Satterfield family attorney shares thoughts on Murdaugh murder trial

COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WTOC) - Eric Bland, the man representing Gloria Satterfield’s family - the housekeeper who died on Murdaugh’s property – did not hold bak. He thinks Alex Murdaugh is guilty, but he has his doubts about what the jury will decide.

“An innocent man doesn’t tell lies about the last seconds he saw his wife and son,” Bland said.

Bland said he thinks the state presented a strong case at trial.

“I’m very proud of the state. They put forth the best case they could. They were given a trainwreck by Alex because of all the lies and who he was,” he said.

Bland thinks Murdaugh’s lies about where he was the night of the murders put his team in a corner, forcing them to make some concessions.

“He’s going to spot you that Alex is a liar. But a liar doesn’t make a murderer is essentially what the defense closing is at this time,” Bland said.

Still, Bland admits getting 12 jurors to convict Alex Murdaugh from this trial may be unrealistic. He thinks a hung jury is the most likely outcome.

“I don’t see 12 people saying not guilty. I don’t see that. That would shock me,” Bland said. “Now the question is, can a jury convict him based on this circumstantial evidence? However, I’ve never talked to one single person in six weeks that says Alex is innocent. I’ve talked to a number of people who said he did it, but I don’t think the state has proven it.”

Regardless of the jury’s decision, Bland said the trial has lived up to the hype.

“It has been the trial of the century. There’s no doubt about it,” he said.

Bland said he feels Paul Murdaugh’s phone being unlocked with the video from the kennels may have had the biggest impact on this trial, because it forced Alex to admit that he lied to detectives about not being at the crime scene shortly before the murders.

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