Alex Murdaugh Trial: Jury Visits Moselle Property for Closing Arguments
Alex Murdaugh, 54, is on trial in Walterboro, South Carolina, accused of killing his wife and son at the family's 1,770-acre Colleton County estate, called Moselle.[0] The now-six-week case has seen prosecutors calling 62 witnesses, some testifying twice, and the defense putting up 14, including Murdaugh himself.[0]
On Wednesday, the jury was taken to the Moselle property to tour the crime scene.[1] They were taken through the kennel entrance and had a total of 30 minutes to view the property.[2] They spent most of their time at the kennels and the shed where Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were killed.[3] Towards the end of the visit, the jury was taken to the main house for a view of the exterior.[2]
The defense has called witnesses that argue the gunshot wound to Paul’s head was a contact wound, but a medical expert disagreed.[4] She claimed that if Paul had been shot in the head with a contact shotgun, the damage to his face would have been more severe.[4]
At 10:07, the black Mercedes belonging to Dick Harpootlian, accompanied by co-counsel Margaret Fox, pulled down the short driveway.[5] Mr. Harpootlian stated that the jury had arrived at the house and was in the process of completing their tour.[5] Jim Griffin, the defense lawyer, is set to present his closing argument this afternoon, and he is not in attendance with his colleagues.[6]
The jury preceded them by several minutes.[7] They had a few seconds to view them as they walked the narrow path between the kennels and the shed.[3] A juror stood in the doorway of the feed room, looking up at the portal that had been the focus of many anguished accounts.[3]
The lawn on the premises is high and the bushes near the custodian's hut are thick and untamed.[3] The black mailbox situated at the entrance to the kennels is blanketed with pollen and adorned with spiderwebs.[3] A “no trespassing” sign is affixed to a post at the top of the mailbox.[5]
After weeks of testimony, Murdaugh has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime in connection to the 2021 fatal shootings of his wife and son.[8]
The jury is expected to return to the courtroom at 11 a.m.[2]
0. “SC attorney general steps in to close out state’s murder case against Alex Murdaugh” The State, 28 Feb. 2023, https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article272622488.html
1. “Alex Murdaugh jurors visit Moselle Wednesday to tour the murder scene” Fox News, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/us/alex-murdaugh-jurors-to-visit-moselle-wednesday-hear-closing-statements
2. “Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial: Live video, coverage as closing arguments are set to begin” WJCL News Savannah, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.wjcl.com/article/murdaugh-trial-live-stream-24/43137473
3. “Jurors take their time at Moselle, see crime scene for themselves as Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial nears end” Law & Crime, 1 Mar. 2023, https://lawandcrime.com/live-trials/live-trials-current/alex-murdaugh/jurors-take-their-time-at-moselle-see-crime-scene-for-themselves-as-alex-murdaughs-double-murder-trial-nears-end
4. “Murdaugh Trial, Day 26: Testimony gets heated during state's rebuttal” Fox Carolina, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxcarolina.com/2023/03/01/murdaugh-trial-day-26-testimony-gets-heated-during-states-rebuttal
5. “LIVE BLOG: Murdaugh Murder Trial, Day 27: Closing arguments start after jury Moselle trip” wpde.com, 1 Mar. 2023, https://wpde.com/news/local/live-blog-murdaugh-murder-trial-day-27-jury-visits-scene-of-murders-wednesday-wciv-alex-murdaugh-maggie-paul-mother-son-family-killed-buster-john-marvin-charleston-colleton-county-sc-south-carolina-attorney
6. “LIVE FEED – ‘Murdaugh Murders' Trial: Day Twenty-Seven” FITSNews, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.fitsnews.com/2023/03/01/live-feed-murdaugh-murders-trial-day-twenty-seven/
7. “Day 27 live updates: Murdaugh jury finishes Moselle visit, next up closing arguments” The State, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article272633671.html
8. “Live coverage Alex Murdaugh trial: Closing arguments begin” USA TODAY, 1 Mar. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/03/01/alex-murdaugh-closing-arguments-double-murder-trial/11364053002
