Court will be closed till 9.30 am on Thursday. Come back to watch the jury sit live as the highly anticipated murder trial of disbarred attorney Alex Murdock unfolds. Murdoch pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul at the family’s hunting lodge in June 2021. Murders Timeline Murdoch Murder Mystery Interactive Map: Dates and Places Surrounding 5 Lowcountry Deaths WATCH WEDNESDAY’S OPENING STATEMENT IN FULL BELOW: On Wednesday, both prosecutors and defense attorneys gave their opening statements in Colleton County Court. Each side took about 30 minutes to present their arguments. Murdoch teared up as his defense lawyer, Dick Harpoodley, described to the jury the horrors of the injuries sustained by Maggie and Paul and how they traumatized Alex. “Alex, stand up,” Harboudlian instructed his client. “This is Alex Murdock. Alex is Paul’s loving father and Maggie’s loving husband. …Their relationship and Alex and Maggie’s relationship was loving, how they went to the baseball game a week ago, how they had a loving relationship. You’re not going to hear a witness say they sent suggestive texts and emails.” The lawyer, Creighton Waters, paints a very different picture of Murdoch. He told the jury that the key piece of evidence in the case had to do with Alex and the victims’ cell phones. His wife and son were killed, cell phone evidence would prove otherwise. He added that a video taken on Paul’s phone moments before the murder would prove Alex was with his wife and son.” At 8:44 and 55 seconds into the night, Paul recorded a video. He was in the kennels because he was. You talk to one of his friends, and you tell this friend. “You’re going to hear from because his friend’s dog was in the kennels and they thought there was something wrong with his tail. Paul was videotaping it to send to his friend. . .you’ll hear from witnesses who recognize Paul’s voice, Maggie’s voice and Alex’s voice,” Waters said. . BELOW FILE VIDEO: Several members of the Murdock family are seen inside the courtroom after Alex Murdock called 911 to find the bodies of his wife and son. First official day of trial. Alex Murdock’s surviving son Buster, his brothers John Marvin and Randy and his sister sat behind him in the courtroom. As for the jury, eight women and four men were selected hours before opening statements. Out of the six differently-abled persons, four are male and two are female. Witness testimony is expected to begin Thursday. 255 witnesses are listed. Preliminary report: On June 7, 2021, two members of the prominent Murdoch family in South Carolina were found shot to death on their property. Since that time, the investigation into the deaths of Paul and Maggie Murdock and the arrest of the man who called 911 that night, attorney Alex Murdock has been disbarred, leading to international headlines. Related South Carolina lawyer: Alex Murdoch could get a hung jury in murder trial Murdoch family holds South Carolina’s 14th Circuit attorney post for nearly a century The wrongful-death settlement of a Murdoch housekeeper led to more financial crimes. By Alex Murdock
Court will be closed till 9.30 am on Thursday. Check back for live coverage
The jury is seated and the murder trial of highly anticipated attorney Alex Murdock is underway.
Murdoch pleaded not guilty to murdering his wife Maggie and son Paul at the family’s hunting lodge in June 2021.
Watch Wednesday’s opening statements in full below:
On Wednesday, both prosecutors and defense attorneys made their opening statements in Colleton County Court. Each side took about 30 minutes to present their arguments.
Murdoch was seen breaking down in tears as his defense barrister Dick Harboudlian gave the jury a horrifying account of the injuries sustained by Maggie and Paul and how it traumatized Alex.
“Alex, stand up,” Harboudlian instructed his client. “This is Alex Murdock. Alex was the loving father of Paul and loving husband of Maggie. …Their relationship and Alex and Maggie’s relationship was warm, and you’re not going to hear a witness say how they went to a baseball game a week ago and how they sent texts and emails that indicated a warm relationship.”
The lawyer, Creighton Waters, paints a different picture of Murdock.
He told the jury that a key piece of evidence in the case related to cellphones belonging to Alex and the victims.
Although Murdoch insists he was not there when his wife and son were killed, he said cell phone evidence would prove otherwise.
He said a video taken on Paul’s phone minutes before the murder would prove Alex was with his wife and son.
“At 8:44 and 55 seconds, Paul recorded a video. He was in the kennels because he was talking to his friend, and you’re going to ask this friend because his friend had a dog. They thought there was something wrong with the puppies and his tail. Paul told his friend. “He was videotaping it to send … you’ll hear from witnesses who recognize Paul’s voice, Maggie’s voice and Alex’s voice,” Waters said.
FILE VIDEO BELOW: Alex Murdock calls 911 after finding the bodies of his wife and son
Several members of the Murdoch family were seen inside the courtroom on this first official day of trial.
Alex Murdock’s surviving son Buster, his brothers John Marvin and Randy and his sister were seen sitting behind him in the courtroom.
As for the jury, which was selected hours before opening statements, it consisted of eight women and four men. Out of the six differently-abled persons, four are male and two are female.
Witness testimony is expected to begin Thursday. 255 witnesses are listed.
Initial report: It was discovered on June 7, 2021, when two members of the prominent Murdoch family were found shot to death on their property in South Carolina.
Since then, the investigation into the deaths of Paul and Maggie Murdock and the arrest of the person who called 911 that night, barred by attorney Alex Murdock, have made international headlines.
related to
Video below: WJCL Special Report: The Alex Murdock Investigation
