US lawyer Alex Murdaugh.
PHOTO: Handout / Hampton County Detention Centre /
- 4 remaining defence witnesses are set to take the stand within the double homicide trial of Richard “Alex” Murdaugh earlier than his attorneys relaxation their case.
- His spouse Maggie, and son, Paul, had been gunned down at shut vary at canine kennels on the household’s property on the night of seven June, 2021.
- Murdaugh beforehand admitted to mendacity to investigators within the aftermath of the murders by telling them he was not on the kennels on the night time of the murders.
4 remaining defence witnesses are set to take the stand on Monday within the double homicide trial of disbarred South Carolina lawyer Richard “Alex” Murdaugh earlier than his attorneys relaxation their case, with jury deliberations on observe to start later within the week.
After 4 weeks of testimony, the high-profile trial reached a crescendo on Thursday and Friday when Murdaugh, 54, took the witnesses stand in his personal defence, testifying that he lied about his whereabouts on the night time his spouse and son had been murdered however that he was not concerned of their deaths.
His spouse Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, had been gunned down at shut vary at canine kennels on the household’s property on the night of seven June, 2021.
Prosecutors have referred to as 61 witnesses, in comparison with 11 for the defence. Murdaugh’s legal professionals stated they deliberate to query 4 extra witnesses earlier than resting their case within the early afternoon on Monday.
State prosecutor Creighton Waters stated he then deliberate to name “a pair” of reply witnesses supposed to rebut defence proof, indicating their testimony wouldn’t take a very long time.
That might be adopted by closing arguments and the decide instructing the jury, which may occur on Tuesday or Wednesday, Murdaugh defence legal professional Dick Harpootlian stated in courtroom on Friday. The decide didn’t set a strict schedule.
Murdaugh through the trial has floated his personal concept of who dedicated the murders, testifying on Friday that he believed somebody offended over a lethal boating accident involving Paul had achieved so. He acknowledged that he lacked proof to help that concept.
Throughout his testimony, he additionally stated he had deceived regulation companions and purchasers out of big sums of cash to feed his drug behavior, probably undercutting his credibility with the jury. Throughout seven hours of cross examination, Waters sought to painting Murdaugh as a serial liar who was underneath stress on account of mounting monetary troubles within the months main as much as the killings.
Murdaugh admitted to mendacity to investigators within the aftermath of the murders by telling them he was not on the kennels on the night time of the murders. He modified his account after the jury noticed cellphone video that contained audio of Murdaugh’s voice that positioned him on the scene minutes earlier than investigators have stated his spouse and son had been killed.
Murdaugh, the scion of an influential South Carolina authorized household, was indicted by a grand jury in July and pleaded not responsible to 2 counts of homicide and two counts of possession of a weapon. The case has drawn intense media protection given the political affect of the Murdaugh household in South Carolina.
