But for whatever reason, they didn't use a voluntary intoxication defense (claiming he was unable to form intent, so it could not be first degree murder; it was second degree murder or even voluntary manslaughter). Nope, they didn't want to plead out to a lesser charge, using lack of intent/voluntary intoxication.
That's their own fault. And let's face it, we were all on tenterhooks here, wondering if Alec would be convicted. The same youtube lawyers who predicted he wouldn't be, are now whining that the jury didn't deliberate long enough to truly consider all the digital evidence.
The jury spent a month or so immersed in that evidence. Why would they need a bunch of time to go over it again? Defense completely failed to bring up any reasonable doubt. ABCNews has an interview with a juror already:
A juror who convicted Alex Murdaugh on Thursday told ABC News in an exclusive interview that the cellphone video captured by Murdaugh's son sealed his fate.
abcnews.go.com
Wherein the juror states that the actual deliberation took 45 minutes and that the kennel video was basically the key piece of evidence.
I figure this means 45 minutes from the first vote to the second.
IMO.