VERDICT WATCH SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #36

[NQCowboy68]

I'm going to have to rewatch. Here's the video for anyone who missed it

Check out the Upstairs Left window at 11:51 and the Upstairs Right window at 11:54

 

[Melisende10]

Another item staged at the crime scene. A shirt in a window at the house that looks like the one Alex was wearing in the tree video

View attachment 406435

Photos: The Murdaugh Moselle property in Islandton

Murdaugh Moselle property on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Islandton.

www.postandcourier.com

Who is residing at the property? Anyone? This is super creepy. Why would clothes even be hanging up, in a window no less, when no one is living there. The staging of all of these items was clearly a message. But from who?

 

[SuziQ]

Another item staged at the crime scene. A shirt in a window at the house that looks like the one Alex was wearing in the tree video

View attachment 406435

Photos: The Murdaugh Moselle property in Islandton

Murdaugh Moselle property on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Islandton.

www.postandcourier.com

What in the world was someone thinking?

 

[Gardenista]

Check out the Upstairs Left window at 11:51 and the Upstairs Right window at 11:54

They are so sneaky!

 

[Seattle1]

They are trying for a mistrial, I feel it in my bones

I can handle a new trial. An acquittal, no thank you.

 

[gremlin444]

Gross... it looks like the house was staged for the jury. Neither the bike nor the little flower pot are present in the photos taken by the broker: Inside the 1,700-acre Murdaugh family murder farm now on sale for $3.9M

Weird that whoever put those items out to try to tug on the heartstrings didn't bother to put out anything to represent Paul? (unless the reporters just didn't take a photo of something)

 

[justtrish]

I can't imagine what sicko would stage the property with the bike, Buster Christmas deco and the stuffed chicken, but I believe authorities need to figure it out. It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.

I think we can start with finding out who has access to the house. The murdaughs still own it till March 8th I believe is closing. Who is allowed inside?

 

[Edvis]

What in the world was someone thinking?

Someone with dark humor and looks like someone has had the place to themselves to mess around with things and peoples minds.

 

[BUF]

Check out the Upstairs Left window at 11:51 and the Upstairs Right window at 11:54

That is down right creepy!

 

[Edvis]

I’m as pro pot/anti drug war as it gets but I don’t understand his tale of paranoia causing him to lie so quick. It would seem that with close relatives being murdered he wouldn't have worried over some dope. As Waters said several times, it just doesn’t make sense.

For sure as AM spun a good tale with lots of detail for someone strung out on meds.

 

[10ofRods]

Imo, three hours isn't long for a 7 week trial.

After 40 years of teaching complex subjects to adults, I say 3 hours, even with a break, is very long, no matter what the topic is (if you want the audience to remember anything). At least have bolded bullet points for the 4-5 main points (that's already pushing it for a 3 hour lecture).

The jury was offered the opportunity to take notes and declined notebooks and pens.

I think pens might be a hot item for them.. I recall he was so excited to win 6 soups and 4 meat sticks or maybe it was the other way around over the football game betting.. maybe pens are a good for trading?

Every prison or jail I've been in has multiple examples of shanks made out of pens. They are one of the most common items to be used for murder or suicide. The state hospital for the criminally insane had a little museum of all the things inmates had used to make weapons, and a whole bunch were based off of pens.

IMO.

CW knows what he's doing. Repeating every one of his "talking points" is the way to get them to "sink in" with the jurors. It may seem like he is "belaboring" his points to some, but it is effective, and "everyone" in professional circles who gives presentations knows this:

"The more you listen to a song, the faster you recall its entire lyrics and melody. Repetition helps strengthen the listener’s memory. Soon you’ll be able to associate the repeated lines with anything that’s vaguely related to it. Use this powerful technique to enhance your pitch."

The Power of Repeating Words and Phrases in Presentations

MOO

Exactly. But my complaint is that he needed to narrow down his repetitive points to the ones that will convict. Make them into slogans. Leave out the details. Make them **points.** Pointed. To the point. Financial malfeasance as motivation. Drugs as ??? To let the defense argue that he was too drug-addled to form intent? Maybe downplay that one a bit. I think the important points are that he lied and kept lying/changing his alibi. The video places him there. Guns from the household used. GPR on blue item taken to Mom's house. Lying about time at Mom's house. Lying about steps taken around Moselle. Missing clothing.

