COLUMBIA, S.C. — Alex Murdaugh could also be serving a life sentence for killing his spouse and son, however the authorized system is way from accomplished with him.
As he sat in his South Carolina jail cell this week, Murdaugh’s attorneys handled massive monetary claims towards him.
They advised an insurer trying to drive him to repay $3.4 million it awarded in a wrongful dying settlement over Murdaugh’s housekeeper that he lied concerning the circumstances of her dying. Murdaugh’s first model of occasions was designed to drive the insurer to pay, the attorneys stated. The imprisoned Murdaugh now says he does not bear in mind the occasions of 5 years in the past.
In the meantime, Jim Griffin, who helped lead the protection within the homicide case, is asking Decide Daniel Corridor to launch a further $160,000 from Murdaugh’s retirement account to pay for his enchantment of his life sentence as a result of the six-week trial exhausted the $600,000 they had been initially given.
Murdaugh, 54, was convicted in March. Prosecutors stated he stole thousands and thousands of {dollars} and located himself teetering on monetary catastrophe, which led him to shoot to dying his 22-year-old son, Paul, and 52-year-old spouse, Maggie, at their Colleton County house.
Additionally pending towards Murdaugh is a lawsuit filed by the household of Mallory Seaside. They are saying she was killed when Paul Murdaugh drove a ship right into a bridge piling whereas he was drunk in 2019. Her household sued the Murdaughs and the proprietor of the comfort retailer that offered the underage Paul the beer.
Based on media experiences, Greg Parker’s lawyer argued Wednesday that he and his shops needs to be dismissed from the lawsuit as a result of Paul Murdaugh had a reproduction of his older brother’s driver’s license and the clerk did shortly look at it. Parker additionally confirmed footage from a Netflix documentary that confirmed Paul’s associates discussing how he preferred consuming when driving the boat and that Seaside knew the chance when she frolicked with them.
Virtually all of Murdaugh’s belongings are frozen as courts sift by means of claims from the purchasers whom he allegedly stole from and others who’ve sued. However he was allowed to pay his attorneys although $600,000 out of his 401K retirement account since that cash was legitimately earned.
The officers appointed to regulate Murdaugh’s cash are towards giving his attorneys extra. However Griffin stated the six-week homicide trial was extra advanced and longer than anticipated.
Murdaugh’s attorneys are additionally combating a lawsuit towards him filed by Nautilus Insurance coverage Co., which paid out almost $4 million to settle claims within the aftermath of the dying of his longtime housekeeper, Gloria Satterfield.
Satterfield’s household stated they by no means acquired the cash. Eric Bland, the household’s legal professional, stated Murdaugh by no means advised them concerning the settlement and pocketed the cash after convincing Satterfield’s sons to make use of a lawyer as their consultant who was a household pal. Nautilus is suing in federal courtroom to get the cash again.
Murdaugh’s attorneys advised Nautilus take authorized motion towards Satterfield’s members of the family, saying they collected greater than $7 million in settlements and different charges. Nonetheless, Bland stated Nautilus has no declare towards the household as a result of they did not obtain the insurance coverage cash.
Its investigators ought to have appeared extra completely into Murdaugh’s account of Satterfield’s dying — which modified not too long ago — earlier than paying, Bland stated. Murdaugh beforehand stated Satterfield died in a fall however now says he does not bear in mind.
“That is nothing however noise,” Bland stated. “Simply gutless folks making an attempt to proceed to victimize Gloria’s siblings and youngsters.”
Murdaugh is awaiting trial on over 100 different prison expenses, together with insurance coverage fraud for making an attempt to rearrange his personal dying and cash laundering. He is also charged with tax evasion. From 2011 to 2021, Murdaugh made about $16 million as a lawyer, whereas stealing about $9 million from his regulation agency, settlement cash for purchasers and different locations, in keeping with indictments.