Alex Murdaugh, who was accused of killing his wife and son, takes the stand in his murder trial. NPR reports:
Alex Murdaugh is testifying in his own defense in a murder trial in which he is accused of carrying out an execution-style killing of his wife and son in June of 2021.
It’s the latest dramatic shift in a case that has drawn attention because of the Murdaughs’ status as a wealthy and prominent family — and because the 2021 killings were bookended by two other violent actions: a fatal boating accident involving Paul, and Alex’s alleged attempt to have his cousin kill him in an apparent botched suicide.
The trial had initially been expected to conclude around Feb. 10, but it has sprawled far beyond that mark, as attorneys presented jurors with an array of evidence, including testimony about the millions of dollars Murdaugh is accused of stealing from his former law firm and its clients, his opioid addiction, and the roadside shooting that Murdaugh initially portrayed as an attempt on his life.
In a crucial ruling, Judge Clifton Newman decided in early February to allow prosecutors to present their account of Murdaugh’s alleged financial misdeeds, saying the defense “opened the door” to that facet of the case by asking witnesses about Murdaugh’s character — and whether they knew of any potential motive he might have to kill his own wife and son.
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