Buster Murdaugh — Direct/Cross/Redirect
1,239 linesTUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023
(Court resumed at 9:35 a.m.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Good morning.
(Portions of audience responded good morning.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: I have two issues. I don't know if you all have something. First, we have a juror who is not feeling well and who is at a doctor's appointment, Juror Number 441. That juror is not here. You will need to replace that juror with an alternate. As I understand it, this is a juror who took the place of another juror, took the place of 220. Any comment, State or the defense?
MR. WATERS: Court's indulgence one moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: You said the juror number, I apologize, Your Honor, was 441. Is that correct?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Maybe someone heard it from your side.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, my only question would be has she indicated she's too ill to be here, or she's just gone to a doctor's appointment and could be here by --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Not feeling well. They have a doctor's appointment. I haven't spoken to the juror. The note came from someone. Would it have come from the clerk's office?
COURT CLERK: I believe the jury coordinator.
JUDGE NEWMAN: From the jury coordinator?
COURT CLERK: Yes, sir.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry. We're having to pull out documents. We haven't really looked before, please.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Can we have the jury coordinator come up?
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: What is the name of the jury coordinator?
COURT CLERK: Sherry, Sherry Robinson.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, we have no objection to replacing the juror. That leaves us with two alternates.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, Your Honor, that's fine with proceeding if that is the Court's desire to proceed on. Certainly I don't have any objection either.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Proceeding as opposed to what?
MR. WATERS: I mean, she's at a doctor's appointment. I don't know if that was something that would keep her out for awhile, you know. That would be the only thing. But obviously she's not here and not feeling well, so that's why we have the alternates.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And, Your Honor, and I know you're going to tell the jury it's day twenty-one --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- and we would like to not be doing day thirty-one, and if this delays it, we sit here and wait and find out what her health condition is, it might go on for awhile, so we would rather go ahead and proceed.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, Madame Jury Coordinator, what --
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, can I make a --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- statement right quick?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: We think the defense will be rested -- we will rest our case by Friday, probably mid to late day Friday. And then I don't know if the State has any reply, but we're looking at finishing early next week. I don't know if it makes sense to notify the jury of this anticipated schedule, and that creates -- that we know we're going to lose some people if they're aware right now that we may be finishing early next week and we will be coming up short, and I just don't want to come up short. That's all.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And, Your Honor, of course that's all predicated on cross-examination and reply.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ms. Sherry, did you receive a call from a juror or some communication from a juror?
JURY COORDINATOR: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Tell us about it. Stand and tell us about it.
JURY COORDINATOR: Yes, sir. Ms. Cindy, the clerk down in general sessions, she took the message, and they say they weren't feeling good this weekend, and that he has a doctor's appointment this morning.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. So, it's same as the other juror who ended up in the emergency room and we replaced that juror.
JURY COORDINATOR: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: So we now have -- we'll need to select by lot the next juror. Out of the three, we need another juror. Any objection to the clerk randomly pulling out a number out of the box?
MR. WATERS: None from the State, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Nothing from the defense, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Let's see who we have.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Tell us who the -- juror number.
JURY COORDINATOR: Juror Number 530.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, Juror Number 530 will become part of the regular panel. Secondly, I've been receiving over the past two to three days emails concerning a social media post by Mr. Griffin commenting upon a witness's testimony and quality of the investigation by the State, and it appeared on my Twitter feed this morning. Mr. Griffin, is this part of your defense strategy or --
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, all I did was re-tweet an article that was published in the Washington Post. I didn't put any comment, I didn't make any statement, I just re-tweeted the article that's in the newspaper. That's all I did.
JUDGE NEWMAN: And we had an NBA player who re-tweeted an article, a professional basketball player who re-tweeted an article that resulted in him being suspended from the NBA for about ten days and cost him about $10 million in salary. So, re-tweeting is the same to some as if you -- your tweet. It appeared -- I didn't know that -- well, I mean, I'm not a Twitter friend of yours. It just appeared on my -- under Twitter. The first thing up this morning was you. You know, we had the lawyer who had a similar name to -- a person with a similar name to our lawyer witness and it was someone else by the same name. In your interest -- in your instance, it's your name and your picture, so --
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I did re-tweet the article, no question about it.
JUDGE NEWMAN: And I've been reviewing Rule 3.6 regarding that, and whereas the rule does not specifically state that, that lawyers are prohibited from criticizing witnesses during the course of the trial or commenting on a case that they're actively participating in, I think it goes against the spirit of the law, of the rule, and it doesn't pass the field test. So, let's -- to quote Judge Kinard, it doesn't pass the feel test. So, you should not post or repost anything that would give me or the general public or hopefully never land in the hand of a juror who -- you know, the jurors were instructed not to discuss the case and, you know, obviously that did not extend to the lawyer -- lawyers, but I -- it's not a good practice, and it could easily lead to a modification of our rules that might specifically address something like that, so I'll leave it at that.
MR. GRIFFIN: I understand, Your Honor. I will not re-tweet anything, or tweet anything until the trial is over.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir. Anything else before the jury comes?
MR. WATERS: Nothing from the State, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Nothing from the defense, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay. You may bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Good morning.
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Day number twenty-one. Now the defense's case. As you all might know, one juror is missing, absent, and that juror has to be replaced, and that juror is being replaced by Juror Number 530. Juror Number 350, nod. 530? All right. Juror Number 530, you're one of the first twelve now, a participating member of the regular jury panel. And we'll press on with our case, and hopefully we'll not have much more attrition, but it's understandable the longer this case goes. We'll proceed now with the defense's case.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: The defense would call Richard Alexander Murdaugh, Jr., also known as Buster Murdaugh.
The witness, RICHARD ALEXANDER MURDAUGH, JR., was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: If you'll have a seat up on the witness stand. Adjust your chair and your microphone. And if you'll state your full name and spell your last name.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Richard Alexander Murdaugh, Jr., M-u-r-d-a-u-g-h. I go by Buster.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. GRIFFIN:
MR. GRIFFIN: Mr. Murdaugh, is this your father sitting over here at defense's table?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Tell the jury a little bit about yourself, where you were born, where you were raised, where did you go to school.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Right. So, my name is Buster, twenty-six years old. I live in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. I was born in Savannah and lived in Beaufort for about two years when I was a little child. We moved to Hampton in about 2000, and I grew up in Hampton, went to Wade Hampton High School. And after high school I went to a small college in Spartanburg called Wofford.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did -- is your mother Maggie?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And your brother Paul?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: The -- when you moved to Hampton, do you remember how old you were when you first moved to Hampton?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Three or four.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and then you -- and did you live in Hampton in the house within the city limits?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: The town limits.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you did that for -- with your mom and dad and brother for how long?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: For around twenty years.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. The -- and you -- what schools did you go to coming up through in Hampton County? Where did you go to grade school?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Went to Ben Hazel Primary School, Hampton Elementary School, North District Middle School, Wade Hampton High School.
MR. GRIFFIN: And as you were growing up, what were your interests, Buster?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sports, playing sports. Doing things outdoors, hunting, fishing.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was your father involved in those interests with you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was your mother, also?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And in what way?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, my father coached every little league team I played on up until I started playing for the schools in -- which had a coach.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what about Paul? What were his interests growing up?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Paul's interests were outdoors mostly: hunting, fishing, playing around in the woods.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he also play sports at times?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did, yeah. He played basketball and baseball.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your dad coach him as well?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And would your parents attend all of your and Paul's sporting events as you were growing up?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Every game. And it was a rarity for them to miss one, and then if they had to, they would call and explain and --
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and at some point in time, did your parents buy this property off Moselle Road?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember roughly when that was?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Right around 2012, I think. I would have been a sophomore in high school.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when that property was first purchased, did you move out to Moselle, or were you still living in Hampton?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, we had a house in Hampton, and also purchased the property at Moselle, which had a house, and for the beginning stages of owning Moselle, Hampton was still working as our primary residence. But I believe it was Hurricane Matthew, or one of the hurricanes came through and blew a bunch of pine trees over on the house, so it had to get work done to it. And from that point we moved out from Hampton to Moselle while the house was getting fixed, and more or less it just kind of -- it never transitioned back to Hampton. It just -- almost like Moselle became the primary residence.
