🚨🚨🚨Alex Murdaugh Double Murder Trial Day 29 (March 3) Megathread begins now 🚨🚨🚨
Last night, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murder in the June 2021 slayings of his wife and son. He will be sentenced this morning.
#AlexMurdaugh #AlexMurdaughTrial #MurdaughTrial #Murdaugh
Last night, Alex Murdaugh was found guilty of murder in the June 2021 slayings of his wife and son. He will be sentenced this morning.
#AlexMurdaugh #AlexMurdaughTrial #MurdaughTrial #Murdaugh
Murdaugh, who hails from a long line of prosecutors, faces 30 years to life in prison at his sentencing hearing today, and Judge Clifton Newman is known as a tough sentencer.
Newman said yesterday he wanted to hear some victim impact statements today before making his decision.
Newman said yesterday he wanted to hear some victim impact statements today before making his decision.
I don't yet know precisely how that is going to go. In this case, the victims' relatives overlap quite a bit with the defendant's.
Here is yesterday's Megathread covering the final day of closing arguments and the verdict:
https://twitter.com/AveryGWilks/status/1631269072439476224?s=20
Our full story yesterday on the resolution of South Carolina's six-week trial of the century
postandcourier.com/murdaugh-updat…
postandcourier.com/murdaugh-updat…
Our daily Understand Murdaugh podcast on yesterday open.spotify.com/episode/66PxSK…
In a bittersweet programming note, this will be the last Megathread of the Alex Murdaugh trial.
It has been an honor to cover this case. It's also been so rewarding to have worked on this alongside such talented journalists at the @postandcourier and beyond.
It has been an honor to cover this case. It's also been so rewarding to have worked on this alongside such talented journalists at the @postandcourier and beyond.
@postandcourier A special shoutout to @thadmoore, our man in the courtroom who has always returned to our table at breaks with color and insight we couldn't see on the feed.
He's taken the lead on our Sunday stories each week, often staying up past midnight to write after long days at trial.
He's taken the lead on our Sunday stories each week, often staying up past midnight to write after long days at trial.
@postandcourier @thadmoore And to @jocgrz, who has run our live updates feed and anchored our daily Understand Murdaugh podcast updates.
Jocelyn is so talented. She was often my harshest editor as we wrote the daily stories, and refuses to let one imperfect sentence pass through her world unchallenged.
Jocelyn is so talented. She was often my harshest editor as we wrote the daily stories, and refuses to let one imperfect sentence pass through her world unchallenged.
@postandcourier @thadmoore @jocgrz Our editor @glennsmith5 is the unsung hero of all of our Murdaugh coverage from day one.
Glenn is one of the very best journalists South Carolina has ever had and ever will have.
Every story he touches is immeasurably better for it.
Glenn is one of the very best journalists South Carolina has ever had and ever will have.
Every story he touches is immeasurably better for it.
@postandcourier @thadmoore @jocgrz @glennsmith5 I want to shout out @discoysteboe, who leads our digital team and did so much planning to make our coverage run smoothly. The same goes for managing editor @Jac412Cato and executive editor @AutumnEdit, who made sure we had everything we needed on the ground here.
@postandcourier @thadmoore @jocgrz @glennsmith5 @discoysteboe @Jac412Cato @AutumnEdit Our Understand Murdaugh team, including @EricJ_Russell and Twitterless Nathan Stevens, has been phenomenal throughout.
And photographers @GraceBeahm and @WhitakerPhotos have taken so many of the amazing photos you've seen in our coverage and elsewhere.
And photographers @GraceBeahm and @WhitakerPhotos have taken so many of the amazing photos you've seen in our coverage and elsewhere.
@postandcourier @thadmoore @jocgrz @glennsmith5 @discoysteboe @Jac412Cato @AutumnEdit @EricJ_Russell @GraceBeahm @WhitakerPhotos I've also been impressed at the diligence and care our competitors have given this story.
I hesitate to name names because I'll wind up leaving somebody out, but South Carolina is blessed with a strong media corps who truly care about this place and the people in it.
I hesitate to name names because I'll wind up leaving somebody out, but South Carolina is blessed with a strong media corps who truly care about this place and the people in it.
