kangaroo_Matlock
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- Jun 7, 2025
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To me a case has to go beyond a tragic outcome. It has to be a "big picture" case that says something about the country it's in. In my opinion I can only think of one case that did that more than all others:
The case of Alex Murdaugh murdering his family members. [Note I am ignoring for this discussion his financial crimes which were also extremely serious].
Now the pure numbers don't stand out. Two victims. But the bigger picture was mind-blowing. There's a psychologist on YouTube [Dr John on Hidden Crime?] who made a video about the generational trauma of the Murdaugh dynasty, going back about 100 years, and how that contributed toward Alex Murdaugh doing his evil act. This case truly goes beyond all reductionist attempts to just describe the murders.
Alex Murdaugh also had a fall that was Shakespearean. He had everything. Money. Power. Land. Respect. He was in that part of America like King Lear. Yet he threw it all away.
Then we have the actual trial which I say even from my timezone I watched every minute of. I've stayed up till ludicrous hours with some trials that were real squibs. But this one. It was a banger. Outstanding lawyering. Great real time coverage. Some jaw dropping moments like when Alex Murdaugh had to admit on the stand that he had lied about where he was; He had said he was not near the barns when the murders happened. But he had to admit it with no hedging: he was right there at that time. He had no way of arguing that against clear phone evidence.
Then there was the closing part after the jury found him guilty. The judge said to him it could have been a death penalty trial and you will have to live with the faces of the people you murdered. Then the sentencing when people who supported him said "how could you do this Alex? If it was about money we would have given you money" and for a moment all the lies and the facade vanished and you saw Alex Murdaugh crack into pieces. Just for a moment his facade vanished.
This was like some dynastic trilogy of novels. I could imagine a Barbara Cartland styled writer creating it. But here we had it for real. It was bigger than its crimes. It was about how one dynasty could have so much power over a whole town in the US. As the trial happened Alex Murdaugh could look up at one of his law firm ancestors, their portrait hung in the court room. You could not make this stuff up. You could not write a soap like this. Dynasty, Dallas or Falcon Crest never reached this level.
I have to nominate this as in my opinion being the crime that will still be remembered in 100 years time. I can see Alex Murdaugh becoming one of those quasi-mythologized historical crime figures. Like Billy the Kid or The Godfather.
The case of Alex Murdaugh murdering his family members. [Note I am ignoring for this discussion his financial crimes which were also extremely serious].
Now the pure numbers don't stand out. Two victims. But the bigger picture was mind-blowing. There's a psychologist on YouTube [Dr John on Hidden Crime?] who made a video about the generational trauma of the Murdaugh dynasty, going back about 100 years, and how that contributed toward Alex Murdaugh doing his evil act. This case truly goes beyond all reductionist attempts to just describe the murders.
Alex Murdaugh also had a fall that was Shakespearean. He had everything. Money. Power. Land. Respect. He was in that part of America like King Lear. Yet he threw it all away.
Then we have the actual trial which I say even from my timezone I watched every minute of. I've stayed up till ludicrous hours with some trials that were real squibs. But this one. It was a banger. Outstanding lawyering. Great real time coverage. Some jaw dropping moments like when Alex Murdaugh had to admit on the stand that he had lied about where he was; He had said he was not near the barns when the murders happened. But he had to admit it with no hedging: he was right there at that time. He had no way of arguing that against clear phone evidence.
Then there was the closing part after the jury found him guilty. The judge said to him it could have been a death penalty trial and you will have to live with the faces of the people you murdered. Then the sentencing when people who supported him said "how could you do this Alex? If it was about money we would have given you money" and for a moment all the lies and the facade vanished and you saw Alex Murdaugh crack into pieces. Just for a moment his facade vanished.
This was like some dynastic trilogy of novels. I could imagine a Barbara Cartland styled writer creating it. But here we had it for real. It was bigger than its crimes. It was about how one dynasty could have so much power over a whole town in the US. As the trial happened Alex Murdaugh could look up at one of his law firm ancestors, their portrait hung in the court room. You could not make this stuff up. You could not write a soap like this. Dynasty, Dallas or Falcon Crest never reached this level.
I have to nominate this as in my opinion being the crime that will still be remembered in 100 years time. I can see Alex Murdaugh becoming one of those quasi-mythologized historical crime figures. Like Billy the Kid or The Godfather.