MR. GRIFFIN: And during this time, did your family also have a house at Edisto?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: How frequently would you stay at the house in Edisto?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Very frequently during the summertime, almost every weekend.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when your family essentially relocated to the Moselle property and making it the primary residence, were you still living at home in high school? Or do you remember how old you were at that point in time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. I'm sorry, Jim, will you say that again?
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you living at home at that point in time? Is that while you were still in high school --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember when that -- when you transitioned to Moselle and started staying there basically full time during the school year?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, when I was still in high school, we were living in the Hampton house, and then I had gone off to college --
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: -- which is when the stuff happened and they moved out to Moselle. So, I was living at college.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when did you go off to college?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: 2014.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, some time after 2014, the family relocated to Moselle for the most part --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- because of hurricane damage.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Tell the jury a little bit about the Moselle property. I know they've heard a fair amount, but you probably know it better than anybody.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. So, the Moselle property is -- it's roughly 7 -- roughly 1700 acres, and a lot of that is really not even accessible. It's a lot of swamp lands, a lot of stuff that you just -- you know, no road systems or anything like that. But a big portion of it is -- you know, has road systems and everything, and it's a big property. It's broken up into several different parcels that border each other. And, you know, we have 20 some odd deer stands, dove fields, duck ponds just all over the property, so --
MR. GRIFFIN: What type of hunting did you and your brother and your father do at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Everything. Deer, duck, quail, dove, hogs.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you have a duck pond?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: We have a -- we have a duck pond.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and the hunting was -- did you have a lot of friends come out and hunt as well?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Now, the jury has seen an aerial view of the property, and there's a main house, there's sheds, kennels, and then there's a house sort of right on Moselle Road. What do you call that house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's the cabin.
MR. GRIFFIN: The cabin, and did you live in the cabin with friends over summers at some point in time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I did. The summer of my sophomore year, after my sophomore year, me and two of my buddies lived in the cabin.
MR. GRIFFIN: And who were those buddies?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Nolen Tuten and Rogan Gibson.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and the -- so we've -- let me get more -- we've heard about hogs and pigs on the property. Can you tell the jury a little bit about that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: About the hogs?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, sir.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: We had a lot of hogs. And if you don't know, hogs are very destructive to a piece of property. You know, we'd plant food plots for the deer, plant the fields for the doves and the ducks, and they basically go through and ruin it all. So, given the high population of hogs, we, you know, would frequently go out and hunt them and try to cut the numbers down a little bit.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did -- what kind of guns do you have there at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: We had a lot of guns.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you have shotguns?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: We did, shotguns.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you have 12 gauge shotguns?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: 12 gauge shotguns, 20 gauge shotguns, 16 gauge shotguns, 28 gauge shotguns.
MR. GRIFFIN: Right, and how many rifles -- type rifles did you have on the property?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: A lot.
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you just name some of them?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. 270. 270 Short Mag. 7-millimeter 08, 308, 243, 223, 300 Blackout.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what type of ammo did you keep on the property?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, I mean, all ammos for those calibers.
MR. GRIFFIN: Sure, and where were the guns kept primarily?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: In the gun room at the main house at Moselle.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was there a pool table in the gun room?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: There was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were there times when guns were left elsewhere on the property?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where else on the property would guns be left?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, just myself, I mean, I've left them up at the shed before. I've left them on a golf cart used that day, left them in a truck. I mean, guns would just not always find their way back to the gun room.
MR. GRIFFIN: How about Paul? How was he with securing guns?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not good.
MR. GRIFFIN: What do you mean by that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He would -- Paul left guns probably more on the property than anybody else, and just -- and sometimes if he -- like sometimes he would use my gun and then he would leave it, and then I would have to track it down.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did Paul carry guns in his truck?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Would he keep his truck locked up?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. No, not all of the time.
MR. GRIFFIN: At some point in time, you and Paul received 300 Blackouts for Christmas.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember roughly, was that 2016 or 2017?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sounds right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and what color was your 300 Blackout?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was black.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you've been sitting in this courtroom during the entire trial?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And there's -- the jury has seen a black 300 Blackout. Is that yours?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It is. That was my 300 Blackout.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that the one you got for Christmas?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what color was Paul's?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Paul's was black and tan.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when you say black and tan, what part was tan and what part was black?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, I -- so, the receiver would have been tan, and the -- I think, and the barrel would have been tan.
MR. GRIFFIN: What part would have been black?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: The stock maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so yours was all black, his was black and tan.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: What happened to his that he got for Christmas in 2016?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: His gun was apparently stolen, lost, taken, yeah.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you -- how do you know that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's just what Paul told me.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did -- what happened to your gun after Paul's was stolen?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My gun became, you know, what we would both use.
MR. GRIFFIN: And would -- did that create some confrontation between you two at times?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what -- why?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, kind of like I just touched on. So, he would use it. He's not very good about putting it back where he found it. I would leave it somewhere. I go back and, you know, want to get it and it's not there.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did, did, did you notice or were you aware that Paul got a replacement at some point in time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, you heard about that in the courtroom in the trial?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: But up to that point, did you ever see Paul use the replacement?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir. I've never seen a replacement.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, every time in your presence Paul was using a 300 Blackout, which one would it be?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Mine.
MR. GRIFFIN: There's -- I'm not going to pull these guns out, Buster, but there's a -- been just a discussion and the jury has seen a 12 gauge Benelli with a Mojo sticker on it. Whose gun is that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's mine.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what is Mojo?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Mojo is a brand of decoy. It's -- basically what it is, is it's -- you know, say you buy a wood duck Mojo and it sits on a pole but the wings are motorized, so it's to replicate, you know, a more alive duck.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you -- why does your Benelli have a Mojo sticker on?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Because I bought a Mojo decoy, and in the box it came with a sticker, and I put the sticker on the gun barrel.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so that way you know that's your gun.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: I believe the evidence in the case is that that Mojo Benelli, when it was seized, was loaded. Do you -- did you frequently put the gun away loaded?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Why?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: You know, knowing that I might need it again at any point.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Just, you know, put it back on the shelf. I kept the safety on.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and I think it was loaded with a three inch and a three and a half inch turkey load. Do you remember that you would load that gun with a three inch and a three and a half inch?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And why would you do that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I do that because when I go turkey hunting, the goal is to, you know, get the turkey close to you and shoot it in the first try, but if I were to miss and the turkey goes running away and I try to shoot it again, I put a bigger shell -- larger shell behind the smaller one for that purpose.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and that's something you commonly do.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you ever load in a 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge, a buckshot followed by a birdshot?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, I've never done that.
MR. GRIFFIN: Have you ever known anybody to do that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know of any reason to do that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. I can't think of any reason to do that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And specifically, have you ever loaded in any gun a buckshot followed by a Drylok steel waterfowl pellets?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I have not.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know anybody to do that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know any reason to do that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And have you ever seen any guns on your property loaded in that fashion?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Buckshot with some sort of birdshot right behind it.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: The jury has heard testimony about goings and comings, which way you go in and go out at Moselle. How many entrances were there at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: There's two entrances.
MR. GRIFFIN: And will you describe the two entrances?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, the main entrance is pretty much straight out of the front door of the house. You would go down a dirt road and then you would come up on big brick columns, and that's what I refer to as the main entrance. But down by the kennels is another entrance and that one, it's a little bit different. That one has the mailbox beside it, and those are the two entrances.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, let's talk about coming onto the property. Which, which, which entrance coming onto the property would your mother normally take?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I would say normally everybody took the main entrance, unless there was a reason that you needed to go down the other one, which for her, her reasons of going down the other one would be the mailbox. And also when we got packages delivered from Amazon, they actually would be -- or would go to the shed as opposed to the house.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, your deliveries would go not to the yellow or whatever, white house that you lived in, but down at the shed.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now leaving the Moselle property, which way would you, Alex, your mom, Paul normally go leaving Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Out of the main gate.
MR. GRIFFIN: And if you're going to Almeda, which way do you turn coming out of the main gate?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: To the right.
