This is blasphemous, contact an attorney immediately.....oh wait you are one !
I'll call Richard Alexander Murdaugh.
That's funny right there.......
Didn't he loose his license?
He most certainly was stripped of his license to practice. I watched the trial fastidiously for trial tactics and techniques in my own cases. I can't believe Murdaugh's own lawyer asked a rebuttal lawyer witness on the stand if he thought "his client did it." Very dangerous question for a lawyer to ask. The answer might not have gone very well for him. General rule is never ask a question you do not know the answer to. You can anticipate answers and ask away knowing each consequence as to how the witness answers and if either answer does not cause harm then ask. Otherwise do not! Murdaugh brought shame to our profession. It was tough to hear the financials in the prosecution's case in chief. He stole about $8 million over the space of ten years or so. Downright embarrassing and painful to hear. They shaved his head after sentencing. I do not believe that was necessary but the message was sent to strip the last remaining dignity he might have had. The guy was plain crazy. I had never heard about blackout rounds before. I have shot a few guns in my time but that one I had to look it up. His sons becoming lawyers were of paramount concern for him. I believe he shot his younger son knowing that this boat case and felony charges from said case would ruin any chance of Paw Paw getting into law school. So he got rid of him. The wife, who knows what that motivation might have been other than to silence her a witness. Murdaugh has cray cray eyes.
Interesting case. I followed it also.
I was surprised at the verdict. Only 3-1/2 hours of deliberation!
I heard comments from former and current prosecutors who seemed to think that the Prosecution had issues both in not being able to produce the murder weapons and leaning heavily on Professional Witnesses?
The consensus at this point however, considering the results, is that it was a mistake to put Murdoch on the stand in his own defense. One comment was that attorneys make the worst clients and overrule their own defense teams.
Hopefully justice has prevailed and an innocent man has not been convicted?
In all honesty, I am grateful that I have never been called as a juror in a Capital case. That's got to be brutal to have to sit through that and have the decision placed in your lap. I'm not sure that I could do it?
I'm not sure the verdict will stand in appeal because it essentially is a conviction on circumstantial evidence. In this instance the weapon/s is/are essential. A first degree requires motive, opportunity, a body and a weapon. Eye witnesses help. Maybe the sentence will be reduced in appeal as a result?
I've heard stories of Defense Attorneys objecting to the testimony of eye witnesses because "they were prejudicing the Jury against their client" ! Seriously.
Regardless, I have serious empathy for the murdered and the surviving members of the family. Too bad a conviction can not bring them back?
"No one knows what evil lies in the hearts of men"? For sure.