Alex Murdaugh’s only surviving son Buster is anticipated to testify on Tuesday at his father’s trial for the murders of the 26-year-old’s mom Maggie and brother Paul.
Buster – who has attended Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, South Carolina, daily because the begin of the high-profile trial in a present of assist – would be the first witness known as to the stand by the defence on Tuesday morning, a supply advised CNN.
This is able to mark the primary time that he has ever spoken publicly concerning the murders of his mom and brother or about his father’s string of alleged crimes.
He’ll then be adopted by an accident reconstructionist who is anticipated to be used to decide holes in proof and the evidence-gathering course of at the crime scene.
The defence’s technique has up to now centered on presenting Mr Murdaugh as a loving household man who may by no means have killed his spouse and son in such a brutal trend – which noticed Paul’s brains shot exterior of his cranium.
Buster – the eldest and now only surviving son of Maggie and Mr Murdaugh – has stood by his father all through the rising variety of allegations towards him.
All through the weeks-long trial, he and a number of other different members of the family have placed on a united entrance, supporting his father in courtroom daily.
Nonetheless, Buster was additionally notably noticed hugging his aunt Marian Proctor – Maggie’s sister – in courtroom after she testified towards his father, together with detailing his drug use, an alleged affair years earlier than the murders, and his odd behaviour within the wake of the 7 June 2021 murders.
All through the trial, Buster’s personal apparently dangerous behaviour has additionally been on show contained in the courtroom.
Decide Clifton Newman is claimed to have issued a number of warnings to a number of members of the Murdaugh household about their behaviour in courtroom and so they had been advised to transfer to the again of the courtroom.
In courtroom on the week of 6 February, Buster appeared to “flip the chook” at lawyer Mark Tinsley as he took the witness stand concerning the boat crash lawsuit that he introduced towards Mr Murdaugh.
Sources advised FITS Information that when Buster was then requested to transfer to the again of the courtroom, he allegedly kicked over a water bottle in anger.
Buster was notably noticed hugging his aunt Marian Proctor – Maggie’s sister – in courtroom after she testified towards his father
(AP)
The decide has warned that he and different members of the family could possibly be faraway from courtroom altogether if there are any additional improper strikes.
Buster’s title has additionally cropped up in a collection of different scandals surrounding the once-powerful household.
He’s accused of shopping for alcohol for his youthful brother Paul prior to the 2019 deadly boat crash.
On the night time of 24 February 2019, Paul was allegedly drunk driving the Murdaugh household’s boat with a number of of his associates on board. The boat crashed into some rocks and threw the passengers overboard.
Everybody survived aside from Mallory Seaside, 19, whose physique washed up on shore round per week later.
In April 2019, Paul was charged with three felonies over Seaside’s dying together with boating below the affect and was going through up to 25 years in jail. The costs had been dropped after his murder.
Mr Murdaugh was additionally sued by the Seaside household, with prosecutors saying that the lawsuit was choosing up tempo within the days earlier than the murders, and that the disgraced lawyer’s funds had been about to be uncovered due to it.
Buster’s title has additionally cropped up in reference to the mysterious dying of Stephen Smith – a 19-year-old homosexual teenager who was discovered useless at the facet of a street in Hampton County in 2015.
His testimony will mark the primary main witness for the defence, which started its case on Friday afternoon with two quick witnesses.
Mr Murdaugh’s attorneys identified that they didn’t to name any witnesses that day whose testimony may lengthen over the weekend.
Colleton County Sheriff’s Division spokesperson Shalane Tyndall testifiied concerning the assertion that the company launched the morning after the murders.
“Presently, there isn’t any hazard to the general public,” the unique assertion to an area paper learn. It was later amended.
Colleton County Coroner Richard Harvey additionally testified that he positioned Maggie and Paul’s instances of dying to be round 9pm, after touching their our bodies to verify the temperatures.
Below questioning from defence lawyer Dick Harpootlian, he stated that the murders may have taken place anytime between 8pm and 10pm – searching for to forged doubts within the timeline laid out by the prosecution.
Through the state’s case, jurors heard 4 weeks of dramatic testimony from 61 witnesses masking a trove of circumstantial proof together with cellphone and automobile information, a damning video allegedly putting Mr Murdaugh at the crime scene and obvious holes in his alibi for the time for the murders.
The ultimate state witness SLED Agent Peter Rudofski laid out an in depth timeline of each the ultimate actions of the 2 victims – and the actions of their accused killer.
Buster Murdaugh sits throughout his father’s double murder trial
(AP)
Among the many timeline was newly-obtained automobile information which positioned Mr Murdaugh’s automobile at the spot the place his spouse’s telephone was later discovered dumped – earlier than he shortly sped away from the scene.
It additionally confirmed that he stayed simply 21 minutes at his mother and father’ dwelling that night time – lower than half the 45 minutes to an hour he claimed to police.
Bombshell testimony from his mom’s carer Muschelle “Shelly” Smith beforehand disputed Mr Murdaugh’s alibi, saying that he confirmed up at his sick mom’s home for only 20 minutes that night time – earlier than telling her to inform authorities he was there double the size of time.
A cellphone video captured by Paul minutes earlier than the murders additionally seems to place Mr Murdaugh at the murder scene.
Prosecutors declare that Mr Murdaugh shot useless Maggie and Paul by the canine kennels of the household’s sprawling property in Islandton, so as to distract from his string of alleged scandals and monetary crimes.
Through the state’s case, Mr Murdaugh’s attorneys have hinted at a spread of theories they plan to current – together with that there was two killers and that the murders had been tied to an area medication gang.
Mr Murdaugh, 54, is going through life in jail for the murders of his spouse and son. He has pleaded not responsible.
