LEXINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Attorneys for former Hampton County lawyer and convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh appeared in court Wednesday alongside other parties connected to a fatal boat crash involving Murdaugh’s now-deceased son Paul.

The case stems from a 2019 incident during which an allegedly drunk and underaged Paul crashed his family boat into a bridge, killing 19-year-old Mallory Beach and injuring several other teens who were onboard.

Paul and five other friends spent the evening drinking, buying alcohol at Parker’s Kitchen convenience store before heading to an oyster roast. Paul used his older brother Buster’s ID to make the purchase. The suit names Parker’s as a defendant because the store sold alcohol to minors.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Parker’s asked Judge Daniel Hall for a summary judgement in the civil suit, saying their employee checked Murdaugh’s ID and did not knowingly sell him alcohol as a minor.

Lawyers for the surviving boat crash victims argued that the employee did not do her due diligence and should have asked for another form of ID since the name on the ID did not match the name on the credit card that was used to purchase the alcohol.

Judge Hall said that he will rule on Parker’s involvement in the case by May 26.

During the hearing, Murdaugh’s lawyers also asked Judge Hall to allocate $160,000 out of a receivership fund in which Murdaugh’s assets are kept. They said they need the money to purse Murdaugh’s case, and that the amount would be used only to cover actual costs.

There is at least $425,000 in the receivership account, which is controlled by court-appointed receivers.

Judge Hall will rule on the receivership issue within the next week.