Alex Murdaugh given statewide protective custody in max-security prison

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Disgraced former Hampton County lawyer and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh has completed his evaluation process at Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center.

According to the South Carolina Department of Corrections, Murdaugh “has been moved to the statewide protective custody unit of a South Carolina maximum-security prison.”

The decision to give Murdaugh statewide protective custody classification was made based on a recommendation from the SCDC’s Protective Custody Review Board.

Murdaugh will be separated from the general population due to “validated protective concerns.”

The locations of inmates in statewide protective custody are not disclosed for safety and security reasons, according to SCDC.

Murdaugh’s unit has 28 other inmates. He will be housed “in a single eight by ten cell that contains a bed, toilet, and sink.”

SCDC said that inmates in the unit receive the same privileges as other inmates.

Editor’s note: This story is breaking and may be updated.