Prosecution focuses on financial crimes during Murdaugh's time on stand
Top story Alec Murdoch took the stand today to give his side of the story. The testimony became highly anticipated overnight. That's because the defense implied they were considering the idea yesterday. Ultimately Murdoch decided against his attorney's advice and state his case to the jury. Right out of the gate the court was shocked to hear Murdoch admit he'd lied to investigators. Murdoch says that he was in fact at the dog kennels on the family's hunting property the night his wife Maggie and son Paul were killed. Murdoch says his drug addiction and state of mind after finding their bodies led him to lie.
I'm sitting in a police car with David Owen asking me about my relationship with my wife and my son. And all those things coupled together after finding them coupled with my distrust for sled caused me to have paranoid thoughts. On June the 7th. I wasn't thinking clearly. I don't think I was capable of reason. And I lied about being down there. And I'm so sorry that I did.
This is a look at the video of his first interview with law enforcement. Murdoch says he lied to investigators in cross examination today. The state clarified with Murdoch that this was the first time he admitted to the lie. And would you also agree that the first time that law enforcement officers that you've talked to. And the prosecution and here in open court ever heard you say. That you lied about being in the kennels was today in this court. Yes I'm aware of that.
You would agree with that. Yes sir. All this time later this is the first time you've ever said that. Yes sir. And Murdoch says he was not at the kennels long and went back to the house after. And the state's argument is that Murdoch's financial situation led him to kill Maggie and Paul. Murdoch says finances were not on his mind the night of those murders.
On June the 7th did you believe that your financial house of cards was about to crumble. On June the 7th? Yes sir. Absolutely not. During the state's questioning Murdoch's alleged financial crimes a huge focus. Prosecutors pushing the narrative that Murdoch has not been truthful in the past. I did it on more than one occasion. I took their money when I shouldn't have taken it.
I'm sure that I looked them in the eye. I'm sure that I misled them. But I can't tell you exactly when those occurred 12 years ago. It's the only point. I don't dispute that they occurred. I don't dispute that everything about what I did was wrong. But I can't sit and tell you the specific details that you're wanting me to give you.
We could just write that answer down on a sheet of paper and you could hold it up each time you want to say that, couldn't we? If that's what you want to do Mr. Waters, but I'm trying to answer your question. These were real people you were dealing with, right? Absolutely. I know you want to give that answer, but these were real people, aren't they? No, they're very real people. One of the saddest parts of this whole thing is they're people that I still care about and I did them this way. Coming up the next half an hour, we hear from a licensed counselor about Murdoch's mental state and what picture he is trying to paint to the jury. The testimony lasted for nearly six hours today and covered several topics from both the defense and prosecution.
That's right, Fox journalist Grace Runkel was inside the courtroom the entire time as much more tonight from Walter Burrow. It was the moment that those who have been following the Alec Murdoch trial had been waiting for when Murdoch himself took the stand. The line outside the courthouse set a new record with people lining up as early as five in the morning. We spoke with two women who lined up early in the hopes of seeing Murdoch on the stand. One says she thinks it was a good decision. I think hearing from him has made a lot of difference because when you watch it on TV and when you hear all the police interviews, that's one thing, but when you hear the ash, well, people up here like he said, so much of the stuff has been construed about his clothes and different things that weren't true. And just hearing those, I'm like, wow, what a difference.
But not everyone was convinced. Alex is an attorney. He is. He's an attorney and he knows what's going on. I mean, he knows and I'm sure that they did prep him. So Murdoch will be back on the stand again tomorrow morning. Creighton Water says that he has about three to four hours of additional cross examination.
He needs to get through. He says he will continue asking questions about those alleged financial crimes. And then he's going to move on to the evidence that was found at the crime scene at Moselle in Walter Burrow. This is your uncle, Fox Carolina News.