All of those last items are to one point: he lied and innocent people don't lie. That should have been the main point, one that everyone on the jury can relate to.

He did not repeat memorable phrases (bullet points). He had entire topic sentences, followed by several paragraphs, as if he was reading from a document instead of trying to narrow it down to repeated words and phrases. That's exactly what he didn't do. If he took a short list and kept hammering it, it would have stayed with them, been shorter, and if he had done it with some variation in tone (bullet points need more loudness; pause for Pete's sake; actually repeat it until you can see everyone heard it), it would have been better. He seemed exhausted. Everyone is likely exhausted, but that's not how you want the jury to feel during closing. Belaboring is exactly what he did - and that's not the same thing as "repeating" memorable phrases. That means going on and on about one's memorable phrase, to the point that the listeners forget there was a memorable point.

At least have a summary slide of all the main points. And an important point could have been made by the cyclical nature of Alex's lies. Alibi 1 - blown out of the water, so then Alibi 2. Also contradicted facts. Alibi 3 - muddled and lied about on the stand. I know he tried to do this at the end, but I would have done it twice and moved one version to the beginning.

Also, I think a lot of us would have included a few sentences about the psychological state of a man who 1) murders his family and then 2) lies to police, which = family annihilator. Don't just use a term the jury might not have heard before, define it and show how it fits. Takes 2 minutes, is emotionally engaging. I guess that's my complaint. I've seen many a closing argument, and seen juries persuaded (sometimes unfortunately) but the more engaging, emotional, less boring attorney. It didn't need to be much of that kind of engagement - just a teensy bit.

Legal question: are there going to be rebuttals as some here have suggested?

 

[nodamselindistress]

I think we can start with finding out who has access to the house. The murdaughs still own it till March 8th I believe is closing. Who is allowed inside?

My guess is JMM

 

[WichitaFalls]

The property has such a dark, dark feel. If I could take away the knowledge that a mother and son were killed there, I still wouldn't like the place. It's like a frat boys party heaven. MOO

 

[303gmf]

Another item staged at the crime scene. A shirt in a window at the house that looks like the one Alex was wearing in the tree video

View attachment 406435

Photos: The Murdaugh Moselle property in Islandton

Murdaugh Moselle property on Wednesday, March 1, 2023 in Islandton.

www.postandcourier.com

Watching that earlier on Fits news feed, thought it was a person standing inside, creeped me right out!
The bike and Buster pottery and kennel chicken, WTF???

 

[Gardenista]

My guess is JMM

Maybe that's why he was so giggly today at the end of a day where his brother got eviscerated by the prosecution.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Weird that whoever put those items out to try to tug on the heartstrings didn't bother to put out anything to represent Paul? (unless the reporters just didn't take a photo of something)

Had the same thought. And is that really Maggie’s bike? It’s cute and looks like something out of The Wizard of Oz. Surely she would have had an expensive mountain bike with thick tires to ride on the dirt ”roads” on the property?

 

[Pruddennce]

any info on the judge/lawyers meeting in chambers? chicken toy, bike and buster planter maybe?

 

[bestill]

I am wondering if the media saw camera's around the property? Something missing during the PM threats and after the murders.

 

[Aquarian]

This makes me nervous. Surely we haven't come this far for a mistrial!! It's so typical - AM gets in tight spot (imminent verdict) and drama occurs. As discussed his demeanor today was different. I, for one, am concerned about what is going on behind the scenes that we don't know about!

Could the Judge have gotten a threatening letter, idk just guessing. Maybe discussing sequestration.

 

[bestill]

Had the same thought. And is that really Maggie’s bike? It’s cute and looks like something out of The Wizard of Oz. Surely she would have had an expensive mountain bike with thick tires to ride on the dirt ”roads” on the property?

Have to say that many around my area (a bit north of their area) have those cute bikes. Some have wide tires for beach riding. But parking it in front of the house like that is totally staged, imo.