Former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh is set to go on trial, accused of murdering his wife and son in 2021. WSJ’s Valerie Bauerlein explains what you need to know about the case. Photo Illustration: Ryan Trefes #Murdaugh #Trial #WSJ
I thank you for this straight forward description of a case which touches so much of what troubles every state, and our nation, as the need for both a need for FREE justice and also reform of all accused and the issues of allowing anyone to become above the law to create this situation.
Yeah, seems a little crazy but apparently the son was potentially on the hook for killing someone (accidentally). In his father’s eyes that would have essentially rendered his son a disappointment. So at that point it was about protecting his fortune and his legacy which was not possible with his son in the picture.
Him and his wife weren't living together she was living on Edisto beach and she hired someone to look at their finances his son was ruining the family name I'm from Walterboro SC colleton county we're the trial is being held same place where kamaya mobley found after being stolen from the hospital at birth 20 years later
The same family having such influence in the same court for generations just seems so wrong to me. Its like if the position of head surgeon of a hospital was always held by the same family. It just reeks of corruption.
It also reeks of mental illness, just kids having insane pressure to be the same as their parents. How else can you maintain a string of lawyers for multiple generations? Where the family image is more important then their well being and they're not allowed to seek help. Where academic excellence is everything and cheating/stealing/killing isn't a big deal if you can maintain that family image.
Valerie......Your usual excellent distillation of a very complex scenario. Really miss your reporting of the events here in Columbia, especially now that the circus is back in town.....or is that session.
@@brookegodbold7532 I haven’t watched it yet but almost every time I’m debating someone who thinks he’s guilty, they just tell me to “watch the documentary and you’ll see” so that makes me think it’s pretty biased. I just find it funny because I’ve been watching the actual trial but some people think a documentary will convince me of his guilt despite the fact the prosecution can’t even do so 😂
Smoky Bonez - love your name. And I hear you. I lived in Chattanooga and Charlotte. Hated them both. Especially Chattanooga. Now I’m flat broke in NYC but I love it here.
In this family everyone is a killer . Paul killed the girl on the boat, Maggie kill the housekeeper, Alex kill the son and wife , and the big brother kill the guy on the road.. horrible 😕
All six of those kids were responsible for the Murder on the boat every one of them had a hand in that they should’ve stopped it they were too busy enjoying the money boat partying
@@sonia68ish I’m sorry is there more than one steering wheel?? Yes they weren’t supposed to be drinking but they would’ve made it home had Paul not gotten sloppy drunk and tried to manage between driving the boat and arguing & slapping his gf around.
Can't wait to hear from his wife's family think that's going to be very interesting. I still don't understand how that man had no blood on him his son head was literally off and he tried to take his pulse.
I know this is slightly off topic but I'm just curious How can they be sure the people on the jury are even telling the truth about not knowing or having never heard of him? Like, what do they do to try and make sure?
Take an oath if ever found out that even one juror is a fraud it can be a cause for verdict to be thrown out and retried with new juror I think not sure. Not a legal expert lol
I hope the people that were treated unjustly by this dynasty will get some justice soon. So sorry for the loss of Ms. Satterfield, The young woman on the boat and the young man who was found on side of the road.
I’ve only just read about this case but found “Murdaugh Murders: a southern scandal” is coming to Netflix Feb 22nd and looks like the trailer covers the whole boat thing. Crazy. This recap was very helpful too. Such a shame there are people like this in this world. RIP to all the victims 🙏🏻
😂😂ALEX FANS SAY HE WAS NOT GUILTY! LOLL!!!! GOT TO BE TRUMP SUPPORTERS TOLD YA GUILTY!!!!!!! NOW DEMOLISHED THOSE HOUSES AND TAKE ALL HIS ASSET OH HE DOESN'T HAVE NONE🕺
this is soo soo sad! Just the doing of ONE person has tarnished the legacy and name of such a high profiled respected family! So devastating! WHY would someone murder their own family! Senseless!
His family was murdered as a revenge for what he did to one of his many financial victims .... But he had no financial motive to kill them. They didn't even have life insurance policies. He did not do this.
Why does it have to be a financial motive for him to be guilty? * Maggie had hired someone to dig into their finances and was about to find out they were highly in debt because of him. * She was also looking into divorce attorneys and not even living with him anymore. * Alex's firm had approached him the day of the murders about his stealing money from clients. Paul was days away from beginning his DUI manslaughter case that would've cost Alex a ton of money. Alex had already set up that botched "murder attempt" at the side of the road, which also made no sense, just like these murders made no sense. * Why did he immediately lie about not being at the kennels when he clearly was? Who finds their family murdered and thinks, "I know, I'll lie to police to help them catch the murderers!" * How is it possible he checked their vital signs and got no blood on his hands or feet? * Why did he immediately lie to police about not being at the kennels just before the murders? * What happened to Maggie's phone? * What happened to the clothes he was wearing at the kennels just before the murders? * What are the odds that the two type of guns used in the murders match the two guns missing from the Murdaugh's home? He didn't do this?
The defense says it was a loving family with no possibility of murder….but my guy is willing to steal money 🤔….sounds like somebody’s moral compass is a bit wonky.
