Alex Murdaugh could take stand in double-murder trial
COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Alex Murdaugh is expected to take the stand Thursday in his double-murder trial.
Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife Margaret and youngest son Paul at their family property in June of 2021.
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Murdaugh’s lawyers laid the groundwork for the testimony Wednesday when defense attorney Jim Griffin asked Judge Clifton Newman to limit the scope of the prosecution’s cross-examination of Murdaugh, noting that Murdaugh is on trial for murder, not financial crimes. Griffin brought up Murdaugh’s right against self-incrimination for the financial crimes while he is testifying about the murder.
State prosecutor Creighton Waters argued that questions about the financial crimes are fair game, as they lend to Murdaugh’s credibility (or lack thereof). Judge Newman denied the request, saying some sort of blanket order limiting the scope of cross-examination was unheard of. Murdaugh is expected to take the stand Thursday, but that is subject to change.
The jury also heard Wednesday from Murdaugh’s former law partner and longtime friend, Mark Ball. Ball described Murdaugh’s betrayal of the law firm as a devastating blow both personally and professionally, but said that committing financial crimes doesn’t necessarily make someone a murderer.
Defense also called crime scene expert Ken Zercie to the stand, hoping to further their theory that SLED dropped the ball on the investigation. Zercie said that more could’ve been done and SLED failed to follow some of their own protocols, but that he does not know what limitations they may have had. He said they may have done the best they could do under the given conditions.
Three other witnesses took the stand Wednesday: an attorney representing Murdaugh in the boat crash case, a housekeeper for Murdaugh’s parents, and a cell phone forensics expert.
Court is set to resume at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
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