Belinda Rast — Direct/Cross
170 linesJUDGE NEWMAN: Very good. Welcome back. Your next witness.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you, Your Honor. May it please the Court? The State calls Belinda Rast.
The witness, BELINDA RAST, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Take a seat in the witness stand. Now, can you please repeat your name again for the record, and spell your last name.
BELINDA RAST: Belinda Rast.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Spelled?
BELINDA RAST: R-a-s-t.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. FERNANDEZ:
MR. FERNANDEZ: Belinda, good afternoon. Good afternoon. Before we begin, Belinda, are you hard of hearing?
BELINDA RAST: I am.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, is it important for you that you can read what I'm saying in order to better understand the question?
BELINDA RAST: Correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If at any time I say something and I have turned my attention away just, please, let us know and I'll re-ask the question. Okay?
BELINDA RAST: Okay.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Belinda, tell the jury a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, where did you go to school, and what was your professional training?
BELINDA RAST: I grew up in Varnville. I went to school right there in Varnville, Hampton, Wade Hampton High School, and I'm a CNA. I've worked in the hospital and home health.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. CNA is a certified nursing assistant?
BELINDA RAST: That's correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, did you work in nursing before moving into private home health?
BELINDA RAST: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay, and do you now -- are you now employed as a private home care provider?
BELINDA RAST: Private home caregiver.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Belinda, I'm going to ask you to put that microphone as close to you as you can; you might have to move if a little bit. Thank you.
BELINDA RAST: Okay.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Great. Well, tell us a little bit about what private home health -- private home care would be.
BELINDA RAST: When you work with one individual or two in a home, that's not, you know, like in a hospital or the nursing home, and you take care of that one individual or two at the most. And you do their care, whatever it might be. Like when I started at the Murdaughs', Ms. Libby was up and about. We just had to watch her and make sure she didn't wander away. It was -- she could go to the bathroom, she knew when she had to go, but you had to make sure she cleaned herself, and just make sure she would eat and stuff. And then with her, it just -- her health deteriorated and her illness got worse, and so she went from that to now she's bedridden and we have to feed her, turn her, change her, whatever is needed. She doesn't know when she's going to the bathroom or whatever, so we have to monitor her real close.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I know we skipped ahead, but you currently -- who do you currently provide home healthcare to?
BELINDA RAST: Ms. Libby Murdaugh.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And how long have you been providing that?
BELINDA RAST: A little over four years.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I think you just said it, but it began as kind of one job, and has it evolved in over time to being a more significant job?
BELINDA RAST: That's correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Belinda, are you nervous being here today?
BELINDA RAST: I am.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Would you -- would you say that you've become fairly close to Ms. Libby over these years?
BELINDA RAST: I have. She is -- to me she's family. She's like my family away from home.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Do you care about her?
BELINDA RAST: I do.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Well, Ms. Rast, tell me about what your typical hourly shift is.
BELINDA RAST: From 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right, and do you occasionally work weekends?
BELINDA RAST: I work every other weekend.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what would your hours be on the weekends?
BELINDA RAST: From 7:00 p. to 7:00 -- until 8:00 a.m. in the morning, or 9:00. 9:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, for weekdays it's typically 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Is that correct?
BELINDA RAST: Correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And how long have you been working there, again, at Almeda?
BELINDA RAST: Well, I've already been there four. This year will be my fifth year.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Were you employed during the year 2021, June of 2021?
BELINDA RAST: I was.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Do you remember the day June 7th of 2021?
BELINDA RAST: June 7th?
MR. FERNANDEZ: June 7th.
BELINDA RAST: That's the -- that date, yeah. That was the day I was called and told to come to the house, that they wanted to tell me something.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Were you supposed to work that day? Were you scheduled to work that day?
BELINDA RAST: I was.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right, and what happened? Why were you not on duty that day?
BELINDA RAST: Well, one of other employees wanted to be off, and I switched with her, Ms. Shelley. She had wanted -- had some plans with her friend and she wanted to be off, and she asked me would I trade with her and I told her yeah, I would do that.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And of all of the nurses that work with Ms. Libby, is that fairly common if someone has a conflict, you can call them to try to arrange some sort of changing schedule?
