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#trending | Alex Murdaugh associate talks crime scene issues and thefts – ABC News: US
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Alex Murdaugh is on trial for the double homicide of his spouse and son. Protection legal professional Mark Ball testified to the chaotic scene upon arrival and the dearth of respect for the physique of the son. On cross-examination, prosecutors used Ball to review their case, together with Murdaugh’s alleged lies to police and monetary misdeeds. If convicted, Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in jail. It is unclear if Murdaugh will take the stand.
A legislation associate of Alex Murdaugh testified Wednesday at his double homicide trial that more than a dozen individuals who weren’t first responders or legislation enforcement walked across the scene of the killings earlier than South Carolina brokers arrived to analyze.Then, when state brokers arrived, Murdaugh, his legislation companions and pals had been all despatched again to the household residence, which authorities had not entered since arriving after Murdaugh known as 911 to say his spouse and son had been shot.“This is a reasonably large farm and I don’t know who is over there. Two folks have been gunned down,” legal professional Mark Ball testified. “Security is one concern. And is that house a part of what has gone on here? The place does the crime scene begin and cease?”Whereas the protection had Ball spotlight what he noticed as issues on the crime scene and Murdaugh’s devotion to his household, prosecutors on cross examination used Ball to stroll via Murdaugh’s obvious lies to police. These allegedly include the place he was simply earlier than the killings, his lack of concern for his security or the security of his son after the shootings and stealing tens of millions of {dollars} from the household legislation agency.Murdaugh, 54, is standing trial in the murders of his spouse Maggie, 52, who was killed by 4 or 5 rifle photographs; and their 22-yr-previous son Paul, who died from two shotgun blasts. Each had been killed close to kennels on the household’s sprawling property in Colleton County on June 7, 2021. Murdaugh faces 30 years to life in jail if he is convicted.Alex Murdaugh may testify. Protection legal professional Jim Griffin requested the decide Wednesday if he would enable Murdaugh to take his Fifth Modification proper towards incriminating himself in the 100 or so other crimes he faces — together with stealing from purchasers, money laundering, tax evasion and insurance coverage fraud.Decide Clifton Newman stated prosecutors usually get broad latitude in cross examination.The decide has agreed with prosecutors to permit proof of the other crimes to show Murdaugh killed his household to achieve sympathy and purchase time to hide his monetary misdeeds. Prosecutors additionally wish to show Murdaugh lied to police three months after the killing a few taking pictures. He initially stated he was shot by a stranger, however later stated he requested a pal to shoot him in the pinnacle so Murdaugh’s surviving son may accumulate $12 million in life insurance coverage.Newman stated he’ll advise each side if Murdaugh takes the stand. The protection stated if he chooses to testify, it might be as early as Thursday.Ball was a compelling witness for each side Wednesday.He arrived about 45 minutes after Murdaugh known as 911 and described a chaotic scene. Police hadn’t blocked the doorway to the property and more than a dozen folks not with legislation enforcement had been strolling round by shell casings and swimming pools of blood close to the kennels the place the taking pictures occurred. A light-weight rain was intermittently falling and the runoff from a roof was hitting Paul Murdaugh’s physique.“It’s a criminal offense scene. You don’t need water dripping everywhere in the place however more importantly, I thought it was fairly disrespectful. Paul was younger man and fairly frankly it simply pissed me off,” Ball testified.Ball returned the day after the shootings as soon as state brokers stated they had been completed investigating the crime scene and located a number of uncollected shotgun pellets together with small clumps of tissue and a fraction of Paul Murdaugh’s cranium in regards to the dimension of a baseball.“It infuriated me,” Ball stated. “It was type of like strolling throughout a grave.”On cross-examination, prosecutors used Ball to review much of their case. They’d Ball read an inventory of a number of purchasers he needed to call on behalf of the legislation agency to inform them Alex Murdaugh lied and stole their money. These purchasers have been repaid, with tens of millions of {dollars} popping out of the pockets of the other attorneys on the agency, Ball stated.Ball additionally testified he was certain he heard Murdaugh’s voice on a cellphone video alongside along with his spouse and son that phone data stated was taken about 5 minutes earlier than Maggie and Paul Murdaugh stopped utilizing their telephones perpetually.Ball stated Murdaugh informed him at the least three times he was not on the kennels that evening, as an alternative taking a nap earlier than leaving to visit his ailing mom. Murdaugh known as 911 and stated he found the taking pictures when he returned.Murdaugh and Ball knew every other for 34 years and labored collectively for many years. Ball informed the protection Murdaugh appeared to be a loving father, lawyer who may speak to anybody and a person whose funds had been strong.“He was fairly good at hiding who he actually was, wasn’t he?” prosecutor Creighton Waters requested.“Clearly,” Ball replied.
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Dave Petchy
