Jomar Albayalde — Direct
56 linesJUDGE NEWMAN: The State next calls Jomar Albayalde.
The witness, JOMAR ALBAYALDE, was first duly sworn And testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Have a seat on the witness stand. Please repeat your name, and spell your last name for the record.
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Jomar Albayalde. Spelling of the last name is A-l-b as in Bravo-a-y-a-l-d-e. Albayalde. If it makes it any easier, my peers call me Jo.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MS. GOUDE:
MS. GOUDE: Thank you, Jo. And you did tell me a little trick to pronouncing that last name there?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Yes, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: And what was that?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: If you remember the phrase I'll be here all day and drop the here, Albayalde, you've got it.
MS. GOUDE: Thank you so much more sharing that with me.
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Yes, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: And you work for SLED. Is that right?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: I do.
MS. GOUDE: And did you have the chance to collect some buccal swabs in the investigation of the murders of Paul and Maggie Murdaugh?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: I did.
MS. GOUDE: I'm going to hand you State's Exhibit 342, 343, and 344. If you'll take a look, please.
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Yes, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: Okay, and State's Exhibit 342 is a buccal swab you collected from who?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: All right, This Exhibit 342 is from Mr. Randy Murdaugh.
MS. GOUDE: Okay, and then 343?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: 343 is the DNA sample collected from a Hipolito Torres.
MS. GOUDE: And 344?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: This final buccal sample is collected from his son, Allen Gonzalez.
MS. GOUDE: And how did you collect these buccal swabs?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Yes, ma'am. These were collected via a DNA or buccal swab kit, which essentially is a swab as Special Agent Johnson explained to you earlier. So, it's simply a swab from each side of -- in their cheek, placed into a secured envelope, and then sealed in a evidence envelope such as this one.
MS. GOUDE: It would be sealed so it was not tampered with. Is that right?
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: That's correct, ma'am.
MS. GOUDE: Okay.
MS. GOUDE: At this time, the State would move State's 342, 343, and 344 into evidence.
JUDGE NEWMAN: What says the defense?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any objection?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted without objection.
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 342 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 343 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(BUCCAL MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 344 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MS. GOUDE: Thank you, Your Honor. The State has no further questions for Jo. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any cross-examination?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Beg the Court's indulgence one moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No questions, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may step down.
JOMAR ALBAYALDE: Thank you, Your Honor.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Call your next witness.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, our next witness will be fairly lengthy, and Mr. Hernandez is going to call him, and we would ask for just a moment to get the exhibits out that he needs and get them in order so it moves orderly before the jury, if we could.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we'll take a brief break.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
(A break was taken.)
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may call your next witness.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you, Your Honor. May it please the Court?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.