Prison Justice
As soon as-prominent lawyer Murdaugh will get life in jail for murders of spouse and son
Disbarred South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced Friday to life in jail after a conviction in a double-murder trial throughout his sentencing on the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina. He was discovered responsible on all counts. Photograph by Andrew J. Whitaker/The Put up and Courier through the Related Press.
Disbarred lawyer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in jail Friday, a day after jurors discovered him responsible of murdering his spouse, Maggie, and son Paul on the household’s South Carolina looking property in June 2021.
Decide Clifton Newman of Walterboro, South Carolina, sentenced Murdaugh to 2 consecutive life phrases with out the potential for parole after prosecutors declined to pursue the loss of life penalty, report the New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN.
Earlier than the sentencing, Murdaugh once more maintained his innocence. “I’d by no means damage my spouse, Maggie, and I’d by no means damage my son, Paul-Paul,” he mentioned Friday.
Newman advised Murdaugh that he must cope with his actions, based on the Washington Put up.
“In your personal soul, you must cope with that, and I do know you must see Paul and Maggie within the nighttime as you try to fall asleep,” Newman mentioned. “I’m positive they arrive and go to you.”
Jurors had convicted Murdaugh on Thursday after about three hours of deliberation, based on protection by the State.
Murdaugh nonetheless faces trial in instances alleging monetary misconduct that features stealing from purchasers and his former regulation agency, which was known as Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth and Detrick. The agency was based by Murdaugh’s great-grandfather in 1910. It has since been renamed the Parker Regulation Group.
The New York Times has described Murdaugh as a part of a “authorized dynasty.” Murdaugh’s great-grandfather was the primary elected chief prosecutor for South Carolina’s 14th Judicial Circuit, and two extra generations of the household had the highest prosecution job through 2006.
Newman had allowed prosecutors to introduce proof of Murdaugh’s alleged monetary crimes to rebut protection proof of character. Prosecutors centered on the monetary misdeeds and Murdaugh’s “new story” throughout cross-examination.
Murdaugh had at first advised police that he wasn’t on the canine kennels the place the murders occurred. Prosecutors rebutted that declare with a cellphone video taken by Paul Murdaugh minutes earlier than the murders have been thought to have taken place. Alex Murdaugh might be heard speaking on the video.
Murdaugh had testified that he lied about not being on the kennels as a result of he feared that he was a suspect. Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters questioned that explanation in his cross-examination.
“So that you, such as you’ve achieved so many instances over the course of your life, needed to again up and make a brand new story that type of matches with the details that may’t be denied. Isn’t that true, sir?” Waters requested.
See additionally:
ABAJournal.com: “Caretaker’s testimony hurts alibi of once-prominent lawyer Murdaugh, who’s charged with murdering spouse and son”
ABAJournal.com: “Cellphone video locations Murdaugh at homicide scene, says prosecutor in once-prominent lawyer’s trial”
ABAJournal.com: “Regulation agency staffers have been first to suspect once-prominent lawyer Murdaugh was stealing shopper cash, companion testifies”
