Blake Johnson — Direct
41 linesJUDGE NEWMAN: You may call your next witness.
MS. GOUDE: The state calls Blake Johnson.
The witness, BLAKE JOHNSON, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: And if you can take a seat on the witness stand, repeat your name, and spell your last name for everybody.
BLAKE JOHNSON: Blake Johnson, last name J-o-h-n-s-o-n.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MS. GOUDE:
MS. GOUDE: Hi, Mr. Johnson.
BLAKE JOHNSON: Hello.
MS. GOUDE: Could you tell the jury where you work?
BLAKE JOHNSON: I work for the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
MS. GOUDE: And how long have you been with SLED?
BLAKE JOHNSON: I've been with SLED a little over five years.
MS. GOUDE: And what are some of the duties of your position?
BLAKE JOHNSON: At SLED I work for the Investigative Services in the Lowcountry Region, and as part of that I investigate crimes within the lower twelve counties to include homicides, officer involved shootings, cases such was that.
MS. GOUDE: And with your involvement in the investigation of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh's murders, did you have a chance to collect some buccal swabs in that case?
BLAKE JOHNSON: I did.
MS. GOUDE: I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 338 and State's Exhibit 339.
BLAKE JOHNSON: This one is the buccal swab that I took from Claude Rowe, C.B. Rowe, and --
MS. GOUDE: That's State's Exhibit 338.
BLAKE JOHNSON: And this is a buccal swab that I took from Connor Cook.
MS. GOUDE: Okay, and how do you know you took those two buccal swabs?
BLAKE JOHNSON: Because of the writing on the outside. This is the exterior envelope. If I open them, the one on that I have signed would be at the top.
MS. GOUDE: All right, and how did you collect these buccal swabs?
BLAKE JOHNSON: I was provided buccal swabs. They come two to a pack, in a sterile pack. They're opened, and the inside of between the cheek and gum of both subjects are swabbed, and they're put back in the envelope and sealed.
MS. GOUDE: And sealed?
BLAKE JOHNSON: Yeah.
MS. GOUDE: Okay. They're sealed so nobody can tamper or alter those buccal swabs?
BLAKE JOHNSON: Yes. Evidence tape was placed on the seal and then signed and initialed, or initialed and dated.
MS. GOUDE: Your Honor, at this time the State would move State's Exhibit 338 and 339 into evidence.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted.
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 338 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 339 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MS. GOUDE: And, Your Honor, I have no further questions for this witness.
JUDGE NEWMAN: By the defense?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may step down.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Your next witness.
MS. GOUDE: Lawrence Wiggins.