worse off than with the boating accident. AND, they would be broke. MM might have had liability for taxes unpaid, items purchased with stolen money because she signed tax forms and she benefitted from his ill gotten funds.

I don't think this was planned so far in advance but rather an impulse decision because he couldn't face reality. I think he had shocked himself and, then, had to cover it all.

I don't think he was suicidal in Sept. 2021 but impulsively was trying to get out of more of his troubled actions because he couldn't face it.

He may be clean but unless he has worked rehab and continues to work rehab he would be doing the same thing again and again until he got caught.

He demonstrated today that he is a skilled and manipulative liar. If there are jurors who fall for it, then, we will get a hung jury. There is no way all 12 would fall for it. I feel pretty positive that if the jury is hung, then they will continue to work to discover new information and re-try him.

 

[Pitsleuth]

Statistically, when a wife is killed the husband is the murderer. Statistically, when a child is killed the parent is the murderer (applies more to infants I know but still). Statistically, the last person to see the victim alive is the perpetrator. Statistically, when someone lies about their timeline around the time the murder was committed, it means they had something to do with it.
I have NEVER seen a case where someone lied about their whereabouts at the time of a murder and it turned out to be a legitimate reason for lying and not because they were involved.
I will say I don’t think Ellick did quite as bad today as some people are making it seem, and I’m worried it will sway one juror. We shall see

 

[ch_13]

if he can swindle Gloria S’s son he is just evil.
I think he definitely did take pills but I am not buying in to the 50k/week drug habit, he would be non functioning and most likely dead. His life was a dumpster fire since the boat case.

There were some interesting references to 'land deals gone bad' during today's testimony. I think the suggestion may be that AM had made some poor investments and that a lot of the thievery was an attempt to keep himself solvent.

The timeframe they were discussing was 2010-11 which would have been in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis. Definitely a lot of house flippers and real estate speculators going broke right around then.

We may have to wait until the inevitable financial trials to learn exactly where all that money was going.

 

[AskMeNoQuestions]

My opinion is that Alex has brain damage. His statements were totally incoherent for the first 30 minutes. What was going on inside his mouth, the lip licking?? Lord Have Mercy. Mark my words, he, too, will have an Alzheimers diagnosis within the decade, if. not. sooner.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I believe NBC misreported. While it appears true that two female jurors were seen weeping, the part of the tissue is incorrect.

Reporter Matt Johnson reported that AM took a tissue from the tissue holder located in front of the jurors' box when being escorted from the courtroom but not that a juror actually made contact with AM to hand him a tissue.

You can bet that the bailiff would have nipped any attempt to reach the defendant --- even with a tissue. MOO

I think that's a different instance from what I saw. I thought it was just after the defense finished their questioning and cross was about to begin? Or was it when they were about to adjourn for the day? Either way the judge had just started to say something, so they were most definitely not already adjourned. AM stood up and moved out of camera range, then immediately came back into view with either a tissue or a box of tissues. The judge paused a long time before continuing to speak, so it seemed clear he was rattled/upset by AM leaving the witness chair without permission. But it wasn't visible (at least to me) who handed AM the tissue/box or where he got it from. MOO

 

[Seattle1]

if he can swindle Gloria S’s son he is just evil.
I think he definitely did take pills but I am not buying in to the 50k/week drug habit, he would be non functioning and most likely dead. His life was a dumpster fire since the boat case.

IMO, this is no longer an issue. We heard it straight from the mouth of AM that he did not spend the millions he stole from clients on pills.

The only reason the $50K became a talking point was that the defense was trying to make up reasons to match the evidence (i.e., recent payments to cousin Eddie).

 

[Amster]

So…Paul found A’s stash while A was showering.
Paul & Maggie went to the kennels. A stayed at the house to take his pills….but they were gone.
So, A gets the guns & heads to the kennels to confront M & P. He became enraged & blew them away. MOO

 

[justtrish]

And looking at the extended timeline provided...

