Prosecutors in murder trial of ex-lawyer Murdaugh can introduce evidence of alleged financial crimes, judge rules
Helen Saulnier 
Prison Justice
Prosecutors in murder trial of ex-law firm Murdaugh can introduce proof of alleged economical crimes, judge procedures
South Carolina law firm Alex Murdaugh prepares for jury choice to resume throughout his murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, on Jan. 23. Photograph by Joshua Boucher/The Condition by using the Involved Press.
Prosecutors in the double murder trial of when-popular South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh may possibly introduce proof of his alleged money crimes to rebut defense proof of good character, a decide ruled Thursday.
Judge Clifton Newman of Kingstree, South Carolina, mentioned he was letting the evidence due to the fact defense legal professionals “opened the door” to character testimony when they asked a witness irrespective of whether he could think of a rationale why Murdaugh would have killed his wife, Maggie, and his son Paul, BuzzFeed News reports.
“The protection in the scenario has mainly been that the defendant has such a great character that he could not maybe have committed these offenses,” Newman mentioned. “That’s been a general thread from the opening statement all over.”
Alex Murdaugh. Picture from the Hampton County Detention Center by way of the Affiliated Push.
Murdaugh has been accused of thieving settlement money from the loved ones of his late housekeeper, of insurance fraud for making an attempt to stage his shooting dying, and of stealing thousands and thousands of dollars from regulation clients and his regulation organization.
The murders took place June 7, 2021, the deadline that his agency had presented him to account for lacking cash, according to BuzzFeed Information. Prosecutors assert that Murdaugh fully commited the murders to shift the focus from himself as his economic crimes arrived to light.
Newman is obtaining hearings outside the house the existence of the jury to think about what sort of evidence prosecutors may well use. Jeanne Seckinger, the chief monetary officer of Murdaugh’s former firm, testified in just one of the hearings Thursday.
Seckinger reported she confronted Murdaugh on the early morning of the murders about $792,000 in lacking funds, CNN experiences.
Murdaugh was also going through a lawsuit by the spouse and children of a 19-12 months-previous woman killed when Murdaugh’s boat, pushed by Paul, struck a bridge piling. Murdaugh’s fiscal documents could have been exposed in that situation.
On Wednesday, two witnesses recognized Murdaugh’s voice on video taken by Paul at 8:40 p.m. on June 7, 2021, CNN reviews in a individual story. Prosecutors say the online video was taken only minutes prior to the murders had been considered to have taken spot.
Paul study a text on his cellular phone at 8:48:59 p.m., in accordance to testimony Tuesday recounted by People today. Paul been given a textual content 36 seconds later that he did not read. Maggie obtained a textual content 28 seconds afterwards that she did not study.
Murdaugh termed law enforcement at 10:07 p.m. to say he observed the bodies of his wife and son, according to Individuals. He has maintained that he was browsing his mom when the murders transpired.
On Wednesday, prosecutors introduced videos displaying that Murdaugh was putting on a blue button-down shirt and trousers about an hour ahead of the murders, Folks studies. When he known as police, he was donning a white T-shirt and shorts.
Murdaugh was disbarred in July 2022. The trial is using spot in Walterboro, South Carolina.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Law company staffers were very first to suspect when-well known lawyer Murdaugh was thieving consumer dollars, associate testifies”
ABAJournal.com: “Lawyer is billed with insurance policy fraud for allegedly employing ex-shopper to destroy him”
ABAJournal.com: “Lawyer accused of staging his very own taking pictures now faces allegations of stealing settlement payout”
ABAJournal.com: “Once-popular attorney Alex Murdaugh is indicted for murders of his spouse and son”
