Judge continues deliberations on evidence of possible motive in Murdaugh trial

Just hours before the June 2021 murder of Murdaugh's woman Maggie and their boy Paul, Murdaugh was questioned by a workfellow astir about $800,000 that he was expected to person handed complete from nan colony of a case, according to grounds from Jeanne Seckinger, nan main financial serviceman for Park Law Group, Murdaugh's erstwhile firm. Seckinger said they suspected Murdaugh kept nan money. 

"I told him I had logic to judge that he had received nan costs himself and that I needed impervious that he had not," Seckinger said, later adding that they "made him resign." 

But nan assemblage did not perceive that revelation — astatine slightest not yet. It was nan judge who listened earlier deciding whether to let nan confrontation astir nan missing money beryllium portion of nan prosecution's case. He plans to proceed these hearings without nan assemblage arsenic nan ineligible teams await his last ruling connected financial grounds arsenic a whole.

In opening statements, prosecutors based on Murdaugh killed his woman and boy to distract from aliases disguise a "storm" of alleged financial crimes that were astir to beryllium revealed. Defense based on Alex had nary motive to termination his family and are trying to forestall immoderate of nan financial accusation being presented to nan jury. 

Earlier this week, successful beforehand of nan jury, a family friend, Rogan Gibson, identified Murdaugh's sound successful a video recorded by his boy Paul, minutes earlier he and his mother were killed.

"Do you admit Paul's voice?" a charismatic asked. 

"Yes sir," Gibson responded. 

"Do you admit Maggie's voice?" nan charismatic asked. 

"Yes sir," Gibson said. 

"Do you admit Alex's voice?" nan charismatic asked. 

"Yes sir," Gibson said. 

"One-hundred percent?" nan charismatic asked. 

"Yes sir," Gibson responded. 

This contradicts Murdaugh's earlier claims to rule enforcement he was obscurity adjacent nan kennels that night. 

The defense asked Gibson if he could deliberation of immoderate logic why Murdaugh would brutally execution his woman and son, to which he replied no. But past prosecutors asked Gibson if he was alert of immoderate problems successful Murdaugh's finances, to which he besides replied no. 

The assemblage returns midday Friday arsenic prosecutors proceed their case. 

In:
• South Carolina
• Alex Murdaugh
• Trial

Source cbsnews.com/crime