Monday, October 14, 2024
82.5 F
Peshawar

Where Information Sparks Brilliance

HomeWorldAlex Murdaugh's lawyer says jurors heard weeks of unrelated evidence as defense...

Alex Murdaugh’s lawyer says jurors heard weeks of unrelated evidence as defense seeks new trial


EXCLUSIVE — A high-profile defense attorney for disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh believes jurors were deaf to “very, very strong” evidence in favor of his innocence after sitting through weeks of damning testimony on unrelated fraud, theft and grift.

“That jury had heard almost three weeks of evidence not related to the murder, but to the financial crimes, which he’s always admitted to,” attorney Dick Harpootlian told Fox News Digital at CrimeCon 2023 in Orlando. “But we believe it so prejudiced them that when we put the forensic evidence in, which is very, very strong for his innocence, acquittal, they didn’t hear it.”

Murdaugh, 55, was convicted in March of the shooting deaths of his wife Maggie, 52, and their youngest son Paul, 22.

ALEX MURDAUGH CLAIMS HE LEARNED ABOUT ALLEGED JURY TAMPERING AFTER SENTENCING

WATCH: Alex Murdaugh lawyer Dick Harpootlian on trial evidence

He placed the 911 call himself on June 7, 2021, to report finding them on the ground near the dog kennels on a sprawling family estate.

“So this idea he’s been convicted is a misconception, that he was convicted on the evidence relating to the murders,” he said.

“That jury had heard almost three weeks of evidence not related to the murder, but to the financial crimes, which he’s always admitted to. But we believe it so prejudiced them that when we put the forensic evidence in, which is very, very strong for his innocence, acquittal, they didn’t hear it.” —Attorney Dick Harpootlian

Murdaugh’s team has already appealed the conviction and filed a separate motion for a new trial, alleging jury tampering on behalf of Colleton County Court Clerk Rebecca Hill. 

WATCH: ALEX MURDAUGH’S SURVIVING SON SPEAKS OUT IN FOX NATION EXCLUSIVE

Defense attorney Jim Griffin (left) objects while Alex Murdaugh and defense attorney Dick Harpootlian listen in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, Monday, Feb. 6, 2023.  (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post and Courier/Pool)

Hill is accused of influencing jurors to reach a quick guilty verdict and manipulating the court to remove a juror viewed as favorable to the defense.

“We want them to stay the appeal and let us have a hearing on that issue,” Harpootlian said. “We just finished the filing on that yesterday. So we hope to hear something when two to four weeks in the court of appeals about that.”

WATCH: CrimeCon 2023 brings true crime fans together

Murdaugh began concurrent life prison sentences earlier this year.

The Murdaugh family smiling in a portrait.

A photo of the Murdaugh family taken days before Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were shot to death. From left, Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex Murdaugh. (Defense exhibit)

Separately, Murdaugh admitted last week in federal court that he stole millions of dollars from his former clients.

The double murders received national attention, and as a result, state investigators said they found information that led them to reopen the investigation into the suspicious 2015 death of a 19-year-old man named Stephen Smith.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial at the time of his death for a 2019 drunken boat crash near Parris Island that killed 19-year-old passenger Mallory Beach and injured others.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE TRUE CRIME FROM FOX NEWS

Fox News’ Rebecca Rosenberg and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.





Source link

RELATED ARTICLES

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Most Popular

 

Recent Comments