Alex Murdaugh stands during a break in his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Friday, February 24, 2023. (Image via Joshua Boucher/The State/Pool)
It’s probably the least of his worries, but accused double murderer and disbarred attorney Alex Murdaugh was charged with another crime in Colleton County, South Carolina, on Friday.
Colleton County issued a misdemeanor arrest warrant for the 54-year-old defendant on Feb. 24, according to jail records reviewed by Law&Crime. He’s being held for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, those records note.
The warrant was issued late on the second day he testified in his defense during his weeks-long murder trial.
The fallen-from-grace legal scion, disbarred soon after murder allegations and alleged financial improprieties came to light, is accused of shooting and killing his wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, and their youngest son Paul Murdaugh, 22.
Alex Murdaugh was arrested for the latest misdemeanor charge on Friday, jail records show. The defendant initially remained in custody for over a year because he could not raise $7 million bond on dozens of alleged financial crimes. He was denied bail on the double murder charges.
Alex Murdaugh hit with a new charge, a misdemeanor, yesterday after he testified in his own defense in the double murder trial. NO CONFIRMATION on what this is but a lot of speculation about taking items out of the courtroom back to the transport van. #MurdaughTrial pic.twitter.com/YQN3q4564F
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) February 25, 2023
He has been indicted on 106 charges, including financial crimes, drug crimes, the two murder allegations, and weapons charges.
Details of the newest allegation are scarce.
There is currently rampant online speculation about what the less serious charge could mean for the man facing substantially longer than life in prison for his alleged felonies.
The charge may have something to do with a contraband violation involving a book, The Post and Courier reported.
Law&Crime reached out to the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office for comment, but no response was immediately forthcoming.
The misdemeanor was news to Alex Murdaugh’s defense team, according to Post and Courier reporter Avery G. Wilks.
Murdaugh’s defense attorneys say they know nothing about this new charge and haven’t even been told of it.
This could only have happened late on a Friday.
— Avery G. Wilks (@AveryGWilks) February 25, 2023
Court staff reportedly chastised one member of the defendant’s family recently for passing him an “undisclosed item,” according to The Independent.
Testimony in the case will begin again on Feb. 27. In a brief conference after jurors left on Friday, the defense signaled they would call a few more witnesses to wrap up their case. The state will likely want to cross-examine at least some of those expert witnesses.
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