VERDICT WATCH SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #37

[arielilane]

Are they deliberating over the weekend? Is there a latest time to expect a verdict in an evening? Ie if it hits 8pm it won't come today?

The Jury decides when deliberation is complete.
Yes, they will deliberate through the weekend if necessary.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Especially with this lot!

Yep, I've never seen a trial that used up this many alternates

 

[Tippy Lynn]

The prosecutors analagy was so good. Circumstantial is just as solid as direct, sometimes more solid. Direct can even leave questions.. let's say there is DNA.. well Alex lives there.. there would be DNA so does that make it easier to say he did it? No probably not.

They used the rain analogy. If you hear thunder and rain on your roof, but don't see rain because you are inside, but then you go outside an hour later and it's not raining, but everything is wet then you can reasonably conclude that it rained. He said sure the neighbor could have taken a hose and sprayed the entire area down with water, but what is more likely?

So let's say several circumstantial things are at play, but all would suggest one specific narrative.. that is powerful when compared to say DNA or a fingerprint being found because those things would be expected to be on a property owned by the defendent.

I get it, but I'm still struggling on this case.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Do they just sit in the room and listen, all the while they're playing Candy Crush??

This one will be happy to get some shuteye in peace.

 

[Sunshynn]

I know we're heading for the home stretch so I just want to thank you all for the laughs, the explanations, the discussions, the tweets, the train cars, the drinks, for Bubba and for the chicken.
Here's hoping that Maggie and Paul Murdaugh get their justice. JMO

 

[Gardenista]

Official deliberation start time was 3:50:24. Delay because the evidence had to get to them.

 

[Edvis]

Thank you Mr. Conductor!! A real Carlin job! (who even remembers Baldwin or Ringo when there's...Carlin <3 )

Thank you for riding along though scary at times, again sorry bout the hippy bus trip but we all fought our way out of the ranch bravely except the spirit guide who bailed when the hogs went wild.

 

[TTF14]

Official deliberation start time was 3:50:24. Delay because the evidence had to get to them.

If I were on the jury, the only evidence I might want to pore over again would be the phone and GM "pings" or whatever (not the phone orientation stuff) and maybe the bodycam video.

 

[Recidivist]

For what it is worth....
No doubt in my mind AM is guilty. However, outside of WS, I've learned there are more people who disagree with me than agree. Additionally, I'm hearing lots of hung-jury comments than in any other trial I've watched on screen or in person.
moo

They must be the unreasonable folks who reside on a distant planet, as referenced earlier today.

 

[10ofRods]

For what it is worth....
No doubt in my mind AM is guilty. However, outside of WS, I've learned there are more people who disagree with me than agree. Additionally, I'm hearing lots of hung-jury comments than in any other trial I've watched on screen or in person.
moo

Yesterday, a SC youtuber did a poll and 91% of his viewers thought "guilty." The defendant-friendly youtube channels of course have it as 50/50 or close to that.

NewsNation had it 69% guilty yesterday (it's been wobbling between 68-72% thinking he's guilty).

It would be interesting if locals following the trial are more prone to finding him guilty than people casually watching on Court TV. I have no sense of how people in Hampshire County think about Alec, except that I'm guessing quite a few can't stand the whole family. Others may still be in awe of them.

Who knows. I've made my peace with whatever the verdict is, but if most trials around the US had a standard of proof higher than in this one, we're in trouble nationwide for stopping crime by locking people up. We'll have to go back to shunning and social approbrium.

IMO.

 

[arielilane]

I wonder if the men have lost weight since this all began.

Also, Mags is dead, so they do not have the benefit of Mom helping them look stylish.

I did! Intermittent fasting and I didn't need to lose any lbs. Never took time to eat until around 1 or 2. lol.

 

[Teche]

Your diagram and thought process are very very impressive!!!!

I vote that Snoopster do this on all future cases. The prosecution needed this on a white board.

 

[Diddian]

So many of the attorneys providing analysis on Law and Crime say they don’t think evidence should have been presented on motive, but I disagree.

While the State is not required to prove motive, I have found that person after person that I talk to among friends and relatives applies an expanded standard of what the State must prove in a case such as this, where a father kills his son. That is, they WANT evidence of motive that overcomes the common belief that fathers do not kill their sons.

 

[Herat]

This is interesting. According to SC law, the alternates are dismissed once jurors go back to deliberate but here if both defense and state consent, which they did, the alternate is retained and sent to a private room.

In federal court and Russell Laffitte's trial (guilty Nov 2022), a couple of jurors were relieved and replaced after over 11 hours of deliberations and the defense has called for a new trial -- arguing this should have resulted in a hung jury.

Russell Laffitte requests hearing on dismissal of jurors

So the defense knows it has happened before and can happen again.

I don't trust them at all.

 

[Gut_feeling]

We have an extra sleeper car if needed for the jury with do not disturb signs and guards posted to keep the defense guys from sniffing around.

I love the sleeper cars! My daughter and I took a sleeper car from Mass to Chicago, then down to KC. We decorated our "room" with cafe lights and vintage comic book hero fabric. The porters (rockstars) kept bringing passengers by to see our room I love traveling by train, love the changing scenery and love the conversations. On the train to KC we met a lovely mennonite family with their children and after talking for a while it was discovered that they knew my grandpa, who passed away years ago. He was an auction man who did business in their area That's the magic of the train Sorry for that wild tangent, but yes, thank you, edvis, for providing such perfect train imagery, it honestly got me thinking about planning another epic train trip

 

[Twistinginthewind]

Could you imagine after this long trial walking into the jury room and basically immediately realizing that there is no way agreement could be reached and it will be hung?

It would be frustrating, IMO, but the jurors (left standing) hung in there (haha) and did their civic duty, and shouldn't have any regrets if that's the way the cookie crumbles. JMO

 

[jakat]

This trial has really aged the defense team and AM, they look stressed and exhausted.

Narcissists tend to suck the life out of a person.

 

[Boismom]

Does he go free if found not guilty - God forbid!!!

 

[Megnut]

That won't be up to Alex, though. And it's a peculiar situation. While not yet convicted, that trust technically belongs to Maggie, who left him her entire estate. If he's found guilty of her murder, he cannot collect it. Presumably it then all goes to Buster - who is not a party to any legal action at this time.

I keep wondering how this can be - since there were claims against Alex made before he was convicted. People need to get their money back. That whole probate business mystifies me, and I really wonder how it will turn out. Doesn't seem fair if Buster gets $4-6M and the victims of Alex's crimes get nothing, as he's managed to truly hide his money from them.

IMO

Which IMO is precisely why Alec left a survivor.

Buster is his new Forge account.

JMO

 

[Gardenista]

Yesterday, a SC youtuber did a poll and 91% of his viewers thought "guilty." The defendant-friendly youtube channels of course have it as 50/50 or close to that.

NewsNation had it 69% guilty yesterday (it's been wobbling between 68-72% thinking he's guilty).

It would be interesting if locals following the trial are more prone to finding him guilty than people casually watching on Court TV. I have no sense of how people in Hampshire County think about Alec, except that I'm guessing quite a few can't stand the whole family. Others may still be in awe of them.

Who knows. I've made my peace with whatever the verdict is, but if most trials around the US had a standard of proof higher than in this one, we're in trouble nationwide for stopping crime by locking people up. We'll have to go back to shunning and social approbrium.

IMO.

Not sure how many are local voters, but the FITS news poll is 90% guilty.