US: At murder trial, Murdaugh admits to lying earlier but denies killing wife, son
Alex Murdaugh has been accused of killing his wife and youngest son.
Richard "Alex" Murdaugh, the disbarred lawyer in South Carolina, who is accused of murdering his wife and son, admitted on Thursday (February 23) that he had lied to investigators about his whereabouts on the night of the killings. However, he has denied any guilt.
The high-profile trial is into its fourth week. Murdaugh told the court that he did not shoot his wife Maggie (52) or son Paul (22). Both of them were gunned down nearthe dog kennels on the family's estate on June 7, 2021.
"I didn't shoot my wife or my son anytime, ever," Murdaugh said in response to questions from his lawyer Jim Griffin, who wrapped up his questioning in mid-afternoon on Thursday. "I was nowhere near Paul and Maggie when they got shot," he added.
"On June 7, I wasn't thinking clearly. I don’t think I was capable of reason and I lied about being down there. And I'm so sorry that I did," Murdaugh testified.
During roughly two hours of cross-examination before the judge recessed for the day, the lead prosecutor focused on Murdaugh's financial crimes, in an apparent effort to establish his dishonesty. The prosecution will continue its examination on Friday.
Murdaugh, the scion of an influential South Carolina legal family, was indicted by a grand jury in July on two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon in connection with the shootings. He pleaded not guilty.
The murders have been subject to intense media coverage given the political influence of the Murdaugh family in the low-lying region of South Carolina in which they took place, as well as a string of scandals hanging over the defendant, once a prominent personal injury attorney in the state.
Prosecutors have said Murdaugh killed his wife and child to generate sympathy and distract from an array of financial crimes for which he is also facing criminal charges, an alleged motive that Murdaugh's lawyers have argued does not make sense.
(With inputs from agencies)
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