Day 9 - February 6, 2023

Mark TinsleyCreighton Waters

262 lines

Mark Tinsley described the Beach family's personal-recovery demands, his effort to obtain Alex Murdaugh's financial records, the continued June 10 hearing, and how a vigilante-victim perception would have affected the civil claim.

Mark TinsleyPhillip D. Barber

192 lines

Defense counsel tested the immediacy and scope of the financial pressure facing Alex Murdaugh. Mark Tinsley conceded that June 10 would not itself have been a reckoning but maintained that disclosure of financial information could have begun exposing irregularities.

Mark TinsleyCreighton Waters

63 lines

Mark Tinsley explained why he sought institutional financial records, described settlement options involving property and a payment plan, and said additional liability theories were already under discussion. The court then addressed privilege limits for anticipated third-party testimony.

Highlights

Mark Tinsley - Directevidence eventThrough the motion to compel and related messages, Tinsley explained that he sought Murdaugh's account information to test the claim that he was broke and, if necessary, trace funds through institutional subpoenas.Mark Tinsley - CrossadmissionTinsley agreed that June 10 would not itself have produced an immediate reckoning, while maintaining that disclosure of the requested information would have intensified scrutiny and could have exposed financial irregularities.Mark Tinsley - Cross“I think it's fair that -- to say that there wouldn't have been an explosion on June the 10th, but the fuse was lit the moment that that information became available in the case.”— Mark TinsleyTinsley conceded that the scheduled hearing was not an instantaneous reckoning while maintaining that access to the information would have increased the risk of exposure.

Ronnie CrosbyCreighton Waters

34 lines

Ronnie Crosby described Alex Murdaugh's June 10 account to assembled friends and relatives, distinguished it from private conversations with counsel, and confirmed that investigators had avoided the meeting pending court guidance.

Ronnie CrosbyJim Griffin

41 lines

Ronnie Crosby denied acting as Alex Murdaugh's lawyer at the June 10 gathering and said he could not identify who was present for each particular statement because attendance was fluid.

Rule 404(b) Ruling and Limiting Instruction

48 lines

The court admitted alleged financial-crimes evidence under Rule 404(b), Rule 403, and res gestae, clarified that the ruling extended beyond June 7, and addressed the defense's request for a limiting instruction and preserved objection.

Shelley SmithJohn Meadors

784 lines

Caregiver Shelley Smith described Alex Murdaugh's brief June 7 visit to Almeda, his later statement that he had stayed 30 to 40 minutes, and an early-morning visit when she saw him carry a blue tarp-like item upstairs.

Shelley SmithJim Griffin

218 lines

Shelley Smith maintained that Alex Murdaugh carried a balled-up blue tarp, limited his June 7 Almeda visit to about 20 minutes, and said she saw no blood. The defense highlighted earlier timing estimates and her delayed tarp disclosure.

Shelley SmithJohn Meadors

66 lines

Shelley Smith reaffirmed a 10-to-20-minute visit estimate, called Alex Murdaugh's nighttime and early-morning visits unusual, and clarified when and how she disclosed seeing a bundled blue tarp.

Recorded Witness Statement and Raincoat Evidence Issues

The court ordered disclosure of Shelley Smith's recorded statement under Rule 613, then heard a defense request to exclude blue raincoat evidence and the State's response without stating an express ruling.

Shelley SmithJohn Meadors

123 lines

Shelley Smith reaffirmed that Alex Murdaugh's late Almeda visit was unusual and about 20 minutes, repeated his instruction to say 30 or 40 minutes if asked, and identified State's 411 as resembling the balled-up blue vinyl garment she saw him carry.

Recross

Shelley SmithJim Griffin

51 lines

Shelley Smith distinguished the blue tarp she saw from the photographed rain jacket, acknowledged limits on identifying a folded closet item, and agreed that Randolph Murdaugh's hospitalization provided context for Alex Murdaugh's visit.

