Alex Murdaugh's Defense Says It's 'Not Believable' That 'Loving Father' 'Butchered' His Family

He leaned into the horror of the killings, telling the jury that in order to convict Murdaugh, they would have to believe that a loving father had “butchered” his wife and child. Such a finding, he said, was “not believable.” He described the deaths in graphic detail, saying the second shot fired at Paul had “literally exploded his head like a watermelon hit with a sledge hammer” and sent his brain flying into the air.

Harpootlian impugned the state’s evidence, saying the cell records were incomplete and that no blood, fingerprints or eyewitness ties Murdagh to the murders. He also claimed that the witness who had seen Murdaugh carry a blue tarp upstairs said the raincoat looked nothing like it. The prosecution objected to that, and the judge sustained the objection.

Investigators had jumped to conclusions, Harpootlian claimed. They believed Murdaugh was the killer because he was the husband of a dead wife. He acknowledged that Murdaugh, in his “traumatized” state, may not have “dealt all the facts” when police interviewed him. That was in part, he said, because they were questioning him in an accusatory way.

Earlier on Wednesday, 12 members of the jury and six alternates were sworn in out of the roughly 400 prospective jurors interviewed during the. Many of the people interviewed had said they were familiar with the case. Several of them knew or had worked with the influential Murdaugh family. Before Alex, three generations of Murdaugh men had served as solicitor — the elected prosecutor — for the 14th Judicial Circuit.

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Opening statements given in former South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh's double murder trialAttorneys have listed more than 200 potential witnesses who may be called to testify after opening statements. The South Carolina Attorney General's Office is seeking life in prison if Murdaugh is convicted.
Source: USATODAY - 🏆 100. / 63 Read more »

The Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial: What to Know About the CaseWatch: Former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh goes on trial, accused of murdering his wife and son in 2021. We explain what you need to know about the case. He murdered his wife?
Source: WSJ - 🏆 98. / 63 Read more »

Alex Murdaugh heads to trial in 2021 killings of wife, sonDisgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh is about to put his fate before a small-town jury for the 2021 deaths of his wife and son. Prosecutors say he stole millions of dollars from clients and committed insurance fraud trying to stage his own death.
Source: FOX10Phoenix - 🏆 83. / 68 Read more »

EXPLAINER: Alex Murdaugh goes on trial in 2021 killings of wife, sonHere’s an overview of the trial and the scene surrounding it as hundreds of lawyers and their support staff, reporters and true crime enthusiasts are expected to swell Colleton County’s population of 38,000 in the rural, southern part of South Carolina.
Source: WTVYNews4 - 🏆 590. / 51 Read more »

Alex Murdaugh trial: Before testimony starts, judge has key rulingsAlex Murdaugh’s lawyers will try to convince a judge to refuse to admit evidence that police said will show blood from his slain younger son spattered on Murdaugh’s shirt. Defense lawyers said the shirt was destroyed before they could test it.
Source: fox7austin - 🏆 594. / 51 Read more »

Before Alex Murdaugh testimony starts, judge has key rulingsJury selection is continuing in the murder trial of South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh, who is accused of the 2021 killings of his wife and son. alexmurdaugh kprc2 click2houston He will walk
Source: KPRC2 - 🏆 80. / 68 Read more »