Who’s who in the Murdaugh murders trial? Judge, attorneys, lead prosecutor…
It could be a few weeks before a verdict in the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh is decided. Here is a look at the various judge, defense, and prosecution.
Last week, Alex Murdaugh, the South Carolina man accused of murdering his wife and son, took to the stand. The widely followed trial features a host of characters that those tuning in over the last few weeks have become familiar with.
Paul and Maggie Murdaugh, the victims in the case, were killed on 7 June 2021. Murdaugh was arrested and charged with the double homicide a little over a year later, in July 2022.
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The prosecution believes that the now-disbarred lawyer and father of two killed Paul and Maggie to gain sympathy after a series of investigations into his career of defrauding his clients were opened.
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Who is the judge in Alex Murdaugh’s case?
Clifton Newman, the presiding South Carolina Circuit Court judge in the case, has been served on the Circuit Court bench since 2000. Judge Newman also oversaw the trial of policeman Michael Slanger who was convicted of the 2015 killing of Walter Scott, an armed Black man in North Charleston.
Based on the evidence presented by the prosecution, Judge Newman denied Murdaugh bail.
The Prosecution
Leading the prosecution is Creighton Waters, the South Carolina senior assistant deputy attorney general. The case was sent to the attorney general’s office because of close familial ties between the Murdaugh family and the local solicitor’s office.
Assisting Waters is John Meadors, a retired attorney who previously worked for the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s office and was hired because of his experience in January.
The Defense
Richard “Dick” Harpootlian and Jim Griffin are leading the defense of Alex Murdaugh.
Harpootlian, a Democrat, is a South Carolina state senator and criminal defense attorney who has represented Murdaugh as grad juries have issued over one hundred indictments against him. The crimes range from drug trafficking and insurance fraud to a murder-for-hire suicide scheme. Late last week, Harpootlian said that the defense would be prepared to rest on Monday, 27 February.
Griffin is a Columbia, South Carolina based lawyer who previously worked as a federal prosecutor.