About This Course
This CLE course will explore the evidentiary complexities in the Alex Murdaugh case, where a South Carolina jury found Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son.
The prosecution contended that Murdaugh had two primary motives for these killings. First, they argued he killed his son, Paul, to mitigate his own liability in a lawsuit stemming from Paul's drunk driving of the family boat, which resulted in the death of Mallory Beach. The death of Paul would potentially limit the impact of this litigation on Murdaugh. Second, the prosecution claimed that Murdaugh murdered his wife, Maggie, to prevent her from discovering his financial crimes, which were about to be exposed through legal proceedings.
The course will examine the evidence that led to Murdaugh's convictions, guilty pleas, and sentences in both the state murder and financial fraud cases and the federal financial crime case. Key evidentiary issues to be discussed include:
- Circumstantial and Scientific Evidence, and Expert Testimony: The court admitted circumstantial evidence from the crime scene, including the placement of the bodies in Murdaugh’s gun room, which suggested how the murders were committed. Additional evidence included the locations and contents of Maggie and Paul’s cell phones, with a video from Alex’s phone placing him at the murder scene earlier that day. Expert testimony covered various aspects, including a fresh white t-shirt Alex wore post-murder, differing from what a housekeeper saw him wearing earlier. The police later discovered a blue rain jacket with gunshot residue at Murdaugh’s parents’ home. Experts in ballistics, DNA, and pathology provided crucial testimony.
- Character Evidence—Prior Bad Acts: The trial included evidence of Murdaugh’s previous financial crimes and his involvement in the Mallory Beach boating incident to demonstrate his motive and intent in the murders.
- Hearsay Evidence and Admissions, and Impeachment by Prior Inconsistent Statements: Murdaugh admitted to lying to investigators about not being at the dog kennels earlier on the day of the murders. This lie was contradicted by Paul’s cell phone video showing Murdaugh at the kennels, which served to impeach his credibility.
- This comprehensive review will provide a detailed understanding of the evidentiary challenges and legal strategies employed in this high-profile case.
