Hearing held to decide if Murdaugh’s financial crimes should be included in murder trial

WALTERBORO, S.C. (WTOC) - The morning session of day nine was dominated by a hearing without the jury, as the judge considered whether or not charges against Alex Murdaugh for financial crimes should be allowed to be included as evidence for the double murder trial.

“The money is taken straight to you? That would be stealing it.”

With the CFO of Murdaugh’s former law firm on the stand, the state ran through some of the 99 financial crimes Murdaugh is charged with.

“So, the rest of that money went to the client didn’t it?” asked state prosecutor Creighton Waters.

“It did not, it actually went to the fake FORGE account where Alex stole the money from the client,” said Jeanne Seckinger, the CFO of PMPED.

“Every last bit of it?”

“Every bit. The $152,866.”

“That client didn’t get one dime until y’all had to make it right?”

“That’s right.”

“And that’s similar to the rest of the examples we have?”

“Exactly like the rest.”

“Going on for years?

“Yes.”

The defense believes those crimes shouldn’t be included in this trial, instead focusing on the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.

“And there’s nothing about murder of Maggie and Paul that prevented you from accessing that information at any point in time?” asked defense attorney Jim Griffin.

“No, what prevented me was work and personal obligations to get to that point in time to have the opportunity to look.”

At the end of the hearing, Judge Newman decided to proceed the rest of the day with the murder trial and jury saying the financial crimes inclusion status will be continued later.

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