News

Alex Murdaugh Trial: Defense Plans To Rest, New Charge Filed Against Disgraced Attorney

   DailyWire.com
Alex Murdaugh and defense attorney Dick Harpootlian review evidence during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Walterboro, South Carolina.
Joshua Boucher/Pool/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

A new charge has been filed against disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, the latest in a series of charges related to the murder of his wife and son and numerous financial crimes.

It is unclear exactly what the new misdemeanor charge is for, but records from the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office show that Murdaugh was arrested on Feb. 24 for the new charge. The new charge was issued on the day Murdaugh finished testifying at his own trial, WCIV reported.

Murdaugh spent nearly two days testifying in his own defense at his trial, where he faces murder charges for allegedly killing his wife, Maggie, and youngest son, Paul – charges Murdaugh vehemently denies.

The defense is expected to rest early Monday afternoon after calling four final witnesses, including a crime-scene analyst, Fox News reported. Assistant Attorney General Creighton Waters, who is prosecuting the case, is expected to call one or two rebuttal witnesses, with closing arguments as early as Wednesday.

Murdaugh took the stand Thursday and Friday and immediately admitted to lying for years about his whereabouts on the day his wife and son were murdered.

The prosecution had already argued that Murdaugh lied about not going to the dog kennels on the day his wife and son were murdered. Prosecutor Creighton Waters previously pointed to cell phone evidence taken from Paul’s phone less than five minutes before he was killed. Paul had filmed one of the dogs to send to a friend, and prosecutors allege Murdaugh’s voice can be heard in the background of the recording. Murdaugh has said he wasn’t at the kennels that night. Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh murdered his wife and son around 8:49 p.m., just a few minutes after the video was taken.

On Thursday, when Murdaugh took the stand, his defense attorneys asked him if he had lied to police about his whereabouts on the night his family was murdered, and Murdaugh admitted to lying.

“I lied about being down there, and I’m so sorry that I did,” Murdaugh said, according to People Magazine.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

Murdaugh maintained that he did not murder his wife and son, whom he referred to by nicknames “Mags” and “Paul Paul.” The disgraced South Carolina attorney claimed during his testimony that his alleged drug addiction made him “paranoid,” which caused him to lie.

“As my addiction evolved over time I would get in these situations or circumstances where I would get paranoid,” Murdaugh testified. “I’m sorry I lied.”

Murdaugh also testified that his son Paul was receiving threats over his involvement in a 2019 boat crash that killed 19-year-old Mallory Beach. Paul was indicted on one count of boating under the influence causing death and two counts of causing significant bodily injury.

“Paul got the most vile threats — the stuff that was on social media — you couldn’t believe it,” Murdaugh testified, according to People. “You couldn’t believe it. It was so over the top, truthfully we didn’t think anything about it, it was so crazy. People talking about what he was going to get … We disregarded it. It was so over the top.”

Got a tip worth investigating?

Your information could be the missing piece to an important story. Submit your tip today and make a difference.

Submit Tip
The Daily Wire   >  Read   >  Alex Murdaugh Trial: Defense Plans To Rest, New Charge Filed Against Disgraced Attorney