Paul's phone backlight comes on at 10:20

Alex calls Rogan at 10:21..
Alex calls Rogan at 10:24
Alex texts Rogan at 10:24
Alex tries to facetime Rogan at 10:25
Alex tries to facetime Rogan at 10:30


Yep he picked that phone up at 1020 and put it down. That call directly after tells me that much.

Then another interesting thing is he calls Buster and Nolan calls Buster.. so seems Buster answered Nolans call, but not Alex's.. then Alex calls Brooklyn White, then Tracy White..

THEN Buster calls Maggie NOT Alex.

Then Alex sends a group text to Buster, Brooklyn and Tracy with urgent call me

Then Buster calls Alex

Just found it interesting that Alex is calling Buster and his girlfriend and instead of returning that call Buster calls his mom.

 

[Loveallmyhorsesdogsandcats]

There were some interesting references to 'land deals gone bad' during today's testimony. I think the suggestion may be that AM had made some poor investments and that a lot of the thievery was an attempt to keep himself solvent.

The timeframe they were discussing was 2010-11 which would have been in the aftermath of the Great Financial Crisis. Definitely a lot of house flippers and real estate speculators going broke right around then.

We may have to wait until the inevitable financial trials to learn exactly where all that money was going.

yes MB testified that AM lost a lot of money on land deals but thought AM made enough money to get out of debt. Seems it maybe went to support their expensive life.

 

[AugustWest]

So stealing from the clients, orphaned, disabled or dead is not a sign of bad character???

It absolutely is evidence of bad character. Which is why Rule 404 of evidence exists. The rationale behind the rule is that admitting character evidence will distract a jury from finding guilt from actual proof of the murders and not because he lies, cheats, steals, etc… and therefore must be guilty.

This is also why so many are worried that Judge Newman committed appealable error in admitting so much financial misgivings evidence. Some feel he should have excluded it because it is prejudicial and confusing for a jury.

Can’t stop now though, gotta let the train roll on.

 

[bestill]

My opinion is that Alex has brain damage. His statements were totally incoherent for the first 30 minutes. What was going on inside his mouth, the lip licking?? Lord Have Mercy. Mark my words, he, too, will have an Alzheimers diagnosis within the decade, if. not. sooner.

I did notice that his attorney asked him if was clean of drugs and then immediately corrected himself and said opioids. I think he is on something, maybe a sedative or antidepressant. I don't think he's brain damaged. jmo

 

[citizen_sleuth]

My opinion is that Alex has brain damage. His statements were totally incoherent for the first 30 minutes. What was going on inside his mouth, the lip licking?? Lord Have Mercy. Mark my words, he, too, will have an Alzheimers diagnosis within the decade, if. not. sooner.

I am not a doctor, but I think it is a combination of his past chewing tobacco habit (in the interview with LE in the car he asked to open the door so he could spit out his chew) and, IMO, partially an act to convince the jury. He's been doing it since the beginning of trial, but I noticed when he was testifying that he stopped doing it when he was discussing 'safe' topics (like explaining his legal experience). MOO.

 

[Seattle1]

Exactly. In the Netflix doc, M.Beach mom said how they were not allowed thru closer to the crash site but AM was. None of the parents were. So I wonder if he used that badge there as well. He definitely was not afraid imo.

This wasn't AM crossing the yellow tape, it was AM's dad RM3 (former Solicitor) and MM that were waved through into the protected area.

 

[Luna20]

He had time to come clean about being at the kennel that night many times but he didn't until he was caught and it was clear during this trial he was there. Just like his stealing, he only comes clean when he's caught then the "remorse" surfaces. It's his MO

And he has been ‘clean’ for 500 days so why is he still lying if he is no longer using?

If he were serious and so remorseful he would have gone to LE a long time ago. His conscience would have bothered him if that were the case.

 

[SeaNymph]

Court TV's Matt Johnson is reporting AM is sitting 6 feet from the jurors and 2 jurors (female) reached for a tissue and were crying when AM talked about PM.

Bad sign when a murderer gets on the stand and makes a couple of women cry.

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Do we know the current jury demographics?

 

[kaen]

And looking at the extended timeline provided...