I simply must thank my wonderful wife @jilliantwilks for allowing me to be here and being super supportive throughout.
And of course, my dog Scoop, who cannot read this tweet or any other prose but surely knows that I miss her too.
And of course, my dog Scoop, who cannot read this tweet or any other prose but surely knows that I miss her too.
OK, that's all for that. Back to work now.
By popular demand, the daily Scoop pic: Her stomping in a mini-tantrum as she demands something (we never know what) 
Yet again, the indefatigable NYT reporter @NickAtNews has brought donuts to the media center. It's become a Friday tradition. Nick is a really great reporter and a good guy to boot.
We're back at 9:30 a.m. this morning with Alex Murdaugh's sentencing. I have little indication of who will speak or what they will say.
Albert and Drama King
Court is now in session.
Lead prosecutor Creighton Waters says the state has no victim impact statements to offer this morning.
Waters on the evidence: “It shows this man to be a cunning manipulator, a man who placed himself above all others, including his family, a man who violated the trust of so many - including his friends, his family, his partners, his profession, but most of all Maggie and Paul.”
Waters asks for two consecutive life sentences for Murdaugh.
“A man like that should never be allowed to be among free, law abiding citizens again.”
“A man like that should never be allowed to be among free, law abiding citizens again.”
Waters offers his condolences to the Murdaugh family.
On Maggie and Paul: “Both of them, like everyone else, was unaware of who he really was.”
On Maggie and Paul: “Both of them, like everyone else, was unaware of who he really was.”
Waters: No one really knew this man. “I’ve looked in his eyes. He liked to stare me down as he walked by me during this trial. And I could see the real Alex Murdaugh.”
Waters reiterates that none of Murdaugh’s relatives want to speak today.
Murdaugh’s attorneys say they have no comment.
But Alex Murdaugh himself stands to speak: “I’m innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son Paul.”
That's it.
But Alex Murdaugh himself stands to speak: “I’m innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son Paul.”
That's it.
Newman: This has been one of the most troubling cases that I’ve handled. “We have a wife who has been killed, murdered, a son savagely murdered, a lawyer - person from a respected family who has control of justice in this community for over a century ..."
Newman: "... - a person whose grandfather’s portrait hanged at the back of the courthouse - that I had to have ordered removed in order to ensure that a fair trial was had.”
Newman: “It’s also particularly troubling, Mr. Murdaugh, because as a member of the legal community … you’ve practiced law before me, and we’ve seen each other at various occasions throughout the years. It was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go in the media from ..."
Newman: "... being a grieving father who lost their wife and son to being a person indicted and convicted of killing them.”
Newman: “And you’ve engaged in such duplicitous conduct here in the courtroom, here on the witness stand."
Newman: “Appeals are probably expected or absolutely expected. I would not expect a confession of any kind."
Newman notes this case qualifies for the death penalty, though the state did not seek it here.
Newman notes this case qualifies for the death penalty, though the state did not seek it here.
Newman: “Over the past century, your family - including you - have been prosecuting people here in this courtroom, and many have received the death penalty - probably for lesser conduct.”
Newman: On the witness stand, you said “oh what a tangled web we weave.” What did you mean by that?
Murdaugh: “I meant that I lied and continued to lie.”
Newman: “The question is, when will it end? When will it end?”
Murdaugh: “I meant that I lied and continued to lie.”
Newman: “The question is, when will it end? When will it end?”
Newman: “A notice of alibi was filed in this case by counsel in November. We conducted a pretrial hearing in which you claimed to have been someplace else at the time the crime was committed."
Newman: "Then, after all the witnesses placed you at the scene of the crime, at the last minute or days, you switched courses and admitted to being there.”
Newman: You will reflect on the last time they (Maggie and Paul) looked you in the eyes.
Newman says he is surprised Murdaugh didn’t say more today other than claiming his innocence.
Murdaugh: “I’ll tell you again. I respect this court, but I am innocent, and I would never under any circumstances hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never under any circumstances hurt my son Paul.”
Newman: “It might not have been you. It might have been the monster you’ve become. If you take 20, 40, 50, 60 opioid pills, you become a different person.”
Newman on the remaining cases in the Murdaugh saga: “But there are other victims whose cases deserve to be heard. This case has jumped some of the other cases.”
