SC - Paul Murdaugh & mom Margaret Found Shot To Death - Alex Murdaugh Accused - Islandton #32

[10ofRods]

It was a book by John Grisham that mentioned a Black Judge from what I read, and passed illegally by his sister. Since then, some have tried to slip him contraband, none of which is allowed. No Contact is the Rule/Law, and they are lucky they weren't arrested.

It's about a corrupt judge, that's for sure. Jails don't usually allow books with major criminals as protagonists or antagonists. No police procedurals, no crime stories that detail how to commit crimes, etc.

I've read the first 50 pages and see no mention of the Judge's ethnicity (nor can I find a review that mentions it - there's a black character in the book, but so far, it's not the Judge - who is uber-wealthy and into gadgets, but no mention of his skin color that I can see).

I'm not disbelieving you, just wondering where you learned that, as I have searched reviews for the character's name (Judge Ross Bannick) and cannot find any mention of his ethnicity. If it is true that the sister brought a book about a corrupt, law-breaking black judge, that's truly offensive. So I want to make sure before I start disliking all the Murdaughs even more.

IMO.

 

[YellowBird]

Is there another thread that is devoted to the financial crimes and upcoming trial for that?

 

[Tortoise]

He wanted to send a video and/or photo of the tail. Rogan wanted to see it and send a photo to a friend of a friend who is a vet.

Thanks. Hmm, I'm trying to see how this could have been a set up by AM. It seems so quick, and with the two guns and clothes changed, phone left behind, etc, it doesn't look like it could have been anything other than a careful plan.

 

[YellowBird]

dbm duplicate post

 

[clearskies1]

Probably, although no one needs a reason to visit thierown kennels…..Maggie wenttoo. Almost wonder if the murderer did not suggest they all go down there…

Yes, sure doesn't seem like they spent much time eating dinner before they headed to the kennels. From Special Agent Rudofski's timeline it looks like Maggie got to Moselle at 8:17pm, was down at the kennels by 8:44pm (dog video), and was shot dead by 8:54pm. JMO.

 

[10ofRods]

It was a book by John Grisham that mentioned a Black Judge from what I read, and passed illegally by his sister. Since then, some have tried to slip him contraband, none of which is allowed. No Contact is the Rule/Law, and they are lucky they weren't arrested.

It's about a corrupt judge, that's for sure. Jails don't usually allow books with major criminals as protagonists or antagonists. No police procedurals, no crime stories that detail how to commit crimes, etc.

I've read the first 50 pages and see no mention of the Judge's ethnicity (nor can I find a review that mentions it - there's a black character in the book, but so far, it's not the Judge - who is uber-wealthy and into gadgets, but no mention of his skin color that I can see). The physical description of him does not mention skin color; says he is very handsome, has dark eyes, and salt and pepper hair - the heroine finds him very handsome and wonders why he isn't married. He is described pretty thoroughly, mind and body, in Chapter 3.

I'm not disbelieving you, just wondering where you learned that, as I have searched reviews for the character's name (Judge Ross Bannick) and cannot find any mention of his ethnicity. If it is true that the sister brought a book about a corrupt, law-breaking black judge, that's truly offensive. So I want to make sure before I start disliking all the Murdaughs even more.

IMO.

 

[Boodles]

I think there is a lot more to this story, than what we've heard.

There is something else going on here.

Hopefully Grisham will follow this guy’s storyline and publish a comprehensive version of the total picture. It might have to be a multi-volume publication, like the old Encyclopedia Brittanica.

I agree, there is a much bigger picture with likely multiple angles. I can’t imagine what it all entails.

 

[kaen]

Yes, sure doesn't seem like they spent much time eating dinner before they headed to the kennels. From Special Agent Rudofski's timeline it looks like Maggie got to Moselle at 8:17pm, was down at the kennels by 8:44pm (dog video), and was shot dead by 8:54pm. JMO.

We will never know what the conversation or tone of that dinner was. AM says they were talking to PM about blood pressure. I think they were chatting about AM's drug use. If it was the later than I would imagine it was a tense dinner that no one wanted to continue. That is my theory anyway.

 

[HawthorneJuniper]

I never would intentionally hurt my wife and son.
I would never intentionally hurt my wife and son.
I would never intentionally hurt my wife and son.

