WALTERBORO, S.C. (WCBD) – Jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial will visit the property where Paul and Margaret were killed on the night of June 7, 2021.
It comes after Murdaugh’s defense team on Monday suggested that members of the jury visit the Moselle property – allowing them the opportunity to see the Murdaugh house, dog kennels, and feed room where the killings took place.
Attorney Dick Harpootlian said he felt it was important for the jury to see the area of the kennels and the house to get some “understanding of spatial relationships.”
State prosecutors, though, objected to the idea saying the scene has changed since the murders took place back in the summer of 2021, particularly noting the trees that were planted separating the kennels and house were now much taller and ticker today than they were when the deadly shooting occurred.
Harpootlian said he would be fine with limiting the viewing to just the kennels and the feed room. He wants to show jurors how small the feed room is and the space between where the feed room is compared to where Maggie’s body was located.
“You just can’t really appreciate the spatial issues without actually seeing them,” he said.
Judge Clifton Newman ruled in favor of sending the jury to the property. It has not yet been determined when that viewing will take place.
Harpootlian also noted that there have been several people trespassing on the Moselle property taking selfies in front of the feed room and asking for security for the jury during their viewing.
He said that Alex’s brother, John Marvin Murdaugh, who has been maintaining the property, called the sheriff’s office to remove some people from the location.
Judge Newman said the scene will be secured.
