Guilty Beyond a Reasonable Doubt?
- A self-avowed thief? Yes.
- A self-avowed drug addict at the time? Yes.
- A murderer beyond a reasonable doubt? No.
On good authority, McNeal can report that there is another suspect(s) under investigation. The story of the "baseball bat strike" that killed Stephen Smith cannot stand scrutiny as well as other tales of Buster's purported involvement. Why is the State of South Carolina's Law Enforcement Division (SLED) not announcing the ongoing investigation of the other suspect(s) who have no connection to Buster Murdaugh?
Is this to keep the Murdaugh men "in the circle" as they did Alex Murdaugh on that very first night at Moselle? Is this about keeping Buster potentially "in the circle" until Alex Murdaugh's appeals are exhausted? If so, who is making that call? It is ruthless to see a man go through this after losing his family.
If SLED has facts that do not point to Buster, it is time they lay their cards on the table, otherwise the speculation and innuendo will continue to blaze. Using the explanation that if they lay their cards on the table, that action might interfere with the ongoing investigation into Stephen Smith's case, is not enough to justify smearing another Murdaugh with the specter of having been involved in a murder.
Where is the fair hearing either of these men should be afforded under our law? Alex Murdaugh was convicted as a result of a less than transparent presentation of evidence by the prosecution. The tone of what was to come in the trial was set when his defense team had to fight and lost the battle over a protective order saying essentially that no other suspect could be introduced, or even suggested, by the defense. If so, the state could have called for a mistrial, and there would have been a new murder trial. Murdaugh did not have the financial wherewithal to defend himself yet again.
Like father-like son? In this case SLED should release the information about the suspect(s) in the Stephen Smith case so that Buster Murdaugh can be free of speculation. Buster, who came under fire for saying he does not believe his father is guilty in the slaying of his mother, Maggie Murdaugh, or his brother Paul Murdaugh deserves to live a life without being psychologically assaulted when SLED knows there is a real suspect(s).
The Closing Argument: Unraveling the Alex Murdaugh Murder Mystery. Was Alex Murdaugh, almost immediately the prime suspect on that fateful night when Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were brutally slain, truly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? Were there other suspects who merited a more comprehensive and thorough investigation? Did the jury deliver justice, or was their decision swayed by what they were selectively shown and told? Follow Shay McNeal through the maze of documents that reveal other possibilities that could help answer this critical question - is Alex Murdaugh innocent? Or has the self-avowed thief and self-avowed drug addict been wrongly convicted of double murder?
Dive into "The Closing Argument" to explore the depths of this case as well as the sordid underbelly of some members of South Carolina society's old guard and new money acolytes. Lying for business purposes, drinking excessively, and unlawful recreational drug consumption is not unheard of in the "we people" culture and the consequences of such actions can be mental or physical abuse to others whose moral values come into conflict with these people,
Far too often, alcohol and unlawful recreational drugs are partaken in across the Lowcountry as well as throughout the nation, And, on occasion, parents and their children who are under the legal age for alcohol consumption - which is 21 in the state of South Carolina - are indulging together. These acts are from time to time entered into by other professionals like Alex Murdaugh who should also know better. Most are lucky, as the outcome of such underage drinking and taking of recreational drug violations can land at the feet of many families in the Lowcountry and across the entire United States. And that could lead to horrific consequences.
So we ask. Were there political as well as societal under- tones that played a role in the trial? The unforeseen role that drug addiction played in Alex Murdaugh's life is unfortunately a reality. The insinuation that he killed Maggie and Paul in a drug rage is an assertion by the prosecution that is questionable. McNeal learned, in conversations with drug addiction experts, that the Oxycodone and OxyContin class of drugs, that was the basis of Murdaugh's addiction, is generally not seen in murderous rages. In fact, as the tolerance grows and more drugs are consumed, an addict usually just wants to sleep more than demonstrate violence.
Looking at a culture in the Lowcountry that sometimes rears its ugly head, did Murdaugh get a fair trial? Was he the trophy boy for what so many others have engaged in with thievery in some fashion or another, or drug use leading to addictions being addressed in private clinics out of the public view? Thankfully these situations do not generally end in accusations of murder or convictions. In Murdaugh's case, if all had been laid bare regarding the murders without his drug use being implied as leading to rage killings. And if his thefts against innocent people who had been his clients, friends, and family, had not been addressed, would there have been reasonable doubt as to Alex Murdaugh's guilt for the killings of the two people he undoubtedly loved?
Moreover, being a liar about your business dealings and being an addict do not necessarily mean you are also a killer. There was no life insurance on Maggie or Paul. The prosecution asserted that Murdaugh murdered his family to churn up sympathy. Alex's Murdaugh's father was critically ill and died on the Thursday following the night of the murders on Monday, Murdaugh would certainly have had sympathy without murdering his family. Was the upcoming hearing regarding Paul's boat accident or the accusation of Alex's embezzling from his firm enough reason to kill his wife and son on that very night? Even with Paul's death, the civil suits would not have disappeared. Potentially Murdaugh would still have to pay money he did not have readily available. The embarrassment and financial pressure would not have gone away.
What really happened that night? Ultimately, there was Alex Murdaugh's story, the prosecution's, and the media point of view. If Alex Murdaugh gets a new trial on appeal with a more exhaustive presentation of evidence and consequently a more substantial closing argument - who will prevail? Does Alex Murdaugh even know, or is he as confused as many others who are still searching for the truth? And, if it was not Alex Murdaugh - then who?
In the end, after reading The Closing Argument, you will draw your own conclusions about the jury's verdict. Will you side with the prosecution and the jury on that day in the Colleton County Courthouse, or will you question what lies beneath the surface of the carefully curated evidence presented that doomed Alex Murdaugh to a double murder conviction?