Earlier in the trial I thought there was a possibility that AM might break down and confess. When he rocked back and forth, wiping tears, I’m thinking, just confess your sins - you’ll be free, not from consequences but the tremendous burden will be lifted. I thought he was close, but not anymore. He sold his soul to the devil and I think he’s past the point of return. IMO

I was curious too. To see if he were indeed harboring human emotions beneath the weight of his lies. But he isn't and I doubt he is capable at this point. He is fully committed to the illusion, delusion, whatever it is. He's perfectly comfortable with telling lies, telling lies about his lies and lying about whether he was lying. He will NEVER expose his true self and admit to anything he can still lie about.

 

[Luna20]

Has AM ever been hospitalized for overdose? Seems to me that someone who took the number of pills that AM claims would have ended up in the emergency room, maybe more than once. AM claims to have taken an exorbitant number of opiates, yet never passed out or had to be rushed to the hospital for an overdose? Friends and colleagues never noticed that AM's demeanor was peculiar when he had so many pills in his system? Horse hash! JMO

Not that I’m aware of.

We have no proof of the meds: no trail, the source, no Rx pads/scrips & bottles, the rehab facilities, ER, etc. If there are bags of drugs I’m inclined to think they didn’t originate from a prescription pad.

Only MM and PM saw his actual drugs and conveniently they aren’t here to confirm that. I have to revisit Busters testimony but I don’t think he laid his eyes on the drugs. There hasn’t been any mention from Buster about he, his Mom and brother jointly discussing detox or intervention.

AM has done such a great job with talking about the drugs that it has overclouded what’s missing. He knows 100% how that works in the legal system.

There hasn’t been a sponsor or one individual who has surfaced that can say ‘I’m clean too and I was once at the same facility as AM’, they are a great facility’ (something to that effect).

Zero info on a med trail and supporting documentation. That’s glaring.

 

[Walela]

After the witness stand confessions to all his PMPED financial crimes, I believe those confessions are a lie. He said what he said because he was scripted to and for no other reason than to hoodwink everyone listening. Here is the lawsuit PMPED filed PMPED Lawsuit and here is his answer to the suit Murdaugh Answer. Note that out of 36 complaints filed, he takes the 5th on all but the 1st 3. I see how serious he is about the harm he has done and just how sorry he is.

 

[Boodles]

As soon as the defense request for AM to use the lavatory before he took the stand, I was like “He’s got to get a hit of something!”.

And I swear there was something in his mouth, and he started doing that weird movement of his mouth and jaw just before each crying spell. What the heck did he have going on in his mouth? It’s so gross. (I’m not referring to the constant tic-tacs or whatever as he sits at the defense table. I’m referring to his grotesque facial/mouth movements when he testified).

Seriously, was he biting down on something sharp that he had tucked inside his mouth? Eww, he’s so disgusting.

 

[Not a Belle]

I was curious too. To see if he were indeed harboring human emotions beneath the weight of his lies. But he isn't and I doubt he is capable at this point. He is fully committed to the illusion, delusion, whatever it is. He's perfectly comfortable with telling lies, telling lies about his lies and lying about whether he was lying. He will NEVER expose his true self and admit to anything he can still lie about.

I agree. No lie too big or small.

 

[clearskies1]

We will never know what the conversation or tone of that dinner was. AM says they were talking to PM about blood pressure. I think they were chatting about AM's drug use. If it was the later than I would imagine it was a tense dinner that no one wanted to continue. That is my theory anyway.

I doubt whether they talked about much of anything. Does not seem like a "family dinner". Seems like they quickly scarfed down food and went to the kennels. JMO.

 

[Walela]

This is probably a very valid consideration. No one, even on the smallest end of the reasonable doubt spectrum, would want to send an innocent man to jail resulting in wrongfully taking away Buster’s only remaining immediate family member. So to that point, I fear it’s a mistake to hammer this hard on the financial crimes that AM has already admitted to. It also opens up the defense to close with the defense that maybe AM was not paranoid. Maybe he knew that his opioid addiction coupled with his financial crimes would wrongfully taint the investigation, and he would be convicted of a crime he did not commit, leaving Buster all on his own. The prosecution needs to hammer down on the facts that prove AM is guilty of the murders…Leaving no room for doubt.

Moo

He didn't seem to be too worried about Buster being on his own when he was planning his "suicide" so neither should the jury. jmo

 

[minor4th]

Thank you. I'm just trying to work out how AM might have got them both to go to the kennels so that he could shoot them.

I’ve wondered if Alex used the excuse about Cash’s tail to get Paul to the kennel that day. At one point he said Rogan told him about the problem with Cash’s tail. He didn’t specify if that was before or after the murders. He knew Maggie would go to the kennels to visit her dogs. He might have just said, “hey let’s go let the dogs out and see what’s wrong with Cash.”

