Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Double Murder After Two-and-a-Half-Hour Jury Deliberation
Former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and youngest son, Paul Murdaugh, on Thursday after a two-and-a-half-hour jury deliberation.[0] The jury found that Murdaugh had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the murders and that his lies following the crime betrayed him.[1]
The trial began on January 23, 2023 and featured several pieces of evidence, including a video taken by Paul minutes before his death and a cell phone video that placed Murdaugh at the murder scene with the victims four minutes before they were shot.[2] At the lengthy hearing, Murdaugh confessed to deceiving detectives concerning his whereabouts on the evening of June 2021 when Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were killed at the Murdaugh residence.[3]
Murdaugh's defense team denied the motive that the prosecution argued, which was that Murdaugh killed his family to draw attention away from his emerging financial crimes.[4] However, Murdaugh admitted to lying about being at the dog kennels, where his wife and son were killed, and he said his longtime opioid abuse made him “paranoid,” and that he was advised by law partners to not speak until his former fellow law firm partner arrived at the scene.[5]
The jury also heard testimony from Murdaugh's former friend, who testified about his alleged financial crimes, as well as two expert witnesses and a member of the Murdaugh family.[6] Judge Clifton Newman also removed one juror on Thursday morning for engaging in improper discussions about the case prior to the closings.[4]
Murdaugh was also facing a lawsuit from the family of Mallory Beach, a 19-year-old woman who was killed in February 2019 when a boat allegedly driven by Paul, and owned by Murdaugh, crashed.[7] He was also charged with insurance fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.[8]
The court has set a time of 9:30 a.m. for[9] [9] Murdaugh is facing up to life in prison.
0. “Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty In Double Murder Trial of Son Paul and Wife Maggie” TMZ, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.tmz.com/2023/03/02/alex-murdaugh-guilty-verdict-trial-murder-wife-son
1. “Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder in fatal shooting of wife and son” Fox News, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/us/alex-murdaugh-convicted-thursday-fatally-shooting-wife-son
2. “What we've learned from Alex Murdaugh murder trial” BBC, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64790627
3. “Alex Murdaugh Photographed in Handcuffs Just After Murder Conviction” PEOPLE, 3 Mar. 2023, https://people.com/crime/alex-murdaugh-photographed-in-handcuffs-moments-after-being-found-guilty/
4. “Day 28: Alex Murdaugh jury reaches guilty verdict for murder” The State, 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article272645215.html
5. “Alex Murdaugh Found Guilty of Murdering Wife Maggie and Son Paul Murdaugh” E! NEWS, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.eonline.com/news/1366706/alex-murdaugh-found-guilty-of-murdering-wife-maggie-and-son-paul-murdaugh
6. “Murdaugh murders: Disgraced South Carolina attorney found guilty in double murder of wife, son” KTRK-TV, 1 Mar. 2023, https://abc13.com/alex-murdaugh-trial-closing-arguments-murder/12903668/
7. “Alex Murdaugh's defense argues investigators ‘failed miserably'” KOCO Oklahoma City, 2 Mar. 2023, https://www.koco.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-march-2-2023/43149171
8. “Alex Murdaugh found guilty in the killing of wife, son” The Hill, 3 Mar. 2023, https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/3881915-alex-murdaugh-found-guilty-in-the-killing-of-wife-son/
9. “Guilty As Charged: Alex Murdaugh convicted of murdering his wife and son” WJCL News Savannah, 3 Mar. 2023, https://www.wjcl.com/article/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-verdict/43164774
