Jason Chapman — Direct/Cross/Redirect
904 linesJUDGE NEWMAN: Call your next witness.
MR. FERNANDEZ: State calls Jason Chapman.
The witness, JASON CHAPMAN, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Take a seat in the witness stand. State your name again for the record. Spell your last name.
JASON CHAPMAN: Good afternoon. My name is Jason Walker Chapman, last name C-h-a-p-m-a-n.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. FERNANDEZ:
MR. FERNANDEZ: Mr. Chapman, Jason, you said your name for the record, thank you. Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up and what education did you obtain?
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure. I'm a native, born in Walterboro; I've lived here most of my life. Graduated from what was Walterboro High School at the time. I attended the College of Charleston and the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie before starting my career in law enforcement. I actually joined the cadet program well before age of twenty-one, then became a reserve deputy, dispatcher, and then a class one officer.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay.
JASON CHAPMAN: And I've now been doing law enforcement, I'm in my twenty-sixth year.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Twenty-six year career. Would you walk us through how you first got -- when you first got into law enforcement and kind of the roles you've taken on and the training you've done in that?
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly. In '97 I attended a reserve officer class; it was a joint class between the Colleton County Sheriff's Office and the Walterboro Police Department. I had to actually wait until I turned twenty-one to take the final exam. Went down to the academy, took the exam, passed. Began working as a reserve. I then got hired as a dispatcher at the Walterboro Police Department where I worked a short stint as a dispatcher to fill in a hole. And in the spring of '98 I attended the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy. I graduated later that year. I actually graduated as a distinguished graduate from the academy. Since then I've been doing law enforcement. I did my first sixteen years with the City of Walterboro, and I transferred over to the sheriff's office January 1st of 2013, where I have remained since then. My training has -- I've worked through pretty much every division there is in law enforcement, probably with the exception of civil process. I have an extensive background in firearms. I'm a firearms instructor, less than lethal instructor, active shooter instructor. I've had training as a narcotic supervisor. I've been through schools for administration. Pretty much everything.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What's your current rank at the sheriff's department?
JASON CHAPMAN: Currently it's captain.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what -- how would you describe your responsibilities presently?
JASON CHAPMAN: So, currently I oversee special operations. That includes our investigative division, our tactical team, search and rescue.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Have you ever had an opportunity to testify as an expert in a trial?
JASON CHAPMAN: I have.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Tell us about that.
JASON CHAPMAN: This past year in 2022, I testified in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, on a case involving the City of Beaufort, and I was sworn in as a expert witness in general police procedures.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm going to direct your attention back to the day of June 7, 2021. Are you familiar with that day?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What was your role with the sheriff's office back on that date?
JASON CHAPMAN: The same as it is currently.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Supervising investigations?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And that would include -- would that include homicides?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Did you have an opportunity -- were you dispatched, or were you noticed of an incident that occurred on that day?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right.
JASON CHAPMAN: I was dispatched -- I actually heard the call and went in service before I was dispatched, but yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. What did you hear over the radio?
JASON CHAPMAN: The call coming out that a transfer from Hampton County had been received in which the caller was reporting that his wife and child had been shot.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you know a location at that point?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was given the location by dispatch, but I was not familiar at the time of the dispatch as to the parties involved.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And at that point, did you decide that you were going to go to the scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What was the dispatch location?
JASON CHAPMAN: I believe it was 4142 (sic) Moselle Road in Islandton.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Were you made aware of who this involved at that point?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not at the time.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is 4147 Moselle Road within the limits of Colleton County?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And walk us through what you did that night upon, you know, learning of this incident and then making your way out there. Walk us through that process.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. I had a brief conversation with Sheriff Hill by telephone while en route. He had been advised of the caller's identity as Mr. Alex Murdaugh. With my career, I'm familiar with the Murdaugh family and Mr. Murdaugh. And Sheriff Hill advised me that if it was, in fact, confirmed to be Mr. Murdaugh, that he would likely notify SLED simply because of the conflict of interest for the family. And shortly before we arrived I believe he was able to confirm that, and that call was made to request for assistance from SLED and to request that they actually assume primary in the investigation.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Does your department, the sheriff's office, do y'all work fairly closely with SLED? Is that a common thing?
