SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #14

[Seattle1]

New Evidence Revealed in Double Murder Case Against Alex Murdaugh

Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty ImagesIt took Alex Murdaugh over an hour to call 911 after he allegedly shot his wife Maggie and son Paul near their estate’s hunting dog kennels last June, prosecutors said in court Thursday.That was among several fresh claims made during a...

news.yahoo.com

10/20/22

It took Alex Murdaugh over an hour to call 911 after he allegedly shot his wife Maggie and son Paul near their estate’s hunting dog kennels last June, prosecutors said in court Thursday.

That was among several fresh claims made during a hearing in connection with the double murder case that capped the disgrace of a once untouchable legal scion. Investigators are also comparing evidence found at the June 7, 2021, murder scene to DNA from the former lawyer’s alleged accomplice in a $10 million murder-suicide insurance plot.

[..]

Waters added that evidence then shows Murdaugh “firing up” his car and leaving at 9:06 p.m. Murdaugh did not call 911 to report the deaths until 10:06 p.m.

“This investigation is unlike anything anyone’s ever seen,” Waters added. “Not only does it have at its core the most important case—and that is the murder case against Alex Murdaugh for murdering his wife and son—but it also has an amazingly complicated white-collar case” into his alleged financial crimes.

[..]

For their part, Murdaugh’s defense attorneys said Thursday that investigators have yet to actually identify DNA found under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails at the time of her death.

[..]

Details of the evidence against Murdaugh remained scant until Thursday. But new motions filed by attorneys Harpootlian and Jim Griffin demanded more evidence from prosecutors—while implying that a man named Curtis Edward Smith was the real perpetrator.

Smith, 62, has been indicted in a series of crimes that involve Murdaugh. A distant cousin, he was arrested in connection with the assisted-suicide plot last September. Smith is also charged with money laundering and forgery after allegedly participating in Murdaugh’s financial crimes.

Murdaugh’s lawyers noted Thursday that Smith failed a polygraph exam while he was being questioned about the double homicide. But Judge Clifton Newman denied the defense’s motion to obtain details about that test. Smith has not been charged in connection with the murders.

Murdaugh is set to stand trial in connection with his wife and son’s murder in January 2023.

 

[Seattle1]

New documents filed as officials prepare for Murdaugh murder trial

New motions and orders were recently filed as officials continue to prepare for Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial which is set to begin in just over two weeks.

www.wistv.com

Jan 5, 2023

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - New motions and orders were recently filed as officials continue to prepare for Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial which is set to begin in just over two weeks.

Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and youngest son Paul at the family’s property in Colleton County on June 7, 2021.

Order of non-disclosure of juror information​

On December 28, 2022, the Court of General Sessions Fourteenth Judicial Circuit issued an order prohibiting anyone to release any identifying information about the jurors summoned to the trial. According to officials, the information prohibited includes name, address, employment and more.

[..]

Exclusion of polygraph evidence​

On December 28, 2022, The state filed a motion asking the court to exclude any evidence from polygraph tests taken by Murday saying they cause a “high risk of mistrial.”

The motion states that if the defense wants to use evidence from the polygraph test, the judge must hold an “in-camera review” to view and review the evidence before it is admitted.

Evidence from Murdaugh’s alleged financial and fraud crimes​

On December 19, 2022, Murdaugh’s defense team responded to a previous motion from the state asking the court to allow evidence from Murdaugh’s other alleged crimes.

[..]

In response, the state argued that the defense team was trying to hide factors that could show that Murdaugh had motive for the killings.

 

[Seattle1]

So we know the defense is going with SODDI and hope the prosecutor is able to use AMs financial crimes and financial condition as the motive.

Murdaugh uses public docs to sow doubt he killed wife, son - ABC Columbia

Murdaugh uses public docs to sow doubt he killed wife, son

www.abccolumbia.com

Smith’s attorneys say he did not kill Maggie or Paul Murdaugh. They argue Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers are looking for anyone else to blame for the killings, so they have seized on a lie detector test where Smith allegedly showed a reaction when asked if he shot the victims or was present when they were killed.