MR. GRIFFIN: The -- in 2020/2021 during the summer months, where did your mother prefer to stay?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: At Edisto.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where were you staying, say, in the spring/summer of 2021? Where were you living?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Spring? Moselle.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then summer, where did you move to?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I was down at Edisto a lot in the summer.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then where was Paul living in the, say, spring of 2021?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Um --
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, is he saying in the spring of '20 or '21?
MR. GRIFFIN: '21.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now, did you -- maybe I said the wrong thing. In the spring of 2021, where were you living?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Spring of 2021, I --
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you have an apartment in Columbia?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes. I did have an apartment in Columbia.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you split time between Columbia and Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you have a girlfriend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and then in the summer of 2021 -- well, in June where were you living?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Between Columbia and between Rock Hill.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and who lived in Rock Hill?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My girlfriend's mom.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then in the spring up through June of 2021, where was Paul living?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: In Columbia.
MR. GRIFFIN: He had an apartment in Columbia?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was he at -- was he enrolled at the University of South Carolina in the spring of 2021?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then once school got out, do you know where Paul relocated to?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, not exactly. I know that -- I mean, I think he went down to live with John Marvin when he was working for him for the summertime.
MR. GRIFFIN: And who is John Marvin?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My uncle.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what kind of business was John Marvin in?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He has a rental business, and he sells Kubota tractors.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where does he have store locations?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: One in Okatie and one in Hampton.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was Paul working at the Okatie location?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Just sort of backing up. Did you and your dad and mother and brother, Paul, do a lot of things with your mother's family, the Branstetters?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What types things would y'all do?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, we would gather every holiday and, you know, other than that we would do trips together. We would go down to Key West. Go over to my Aunt Mary and Uncle Bart's lake house, river house, just --
MR. GRIFFIN: Right.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: -- stuff like that. Take trips, family trips.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I'm just going to pull up on the screen, Doug, Defendant's Exhibit 122. Which is in evidence, Your Honor.
MR. GRIFFIN: And, Buster, take a look on the screen, and I believe your aunt Marian testified about this. Can you tell the jury what this photo is?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: This is a photo of me and my brother and my mom and my dad.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was this taken in, I think, May '21 when y'all were up for a baby shower. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where was this?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, this is in -- this is at Lake Keowee in a community called The Reserve.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and y'all were visiting with whom?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: With my aunt and uncle, Aunt Marian and Uncle Bart.
MR. GRIFFIN: For what purpose?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: For my oldest cousin's baby shower.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and was events like this unusual or --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- they were frequent?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, they were common.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was your father close with Maggie's dad, your grandfather, Papa T as has been heard -- has been known in this courtroom?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, he was.
MR. GRIFFIN: What kind of things would they do together?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: They would do a lot together. For a long time there was a -- my grandfather had a camping trip, and Papa T frequented the camping trip. He liked that. Dad and Papa T would go to Carolina sporting events together, play golf together.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you spend a lot of time with your dad and your grandfather, Papa T?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you play golf with them?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: We'll get to that in a little bit. And let's talk about your dad's side of the family. Was it a close knit family?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And your grandfather, your dad's father, his name was what?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Handsome.
MR. GRIFFIN: Handsome. And that was a nickname, I take it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. It's what grandchildren called him. Well, it started as grandchildren called him, and then all of our friends started calling him that.
MR. GRIFFIN: But that was Randolph Murdaugh?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then your grandmother's name was Libby?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And they lived close by. Is that correct?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where did they live?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Almeda.
MR. GRIFFIN: And in relation to, I guess, Hampton where is Almeda?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, it's straight down 278 like you're going to Yemassee.
MR. GRIFFIN: And how far away is it from, say, the law office of PMPED to your grandparents' house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Roughly how far is that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: 10 minutes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And how far of a drive was it -- would it have been from your house in Hampton?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I mean, roughly the same.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you know roughly how far of a drive it would have been from the house in Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Probably more like 20, 25 maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you and your mom and your dad and your brother, Paul, spend a lot of time with the Murdaugh side of the family?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what would y'all do together?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Similar stuff. Obviously gathering during the holidays, various things like that. We would take trips with that side of the family as well, you know, get out. Everybody rent a big house. You know, meet up on the water on the weekends. Just a lot of stuff going on with that side of the family as well.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, I guess let's go back and -- well, let's identify on your dad's side of the family. Does your dad have brothers and sisters?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Who were they?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: John Marvin, Randy, and Lynn.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and then John Marvin, Randy, and Lynn had children, did they?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you have a lot of cousins?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And the families would get together, those cousins and aunts and uncles?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was there property down on Chechessee that y'all would spend time out?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. That was the family river house, Chechessee.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where is that located?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, it's located in Okatie, Waters Avenue off the Chechessee River. It's pretty desolate.
MR. GRIFFIN: The -- in the spring -- well, in May or June of 2021, what was your grandfather Handsome's health condition as you knew it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not good. He wasn't in good health.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you understand his health problems to be?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I understand he had cancer, and I understood that, you know, he was having a pretty big battle with it.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what was your grandmother -- what did you call your grandmother?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What health issues did she have in May and June of 2021?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: She has Alzheimer's.
MR. GRIFFIN: And would your dad frequently check on Handsome and M?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, he would.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you go with your dad to check on Handsome and M?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I would occasionally go with him, too, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what times of day would you go with your dad to check on your grandparents?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It could have been any time. Went over at lunch a lot of times, went over in the evenings a lot. Just no real set schedule. Just kind of mosey on over there.
MR. GRIFFIN: When -- would your mother go with your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: She would. Not regularly but she went.
MR. GRIFFIN: Would Paul stop in and check --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- on your grandparents?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that fairly regularly something Paul to do?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. Paul would do it regularly as well.
MR. GRIFFIN: When you would go with your dad in the evenings -- and maybe it's not limited to the evenings -- where would you park when you would go to visit your grandparents?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: For the most part, just like an ordinary afternoon visit, park in, you know, the garage, the carport. But if we went over a little bit later, then we would pull around to the back side of the house and be able to enter through the back door.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and what's at the back side of the house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, when you walk in the back side, it's like a -- we call it a sunroom but it's, you know, a dining table, it's got a TV in there, and then that's right next to the kitchen. And then if you're in the kitchen and you go to the right, then that's where my grandparents' room is.
MR. GRIFFIN: Doug, if you could pull up page 38 from State's Exhibit 524, please, that's in evidence.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: State's Exhibit 54 you said, Counsel?
MR. GRIFFIN: 524. I believe it's page 38.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: 524, correct?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, and that's page 38?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Buster, this is from State's Exhibit 524 that's in evidence, which is the GPS data off of the OnStar provider from General Motors. And can you see that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you tell us, what's that house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, that's my grandparents' house at Almeda.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and these, these dots in the back, and I'm going to point to this line of dots just right next to the circle that Doug drew. Do you see them where they seem to be connected right here in the far right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where is that on the property?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, that's right off the back corner of the house.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is that a place where you would normally park to go in the back of the house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, that is where.
MR. GRIFFIN: And have you parked there yourself?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I have.
MR. GRIFFIN: Have you seen other family members park there?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I have.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is that -- is that a customary place to park when you go in the back door where the kitchen and sunroom is?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: I'm going to show you some photos, which are Exhibits 130 to 136. And I want to ask you if you can just identify them. Don't show them to the jury, but just tell us what those photographs are of.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, these photos are of the area we're talking about off the back corner of the house at Almeda.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, at this time I would move Defendant's Exhibits 130 to 136 into evidence.
MR. MEADORS: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They are admitted.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you.
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 130 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 131 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 132 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 133 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 134 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 135 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 136 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Doug, please pull up Exhibit 133.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: And, Buster, tell us what 133 is, please.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. So, this is the back door entrance to where I was just talking about to enter into the sunroom/kitchen into the -- kind of the back quarter is where my grandparents' bedrooms were.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: And if you'll pull up 134, Doug, please.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: And what is 134?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Same thing. Same back side of the property, just little bit of a different angle.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, that part of the house to the right of the photo, what is that? Can you see here?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes. So, that right there would be my grandparents' bedroom.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. So, that's -- in the evening, your grandparents would be in that part of the house. Is that correct?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And if you went to the garage entrance, what would happen? Or what would be required of your grandparents or some sitter to let you in?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. So, you could go and knock, but a lot of times they're in the back part of the house and they don't hear you, so you normally call and say, like, hey, I'm at the front. I need to be, you know, let in. And they would have to walk from the back to the front, unlock the door, and let you in.