Paul's phone backlight comes on at 10:20

Alex calls Rogan at 10:21..
Alex calls Rogan at 10:24
Alex texts Rogan at 10:24
Alex tries to facetime Rogan at 10:25
Alex tries to facetime Rogan at 10:30


Yep he picked that phone up at 1020 and put it down. That call directly after tells me that much.

Then another interesting thing is he calls Buster and Nolan calls Buster.. so seems Buster answered Nolans call, but not Alex's.. then Alex calls Brooklyn White, then Tracy White..

THEN Buster calls Maggie NOT Alex.

Then Alex sends a group text to Buster, Brooklyn and Tracy with urgent call me

Then Buster calls Alex

Just found it interesting that Alex is calling Buster and his girlfriend and instead of returning that call Buster calls his mom.

Sometimes families are in such a state of dysfunction that they don't see the bizarreness of their actions. Seems to me from his behavior today that AM was difficult to deal with. He was unreliable, inconsistent, and impulsive. (He said PM had ADHD. He probably does as well.) His lies to his family probably were long and circuitous just like his explanations in court. (I could almost not watch the LE interviews because I wanted to yell, "Get to the point." or "Just answer the question.") He seems to be a wild card in every sense of the word. People would say he would stop everything for family and it was annoying/frustrating--- again, he cares for no one but himself and his comfort. He couldn't stand to not be there for his wife and kids or to not give them everything.

I work with clients who have this type of profile. I do wonder about abuse or abandonment issues because his need to be the center and be the perfect dad seems to be part of the dynamic we are seeing.

 

[justtrish]

It absolutely is evidence of bad character. Which is why Rule 404 of evidence exists. The rationale behind the rule is that admitting character evidence will distract a jury from finding guilt from actual proof of the murders and not because he lies, cheats, steals, etc… and therefore must be guilty.

This is also why so many are worried that Judge Newman committed appealable error in admitting so much financial misgivings evidence. Some feel he should have excluded it because it is prejudicial and confusing for a jury.

Can’t stop now though, gotta let the train roll on.

I think in this case it's a bit different. The defense opened the door. They wanted to show that Alex is now a great man because he admits to his wrongs and went to rehab or that the roadside shooting was because of drugs. he's changed and now he isn't lying, but then he was (because he did lie about that night and now admits that, but only after he learns his voice is on a recording just before the murders).. It's tricky because I don't think him commiting financial crimes means he would commit murder. I think because his crimes were discovered the day of the murders is key.. I think the fact he lied to his clients and his partners and now is claiming he did lie to police, but isn't lying anymore is more the issue I see. He can't have it both ways. He can't say I did lie, but now I'm not without talking about why/how he was lying before. He can't even recall what he said or how he lied to his clients, but he's so sorry about it? It doesn't mean he's a murderer, but it can help the jury decide if he's trustworthy enough to believe his testimony.. if he isn't then what he has said on the stand should be ignored entirely.

He chose to get on the stand and this is the result. He wants to seem trustworthy and not have his past bad deeds mentioned, then he shouldn't have taken the stand to get asked about it. His word means nothing.. he lied to LE and had a bogus reason for doing that and it was proven. If he lied about his alibi then what else is he lying about?

 

[Seattle1]

It absolutely is evidence of bad character. Which is why Rule 404 of evidence exists. The rationale behind the rule is that admitting character evidence will distract a jury from finding guilt from actual proof of the murders and not because he lies, cheats, steals, etc… and therefore must be guilty.

This is also why so many are worried that Judge Newman committed appealable error in admitting so much financial misgivings evidence. Some feel he should have excluded it because it is prejudicial and confusing for a jury.

Can’t stop now though, gotta let the train roll on.

Except it wasn't the Judge that made the wrong decision. He did not allow this evidence until the defense opened the door for it.

 

[kaen]

I did notice that his attorney asked him if was clean of drugs and then immediately corrected himself and said opioids. I think he is on something, maybe a sedative or antidepressant. I don't think he's brain damaged. jmo

ADHD medication? Dry mouth, jitteriness, irritability are some side effects of medications. If he is on a med but is not on time released, he would appear better in the morning and become more fidgety in the afternoon after it starts to wear off.