JASON CHAPMAN: We do, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right, and describe that process. Not including this particular investigation, but just in general. How do y'all work with SLED as a law enforcement agency?
JASON CHAPMAN: As far as crimes scenes, like response to crime scenes, my division works well with the entire agency, but -- we work very well with SLED. The remote location, although we have a satellite office for SLED here in Colleton County actually for the Lowcountry, their crime scene unit still comes out of Columbia. So, more than likely when they're notified that we may need assistance, or in this case that we wanted to take -- them to take primary in the investigation, even with the fact that they're emergency services, it's still going to be about an average of a two hour response for that Crime Scene Unit once they're notified. So, it's very common for us to begin the investigative process at that scene while we're waiting for their arrival with them working jointly with us. And that investigative process usually begins with the acquisition of a search warrant, which we know will be required once the crime scene team arrives on scene. And that just comes from a long, supported tradition of us working well together and obviously being capable to do so.
MR. FERNANDEZ: As a captain and as a supervisor of the investigations, do you typically wear a body worn camera?
JASON CHAPMAN: I do have one. At that particular night, I did not have it. It's on my exterior ballistic vest and the scene was secure prior to my arrival, so I did not have my vest on.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Upon arrival at the scene, were you made aware of -- did you become aware of who in your department had already arrived?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was listening to the radio so that I knew that several patrol units had arrived prior to myself. And I believe myself, the sheriff, and one other detective arrived probably about 10, 12, 13 minutes after the initial officers.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Do you remember the rough -- the approximate time that you arrived on scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: I want to say it was around 10:35, 10:37 p.m. that evening.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Walk us through what you observed upon arrival.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure. So, while en route I reminded the shift supervisor, Sergeant Daniel Greene, that -- to try to maintain the integrity of the scene as best as possible. I wasn't there so I didn't know the magnitude of the scene. I don't know what he has, but just reminding him limit personnel inside the scene. Do what we can to preserve. Sheriff Hill came across the radio. I was trying to pull the weather up, and this particular area I was driving through, I did not have much phone signal. So, he did and realized that we had an approaching storm that was about 45 minutes out. So, he advised over the radio once he got his phone to pick it up that we needed to secure a tent. I had not been there yet. He was requesting the tent to place over the deceased bodies of the two victims. I related that information to one of my lieutenants that was en route. I also turned one of my detectives around that has the longest drive in, which is Detective Rutland, and I informed her to head to the office to start working on a search warrant.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is that your common practice?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: How did you talk -- you spoke before about you all conducted joint investigations with SLED. Is it common for -- well, describe for us what your roles might be in a joint investigation and what SLED's role might be and how that, you know, played out in this case.
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly. So, the very first thing obviously is a notification for a request for assistance, and then the explanation of what exactly we're requesting. A lot of times our assistance is the -- what's requested is nothing more than assistance with the crime scene. Sometimes it may be that we're asking for them to take the entire case. In this case, the notification was made by the sheriff. All I was told was that SLED was responding and they were sending a team of investigators as well as crime scene. Knowing that crime scene was en route, we went ahead and secured that search warrant. That's why Detective Rutland was turned around and sent directly to the office to go and initiate that process. Obviously at 10:30 at night, we knew that we were going to have to get the warrant typed, and then we were going to have to locate a judge in the middle of the evening. We wanted to have all of that done prior to the arrival of the Crime Scene Unit.
MR. FERNANDEZ: You touched on earlier a little bit about the weather, but describe the weather as it was when you arrived that evening.
JASON CHAPMAN: As I arrived, hot, sticky. I recorded in my notes, the only reason I can go back and tell you exactly that. What I have recorded in my notes is 79 degrees, 89 percent humidity, hot, sticky. It was not raining yet. An occasional rain drop on the windshield but no actual rain yet. It was a little foggy on my ride in, but not foggy at the scene. And obviously the evening hours.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I think you mentioned before, but rain did set in. How long was it until the rain set in?
