Breaking: Disgraced lawyer Alex Murdaugh convicted of murder in shootings of wife, son
Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unravelling of a powerful southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.
The Murdaugh family, from left, Buster, Maggie, Paul, and Alex, who has been found guilty of the murders of Maggie and Paul.About 30 members of the public seated in the courtroom were largely quiet as the verdict was read, and no audible gasps were heard. A court officer had earlier warned them to be quiet.
The case has drawn intense media coverage given the family’s immense political power in and around Colleton County, where the trial took place. Testimony culminated in Murdaugh’s appearance on the witness stand, when he admitted stealing millions from clients and lying to investigators about being at the dog kennels where the shootings took place but steadfastly maintained his innocence in the deaths of Maggie and Paul.“I did not kill Maggie, and I did not kill Paul. I would never hurt Maggie, and I would never hurt Paul – ever – under any circumstances,” Murdaugh said.
Murdaugh lied about being at the kennels for 20 months before taking the stand on the 23rd day of his trial. He blamed his decades-long addiction to opioids for making him paranoid, creating a distrust of police. He said that once he went down that path, he felt trapped in the lie.
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