Gee... Funny how the news tone changes according to the nature of the victims I guess? 0:20 "Just so captivating to people." Certainly she wouldn't describe the Idaho murders in that way. 4 young college students stabbed to death. So so captivating to people... Well maybe it is. But to say out loud sounds so so wrong.
I know why they always are trying to humanize these murderous rich people, just because they rich there shouldn’t be a special treatment when they commit crimes.
A partner in a law firm stealing clients money. POOR clients money. Even the suggestion of this tells you all you need to know about this person's character.
That seems the most likely scenario IF he did kill them. Unfortunately, if that is the case, then he'll get off free simply because he's on trial for murder not soliciting murder.
Does seem as though he did it all but there isn’t enough evidence to find a guilty verdict for the murders but they definitely will have enough evidence for the endless financial crimes and the state will put him away a long time.
So I just got in to this Alex murder mystery and sounds like if he didn't murder wife and son, would it be someone about the girl in the boat wreck? And if it was Alex who murdered wife and son who would be the second shooter? The one documentary on this says one was shot with shotgun and the other with a semi-fire like rifle. So where's the second shooter that would help him, or if not him the two that did it? From what I think it was him with shotgun, shotgun that was outside when cops showed up and where's the second shooter with the rifle? One or two more people you're still looking for, right?
I was following this story but now I'm trying to catch up. As I understand it Buster will be testy- lying. So was he given immunity in this case? What about the other case? Buster and Stephen Smith, a 19yr old college student were said to be closerthanthis. Poor Stephen was found dead on a country road from blunt force trauma, god I hate when that happens! It's like spontaneous combustion, it just happens sometimes. Bodies all over the place, at least 5. It's a good thing the elder died suddenly, after receiving all that money, he was so old no questions about his death, right? And the massive fraud part, JEZUZ!! Dominick Dunne would have done a terrific job of relating this story. Love, greed and murder amongst the (ahem) genteel wealthy and influential in the deep fried south. All in an illusory tranquil setting teeming with dogwoods and magnolias. This will make a great movie if done right.
Well the first and most important question here that needed to be addressed is MOTIVE! Who on earth would of had the MOTIVE to Kill his wife & son??? WHY would someone want them dead??? The answer should be OBVIOUS!!!....BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT HE DID TO PEOPLE so he had to SILENCE THEM, but in the end THAT DIDN'T WORK! Keep in mind that AFTER this sentencing he was later found GUILTY OF DOUBLE MURDER of his own wife & son, and got sentenced to LIFE IN PRISON! This dude is a MONSTER!
Anyone who thinks he didn't do it isn't thinking hard enough. Unless you think someone showed up that random night, when Paul and Maggie just happened to be there. Someone just HAPPENED to know they were at the kennels, late afternoon. Showed up without any weapons, just assumed the Murdaughs guns would be laying around readily available, then managed to get BEHIND Paul, in the doorway of the kennel and blow his head off. All within about 3 minutes of Alex being there. The only theory dumber than that is that he paid someone to do it.
I think the law firm did it, with Alex being an accomplice. the only reason the law firm fired him was because his son Paul drew a ton of attention due to the boat accident and reckless behaviour, thus investigators uncovered the frauds and stealing, but im 100% sure the law firm knew and was in, and many more lawyers did and continue to do the same. his wife also hired a private financial expert to investigate the family's finances, an investigation that would most likely uncover Alex's crimes and the law firm's too. so, both of them had to go. either Alex hired the hitman or the law firm did. he also staged his own attack and shot to the head as to make it seem he was also a target and clear him as a suspect. I think the law firm is very corrupt and involved in organized crime and fraud, they need to be investigated. Alex himself is no innocent either he either was an accomplice or hired the hitman himself.
It all started with a boat crash and a cover up that resulted in the downfall of a family. His son was brash and unapologetic yet young and not quite mature yet.
Is their name really pronounced "Murdoch" even though it's spelled Murdaugh? I thought at first the narrator was just pronouncing it wrong, but then other people in the video said it the same way.
@@mohammedhosein5210 she calls him by Aleck because it would be bad manners to say his name incorrectly after she knows how he says it’s pronounced. The name can be pronounced either way. The way it is pronounced is determined by the person it was given to.
Funny, I’ve Never heard of that family until now. Shoulda put me on the jury.does a jury only consist of People from that single state? With cases like this perhaps the boundaries should be widened to other states. I would be objective
I don't know the murdocks I've never heard of them until I saw it on Netflix. And to be honest I don't have an opinion about any of it except Mallory I think is a girl's name I think her boyfriend is guilty of something and then her friends that she thought were her friends it's just funny how they're all blaming the guy that owns the boat n bought beer
Not much of an explanation folks… interesting history and now I understand how he spent the last year out of jail. The difference to the family was great. The difference resulted in giving Alex the opportunity to spend another year free. Glad somebody was able to see through all of this.
with great power comes great responsibility and corruption is something that can affect anybody. seems like he definitely abused his power but why did he murder his son and wife ? maybe he really just snapped because of the drug abuse !?
If he stole from his clients why did they check to see if anybody owned a 300 blackout because they only have his shotgun that shows me that he doesn’t own a gun with black rounds because if he did a search would be in order to grab his guns from his home