JASON CHAPMAN: It wasn't very long. I think the radar was pretty accurate. I want to say within 45 minutes to an hour of that notification, the rain did come.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And you mentioned setting up tents or requesting that tent be set up. What would be the purpose of those tents?
JASON CHAPMAN: So in response to the crime scene, obviously preservation of any type of evidence is important, but the preservation is not always limited to leaving it there and taking a picture of it and wait for somebody else to get there. In this case, mother nature wasn't complying; we knew that the rain was inbound. So, the tent was placed over victim Maggie's body in an attempt to preserve any evidence that may be there. I only had one at the time. Paul's body was positioned somewhat over an extending ledge that I was hopeful would keep some of the rain, if it did start, off of him. The other evidence would have been anything from -- and at the time I didn't know what we were going to be facing, but from, you know, tire tread, footprints, shell casings, anything at all. So, the intent would be to preserve that as best as possible, and if it was going to be affected by the approaching weather, do the best thing we could to mark it out, measure it out, and have that done, or partially done by the time crime scene arrived.
MR. FERNANDEZ: As far as safety purposes, when you arrived on the scene, would you have considered the scene to be secured at that point?
JASON CHAPMAN: I arrived pretty quick. I know that as far as the immediate -- you know, right there the area that I'm sure that you ladies and gentlemen have seen with the tape and the videos that were played earlier, the immediate scene, yes. The outside -- you know, the property is approximately like 1700 acres, and it's not just that property. It sits in the middle of nowhere. At the time, you know, we did not know what we had. I don't know if we had a active shooter, didn't know if we had a murder/suicide, didn't know if we had people in the woods. We didn't have any idea. So, inner perimeter secure, I would say yes, sir. Outside, you know, in the woods across the street, I wasn't sure yet. I didn't know.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is it fair to say that there was a lot of unknowns at that point when you first arrived?
JASON CHAPMAN: A lot of unknowns when I first arrived. Very little known other than at the time what they had gotten is initial information from Mr. Murdaugh and the fact that we had two deceased.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Tell the jury, if you will -- well, first of all, let me ask you this. As part of the law enforcement training throughout the years, have you had any experience with or training in, you know, life saving technique if needed? If someone were -- needed CPR or something like that, are you trained in that?
JASON CHAPMAN: Oh, yes, sir. Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: At arrival on the scene, did you physically observe the two bodies that were present, both of Maggie and Paul?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And in your estimation, was it clear to you that they were deceased at that point?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you consider that life saving techniques would be possible or would have any result?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did not. Paramedics were there shortly before me. They're great fire rescue. I was assured that if there had been anything that could have been done, it would have been initiated prior to my arrival, but from what I saw, it was well beyond that.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Upon your arrival at the scene, were there anyone else present that were not either sheriff's office employees or employees of EMS and fire? Was there anyone else present on the scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: The two victims, Mr. Murdaugh, and emergency services.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And you mentioned Mr. Murdaugh. Is that Alex Murdaugh?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is he present here today?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. He is seated at defense table, blue blazer, white shirt, and glasses.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you have an opportunity to observe Mr. Murdaugh that night?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: As part of your responsibilities there, you -- what capacity were you there at the scene? In what capacity?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again investigative. I realized that, you know, we had notified SLED to take care of it, but again, what we were attempting to do, and what we did do, was identification of any potential evidence. We marked that potential evidence. If time had allowed, it would have been photographed, and then from that point simply protected. Absolutely zero collection of anything was done by any of my staff with the exception of one GSR kit that was instructed by SLED.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I know -- were you familiar -- had you familiarized yourself with the body worn video with both Deputies Greene and McDowell?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what was your first order of business upon arrival, especially -- you know, particularity relating to Paul?
JASON CHAPMAN: By the time I got there, they had placed a sheet over both of the victims. It's something that, you know, I'm not always -- I don't like. I understand that a lot of times it's placed there, you know, so the family doesn't have to see that, but prefer that it does not happen but in this case it was already there. And because the scene is still somewhat fluid, we talked about the inner perimeter being secure, but as reported by Mr. Murdaugh, we don't know who the defendants are. We don't know where the shooters are. We see shell casings scattered around the ground that are obviously rifle casings. There is some evidence to support that at least one or more shots into Paul are from a shotgun. That means two weapons. So, were there two people? Are there other people that may be injured? You know, so inner perimeter may be considered secure, outer perimeter not so much. So, we began really quick with a -- an inspection of the two individuals to make sure that we had not missed a weapon, or that the initial responding officers had not missed one. And we could see that Maggie --
(Brief interruption with some type of audio.)
