VERDICT WATCH SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #35

[rescuemom]

I think we will have a verdict by Thursday. I admire this jury for their staying power!!

Deliberate Thursday and Friday verdict by close of day or take the weekend to "sleep" on it. Definitely by Monday by noon.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

They could put him in a large cage, similar to Bubba's, mount it onto a golf cart, then ride him around the property.

I thought when defense and prosecution came back into the courtroom after discussing the jury view with Judge Newman in his chambers Harpootlian appeared red in the face and looked fairly miffed. Perhaps he wanted Alec on the visit unshackled (not to be mistaken for the murderer) for one last serious melt down so the jury could identify with the reaction of a loving husband and father "discovering" the bodies. If this *was* requested by defense, I feel certain both Waters and Judge Newman didn't buy in. MOO.

I am expecting Harpootlian to pull something tomorrow. Too bad Court TV can't livestream without violating jury anonymity

 

[rescuemom]

Oh wow this Dr on CTV is so good about the Opiod use

I'm really surprised the state did not call an opioid counselor or doctor to refute his usage.

 

[rescuemom]

And were there not reports of those islands and other properties? Need to pull some tax records, deeds, property transfers, shell companies, LLC and others, and also in other states with non disclosure and company favorable shields perhaps. Are some NY and DE, and other state financial incorporation practices helpful? Probably much better company experts in this thread here, I am not. MO.

ETA… there might have been another ‘tell’ perhaps in some of the defendant’s testament. If I recall correctly, he was rather adamant that some other individual with whom he has done some business dealings I believe had absolutely no knowledge or involvement. And shouldn’t be bothered if remembering this correctly. Don’t they tell us follow the money? MOO.

Russell LaFitte

 

[rescuemom]

Those two were a powerful duo the prosecution needed today.

imo

Nothing against CW but any chance AW will do closing for the state?

 

[LetsSolvIt]

OOOHHHH CTV just said JG will give closing arguments NOT DH - kinda shocked here!

This might be better. I think JG's voice is so gravely and wearing. His cadence drives me crazy -- the way he stumbles along. Hopefully that will cause some jurors to turn him a deaf ear. OMO.

I'm afraid I am going to miss the start of closings as I have a long-standing lunch apt. Hope JG talks long so I can get back before our Rock Star begins! MOO.

 

[Amster]

I also wonder why only Maggie's sister testified, why no friends? she seems like the totally forgotten person in all this. EVERYONE grieves over Paul. It is odd.

I’ve been bothered this entire trial how Maggie was such an afterthought. No family in court. All of the obcession over Paul & how he was killed etc. etc. smh

 

[Cindizzi]

At Russell Lafitte’s Federal bank fraud trial last November his cousin Norris testified and Alex’s name came up ALOT

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190390069854209

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190392599015431

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190395178483712

 

[10ofRods]

The jury will see that the land is sloped between the house and the kennels. They'll also see that Maggie could see Paul from where she was shot, before she died.

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How will they know this, if everyone has to be silent while there?

I know that my students, even if heavily coached and tested before visiting a field site, will still forget to look for most of what we're there for. They need a guide.

But apparently, nothing will be said. Will someone point out to them precisely where Maggie had fallen? I think it's clear that no words or gestures can be used - they have to kind of grok the situation.

I personally believe there will be almost as many reactions and viewpoints as there are jurors - and that jurors will be inclined to see what they already think they're going to see (or just be glad to be out of the courtroom).

I think they are disallowed from speaking to each other, as well.

IMO

 

[rescuemom]

I read Murdaugh She Wrote over the weekend and not recommending it but this family OMG! The great grandfather was the genius who not only started the lawfirm and the solictorship history but he also started a newspaper where he pumped up his accomplishments!!

So as I suspected Ellick was not a great student and he still has no idea what Habeas Corpus means but Daddy bought his way through law school so who cares right? He was portrayed as a party first guy who loved the strip clubs. Sound familiar?

Cory Fleming and Russell Lafitte were either roomates or frat buds. There was also mention of somebody with the last name of Tuten...it is so circular.

I also read Mudaugh She Wrote. The author was not kind to Maggie.

 

[jakat]

Whoever rents that venue should do an exorcism, smudge, and research any and all cleansing rituals. That place has to have bad energy steeped into the wall paper and rugs!

LOL!! They can stay at Howard Johnson's!

 

[Seattle1]

John T. Lay, a court-appointed attorney overseeing and liquidating Murdaugh’s assets and putting them into a trust for victims, told Realtor.com that more than $2 million of the $3.9 million sale will go toward paying off the lien from the mortgage company, Palmetto State Bank, and about $500,000 will go to Buster as part of his inheritance from his mother’s estate.

^^rsbm

I know that this lien by Palmetto State Bank at one time was much greater than $2M but once Russell L was convicted in November 2022, they had much more leverage to get the bank to discount the note so that there would be some proceeds remaining for distribution to the boating victims and at least $500K for Buster.

