WALTERBORO, S.C. — The judge in the double murder trial of disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh removed a juror just hours before the jury was set to begin deliberations.
Judge Clifton Newman made the announcement at the start of court before the defense's closing arguments began.
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Before the defense’s closing arguments began, Judge Newman revealed that one of the jurors was removed and replaced by one of the alternates after the female juror was found to have talked about the case to members of the public. Defense’s counsel Dick Harpootlian wanted it noted in the record SLED agents conducted the interviews with the juror and two of her accusers and, in his opinion, it appears that SLED has compounded the mistakes they have made in the case.
Judge Newman told the juror he didn’t think she did anything intentionally wrong but released her from duty. The jury was then brought in for the closing arguments after she left the courtroom.
Several Murdaugh trial jurors have had to leave but mainly those were due to illness. This was the first for someone who may have violated court rules.
Murdaugh, 54, is accused of killing his wife Maggie and son Paul at the family's Moselle estate back in June of 2021. Prosecutors say he's the sole person responsible while the defense says the state never seriously looked for any other potential witnesses.
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