Murdaugh’s lawyers said Smith knew the area around the dog kennels where the bodies were found because they were a drug drop. They also point out Smith’s DNA had not been tested as of mid-October.

“I’m not saying he did it. I’m just saying it certainly sounds like he could have done it,” Harpootlian said.

 

[LetsSolvIt]

Hope this link takes from The New Yorker >>

The Corrupt World Behind the Murdaugh Murders — The New Yorker

In isolated, poor regions of South Carolina, coming from an élite family offered a feeling of impunity. Did this license lead Alex Murdaugh to commit fraud after fraud—and then kill his wife and son?

apple.news

 

[Chelly]

@Seattle1 and @LetsSolvIt This entire page is a keeper. Lots of great pre-trial reading. Thanks !

 

[LetsSolvIt]

Hope this link takes from The New Yorker >>

The Corrupt World Behind the Murdaugh Murders — The New Yorker

In isolated, poor regions of South Carolina, coming from an élite family offered a feeling of impunity. Did this license lead Alex Murdaugh to commit fraud after fraud—and then kill his wife and son?

apple.news

@Seattle1, thank you for adding to the media thread! Everyone please take note for future reference.

 

[Seattle1]

Good news -- a dependable journalist will be covering the trial!

Brian Entin
@BrianEntin

Replying to
@*********
thanks - yeah taking a little break. Getting ready to travel to South Carolina for the Murdaugh trial.


5:06 PM · Jan 17, 2023

 

[evilwise]

Could Alex have planted cousin Eddie's DNA under Maggie's fingernails as a failsafe?!

 

[legalmomma]

https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/01/18/murdaugh-murders-saga-alex-murdaughs-attorneys-seek-to-exclude-blood-spatter-testimony/

Days before the double homicide trial of accused killer Alex Murdaugh is set to begin in Walterboro, South Carolina, defense attorneys for the disbarred lawyer have filed a motion asking the presiding judge in the case to exclude testimony related to a key piece of evidence against their client.

In a filing submitted by Murdaugh’s attorneys – state senator Dick Harpootlian and veteran Columbia, S.C. trial lawyer Jim Griffin – S.C. circuit court judge Clifton Newman has been asked to sanction prosecutors by excluding any crime scene testimony regarding blood spatter from Oklahoma-based forensic analyst Tom Bevel.

Actually, the motion goes further than that – asking Newman to strike any testimony from witnesses relying on Bevel’s “work product” due to the “egregious misconduct” of the state.

The filing also blasted prosecutors and investigators for allegedly waging “a campaign of selective and deceptive leaks to news media to convince the public that Murdaugh is guilty before he is tried.”

The most “extraordinary leak?” The assertion that high velocity impact spatter had been found on a shirt worn by Murdaugh on the night of the murders – as first reported by FITSNews last April.

“The only possibly motive for this leak was to convince the public that Murdaugh was guilty of the murders before trial, even before he was formally charged,” Harpootlian and Griffin wrote. “This leak was an extrajudicial statement made on behalf of the state with the deliberate intention to prejudice the present judicial proceedings.”

“It was also a lie,” they continued……

 

[legalmomma]

Judge Newman will most likely hear evidence on this issue next week during motions for the trial.

Murdaugh attorneys motion to keep blood spatter evidence from trial

COLLETON COUNTY, SC (WSAV) – Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers want to keep one expert from taking the stand in his murder trial. Doing that could keep the jury from hearing a key piece of eviden…

www.wsav.com

 

[legalmomma]

Motion

Murdaugh Motion - Block Blood Spatter Expert Witness Testimony | PDF

Alex Murdaugh's defense lawyers' motion asking Judge Clifton Newman to bar the State's blood spatter expert from testifying during trial because the Defense claims said expert has ignored a court order to release documents re: analysis of AM's shirt.

www.scribd.com

 

[legalmomma]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1615839643664273408

 

[worm]

I’m really interested to see this blood evidence offered since so much has been made of it. The evidence is there or it isn’t and this motion looks like it will force the states hand with it. I hope so anyway.