Also, say what we will about JMM, he also renounced any fee due him as the personal rep for the estate of MM in good faith and in support of the gesture by the Beach family that Buster receive around $500K from his mother's estate. Personally, I don't know if the estate would have been settled as quickly if the probate court had not named JMM, the non-lawyer, the personal rep of MM's estate. JMO

 

[mickey2942]

I also read Mudaugh She Wrote. The author was not kind to Maggie.

Ah, very nice, the book is on Kindle Unlimited, I just downloaded it.

 

[rahod1]

Totally agree. Excellent summary.

All MOO:

If closing arguments conclude and the jury begins deliberations by Thursday, they will render a "guilty" verdict before the weekend. It won't take long at all for the jurors to agree that they "are done" with this farce of a power/passion play.

Wishful thinking. I'm 99% this will be a hung jury... OJ Simpson case comes to mind. It's not that this case is *similar*, but you have suspects that are very good at LIEING and evading....in a CIRCUMSTATIAL case. I'm convinced AM is guilty, but the odds of getting ALL 12 jurors on board is a daunting task. My 2 cents.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

I may be wrong but based on my observations of them in court LMG, Bu$, and JMM still seem solidly behind AM. Not sure about RM. I find this stunning. If nothing else, who had the means, motive, and opportunity? There seems to be some serious denial and enabling going on with this group but I guess that shouldn't surprise us. OMO.

I think RM is the odd man out in the family right now.
While the sister got caught passing contraband(and she knew better, she’s a victim advocate), and Bu$ toed the party line on the witness stand, and JMM put on his best gee whiz gosh routine and cried on cue…RM is the one who called SLED after the roadside shooting and told them AM was trying to bribe nurses to use their phone, and gave them the phone number he was calling. RM is the one who voted with his law partners to fire AM for his theft from them and clients.
I think he supports AM because they are brothers, but instead of a motto of “Family No Matter What”, RM’s motto might be “I Won’t Be Fooled Again”.

 

[Observer00]

Guys I made some shirts for us to wear to trial tomorrow.

 

[mickey2942]

Wishful thinking. I'm 99% this will be a hung jury... OJ Simpson case comes to mind. It's not that this case is *similar*, but you have suspects that are very good at LIEING and evading....in a CIRCUMSTATIAL case. I'm convinced AM is guilty, but the odds of getting ALL 12 jurors on board is a daunting task. My 2 cents.

I don't know, it depends. Granted, I don't think that the state has presented a strong case. It is circumstantial. And the accused, AM, went on the stand and testified that he was a drug addict, liar, and thief. It was interesting to watch.

I won't be surprised by a mistrial, I think AM still has cash stashed away, and in that area, even $100,000 is a hefty sum. I wouldn't put it past AM to have found a way to pay off a juror. It only takes one for an acquittal.

 

[Seattle1]

At Russell Lafitte’s Federal bank fraud trial last November his cousin Norris testified and Alex’s name came up ALOT

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190390069854209

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190392599015431

https://twitter.com/x/status/1590190395178483712

So sad -- the remodel at Edisto was AM's way to pacify MM when she was told there was no Hilton Head residence in her immediate future and turns out, they couldn't afford the remodel either. AM never made a single payment on the loan! Too busy putting out fires and now he had to cover putting the money back in Chris Wilson's trust account so AM could perfect his lie to PMPED's CFO J Seckinger! I really think AM could have disappeared more people in his way if not arrested! MOO

 

[Pruddennce]

We need to follow these shenanigans along with the $4 million AM gets from his father’s estate. JMM is involved and they are filing all kinds of motions so that AM gets to keep money from the sale of Moselle or to somehow shield the property. He should have to repay every one of his victims wi

[…]

John T. Lay, a court-appointed attorney overseeing and liquidating Murdaugh’s assets and putting them into a trust for victims, told Realtor.com that more than $2 million of the $3.9 million sale will go toward paying off the lien from the mortgage company, Palmetto State Bank, and about $500,000 will go to Buster as part of his inheritance from his mother’s estate.

Lay said that an additional $600,000 will be distributed to the family of Mallory Beach, the 19-year-old who was killed in a 2019 boating collision in a boat driven by Paul Murdaugh. The younger Murdaugh was indicted by a grand jury on three felony charges, including boating under the influence causing death and boating under the influence causing injury.

After Beach’s parents sued over their daughter’s death, Paul Murdaugh’s attorneys told them that he couldn’t afford a settlement. That’s when Beach’s family requested a court order for the younger Murdaugh to disclose his bank records. A hearing had been scheduled for June 10, 2021, but the charges were dropped after Paul Murdaugh’s death, WCBD in Charleston reported.

The sale of Moselle is expected to be finalized March 8, Lay told Realtor.com — meaning Murdaugh could be acquitted or convicted of murder by the time the new owner comes into possession of the property.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2023/02/28/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-moselle/

I read that somewhere as well, dont remember where. thank you.

also, there was an article awhile back after his father passed that he was in line to inherit an estate trust. just my recollection.

 

[clearskies1]

I'm really surprised the state did not call an opioid counselor or doctor to refute his usage.

I don't think the alleged opioid addiction was that important. The State had so many issues to deal with -- I don't think that one mattered that much.