Highlights

Rule 404(b) Ruling and Limiting InstructionrulingAfter reviewing the in-camera testimony and exhibits, the court granted the State's motion to admit other-crimes evidence under Rule 404(b), Rule 403, and res gestae, finding it relevant to the State's motive theory and more probative than prejudicial.Rule 404(b) Ruling and Limiting Instruction“But the ruling includes all evidence of financial crimes that may likely have led to a motive, or lend itself to motive for the crime committed, and that would be before or after.”— Clifton NewmanThe court clarifies that the admissibility ruling extends beyond the events of June 7 to financial-crimes evidence tied to the asserted motive theory.Shelley Smith - Directtestimony highlightSmith described an unannounced 6:30 a.m. visit three days after Randolph Murdaugh's funeral. She said Alex Murdaugh arrived in a white truck, carried a blue tarp-like item inside, and went upstairs; she could not tell whether the item contained anything.Shelley Smith - CrossimpeachmentCounsel confronted Smith with prior interview accounts and the timing of her tarp disclosure. She agreed that she had not mentioned the tarp during June SLED interviews and first mentioned it in September, but denied telling Officer Joseph Dingle that the object looked like a rifle and reaffirmed that it appeared to be a balled-up blue tarp rather than a rain jacket.Shelley Smith - Redirect (Continued)testimony highlightSmith testified that Alex Murdaugh told her to say he had been at Almeda for 30 or 40 minutes if someone asked, and she confirmed giving that account to defense investigators in October 2022.Shelley Smith - Redirect (Continued)“He said if someone asks you, I was here 30 or 40 minutes. That's what he said.”— Shelley SmithSmith directly attributed to Alex Murdaugh an instruction about what duration to report for his Almeda visit.

Kristin MooreSavannah M. Goude

118 lines

SLED Agent Kristin Moore described finding and collecting a blue tarp and raincoat during a residence search and testified that presumptive blood testing of the raincoat was negative.

Kristin MooreJim Griffin

83 lines

Kristin Moore confirmed that the blue tarp was not tested by her and that the raincoat produced negative phenolphthalein and LCV results, while acknowledging limits in efforts known to her to have the garment recognized.

Kristin MooreSavannah M. Goude

21 lines

Kristin Moore confirmed the raincoat's identity, explained that she added its tape during processing, and described it as unusually large and found balled up.

Highlights

Kristin Moore - Directtestimony highlightMoore testified that phenolphthalein testing of documented stains was negative and that an additional stain also tested negative with phenolphthalein and Leucocrystal Violet.Kristin Moore - Direct“SLED Serology Department then tested the stains with phenolphthalein, which is a presumptive test for the presentence of suspected blood; all testing with phenolphthalein was negative.”— Kristin MooreThe testimony established that the documented stains did not produce a positive presumptive result for blood with phenolphthalein.

William McElveenDavid A. Fernandez

173 lines

William McElveen described Paul Murdaugh's frequent phone use, the Moselle layout and visitor routines, and his inability to recall firearms being left near the sheds.

William McElveenJim Griffin

96 lines

William McElveen described close Murdaugh family relationships, responsible firearm handling, and Alex Murdaugh appearing sad and crying after the deaths.

Limiting Instruction and Raincoat-Evidence Ruling

Counsel substantially agreed on a limiting instruction, and the court overruled the defense's Rule 403 objection to anticipated gunshot-residue testimony about the blue raincoat.

Natasha MoodieJohnny E. James

59 lines

Natasha Moodie authenticated three discs of Bank of America account records, which the court admitted as State's Exhibits 415 through 417 after giving a limiting instruction on their use for motive.

Highlights

Limiting Instruction and Raincoat-Evidence RulingrulingAfter hearing competing arguments about whether the blue raincoat had been connected to Alex Murdaugh, the court overruled the defense's Rule 403 objection and allowed the State to offer gunshot-residue testimony. The defense formally excepted to the ruling.Natasha Moodie - Direct“This testimony has been allowed and is being allowed for the limited purpose of assisting the State in proving motive.”— Clifton NewmanThe court expressly defined the permitted purpose of the financial-record evidence and cautioned jurors against using it as character or propensity proof.Natasha Moodie - Directevidence eventAfter the defense maintained its previously made objections, the court admitted the three discs of Bank of America records as State's Exhibits 415, 416, and 417.

Jamie HallJohn Meadors

330 lines

Jamie Hall explained SLED's GSR evidence-processing procedures and authenticated samples from a hand kit, clothing, shoes, a seatbelt, and a blue rain jacket, while documenting the condition of the shirt and shoes.

Jamie HallJim Griffin

95 lines

Jamie Hall explained her GSR collection methods and confirmed that she did not know the analytical results or whether the items later underwent DNA testing.