Alex Murdaugh got a life imprisonment sentence in his double murder trial after a harrowing legal battle. The 54-year-old ex-attorney faced a South Carolina jury in answer for his crime of shooting his wife and son.
Death Follows The Family
Since 2014, the Murdaugh family has faced scrutiny for several wrongful deaths connected to them. As a legal powerhouse, they covered several murders and manslaughters, including a suspicious boating accident involving the late Paul’s schoolmate.
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Leaving A Pile Of Bodies
In 2015, one of the family members was the suspected driver in a hit-and-run involving a gay teenager, Stephen Smith. A year before the boating accident, the family’s housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield, died mysteriously.
The Double-Murder Case
The family’s cup filled up in 2021 when the patriarch, Alex, fatally shot his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul. Despite his arrest that year, the 54-year-old’s trial started this January.
Additional Charges Against Murdaugh
The double-murder charge wasn’t the only one against the ex-lawyer. Murdaugh faced 99 charges including, conspiracy to murder by suicide, embezzlement, and fraud against his clients.
Admission Of Perjury
The 54-year-old pled “Not Guilty” to the double-murder charge but admitted to committing perjury (lying on oath during a trial.) Alex said he lied about his whereabouts when his wife and son died.
The Jury Decides
After more than two hours of deliberation, the South Carolina jury returned with a “Guilty” verdict.
The Sentence
The accused got a life sentence for both murders rather than the minimum 25 years which he could’ve served concurrently. Here’s what legal expert, Brian Buckmire, said about the life sentence.
The Message Was Clear: ‘You Can’t Get Away With Murder’
Buckmire believes Judge Newman’s decision to sentence Alex Murdaugh to two life imprisonments served consecutively (one after the other) meant the disgraced lawyer couldn’t get away with murder.
What’s The Difference Between A Concurrent And Consecutive Sentence?
A concurrent sentence means the offender would serve the time for their crimes at the same time while a consecutive sentence means they must complete the time for one crime before the other time begins counting.
No Route Of Escape
If Murdaugh got a concurrent life sentence, it meant he could’ve appealed after the minimum time of 25 years elapsed. However, with a consecutive sentence, there’s no end in sight. Once his first life sentence lapses, the second one begins.
Why Was The Judge Strict?
Buckmire believes the offender’s motive wasn’t enough for the jurors to empathize. Per The New York Times ,
Netflix’s Murdaugh Murders
Netflix released a documentary about the Murdaugh Murder which arrested the world’s attention before the sentences. Everyone wanted to know what led an attorney of Murdaugh’s caliber to commit such heinous crimes.
Why Were People Invested?
The Netflix Documentary, Murdaugh Murders: A Southern Carolina Scandal captivated its audience by telling the true crime story with evidence as the bodies piled. It timed every suspense carefully and there was no unnecessary filler.
Other Documentaries
Netflix wasn’t the only media to tell the Murdaugh Murders story as HBO Max released a docuseries in 2022. Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty focused on the family’s influence over the South Carolina legal system.
Low Country: The Murdaugh Dynasty
The HBO docuseries used interviews from the Murdaughs’ friends and their surviving family Stephen and Mallory to tell the story.
Pauls’ Involvement In His Schoolmate’s Death
The late Paul allegedly caused his schoolmate’s death during a boating trip but his father covered up his involvement. The surviving family believe Paul’s actions triggered the chain of events that led to scrutiny on their family.
Watch The Netflix Series Now
See the trailer above
Revelations From The Netflix Series
The Netflix docuseries revealed that the Murdaugh’s reach extended beyond South Carolina.
Skeletons In The Closet
The docuseries only touched the tip of the iceberg on the Murdaugh family’s criminal history. Hence, the life sentences were a huge win for their victims.
