Re-listened to
#AlexMurdaugh’s speech tonight. I wanted to understand why I felt the way I did about it. He spent very little time addressing his actual victims and focused instead on how he’s sorry for embarrassing his family, showing his main concern is how he’s perceived. 1/
When he did address the victims, other than JJ, whose respect he seemed to believe he could keep, he addressed them in vague, broad brush statements, once even addressing them as a group he called “you people.” And his main point to them was that he “still cares about” them. 2/
He said several times that he “cares deeply about every one” of them as if that’s what they wanted more than an acknowledgement that he betrayed their trust. As if he was giving them a gift with his continued affection, because that has great value. It was bizarre. 3/
At the end, he addressed them again and said “I appreciate you looking at me when I’m talking to you.” It felt superior. The way he spoke to the actual victims was very different and much more distant from the way he spoke to friends and family, most of whom weren’t there. 4/
AND they weren’t the victims of the crimes for which he’d be sentenced. Still he spent the majority of his nearly 50min speech addressing the harm he’d caused to the way people in his realm are perceived by others, a clue into the way he regards those in vs out of his circle. 5/
More than the words, the *way* he said them was telling. He spoke in short clipped phrases ending in up-speak, sometimes punctuating them with a lip smack, and then an uncomfortable silence. It felt manipulative and melodramatic, essentially saying “I’m in control of the time” 6/
He used silence between phrases to try to create anticipation of what he’d say next. And he clearly enjoyed having an audience. He’d surely wanted an audience for his righteous indignation at how his family has been treated by the media. His tone re that was preachy. 7/
This was his chance to address the victims of his financial crimes, but he spent much of it in indignant preachy admonition of the public and media for the “unfair speculation” about matters that were not before the court today. It felt disrespectful to the real victims. 8/
He spoke as if he was wearing a grey tweed suit and not an orange jumpsuit. The smarmy charm that worked well for him in the courtroom when he wore the former hits different in the latter. 9/
He concluded his lengthy speech with a bold effort to reaffirm his power, saying, “I’m going to help as many people as I can while I’m incarcerated.” It smacked of the ubiquitous “lemme know if there’s anything I can do for you” statement heard often in political circles. 10/
Then he started thanking people. After giving good reviews to his rehab facility, he turned to Judge Newman, thanking him and essentially telling him he’d done a good job - accustomed to believing that people seek his approval. 11/
He ended his nearly 50 min speech by increasing his volume and saying to everyone and no one in particular, “Thank you so much!” - the way people do when they end an awards speech and expect applause to follow. 12/
And I know this is harsh but I imagine if I were a victim of his financial crimes I would be so angry today that even in his acknowledgement of the crime and betrayal, he was *still* trying to manipulate and control the narrative. 13/
I also think if Alex read this, he wouldn’t understand it. He’d say, “but I said I was sorry!” I believe he’s manipulative. I also believe he sincerely doesn’t know any other way to relate to people. 14/
art19.com
abcnews4.com