MR. GRIFFIN: But if you're in the back, how far is the walk?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Quarter of the distance it would be to walk to the -- it's very short.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was it common to go in the back door?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And is it -- and then I'm going to show you Exhibit 131.
MR. GRIFFIN: Please pull that up, Doug.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Your Honor, can he step down off the stand and point to the jury?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Buster, step aside so that the jury can -- you're not blocking their view. I don't have a pointer, but can you point out in the -- in this photo where you would normally park? All right, yeah, point out to the jury where you would normally park to go into to the --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, you would park, you know, right about here coming right off the -- basically the corner of the house, and this is the same stairway to go up to the back --
MR. GRIFFIN: You would park in the grass.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And near that satellite dish, or not near the satellite dish.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where would you park --
MR. MEADORS: Leading.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- in relation to the satellite dish?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, right there close to it.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and that was -- now, hang on, Buster. I'm sorry, come back. What's this structure right here?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's what we call the cook shed.
MR. GRIFFIN: And maybe those -- what's in the cook shed?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: A couple of couches, big TVs. That's mostly where -- my grandfather used to have a cookout on every third Thursday of month, and that's where he would have his little gathering. It's just an open -- open concept in there with a kitchen, TV, a couple of couches.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. Hang on.
MR. GRIFFIN: Doug, pull up 132 while Buster is still standing here.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, what's this structure to the right of the -- as you're looking at the cook house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's the old shed.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Now, roughly what's the distance between the cook house and the cook shed to where you would normally park to go in the back door?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. 10 or 20 yards maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. Go ahead and take your seat. Buster, how often would you speak with your mom and dad on the telephone? On a daily basis?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Pretty much every day.
MR. GRIFFIN: Right, and would you be with your dad when you were talking with your mother?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: I guess, how -- can you give the jury some sense of how frequently as a family y'all would engage in telephone conversations? Daily?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. It was very frequent. I mean, I spoke to my mom every day multiple times a day, and the like for my dad and for my brother, too, and then -- and that's just me. And I know it's -- like, they're all talking to each other, too. Just a lot of conversating throughout the day over the telephones within the family.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Doug, I want to pull up State's Exhibit 520, which is in evidence. And this is the Rudofski extended -- or extensive timeline, not the condensed version, State's 520. And if you would go to page 14, please.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So, Buster, what I would like to do -- and this just starts at 111 10 p.m.
MR. GRIFFIN: If you could go up that first entry, Doug, the -- and this is in evidence offered by the State.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I just want to go through some of these again. So, at 1:10 this document says that Paul Murdaugh misses a phone call from Margaret Murdaugh. And then at 1:11:36 it says Maggie makes an outgoing phone call to Buster. Answered. 1 minute and 22 seconds long. Do you have any independent recollection of this particular phone call?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, but as you keep working your way down --
MR. GRIFFIN: At 1:19, Doug --
MR. GRIFFIN: -- there's another entry. It says: Paul Murdaugh makes an outgoing phone call to Mom. Do you see that at 1:19?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then if we'll go down to -- well -- so, I guess -- let's just stop there. Is it frequent that your mother would reach out to you and Paul during the day?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: And if you'll go down to 1:41, please, Doug, at 1:41:33.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you see Maggie makes an outgoing phone call to Buster. Do you see that? At 1:42, I'm sorry.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then right before that at 1:41, it looks like Maggie makes an outgoing phone call to Alex, not answering. Do you see that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then if you go right below that, it said 1:42:43 Maggie makes an outgoing phone call to Paul. Now, do you see that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was anything unusual going on this day, or is this just sort of how life was in the Murdaugh family?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, this was normal. This was the way we communicated.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then if you'll to page 15, Doug, in the bottom at entry, 1 minute -- 1 -- 1:52:39.
MR. GRIFFIN: It says Maggie Murdaugh makes outgoing phone call to Buster, answered at 1:19. So, there's another call from your mother. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Not unusual, was it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not unusual.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and page 16 at 1:55:40, if you'll take a look --
MR. GRIFFIN: Blow that up, Doug.
MR. GRIFFIN: It says Maggie Murdaugh received an incoming phone call from PA, Alex Murdaugh. Answered. 6 minutes and 18 seconds. And that was your dad and mom apparently talking, correct?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then right below that at 1:56:18, there's some instant messages to you about some medication. Do you remember what this might be about?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. So, this was about -- I take a medication called Dupixent, which is a self-given shot, and I was up in Rock Hill and I needed to get the medicine delivered to this address here on the screen, and that's what we were talking about. She was, you know, calling the pharmacy to get it redirected to that address.
MR. GRIFFIN: Normal day. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Doug, if you'll go to page 19 at 3:24:20 p.m. Excuse me, I'm sorry, 3:24:35.
MR. GRIFFIN: Alex Murdaugh received an incoming phone call from Buster, 518 seconds. Sitting here today, do you remember what the phone call was about?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir. I don't know specifically what it was about.
MR. GRIFFIN: But it was just a normal --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, just --
MR. GRIFFIN: -- day in the life of Buster Murdaugh --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- talking to his parents.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Would you go to page 24, Doug, at 4:42:56 p.m.?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: See, that looks like at 4:42 your mother is calling you again, right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Anything unusual going on?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then if you'll go to page 26, Doug, at 5:16:25 p.m.
MR. GRIFFIN: And there's an entry that says Alex Murdaugh calls Buster Murdaugh. Do you see that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: It looks like at 6 second call. Do you remember what that might be about?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. 6 seconds could be a butt dial. That would happen often.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and then if you go down to the bottom of the page at 5:21:11, it looks like there's a 92 second call, which is about 5 minutes after what might have been the butt dial. It says Alex Murdaugh received a call, Buster. Answered. 92 seconds long. Do you see that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, are you returning your dad's call, you think?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Probably.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and I've just carried through.
MR. GRIFFIN: If you'll -- Doug, if you'll go to page 32 at 6:52:32 p.m., please.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Pull that up. Thank you.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, this entry says Alex Murdaugh calls Terry Branstetter, 412 seconds. Who is Terry Branstetter?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Papa T.
MR. GRIFFIN: And would your dad call your grandfather fairly regularly?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, he would.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so, again, anything unusual going on on the 7th for y'all to have all of these communications?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then we jump to Page 49, Doug. And if you go to 9:08:58.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it says Alex Murdaugh I-messages Maggie Murdaugh stating, quote: Going to check on M, be right back. Closed quote. Now, who's M?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My grandma.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that's at 9:08:58. And then at 9:10:47, there's an entry that says Alex Murdaugh calls Buster, and it says 60 seconds long, and that is at 9:10:47 p.m. on June 7th. Do you remember getting that phone call?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you talk about?
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you talk about?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Basis for the objection.
MR. MEADORS: I was just reacting to the hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Pardon?
MR. MEADORS: I didn't want to open the door to anything he's -- I was reacting to hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: I asked what the topic was, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. GRIFFIN: Yeah. Don't say what your dad said. Just tell me what y'all talked about.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. Well, we just talked about hey, how are you doing? And then he said that he was going out to --
MR. GRIFFIN: Hang on --
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, if he could finish his answer.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. I mean, I thought you didn't want to hear hearsay. I'm sorry, Your Honor.
MR. GRIFFIN: Go ahead.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: And he was just letting me know that he was going out to Almeda to check on M.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was this an unusual conversation you had with him?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What was his demeanor in the conversation?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Normal.
MR. GRIFFIN: Had it changed from any of the other times you talked to him earlier in the day on the 7th?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And would he on occasion call you when he was going to check on his mother, M?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He would, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was that an unusual occurrence?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. Probably one of the more regular occurrences. We all usually would make phone calls, like, riding in a car, so when he was riding over, it's very common for him to call.