 

[RoosterRock]

I know it sounds crazy, but the jury needs to not consider that AM may go to jail for financial crimes. This guy might find a way to get out of those crimes or minimal jail time. If the prosecution can prove their case the jury needs to do their job based on this case and convict him for the murders. Knowing other charges are pending is not a reason for jurors to not convict, just because he may serve many long years in prison. Those are separate cases even though they are presenting much of those cases to show his motivation and desperation to murder his wife and "child" as he said on his 911 call.

 

[minor4th]

IMO it was a planned murder about money, not a drug fueled rage.

Maggie had the power to deny him from using their primary assets (Moselle, which she owned 100%) and Edisto Beach (which she half owned) as collateral.

His father (who he offered up on June 3 as a possible co-signer for a $600k line of credit) was dying.

The legal fees for the criminal and civil boat cases were a financial drain.

It appeared that he would not be able to settle the civil case unless he gave Tinsely his financial info -- and that would open a big can of worms regarding his client and law firm thefts.

Jeanne S confronted him on the day of the murders about missing money.

I believe that he asked both Maggie and Paul to come to Moselle that day.

Speculation/JMO.

He was about to be fired and lose his license and be criminally charged. I think he killed them to prevent them from finding out and witnessing his shame and humiliation. Alex saying it was all no big deal was a load of baloney.

 

[Diddian]

I just finished watching the day 2 cross.

I'll reiterate my previous thought - which I feel despondent about.

The prosecutor was a word salad and terrible - for a murder trial, he very infrequently directly confronted AM about the murder, and AM played him.

If you're as astute as WS members, you see the holes in AM's testimony.
But, the signal-to-noise was so low in that cross, that I think that many average jurors will miss those holes.
I may be wrong. I hope so.

But, then mix in all of those saccharine-sweet, faux Southern mannerisms - I wonder if those were orchestrated to appeal to fellow Southerners.
I freely admit I don't know about rural SC, except for the fact that it was among the last bastions of the Confederacy (which makes me suspicious, I will admit).

But, why not repeatedly say, loud and clear - "Mr. Murdaugh, you are a murderer. The evidence is the technological record which you cannot refute..." Over and over.... Over and over... Over and over....
If I'm a non-attentive juror, I'd commend the prosecutor for proving that AM was a liar.
But, that wasn't the goal.

My prediction - hung jury. Sadly. Maybe my faith will be restored.

I hope you're wrong, but fear you could be right.

I've noticed my own posts recently becoming more and more sarcastic, which is the cousin of cynical. And it is likely because I am so disgusted with scheming, cunning, manipulative folks getting away with their exploitation and destruction of others because so many refuse to believe that others who can manage to smile and charm while they destroy can be so intentionally bad. It's like they only recognize malice when it wears its monster face.

 

[Luna20]

With AM's self reported extreme opiod use, it is surprising that the link above has a creatinine level within normal limits, especially since he said he took upwards of a 1000mg/day over an extended period of time. Are there any medical people who also see this as odd?

I’m not surprised they found something in his system because he got fired that day and quickly tried to plot another scenario. Some people may have taken something temporarily to get through the first few days of horrible news. That doesn’t imply that he was on drugs for 3 decades.

“A public relations firm working with Murdaugh and his attorneys released four pages of what it ‘claims’ to be Murdaugh’s “medical records” on Friday without explanatory comment. The records were purportedly maintained by Memorial Health in Savannah, Georgia. The four pages of records are facially incomplete, the pages are numbered seven, eight, and 48; a fourth page contains no page number.

The records suggest a “rapid drug screen” on Murdaugh’s urine contained the two aforementioned drugs but did not contain cocaine, amphetamines, benzodiazepine (the type of tranquilizer drugs contained in Valium or Xanax), or cannabinoids (THC) from marijuana.

“No attempt is made to identify specific drugs that may be present or any other drugs that may cause false positives,” the documents noted.

Citing 'Medical Records' from Roadside Shooting, Alex Murdaugh Claims He Tested Positive for Barbiturates, Opiates When Examined by Doctors

The purported medical records of embattled legal scion Alex Murdaugh show that the now-suspended South Carolina lawyer tested positive for two types of drugs — barbiturates and opiates — when doctors examined him after a roadside shooting that eventually left him facing a scad of criminal charges.

lawandcrime.com