SC - Paul Murdaugh, 22 and mom Margaret, 52, found shot to death, Islandton, 7 June 2021 #6

[evilwise]

Well I decided to go ahead and look up the legal liability of the party hosts and liquor store clerk. It's kind of complicated because there is no explicit law regarding it but the South Carolina Supreme Court did establish a legal precedent regarding civil liability in 2008.

SC Judicial Department

What it works out to is that in a case where a third party is injured by an underage adult, a social host is 20% liable for damages if they knowingly served such a person. It seems that the court affirms a social host has no obligation to stop an intoxicated person from driving. The clerk who sold the alcohol could bear both criminal and civil responsibility if he was aware he was selling to someone underage which is probably why the use of Buster's ID was established (it was probably scanned and electronically associated with the purchase).

Now its quite possible that all the details we know about these specifics were orchestrated from the beginning by people who were well aware of the letter of the law but the facts as we know them seem to absolve anyone but the boat operator of any technical liability.

 

[Pesto919]

According to the deposition of one of the kids on the boat, one of the owners of the party house was a principal of a school. When I read that I just could not fathom a principal of a school letting underage kids drink at his house.

JMO

I didn't read that! Unbelievable.

 

[evilwise]

death-certificate-756x1024.jpeg (756×1024) (fitsnews.com)

Two things I note about this, it does not list rifle wounds as a contributing cause of death and the onset of death is listed as seconds to minutes rather than instantaneous so we might assume that the wounds were not catastrophic, perhaps fired from some distance. That is if the coroner even makes a distinction between instantaneous and "seconds to minutes"

I also was a little surprised at cremation. I would have expected the Murdaughs to be the burying types.

 

[Luna20]

I would agree that those expensive autos were more than likely leased.

MOO

There is a photo of MM at the dealership with her Mercedes 6 months before the murder. It’s the typical photo-opp that dealerships do to capitalize on ‘look who bought a car from us’. I don’t have the link bookmarked.

 

[white rabbit]

Agree completely. The adults at the party are responsible.

not to argue semantics, but the "adults' are held "liable". the "juveniles" (18-21 years old) are held 'responsible'. i have no idea what the legal implications are...definitely need a legal beagle in here....

 

[Luna20]

Two things I note about this, it does not list rifle wounds as a contributing cause of death and the onset of death is listed as seconds to minutes rather than instantaneous so we might assume that the wounds were not catastrophic, perhaps fired from some distance. That is if the coroner mashes a distinction between instantaneous and "seconds to minutes"

I also was a little surprised at cremation. I would have expected the Murdaughs to be the burying types.

I was surprised they did graveside considering they were cremated.

 

[mainemom376]

Does anyone find it odd that AM was not accompanied by any of his siblings while tending to his ailing father and checking on his mother?? JMO

 

[Luna20]

You can't tell me RM doesn't know anything. He's always the first person AM calls.

Watching the GMA interview now gives that theory a boost. It was weird to begin with but now it translates to RM covering for AM.

 

[sunshineray]

If the cars were financed, and I assume they were, the lending institution might have been paying the taxes out of an escrow account.

My sister and her husband have worked for a substantially rich and county-contained family owned business for 40 years in high management jobs. Every year that business gives them a brand new vehicle to use (and some others that work there as well). It's some kind of deal they have going on with a local county dealership. The business pays all the monies, taxes included. I'm sure it's some kind of tax write off for them. Maybe that's how the cars are all set up? They might not be switched out for new ones every year but maybe every five?

 

[Spartygirl]

All the kids on the boat brought their own alcohol to the oyster roast. They all had fake IDs I believe. It's technically true that the family giving the party didn't supply them with drinks but they knew that the kids were underage and drinking. It's pathetic the adults didn't do the right thing and insist they find another way home--or didn't allow them to drink at the party in the first place.

Plus, IIRC, they stopped at a bar where PM and one other went inside and drank a couple of shots.
Then they all got back on the boat and then the accident happened.
So he drank at a bar also, prior to the accident.

 

[sunshineray]

wait, I’m confused. We don’t pay taxes on cars in California annually. You either pay it when you purchase the car and it is calculated into your payments, or it’s calculated into your lease payments if you lease. There is an annual registration fee, but no annual “car taxes.”

Both of those cars were over $100,000, so I would assume they probably just leased them. That’s usually what rich people do so they can just turn it in for a new car every three years.

Does SC have annual car taxes like property taxes?

Lucky you! CT has annual car taxes, seperate bills comes right along with the property tax.

 

[Spartygirl]

Watching the GMA interview now gives that theory a boost. It was weird to begin with but now it translates to RM covering for AM.

Yeppers!!
That GMA interview was a planned, thought out interview for the brothers to convey family innocence, IMO

Biting my tongue now.

 

[LotusPawprint]

With all the media coverage you would think the people who picked him up would come forward with their story.

JMO

Come forward as in speak to the media?
Why would they?

 

[RAISINISBACK]

I know there's 5 partners (one just passed I believe). How many associates, do you know?

Looked like about 15 in the photo.

 

[Luna20]

Plus, IIRC, they stopped at a bar where PM and one other went inside and drank a couple of shots.
Then they all got back on the boat and then the accident happened.
So he drank at a bar also, prior to the accident.

There is video of that posted up-thread.

 

[Luna20]

Yeppers!!
That GMA interview was a planned, thought out interview for the brothers to convey family innocence, IMO

Biting my tongue now.

It backfired on them in my opinion. The incriminating thing that was said was “we have no known enemies” Every attorney and firm has some disgruntled people whether they win or lose the case along the way. It doesn’t mean they are going to kill you but there are always going to be losers in every case.

 

[sunshineray]

Plus, IIRC, they stopped at a bar where PM and one other went inside and drank a couple of shots.
Then they all got back on the boat and then the accident happened.
So he drank at a bar also, prior to the accident.

Yep, they served him, underaged, wrong photo on the ID and probably noticeably already drunk.

 

[sunshineray]

We have the witness statement from Alex that he was at the hospital with his father before returning home to discover the bodies.

Feel free to ignore witness statements, but I'm going to accept Alex Murdaugh's statement about where he was before discovering the bodies at face value. If police at some point announce that Alex lied about where he was just before discovering the bodies, then I'll change my understanding of the facts.

I've never seen a statement from AM talking about where he was before he discovered the victims. Only his brothers through GMA. Do you have a link, I'd surely like to read that! TIA

 

[geevee]

Plus, IIRC, they stopped at a bar where PM and one other went inside and drank a couple of shots.
Then they all got back on the boat and then the accident happened.
So he drank at a bar also, prior to the accident.

Yes, although I haven't seen it, I've read there's video of them being at the bar, there's also video from the dock when they all got on the boat, I have seen that one.

 

[RAISINISBACK]

Come forward as in speak to the media?
Why would they?

Why not? Everyone takes pics and recordings now to release to media for dollars. In a case as big as this I couldn't see why a couple of people in a, lets say, lower median income area, would not talk to MSM about it. Fox, Daily Mail and other channels would pay for an interview with them. So why haven't we heard from them since it would be to the Murdaugh families benefit since it would back up AM's story. They could even tell us whether it really was a superficial VS serious entry, exit wound. If they saw another vehicle in the vicinity. You would think RM or Griffin would be setting up their interview themselves.

JMO