Murdaugh receives life sentence
‘I’m innocent,’ man convicted of killing wife, son tells judge
Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to life in prison on Friday morning, just 15 hours after he was convicted of killing his wife and son in the conclusion of a story of money, power and politics that’s captured a worldwide audience.
Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman told Murdaugh, 54, who was found guilty on all four counts for the murder of his wife, Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, on June 7, 2021, that he would serve consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole for the murders.
“Mr. Murdaugh, I sentence you to the State Department of Corrections on each of the murder indictments. … I sentence you for the term of the rest of your natural life,” Newman said in the courtroom in Walterboro, S.C.
Murdaugh, dressed in a brown inmate jumpsuit, gave a blank look as he exited the courtroom at 10:05 a.m. Before he was sentenced, he said he did not kill his family members.
“I’m innocent,” Murdaugh said. He then addressed his wife and son, whom he referred to as “Paw Paw.” “I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son, Paw Paw.”
During the sentencing, Newman said that Murdaugh would have to deal with the conviction and consequences of the murders “in your own soul.”
“I know you have to see Paul and Maggie in the night time as you attempt to go to sleep,” Newman said. “I’m sure they come and visit you.”
When Newman asked Murdaugh if he has a hard time sleeping, Murdaugh replied, “All day and every night.”
“And they will continue to do so and will reflect on the last time they looked you in the eyes,” Newman said.
After Murdaugh was led away by sheriff’s deputies, his defense attorneys confirmed to reporters Friday that they will file a notice of appeal within 10 days. Jim Griffin, one of Murdaugh’s attorneys, said that the process could take months, and that Murdaugh’s team would take it to the Supreme Court if necessary.
“There’s a huge federal issue,” Griffin said. “The state asking Alex about why he didn’t come forward and tell law enforcement where he was at the time of the kennel video after he was arrested. … U.S. Supreme Court cases are clear that post-arrest silence can’t be used against you. That’s a classic violation of the Fifth Amendment.”
Griffin added, “We feel strongly that if we lose at the state courts, we will have success at the federal court.”
When asked at a brief news conference whether it had been a mistake for Murdaugh to testify, defense attorney Dick Harpootlian replied, “No, next question.” Harpootlian, a Democratic state senator, said public information about Murdaugh’s financial misdeeds gave them no choice but to have him testify. Murdaugh still faces 99 charges related to alleged financial crimes that will be tried at a later date.
“He had been made out to be a monster who stole from children and crippled people, who had just done horrible and despicable things,” Harpootlian said. “And he tried to push back on that.”
The defense attorneys were also asked why Murdaugh’s surviving son, Buster, didn’t come to the stand during the sentencing hearing to give a victim impact statement. Harpootlian said he did not want Buster to suffer more than he already has.
“We could have had Mother Teresa up there speaking for [Murdaugh] at sentencing,” the attorney said. “He was getting a double life sentence; that was expected.”
No victim impact statements were presented Friday, making for a quick sentencing that was analogous to the swift announcement of the verdict.
The attorneys did not offer a statement but answered several questions, including one about what efforts, if any, Murdaugh was making to find who they claim is “the real killer.”
“It’s not our job to find the real killer,” said Harpootlian, who again criticized the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division for how the agency handled the investigation.
The case has drawn enormous attention, aided by not only traditional local and national media but also podcasts and docuseries from streaming giants like Netflix. People around the world now know the Murdaugh name. But that’s been the case for nearly a century in South Carolina’s Lowcountry.
Craig Moyer said he was one of the jurors who didn’t buy Murdaugh or his testimony from the start.
“A good liar, but not good enough,” he told ABC News.