 

[pizzaman12]

I’m really interested to see this blood evidence offered since so much has been made of it. The evidence is there or it isn’t and this motion looks like it will force the states hand with it. I hope so anyway.

I've stated this numerous times in the past but I feel the blood spatter is one of the most critical pieces of evidence. It literally places AM within 36" of the victim. (whether he pulled the trigger or not)

I don't think we've seen exactly what the issue was but the fact that it ended up being consumptive testing is a huge issue for the state. Should this be excluded, it will be a monster win for the defense. Just my take

 

[clearskies1]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1615839643664273408

Wonder if this motion will be decided before opening statements -- meaning will the prosecutor be allowed to talk about the blood spatter evidence in his opening to the jury.

 

[worm]

I can’t link but the attachments filed with that motion and info included is at least some insight to the case. It’s easily located around the net.

 

[Chelly]

Murdaugh attorneys motion to keep blood spatter evidence from trial

COLLETON COUNTY, SC (WSAV) – Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers want to keep one expert from taking the stand in his murder trial. Doing that could keep the jury from hearing a key piece of eviden…

www.wsav.com

Was AM's T-shirt actually destroyed by forensic testing as defense claims?
Was blood splatter info leaked to press?
Or is this just Harpootlian being Harpootlian?

 

[arielilane]

Alex Murdaugh’s Defense Slams ‘At-Home Science Fair Experiment’ Allegedly Conducted by Blood Spatter Witness

Alex Murdaugh’s Defense Slams ‘At-Home Science Fair Experiment’ Allegedly Conducted by Blood Spatter Witness​

Defense counsel for disbarred attorney Richard “Alex” Murdaugh filed a motion on Wednesday, alleging prosecutors and a potential expert witness for the state violated a court-ordered discovery ruling issued late last month.

Alex Murdaugh’s 19 indictments and 99 financial charges explained

When the trial of Alex Murdaugh begins next week in Colleton County, prosecutors are expected to argue that he murdered his wife and son to distract from the millions of dollars he stole from friends, family, clients and his former law firm.

www.live5news.com

Alex Murdaugh’s 19 indictments and 99 financial charges explained​

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - When the trial of Alex Murdaugh begins next week in Colleton County, prosecutors are expected to argue that he murdered his wife and son to distract from the millions of dollars he stole from friends, family, clients and his former law firm.

Releases and documents from the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office detail the list of 19 indictments and 99 charges — from tax evasion, money laundering, and forgery, to fraud and beyond — all related to alleged financial crimes dating back years. Those crimes amount to more than $8.7 million swindled from his victims, prosecutors say.

IMO, his appearance certainly has changed over time.

 

[worm]

Motion

Murdaugh Motion - Block Blood Spatter Expert Witness Testimony | PDF

Alex Murdaugh's defense lawyers' motion asking Judge Clifton Newman to bar the State's blood spatter expert from testifying during trial because the Defense claims said expert has ignored a court order to release documents re: analysis of AM's shirt.

www.scribd.com

I would think the defense would love to have the splatter expert in court with the changes and such surrounding his input.

 

[Elley Mae]

Alex Murdaugh's son Paul Murdaugh sustained grisly fatal injury: expert

Alex Murdaugh's son Paul Murdaugh sustained grisly fatal injury: expert

Forensic expert describes Paul Murdaugh's horrific wounds after his father, Alex Murdaugh, allegedly shot him to death in South Carolina, according to a new court filing.

www.foxnews.com

Alex Murdaugh is accused of blasting his 22-year-old son Paul Murdaugh twice with a shotgun at the family's sprawling South Carolina estate, leaving horrific wounds that were described in graphic detail this week by a state forensic expert in a new court filing.

The second bullet entered Paul Murdaugh's left shoulder traveling into his neck and brain, wrote state forensic expert Dr. Kenneth Kinsey in an affidavit. "Brain was completely detached from head," which would have caused immediate death, Kinsey said the report.