MR. GRIFFIN: You can take that down, Doug.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, just going through this extraction from, say, 1:00 until what we just talked about, 9:00, there were multiple phone calls within the family. Tell the jury about cell phone coverage at Moselle.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not great cell phone coverage. Didn't have a lot of service, especially around -- so if you were underneath the shed at the shed, it had a metal roof. Just couldn't get any service inside of it. It was spotty around the whole property. And it had honestly gotten bad up at the house. We had just put on a new roof. The roof was metal, and it just kind of hindered a lot of the phone coverage out there.
MR. GRIFFIN: Would it be unusual for your dad to leave his phone at the house when he was going down to the shed?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, it wouldn't --
MR. MEADORS: Objection. Leading.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Can't lead the witness.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, it would not be unusual.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, did your dad always have his phone with him when he was on the property at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not all the time.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your brother always have the phone on him when he was at the property at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not always on him. He would have it near him but, you know, he's out there working on stuff and didn't always have his phone just in his hand or in his pockets or anything like that.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your father ever misplace his phone?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that a frequent occurrence?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was.
MR. GRIFFIN: How about your brother? Did he ever misplace his phone?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that frequent?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now, there's been some testimony about Bubba.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Who is Bubba?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Bubba was our dog.
MR. GRIFFIN: What kind of dog is Bubba?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He's a yellow lab.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was he difficult to control?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He could be, but for the most part, no. He would listen -- he would listen to Dad more than anybody else, but also we, we had a gun dog shock collar that we would put on him sometimes, and when he had that on he was on his Ps and Qs.
MR. GRIFFIN: The -- switching gears to another topic. When your dad -- well, let me just put it like this. How frequently would your dad take a shower or bath?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He could take them -- he could take them a lot. I mean, working out there, if he goes outside and sweats a lot, comes back in and takes a shower.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that a normal routine for him?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did he sweat a lot?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. It's hot out there in the summertime.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was he a lot bigger then than he is today?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He was.
MR. GRIFFIN: How big was he?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Probably 2 -- you know, 6-4, 250, 260.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Alex -- I mean, excuse me, Buster, were you aware that your dad had an opioid addiction?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: A little bit. I knew a little bit about the usage of pills.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you know about it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I knew that -- I knew that either my brother and Mom had found them at some point, and then, you know, told him, like, hey, we found these. And he, I want to say in 2018 around Christmas, he went to a detox facility after Christmas, and that was my knowledge of it. Thought that that handled it, and then there were a couple of more times after -- after the fact where they would kind of go into this finding pills, all that stuff. And then he did a few -- he did a few kind of like at home, just self-detoxed a couple of times and, you know, thought, you know, once he did that that, you know, he could get off them. But that was kind of my general knowledge about it all.
MR. GRIFFIN: You thought he had beat it.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when he was confronted about his pills, what was his attitude?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know for sure because I wasn't there when a lot of the confrontations happened with them finding the pills. But, I mean, I've never heard anything -- just, you know, apologetic and, you know, sorry, and -- would usually be his kind of regular kind of response.
MR. GRIFFIN: How did your family handle disputes and disagreements?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Pretty -- I mean, you know, like adults. Pretty civilly. You know, talked about it, stuff like that. I mean, and it just depends on the dispute, too. Like, you know, when I was a kid I would get spanked, stuff like that. It's not really a disagreement. That's just a --
MR. GRIFFIN: Once you were a teenager and college age --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Right.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- any reprimands or disputes you had gotten into with your father, was it all civil?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, definitely civil.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your father show patience with you and your brother?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, he would.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was there ever any violence in the family?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: In February of 2019, your brother was in a boating accident. Is that correct?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I believe -- where were you living at the time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Columbia.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was he criminally charged eventually?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what type of reaction was there to his involvement in a boating accident and his criminal charges in the community in Hampton?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I would say a negative reaction in the community. The media spite kind of got -- kind of got going after it. There was a lot of articles in the media about, you know, our family and stuff like that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And to your knowledge, was Paul being threatened or bullied on social media or anything like that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. He was definitely being bullied and -- on social media. You know, just people sending random messages. And I would talk to him. I know a lot of times he would be walking down the sidewalk and, you know, a car comes by and they would yell some stuff at him. I knew he would go out, you know, in a bar and, you know, there's somebody that wants to talk about it and, you know, make a scuff about it and whatnot.
MR. GRIFFIN: Right. The -- what was -- what was your mother's reaction to all of the negativity surrounding the boating accident?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It, you know, it kind of consumed her. She's big on reading all of it, and when she read the negative stuff, you know, it made her feel upset and whatnot. It ultimately -- it ultimately kind of caused her to distance herself from Hampton at this time, you know, primarily living at Moselle. She quit going to the grocery stores in Hampton, quit going to the pharmacy, quit going to get food in Hampton. Just thought that there was a real, you know, kind of a bad -- kind a bad vibe in Hampton. Like, you go -- she felt like people were staring at her and talking about her and stuff.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where would she do her shopping?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: She moved over to Walterboro and started going over that way.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. Were you sued in the boating accident?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Objection. Relevance.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any response?
MR. GRIFFIN: With regard to relevance, Your Honor, it is civil litigation about the boating accident, and it has been a big part of the State's case. He's a party to the litigation.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I overrule the objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you sued?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was your dad sued?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was your mother sued?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: She -- her estate became sued.
MR. GRIFFIN: But before she was murdered, had she been sued?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know. I can't remember. Maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you know if Paul had been sued?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. I don't know that he had been sued.
MR. GRIFFIN: What -- was your mother anxious about the civil lawsuit?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What was her biggest concern?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Her -- I would say her biggest concern was reading articles after, you know, Mark Tinsley had made a statement about how much money he was wanting to collect in the civil lawsuits, and I think it was to the tune of, like, $40 million or something like that he was trying to get, and that made her anxious.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what was your reaction to statements like that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, I mean, I knew what he was saying, but, I mean, it's not -- to me it just didn't seem -- you know, I didn't think -- well, I don't have $40 million, so --
MR. GRIFFIN: Right, and was your dad anxious about the lawsuit, to your knowledge?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Didn't appear to be overly anxious about it.
MR. GRIFFIN: What took priority, the criminal case against Paul or the civil case?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: The criminal case.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was -- did the family support Paul in the criminal matter?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what do you mean by that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I mean, the -- supported him in his criminal case because, you know, amongst the family, none of us thought that he was driving the boat. We thought he'd been --
MR. GRIFFIN: At the time of the accident?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, I want to now talk about the weekend leading up to June the 7th.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And we've showed the picture of the lake weekend that -- where you were -- went up to Keowee with the Proctors and the Branstetters.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then the following weekend, I believe, was Memorial Day. Were you with your family on Memorial Day weekend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And who was present?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: A lot of people were present. I was there, my brother was there, my mom, my dad, my brother had some friends staying with us. And those were the people sleeping there, and then people are, you know, in and out throughout the day, throughout the weekend.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was it a fun family weekend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: It was a normal Memorial Day weekend at Edisto with your family and friends?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: And let me show you -- I'm going to show you Defendant's Exhibit 123, and I want to get you to identify it, Buster. Don't -- just say what it is, please.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's a picture of my mom and my dad and I on a boat.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is that Memorial Day weekend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we would move Defendant's Exhibit 123 into evidence.
MR. MEADORS: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(PHOTO MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 123 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Is this the photo, Buster?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then I believe the same weekend there was a birthday party or a cookout. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Doug, if you could play exhibit -- Defendant's Exhibit 51, please, that's in evidence?
MR. GRIFFIN: I want you to take a look at that.
(The video was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MR. GRIFFIN: And was that -- did your mom make a cake for your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that was a group of friends -- when is your dad's birthday? Do you know the exact date? It's not a test. You can just say you don't know.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. I don't know the exact date.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. It's around the Memorial Day?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: The 27th, maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then the following weekend, there was a baseball tournament in Columbia?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Tell the jury about that weekend. What happened there?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That was the weekend South Carolina was hosting a regional baseball tournament, and me, my mom, my dad, and my girlfriend went to the baseball games.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where was the game?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Columbia.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it was a super regional or --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Regional.
MR. GRIFFIN: A regional.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what days that weekend did you go to the game?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Saturday and Sunday.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your mom and dad stay in Columbia that weekend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: They did.
MR. GRIFFIN: They stayed on Saturday night?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you -- did y'all tailgate with them on Saturday or Sunday?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, we did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And was it a normal weekend?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was.