BELINDA RAST: Yeah.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. So, you were off on June 7th, but you would have been working what hours?
BELINDA RAST: If I had been there, I would have been working -- at that time we were working from -- that was on a Saturday, I think, or Sunday. We were working from 3:00 p. until -- you know, 3:00 in the afternoon until 9:00 the next morning.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you know Maggie Murdaugh?
BELINDA RAST: Briefly. I met her. I've seen her several times at the Murdaugh house, but personally know her, no.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you get to know Paul Murdaugh?
BELINDA RAST: Yes, I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay, and how did you get to know him?
BELINDA RAST: Well, he came to see his grandparents, Mr. Randolph and Ms. Libby.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did he come more often than perhaps others?
BELINDA RAST: Yes, he did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Well, tell us a little bit about him.
BELINDA RAST: Well, he was always very polite. He always offered to help do things for Randolph and Ms. Libby. He would, like, you know -- Ms. Libby liked ice cream, so he would always say Ms. M, Grandma M, because that's what they called her, would you like me to get you some ice cream? And she would usually say yeah because that was her thing, and he would say -- get it and go around and he would tease her about it, but he would always give to her.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, he came around a little more than perhaps any of the other --
BELINDA RAST: Grandchildren, yes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: -- grandchildren? Did you get to know Mr. Alex Murdaugh?
BELINDA RAST: I do.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is he here today? Is he here today?
BELINDA RAST: Yes, he is, right there.
MR. FERNANDEZ: In the blue jacket?
BELINDA RAST: In the blue jacket and blue shirt.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you. On your shift, from the normal shift, 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., how often would you say Mr. Alex stopped by in those years that you've been there?
BELINDA RAST: Not very often, not during that time period. Six or seven times maybe.
MR. FERNANDEZ: In that -- in the five years you've been there the six or seven times?
BELINDA RAST: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And you mentioned Mr. Randolph. Who was he again?
BELINDA RAST: He was Ms. Libby's husband.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you take care of him? Was he a client of yours?
BELINDA RAST: Well, he was not my patient, but I helped him. I assisted him when he needed help.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was there a point in time when his health became fairly poor and that you decided he needed some help?
BELINDA RAST: Yes, there was.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And if you were there, would you provide that assistance to him, whatever he needed?
BELINDA RAST: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Was there ever a time when Ms. Randolph -- and Mr. Randolph, do you know when he passed away?
BELINDA RAST: Yeah, on June the 10th.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, it was shortly after the murders of Maggie and Paul?
BELINDA RAST: Correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Before he passed, was there ever a time when the defendant came over later at night?
BELINDA RAST: When he was called -- well, not late at night -- well, yes, it was, it was, on the 6th, I think it was, the night before Maggie and Paul. I was there that night, and he and Ms. Maggie came; they brought donuts.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Why would they bring donuts?
BELINDA RAST: Because Mr. Randolph had asked for some donuts, and --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did he like donuts?
BELINDA RAST: Well, they were Krispy Kreme, and you couldn't get them at the time in our area.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, Mr. Randolph liked Krispy Kreme donuts.
BELINDA RAST: Yes, he did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Was Mr. Randolph, was he awake, though, when they came?
BELINDA RAST: No, he was not.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And did he ever actually see Alex and Maggie?
BELINDA RAST: Not to my knowledge. Alex did go to the room and look in at him, but he was asleep and they chose not to wake him. I told them they could but they said no, let him sleep if he can.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And how -- what did -- how did he react when he got up and you told them that they visited?
BELINDA RAST: He was -- he said they came tonight? And I said yes, sir. And he said, well, that's strange. And I said, well, you asked for these donuts and Ms. Maggie brought these donuts to you. And he says, well, is there a raspberry one? And I said yeah and I got it for him. He eat a little bit of it and he said I just can't east the rest.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, he was thought it was strange that they came that time of night?
BELINDA RAST: Yeah, he was surprised.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was there anything about -- I know Mr. Randolph was very sick, but was there anything that was going on with his mental faculties?