Newman: Law enforcement has been maligned in this trial for the past 5-6 weeks “by one who had access to the wheels of justice, to be able to deflect the investigation.”
Newman on the pressures AM was facing 6/7/21. “But amazingly, to have you come and testify that it was just another ordinary day, that my wife and son and I were out just enjoying life. Not credible. Not believable.”
Newman: “You could convince yourself,” but clearly you could not convince anyone else.
Judge Newman sentences Alex Murdaugh to LIFE IN PRISON for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul.
Sentences will run consecutively.
Sentences will run consecutively.
EARLY STORY: Disgraced former attorney Alex Murdaugh will spend the rest of his life behind bars after his conviction for the June 2021 murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul.
postandcourier.com/alex-murdaugh-…
postandcourier.com/alex-murdaugh-…
I forgot to post this, but here is our daily TikTok from earlier this morning on the verdict news tiktok.com/t/ZTRWjrt6c/
I’ll have a follow-up Tok this afternoon
Nevermind on NPR. They canceled on me. Dog eat dog world out there.
The defense presser has been pushed back to noon
I’m told I make an appearance here. Sat down with ABC for a few hours during the trial. Excited to see how it comes out
https://twitter.com/abc2020/status/1631415612999180288
Big time high school graduation vibes as we wait for the defense presser and wrap up our time here in Walterboro.
As they say, don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because it happened.
As they say, don’t cry because it’s over. Cry because it happened.
Defense presser starts now.
Dick Harpootlian says he doesn’t think it was a mistake to let Alex Murdaugh take the witness stand in his own defense.
Dick Harpootlian says he doesn’t think it was a mistake to let Alex Murdaugh take the witness stand in his own defense.
SLED needs to do some self-examination, Harpootlian says. But he won’t lead the charge for that in the Senate. He says he won’t mix his two roles.
Harpootlian has no comment on Judge Clifton Newman’s statements that he agrees with the jury’s decision. “He’s entitled to an opinion.”
The defense confirms they will appeal. Jim Griffin says their strongest grounds for an appeal surround the admission of AM’s financial crimes.
“It was about character. It wasn’t about motive,” Harpootlian says of the financial crimes.
“We could have had Mother Theresa” up there speaking on behalf of Alex today, and Judge Newman was going to give AM a life sentence, Jim Griffin says of the lack of victim statements today.
Why put Buster through more trauma, he said.
Why put Buster through more trauma, he said.
“Alex was not optimistic with all the scrutiny and the press and all of his bad acts being out there in the public” that he could get a fair jury who would look at his case impartially, Griffin says.
“We were hoping to get a jury that could ignore the noise.”
“We were hoping to get a jury that could ignore the noise.”
“They won this case the day the judge bought into” the financial crimes motive theory, Harpootlian said.
The defense will appeal this conviction all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court, if necessary, Murdaugh’s attorneys say.
Harpootlian says he does not regret not asking for a change of venue in this case.
He said the defense did focus groups all over the state. Everyone everywhere knew about this case.
“There was nowhere we could go.”
He said the defense did focus groups all over the state. Everyone everywhere knew about this case.
“There was nowhere we could go.”
Harpootlian says on the bright side, Jim Griffin can tweet again. That’s all.
Heading back to write.
I joined the BBC last night to talk about Alex Murdaugh’s conviction. You can catch that at the 7-minute mark here bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w1…
I'm going on @LawCrimeNetwork's live feed circa 1:30 p.m. today for a bit to discuss, well, everything. You can catch that on YouTube, if you so desire.
@LawCrimeNetwork Alex Murdaugh has traded his once-lavish lifestyle for a 10-by-8 foot prison cell of concrete and steel, outfitted with just a toilet, bed and sink. postandcourier.com/alex-murdaugh-…
Hey hey
Our final TikTok report of the Alex Murdaugh trial tiktok.com/t/ZTRW6e8w7/
Victory lap by state prosecutors
I’m signing off from Walterboro. It has been quite the ride. Will do some media stuff in the coming hours/days, and I’ll provide updates on that as it happens.
🫡 So ends the 29th and final Alex Murdaugh trial Megathread. It has been an honor to Megathread with you these last six weeks. 🫡
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