MR. GRIFFIN: A fun weekend.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And Sunday would have been June the 6th. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then on June 7th, we went through a host of -- a number of telephone calls with you and your dad and mom leading up to 9:08, 9:10 on June 7th. Buster, when did you first find out that your mom and brother were murdered?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My dad called me. I can't remember the exact time, but it was later, and he called me on the phone. He asked me if I was sitting down, and I was, like, yeah. And then he, you know, sounded odd, and then he told me that my mom and brother had been shot.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you do?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, Brooklynn, my girlfriend, was with me, and I think she heard the -- she could hear my conversation kind of over the phone, and so she just started packing stuff. And I kind of just sat there for a minute. I was in shock. But eventually we got our stuff together and drove down to Moselle.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember what time you got to Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was early in the morning, late in the morning. You know, if we left around 10:30 or 11:00, got there some time probably around 2:00 in the morning.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when you got there, did you see your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What kind of condition was he in? What was his demeanor?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: His demeanor was he was destroyed. He was heart broken. I walked in the door and saw him and gave him a hug, and just broken down.
MR. GRIFFIN: Could he speak?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Not really.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was he crying?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Who else was in the house? Do you remember?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. My girlfriend, Brooklyn, and I got there, my -- out in the driveway my uncle Randy and Uncle John were out there. Chris Wilson and Cory Fleming had just gotten there; they had pulled in behind us. And when I walked in, several of the partners were there: Ronnie Crosby was there, Lee Cope was there, Mark Ball was there. Austin Crosby was there. William Barnes. My buddy Nolen was there. And I'm sure I'm leaving some out, but that's what I remember.
MR. GRIFFIN: Sure. Do you remember how long you stayed there?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Stayed there several hours, probably, you know, probably 3 or 4 hours, until about 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning.
MR. GRIFFIN: And where did you go?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: And then we left Moselle and we went to Almeda.
MR. GRIFFIN: When you say we, who are you talking about?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My girlfriend, my dad, and my uncle John.
MR. GRIFFIN: I know this seems kind of trivial, but what was your dad wearing when you first saw him?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Shorts, t-shirt.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you help him pack?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I did, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What did you do to help him pack?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Got his bag, went into the closet, grabbed some t-shirts, grabbed some shorts, grabbed a toilet kit, put it the bag and, and left.
MR. GRIFFIN: Why were you doing the packing?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Just trying to help him. He, you know, he was so upset. We were all upset, but just trying to expedite the process of getting to Almeda.
MR. GRIFFIN: When you went into pack your dad, was there a t-shirt laying on the floor?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I couldn't remember.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you get shirts from above the --
MR. MEADORS: Objection to the form of the question.
MR. GRIFFIN: Where did you get the t-shirt?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Got them from the closet, and there's, like, a wooden -- it was, like, wooden shelves up on the wall and I was getting the t-shirts from there.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were there a lot of t-shirts on the shelf?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know whether or not one of the t-shirts fell on the floor when you were packing them?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know whether one of them fell on the floor or not, but, I mean, it certainly could have happened.
MR. GRIFFIN: When you got to Moselle, were you able to get some sleep?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you go back to Moselle the next morning?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And who went with you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Me, my girlfriend, Brooklyn, and my dad, and maybe John Marvin. I don't know if he was riding with us or already out there separately, but he was somewhere in the mix.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember roughly what time you got to Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I mean, I think we got there rather early, you know. Nobody really slept and, you know, early in the morning, sun comes up and just go back.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you take a shower and Brooklynn take a shower at Almeda, or did you do it over at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir. We slept at -- well, tried to sleep at Almeda, and then we took everything back with us to Moselle and we showered there.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know where your dad took a shower that morning?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Moselle.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when you went back over in the morning, do you know what your dad was wearing when you were traveling from Almeda back to --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, not specifically. But I know that, you know -- I know what I packed, so it could have been any of that. Just athletic shorts and t-shirts and stuff.
MR. GRIFFIN: And after you got to Moselle and, I guess, just carrying the days forward, were you with your dad -- well, how often were you with your dad once you got back from Moselle on the 8th?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Every day.
MR. GRIFFIN: For how many days?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: For a good while.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. So, let's talk about where you stayed on the night of the 8th. Do you remember?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Night of the 8th, would have either stayed back at Almeda, or that's, that's potentially when we made the transition over to John Marvin's hunting lodge.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you -- when you say we, are you including your father?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you drive together?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was he pretty much in your eyesight for the first few days?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: So after the 8th, then you come up on the 9th, a Wednesday. Do you know whether you were at Almeda, or spent the night at your uncle John Marvin's place?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. I think at that point we had switched over to his place over at Greenfield.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now -- and you call it Greenfield. That's the name of his hunting --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, just the name of the property overall.
MR. GRIFFIN: Property. Now how far is it from Almeda?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: To Greenfield?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yeah.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Couple of minutes. I mean, not very --
MR. GRIFFIN: Close by? Close by?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, right down the road.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did -- and do you remember how long you stayed at Greenfield with your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. I mean, several days. And, you know, I think anywhere from the 9th to the, you know, probably that -- the rest of that week through that weekend.
MR. GRIFFIN: On Thursday, June 10th, what happened?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: My grandfather died.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, the family was together and stayed together?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you ever remember your dad disappearing for any periods of time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you close, physically close to him most all the time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Except when you're sleeping.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I believe the funeral for your mom and your brother, the Memorial service, was on that Saturday?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then that Sunday was the funeral for your father -- grandfather, I'm sorry.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Grandfather, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And at some point in time you went to -- did you go to Summerville at some point in time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember when you went to Summerville?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Right, you know, beginning of that next week.
(TEXT MESSAGES MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 129 FOR IDENTIFICATION.)
MR. GRIFFIN: I'm going to show you what I've marked as Defendant's Exhibit 129 and ask you --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: We discussed previously, we're objecting on the hearsay basis to 129.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I'm not introducing 129. Offering to the witness to refresh his recollection, that's the extent.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: This is for ID.
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, I don't want to you publish that, but I want you to -- I want to ask you if Defendant's Exhibit 129, marked for identification purposes, refreshes your recollection as to when you left to go to Summerville.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when -- well, tell the jury, what is that? What's that document have you in your hand?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's a text thread between my girlfriend and I.
MR. GRIFFIN: And does it have some -- so based on that text communication between you and your girlfriend refreshing your recollection, when did you leave to go to Summerville?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: June 14th.
MR. GRIFFIN: And looking through there, refreshing your recollection, how long did you stay in Summerville?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I stayed in Summerville until -- stayed in Summerville until the 17th.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then what do you remember doing after you left Summerville?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: On the 17th, we left Summerville to go to Lake Keowee.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so when you were in Summerville from the 14th to the 17th, who were you staying with?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Staying with my grandparents.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then you went to Keowee. Who did you go with?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Went with my dad and I, my grandparents, my aunt, and uncle, and their children, their children's boyfriends, and that was it.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, you're with your dad from the night of June 7th through the Keowee trip. Is that correct?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you remember what you did after the Keowee -- Lake K trip?
MR. GRIFFIN: At some point in time you just decided, you know, I've got to go back to Rock Hill?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember roughly when that was?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. I mean, I think it was some time following all of this, but I couldn't -- I can't tell you exactly when I went back to work.
MR. GRIFFIN: When you decide to go back to Rock Hill, you got a job in Charlotte. Is that right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you have any discussions with your father about your personal safety?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he make any offers to you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: What offers did he make to you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He offered me to --
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Basis for the objection?
MR. MEADORS: Hearsay. Self-serving hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any response?
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, offer is not hearsay. It's offer.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you take any security precautions?
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you want any security protection?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, I didn't.
MR. GRIFFIN: Why not?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, I didn't want to carry a gun or anything like that. And I also didn't want, like, a private security detail following me around just for lack of privacy. And at the time, the places that I was staying and the places that I were going, like, I was staying at Rock Hill at my girlfriend's house who has, you know, alarm systems and security cameras and whatnot. And then other than that, I'm staying in hotels, which, you know, just --
MR. GRIFFIN: Right.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: -- felt --
MR. GRIFFIN: Did at some point in time you and your father announce a reward?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: I'm going to show you what I've marked as Defendant's Exhibit 126 and ask if you can identify this.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, this is the reward.
