GUILTY SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #38

[LetsSolvIt]

Who was the guy in front of Buster?

I am picturing a white-haired dapper gentleman with a slender face, always in a jacket and tie -- he's the former AG of South Carolina Charlie Condon.

He's been doing a terrific podcast with Anne Emerson from the Charleston ABC affiliate -- Unsolved South Carolina.

 

[TrixieBelden1985]

One question...Why didn't AM take Paul's phone and make it disappear?

 

[Luna20]

The circled man in the centre sat behind Alex throughout the trial, the Bailiff. For the verdict, he wore his uniform, stood directly behind Alex, flanked, and he slapped the cuffs on Alex as soon as the Judge said convicted. After Alex was led past the jury out of the courtroom, defence and prosecution lawyers shook hands. Their lives go forward. Alex's life stops frozen in time on the night he shot his wife and son in the head, twice.

As soon as he was surrounded by officers for the reading of the verdict, everyone in the room knew the verdict. Those officers wouldn't be there if he was not guilty or hung jury.

View attachment 406648

Sounds like a script for a movie! The sound of the cuffs were definitely heard. No folded jacket to hide behind any more.

 

[bestill]

I don't think they purposely caught the jury on video -- it was probably an oversight. The jury is usually not their when they film Alex leaving the courtroom. Thye have tried to be very careful and I can't imagine this was intentional.

Totally missed it!

 

[UnapologeticallyAspie]

Any thoughts on how long his sentence will be?

 

[Loveallmyhorsesdogsandcats]

Any thoughts on how long his sentence will be?

He will get life moo

 

[Mysticeilis]

Not always possible to prevent and in the interests of not living in a police states, probably not always the best idea when family find members murdered.

Being LE is a delicate balance and in no way easy. And I'm still not sure what "trampling" the crime scene would have done, one way or another, on a property with many comers and goers. DNA doesn't have a clock built in. There were no cameras.

What evidence would have been gained if more had been done? SLED actually declined to use public resources on a fool's errand, IMO.

I understand your response though I believe this is a teaching example of how a crime scene can be better protected.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

Wow! I just checked back, not expecting there to be a verdict. How long did they deliberate? I’m so pleased they got it right, and so quickly!

Less than 3 hours

 

[courier_1]

Nice verdict! Besides actually pulling the trigger, being caught in the lie about nit being at the kennel was enough for me.

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1631485142911930369

 

[Gardenista]

The circled man in the centre sat behind Alex throughout the trial, the Bailiff. For the verdict, he wore his uniform, stood directly behind Alex, flanked, and he slapped the cuffs on Alex as soon as the Judge said convicted. After Alex was led past the jury out of the courtroom, defence and prosecution lawyers shook hands. Their lives go forward. Alex's life stops frozen in time on the night he shot his wife and son in the head, twice.

As soon as he was surrounded by officers for the reading of the verdict, everyone in the room knew the verdict. Those officers wouldn't be there if he was not guilty or hung jury.

View attachment 406648

Great observation. My favorite criminal defense attorney, Diane Menashe, said she always knows what the verdict is when she sees how many LE are in the courtroom compared to the number that are in the courtroom during testimony.

GiGi from Law & Crime said there were WAY more LE in and around the courtroom for the verdicts than during testimony.

 

[Luna20]

One question...Why didn't AM take Paul's phone and make it disappear?

Someone here said it was to make it look more real for AM not being guilty. It makes sense to me because one would think if it was AM he would have taken both of them. He took the one that he thought was more incriminating for him but he was wrong!

 

[Seattle1]

I am picturing a white-haired dapper gentleman with a slender face, always in a jacket and tie -- he's the former AG of South Carolina Charlie Condon.

He's been doing a terrific podcast with Anne Emerson from the Charleston ABC affiliate -- Unsolved South Carolina.

Today it was the mayor (resembles Grisham). But I agree about the great podcast by ABC4 and Drew Tripp.

 

[skyedaze]

He wasn't going to be flashing any AM nods and smiles on that LAST walk past them!

The irony! Convicted of murdering most of your own immediate family, in the very courtroom your father, grandfather etc worked in and had their portraits hanging in. and finally, to have to walk in handcuffs past the very jurors who convicted you.
Amen!

 

[Mysticeilis]

I know the right thing is to not care who it is or what family it is, but can you imagine the story if he was innocent and they went in treating him like he was guilty, not letting anyone in, etc. I can't recall exactly the timing of his dad being hospitalized being on the news, but seems it was that night. I think how they handled this case isn't necessarily how they handle all cases, they likely wanted to be kind and I'm sure thought they were doing the right thing for this family and its the time it turned out the family man, lawyer, volunteer solicitor from this well known family was the killer. Again, doesn't make it right, but I can understand how in good faith they wanted to treat him as if he's one of them. I do think it would be different now when the next case happens.

Thank you, Justtrish! I was commenting on the crime scene investigation the night of the homicide.

 

[Cindizzi]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1631483840999878656

 

[SuziQ]

Yes, indeed. It's a South Carolina story rich in irony.

Bubba caught a chicken which made Alex hollar at him: Bubba! in a frustrating tone. Kinda thought Bubba might be a handful til learning Bubba was Maggie's favorite dog. Then, Paul got a video on his phone of Cash, the brown lab at the kennels, where Alex's voice is heard in the background telling Maggie it's a chicken and not a guinea that Bubba has in its mouth. Thereby, proving once and for all, that Alex was at the kennels at the time of the murders when he lied and said he didn't go to the kennels.

Bubba has been exonerated of any wrongdoing and has been hailed as a Hero!

Btw, and you all might already know this, on L&C today, it was said Bubba lives with Blanca now. That seems perfect to me. Imo.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

It just makes me sad that a fellow human being could do this to his family. It hurts so bad.

I know - it's unimaginable. My husband doesn't follow cases or crime like I do. He followed this one a bit. He said, "as a husband and dad I can't go with guilty". He literally can't make himself think it's possible. We just had another conversation about the verdict and he thinks the jury got it right, but he still can't make himself believe it.

There are so many victims in this.....I feel so bad for all the victims and everyone who's been in his path of destruction.

 

[10ofRods]

It's a team effort and thank all of you as well and the chicken despite having his up's and downs. We all hung tight to what we believe and it showed along with the jurors who should take a bow, we salute you.

You do realize that you kept our morale up. My husband says I was down low right after the jury went out - saying I feared a hung jury. I was so demoralized.

I thank you for all the things you did to keep our spirits up.

 

[Twistinginthewind]

I see that I have 119 notifications. I'm guessing I won't get to check them all out. So I'll just say that it has been a pleasure spending time with the group on this forum. Everyone cared (no matter their opinion of the outcome) and we all found a way to find moments of relief through humour. (ok, I just gave myself away as a Canadian, didn't I?)

Special thanks to @Edvis for stocking the train and keeping us on a somewhat even keel, despite the offerings from the bar, chickens, feral hogs and our unruly behaviour at times. (sorry, gotta go with my Canadian/British spelling again. Can I interest any of you in a Bloody Caesar?)

That visual you made and shared with us was the Crowning Glory of posts during this trial! I'll have to prevaricate a bit before putting in my drink order -- a Crown Royal or Canadian Club or Bloody Caesar ?!