BELINDA RAST: No. He was -- he knew what was going on right up to the last time I spoke to him, which was the day before he died.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And tell us a little bit me your experience with treating Alzheimer's patients, people with declining dementia.
BELINDA RAST: They --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Tell us a little bit about your experiences with them and how they -- maybe at night how they rest and what the -- what your, you know, treat -- treating them involves.
BELINDA RAST: Well, any time they -- I mean, sometimes they're fine with whatever goes on around them or they don't know it, or they can speak out in the beginning and say what they want to say. Sometimes it makes sense; sometimes it don't. As it progress, they get more like a baby. You know, if you wake them, sometimes they'll go back to sleep. Sometimes they cry. It takes time to calm them and, you know, just guess because you really don't know. They're like a baby. You don't know what's wrong. They might be hungry; they might want something to drink. They might just want to be turned. Whatever the situation is, you just have to guess and keep trying until you get it right.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what time do you put Ms. Libby to bed?
BELINDA RAST: Generally at 8:00. But now she don't get out of bed. She's is a total care and she stays in bed. We give her night medication at 8:00, which helps her to rest, along with the other medication she has to have.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If Ms. Libby does go to sleep, what would you prefer as her provider, healthcare provider?
BELINDA RAST: To let her sleep. But if the family comes by and they say they want to wake her, I don't object. I let them wake her.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: No further questions from the State. Thank you, Belinda.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Please the Court, Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Ms. Rast, my name is Dick Harpootlian. Can you read my lips? Dick Harpootlian.
BELINDA RAST: Yeah, I think so.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and I represent Alex. Okay?
BELINDA RAST: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, let me just focus in on, I guess, the reason you're being called here today. You were asked by the State was it strange for them to show up that Sunday night late.
BELINDA RAST: It was unusual.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That was the word you used, not strange, and that's the word you used in your statement you gave about ten days after the murders to SLED, isn't that right, unusual?
BELINDA RAST: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you know they'd been to a ballgame in Columbia before they stopped by? Did they -- did Mr. Murdaugh tell you that?
BELINDA RAST: No, sir, I did not know that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And if Mr. Murdaugh, Alex, had stopped by normally during the daytime, you wouldn't have been there, correct?
BELINDA RAST: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and Alex and Maggie that Sunday night stayed about 30 minutes?
BELINDA RAST: Approximately 30 minutes, yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: It was late?
BELINDA RAST: It was late, and --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: How late do you think it was, like 11:00?
BELINDA RAST: I think it was closer to 9:00.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. 9:00. And --
BELINDA RAST: Because it hadn't been long I put Ms. Libby to bed and she was starting to doze, and Mr. Randolph was already asleep.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And this will be, let's say, two or three years ago in 2021. What was her state? She has dementia. Is that correct?
BELINDA RAST: She does have dementia. Well, Alzheimer's, dementia, it is basically the same thing. It affects the body in the same way. At that time she could not walk, but we could pick her up and put her in a wheelchair, pivot her and take her and put her in the bed, and she could feed herself. But now she's deteriorated and she can't feed herself. She can't even give her self a drink of water.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Mentally did she recognize her sons when they came to see her?
BELINDA RAST: Sometimes, sometimes not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Has that gotten progressively worse?
BELINDA RAST: That is how it works.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Was she aware of the fact that her husband of, I think, forty years had died, Mr. Randolph?
BELINDA RAST: We told her. We took her to the funeral, but within a couple of weeks she doesn't, you know -- it -- didn't seem to recognize the fact. For about I would say a month she would call for him from time to time and then -- now she doesn't.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: When -- while you were there when Paul or some other family member would come over, would that calm her down?
BELINDA RAST: Sometimes. Paul had a way of having a calming affect on her. He would always remind her of the past, you know, like, Grandma, you remember that whipping you gave me with that fly swat? Things like that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did she watch television a good bit?
BELINDA RAST: She still does, but she does -- used to would play along with games, but by '21 she wasn't doing that. She was just watching.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Beg the Court's indulgence one moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you. No further questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MR. FERNANDEZ: No, Your Honor. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you, ma'am. You may step down.
(The witness exited the stand.)