MR. GRIFFIN: It's a news release about the reward?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we move Defendant's Exhibit 126 into evidence at this time.
MR. MEADORS: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted without objection.
(REWARD DOCUMENT MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 126 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you pull it up, Doug?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: And if you could, just pull out the top two paragraphs please, Doug.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you work on this language with your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you -- can you read to the jury the first two paragraphs, please, beginning with: Alex and Buster Murdaugh.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir: Alex and Buster Murdaugh announced today a reward of 100,000 for information leading to the arrest and convictions of the person or persons who brutally murdered Paul and Maggie on June 7, 2021. I want to thank everyone for the incredible love and support that we have received over the last few weeks. Now is the time to bring justice for Maggie and Paul. Buster and I, along with Maggie's mother, father, and our entire family, ask that anyone with helpful information immediately call the SLED tip line or crime support -- Sorry. -- Crime Stoppers.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you. Now there's a -- in the body of this, there's a expiration date on this reward. What's your understanding and purpose of having an expiration date?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I'm not real sure.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and you see it says: To be eligible, the person claiming the reward must submit the tip to SLED or Crime Stoppers by September 31, 2021.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What happened in September, early September of 2021, Buster?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Talking about the --
MR. GRIFFIN: Yeah. Do you remember your dad --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- going off to detox, the roadside shooting?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: From that moment that your dad went to the hospital and went to detox, did he ever come back home to his property, his clothes, his belongings --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir. No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: There's been some questions about whereabouts -- the whereabouts of Alex's clothes. Will you tell the jury before he went off to detox where his clothes were, how many different locations he had clothes?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, he had clothes at Moselle, had clothes at Greenfield, had clothes at -- probably a few clothes at Almeda. Had clothes at Randy and Christy's house. Had clothes a lot of places.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he have clothes down at Chechessee?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, Chechessee, Okatie.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he have clothes at Edisto?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he have clothes in his car?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Can't lead the witness.
MR. GRIFFIN: How many nights after June 7th to your knowledge did your dad spend at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: None.
MR. GRIFFIN: How many nights after June 7th did you spend at Moselle?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: None.
MR. GRIFFIN: I'm going to --
MR. GRIFFIN: Doug, do you have the Snapchat video? Will you pull that up, please? The one with the tree.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, this is the Snapchat video that's in evidence. I'll get the exhibit number for the record shortly.
(The video was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, do you recognize that shirt?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: What kind of shirt is it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's like a, you know, short sleeve button down shirt.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is it a Columbia shirt?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No. It doesn't look like a Columbia shirt.
MR. GRIFFIN: What color is it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's blue.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your dad have a foam green Columbia sport shirt?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Maybe.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is this it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, this is blue.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did -- do you know if your dad ever ordered any Vinny Vines or --
MR. MEADORS: Objection. Form.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he order -- did he order clothes after your mother and brother's murders?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Maybe he ordered clothes, but he doesn't wear a lot of Vinyard Vines.
MR. GRIFFIN: Have you ever seen him buy Vinyard Vine?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And --
MR. GRIFFIN: You can take that down, Doug.
MR. GRIFFIN: Some time in August, did you go with your dad where you played in a golf tournament?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. I went and played in a golf tournament, and he came and wanted to watch us play in it.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what kind of golf tournament?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's a golf tournament that a buddy of mine puts on in Summerville every year. It's called the Jasso Invitational. It's just bunch of guys that were friends come together and play in a golf tournament.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you look up the date of that tournament before testifying today?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what date was -- what weekend was that tournament in August of -- excuse me -- in 2021?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. It's the last weekend in August of 2021.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you know if you were in the -- was there a house that Johnny Parker had that your dad kept stuff in?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. There's a small house in between Johnny Parker's house and my uncle Randy's house. It's -- I think Mr. Johnny built it for his mom or mother-in-law or something when she was sick. But, yeah, there's a little two bedroom house right there.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did your dad stay there some?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: I don't know if we mentioned that as one of the places where there was clothing.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, that would be one. That would be another one.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, there were a lot of places.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you there -- did you observe your dad talking to Blanca about anything when you were getting ready to go on the golf trip?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. You were not present.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, I don't think I was present.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you go on any other golfing outings in August with your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes. Earlier in -- earlier August of that year, we played golf down at Hilton Head with the people from the Trial Lawyers convention.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Now, you've been sitting in this courtroom since day one --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, every day.
MR. GRIFFIN: -- since the trial started?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Every day.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you were -- were you here when a video was played of an interview with your dad on June 10th?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And there was a question about whether your dad said I did him so bad or they did him so bad. Do you remember that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you recognize your dad's voice?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I do.
MR. GRIFFIN: If you listened to it, would you be able to tell the jury whether it's I or they?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I would like to pull up exhibit 153, the clip.
(The video was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MR. GRIFFIN: What did your dad say?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He said they did him -- they did him so bad.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is that the first time you heard him say they did him so bad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: When was the first time you heard him say they did him so bad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: The first time I heard him say that was the night that I went down to Moselle, the night of June the 7th.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did he say that more than one time?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: One second, Your Honor. Let me check to see what I left out.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Just very briefly.
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, you've heard testimony during this trial that your dad was stealing money from clients.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you know anything about that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: And just lastly, roughly how long would it take to clean a dog run down at the kennels, two dog runs down at the kennels?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Roughly? I would say 10 minutes or so.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what do you have to do?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: You've got to get the hose, turn the hose on, spray out the dog kennels, you have -- you know, put the bed on top of the wooden box so the bed is not wet.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now, what were you spraying? Dog manure?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, spraying, you know, dog poop.
MR. GRIFFIN: And if it spreads out, you've got to --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's right, yeah. You've got to spray it and make sure it's all out of there, spray it to the back.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you. That's all I have, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: We'll take a break now, ladies and gentlemen, of about 15 minutes. Please go to the jury room. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may step down. You are not allowed to discuss your testimony with anyone during the break.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay. We'll be in recess for 15 minutes.
(A break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, thank you. Cross-examination.
MR. MEADORS: May it please the Court?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Can I call you Buster?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: I'm John. And I want to first off tell you I'm sorry about your mother. I'm sorry --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, I can't hear him, Your Honor. If he'd step --
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry about his mother --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: If you'd step back a little bit, I could hear you.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm sorry about your brother.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Thank you.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm sorry about your grandfather.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Thank you.
MR. MEADORS: He was nice to me when I was a young assistant solicitor, and I'm sorry for your loss.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. I appreciate it. Thank you.
MR. MEADORS: I don't have many questions for you, Buster.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Okay.
MR. MEADORS: When you're leaving the main house, you told Mr. Griffin that the main entrance was the brick entrance?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: But there's also a side entrance or -- by the kennels, or entrance/exit. I'm --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. Just a totally different entrance.
MR. MEADORS: And the mailbox was at the side entrance.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, the --
MR. MEADORS: The kennel entrance.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Why was that? Do you know?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know. I think it's just the -- I really don't know.
MR. MEADORS: I don't either. But the packages would come to, you said, the kennel side?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: They would come to the shed.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and a lot of times y'all would use that kennel entrance/exit to go just like you would use the main one, right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, you would. I would say that I more so tended to use the main one, the one that I say is the brick pillars. But, yeah, I mean, you could certainly leave either way.
MR. MEADORS: If you were leaving the main entrance --
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Uh-huh.
MR. MEADORS: -- and you go down, you're leaving the house and you're going toward the brick, and then you know what's kind of a Y, what kind of cuts off to the kennel, too, right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: So, you go straight or left. If you were leaving at night going straight, and if you were looking out to the left and the lights were on, you would be able to see the lights on at the kennel just from a that little Y, wouldn't you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Maybe, depending on what lights were on and whatnot. I mean, if it was fully lit up. Maybe.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and just from that Y, instead of going straight, if you -- from that distance you would be able -- if the lights were on fully, you would probably be able to see them.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Maybe, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Almeda, where your grandmama and granddaddy were, is that close to the -- I think you -- it's close to the law firm, isn't it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Almeda?
MR. MEADORS: Yes.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Close to the law firm? I wouldn't say so. I mean --
MR. MEADORS: Well, how close?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: -- anywhere in Hampton is close to anywhere in Hampton because it's not very big.
MR. MEADORS: Fair enough.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: But, I mean, it's a 10 minute, 12 minute drive out to Almeda, I would think, from the law firm.
MR. MEADORS: I think --
MR. MEADORS: Mr. Doug, can you bring up 131? Can I ask him to do that?
MR. GRIFFIN: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: I know Mr. Harpootlian spoke, but this is Mr. Griffin's witness.
MR. GRIFFIN: I said sure.
MR. MEADORS: Buster, you don't have to get -- but do you see, is this kind of where you said everybody would park?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It's right -- so, if you look --
MR. MEADORS: Do you mind if I come up here?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, you can. So, if you look right off this point --
MR. MEADORS: You might want to come down here, if you don't mind, just so the jury can see you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: So, if you look right over here, this is kind of what I refer to is, like, the back corner of the house. And it would basically -- you would come around. There's a big oak tree here. You would come around it, and if you basically pull up, you would probably stop the hood of your car right in -- you know, right off the back corner of the house.
MR. MEADORS: So, it would be closer to here than over here.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It would be about right in here.
MR. MEADORS: So, right in here.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, because, I mean, you don't want to pull up super close to it. Yeah. It would be about right here.
MR. MEADORS: But there was a driveway on -- a paved driveway in here, right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: There is a paved driveway over towards the side of the house.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and really not many tire tracks. The grass looks good in here.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know when these pictures were taken.
MR. MEADORS: But there is a driveway, right?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: There is a driveway.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. You can have a seat back, thank you, please, sir. When did you first -- when did you first mention that to anybody about parking in the yard there?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: What do you mean?
MR. MEADORS: I mean, like, when did you first discuss that with anybody as far as where cars parked at your grandmama and granddad's house? When was the first time you talked to anybody about that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Couple days -- couple days ago.
MR. MEADORS: Couple of days ago? Okay. That's the first time you had mentioned that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and then that would have been after Shelley testified, right? Shelley Smith?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I guess. I don't really remember when Ms. Smith testified.
MR. MEADORS: Ms. Smith. Did you bring that somebody's attention or did somebody ask you about it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I couldn't -- I'm not sure.
MR. MEADORS: And I think you -- I forget I'm on cross. You testified that -- how many times had you been there with your dad? I wasn't quite clear with your answers to Mr. Griffin. I'm not trying to be difficult, Buster.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I understand, and I can't give an approximate number, but, I mean, I've been out there with him several times.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and would you always call? You said you called. Did you always call when you got there?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. I feel like most of the time you would call just to tell -- you know, because the ladies get nervous, you know, if you hadn't called and they see a car pulling in the driveway, you know. It's just easier to call and let them know, like, hey, we're going to be pulling around, you know. Please unlock the door. Or we would like to come in.
MR. MEADORS: Had you ever been over there at 6:30 in the morning?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Have I ever been out there at 6:30 in the morning?
MR. MEADORS: Yes, sir.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Any -- I mean, just like overall my --
MR. MEADORS: I guess, yeah.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah. I've been out there at 6:30 in the morning before going hunting and whatnot.
MR. MEADORS: And you would call then also then, right, before going into the house?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, that was -- I mean, yeah, yeah, sure.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. I mean, just to let them know, especially at 6:30 in the morning.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: Your mom loved Edisto, didn't she?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir, she did.
MR. MEADORS: I love Edisto. She was actually getting some work done down there, wasn't she?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. She was getting some work done on the house.
MR. MEADORS: And on this date, June 7th, literally there were people inside doing work that day, weren't they?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I think so.
MR. MEADORS: Yeah, and her plan was to stay down there that night, wasn't it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know. I don't know what her plan was.
MR. MEADORS: You had -- I think the last time you had been to Moselle, you said, was the spring, maybe a few months prior to this?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Uh-huh.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and you have to say yes for the court reporter. Not for me but for her.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes. Sorry.
MR. MEADORS: And you talked to your mama that day on June the 7th?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And I think you had talked to Paul the last time on the 5th, if I'm not mistaken. June 5th is what you told in one of the interviews.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: And Mr. Griffin asked you about the financial troubles that have come out here, and you had no knowledge of your financial -- your dad's financial difficulties at all, did you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No sir.
MR. MEADORS: I mean, you really didn't.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, I really didn't.
MR. MEADORS: And as far as you knew, financially the family was sound.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. You went to Wofford.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I did go to Wofford.
MR. MEADORS: Go Terriers, for the record.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Thank you.
MR. MEADORS: But everything, as far as you knew financially, was okay, and when did you learn it wasn't?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I guess on September the -- whatever that day in September was.
MR. MEADORS: So, back in the birthday, I guess, for your dad, the Memorial Day down at Edisto.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: Defendant's Exhibit -- and I apologize, I don't know what number it was just played, I believe Mr. Chris Wilson is hugging your dad?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and he's a family friend.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. You didn't know then that he owed -- your dad owed Chris Wilson -- or stole 192,000 from him, did you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I'm not saying that to be mean, but you really didn't know that.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: That's correct, didn't know.
MR. MEADORS: And this boating -- the boating accident that Mr. Griffin asked you about, that was pressure on the family, wasn't it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I don't know that pressure is the right word. I mean, it's definitely an uneasy feeling. You know, your brother is criminally charged, and then you, myself and my father, have civil charges. I mean, definitely unsettling.
MR. MEADORS: I mean, it caused stress within the family, didn't it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: It was stressful. I wouldn't say within the family because, I mean, you know, we supported each other.
MR. MEADORS: Sure, and I'm not -- I'm not questioning that, but just -- your mom felt ostracized?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: She even more so wanted to stay at Edisto.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And really, I mean, you were a little frustrated with Paul yourself, weren't you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: In terms of?
MR. MEADORS: Just as far as using your ID and getting all that. And that case is over. Okay?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sure.
MR. MEADORS: But, I mean, you didn't like it when you used your ID yourself. And I'm not trying to go anywhere, Buster, but he would use your ID sometimes and you didn't want him to.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Mr. Meadors, how many questions are you going to ask? Questions, comments. What's the question? What was the question --
MR. MEADORS: Did you like --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, go ahead.
MR. MEADORS: Did -- he used your ID, didn't he?
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection. Relevance.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I'm sorry, can you say that again?
MR. MEADORS: Did Paul use your identification?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Did that frustrate you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Sometimes.
MR. MEADORS: You were shown the tree video with the shirt and pants. Do you remember that?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: When you saw your dad on the night of June 7th, what did he have on?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: When I had made my way up to the house, he was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
MR. MEADORS: And who took -- who laundered his clothes?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: At that period of time, it would have been Blanca, and then my mom also does laundry sometimes, too.
MR. MEADORS: But on a day-to-day, did Blanca take care of your dad's clothes, laundering, cleaning, folding?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Now, Mr. Griffin asked you about you never went back to Moselle after this incident.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Well, I mean after --
MR. MEADORS: Or did you?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: If you take June 7th, on June -- I mean, I've gone -- I've been back to Moselle since then, but I've never slept another night at Moselle.
MR. MEADORS: And did your dad -- well, strike that.
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Did your dad try to get you to go hunting out there again one time, or suggest it?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: He asked if I wanted to, and if I wanted to, that I could.
MR. MEADORS: But you didn't want to.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: No, sir, didn't want to go.
MR. MEADORS: That's all I have. Thank you, Buster.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yes, sir. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Redirect?
MR. GRIFFIN: Very briefly, Your Honor.
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. GRIFFIN:
MR. GRIFFIN: Buster, your mother, when she went to Edisto and stayed for multiple nights, would she take Bubba with her?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Yeah, usually. She would take a combination of Bubba and maybe another dog, Grady.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: She would take dogs with her, yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you understand Bubba and Grady were at Moselle the night of June 7th?
BUSTER MURDAUGH: I do, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: That's all I have, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MR. MEADORS: No, sir. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may step down.
BUSTER MURDAUGH: Thank you, sir.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Your next witness.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Mike Sutton.