JASON CHAPMAN: I apologize. We could see that Maggie, there was nothing laying beside her. We looked closely. Again, we didn't move her. So, we went over to Paul, and I had a couple of the deputies there and a detective lift the sheet just so that we can look and make sure there wasn't a weapon underneath him. His hands were tucked so you couldn't see underneath his body, but as best we could tell from the present state of the body, unless there was a weapon directly underneath him, there was nothing out to the left or right.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Captain Chapman, I'm going to direct your focus to the monitor in front of you. I'm going to be playing what's been marked as State's Exhibit --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: State's Exhibit Number 1.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I've marked it to the 28 minute mark on that. Just looking at the still image right now, are you familiar with the scene there?
JASON CHAPMAN: I am, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And can you describe what's going on?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. So, that's myself, Detective Tindal, Chief McRoy from the Colleton County Fire Rescue, Lieutenant Lonnie Nettles in the background near the perimeter, inner perimeter, and victim Paul Murdaugh's body to our left there in the open doorway to the feed room.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what are you preparing to do here?
JASON CHAPMAN: At this point in time, double checking to see if there is a weapon. I told you before we weren't sure whether we were talking about a full murder, a murder/suicide, a active shooter scenario. Are there other suspects that may be in the woods? We knew we had the casings that matched a rifle with some evidence that supported possibly a shotgun. So, when asking if any of the weapons had been found, everyone stated no. So, I had them lift the sheet to make sure there wasn't the barrel of a gun or anything sticking out underneath the body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: A little bit about the scene here and your observations of what you're looking at. The kennels directly to the left, if I could direct your attention to those.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you notice animals in those kennels?
JASON CHAPMAN: I believe one, two, three, there's a couple of kennels closest to the feed room that did have dogs in them. I don't -- and possibly one towards the end. They weren't all full. But the ones closest to the feed room, I think there was a dog in at least one or two of them.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And was the area wet?
JASON CHAPMAN: The area directly in front of the feed room was, like, wet-wet. There was also water that tailed out of at least the first two kennels. The rest of the sidewalk was not wet. This -- and that water, I never saw a hose, so I'm not sure if it was leaking from something, but it was actually standing water.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And was that water present consistent with the weather at that time?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. It hadn't rained yet, not enough to leave any -- it was a drizzle here and there.
MR. FERNANDEZ: When you observed the body of Paul, was it physically wet as well, or the clothing he was wearing?
JASON CHAPMAN: It was saturated with obviously blood and tissue, and his clothes did appear to be wet, but almost as if like absorbed from the ground up. Not saying that someone had sprayed him with a hose or anything.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Please observe the video, if you would, and I'll have a few questions afterwards.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, did you direct Deputy McDowell into the feed room area to help with lifting that sheet?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And why would -- why would you do that?
JASON CHAPMAN: I wanted the sheet lifted directly, not drug across the body. Again, I told you I'm not really a proponent of sheets, but since it was there, I would prefer that it be lifted straight up. I had already walked through to see what, if anything, was right there. You can see I'm cautiously stepping there, but I'd already checked to see if we were going to be able to step to the inside of it. The spot right inside the inside of the door, inside of the doorframe, I had looked, and I felt like he would be able to step straight in, pick the sheet up, put the sheet back down, and step back out.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is preservation of scene important --
JASON CHAPMAN: It is important.
MR. FERNANDEZ: -- in your line of work?
JASON CHAPMAN: Absolutely.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is equally important securing the scene and making sure that you understand if there's any loose firearms around or if that there's any other --
JASON CHAPMAN: It is. Again --
MR. FERNANDEZ: -- uncontrollable circumstances going on?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is. Again, you know, the sole purpose of this right here is to help determine whether or not I have any suspects still on the move, or if there's a weapon underneath him.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: And this is -- is this you looking for the gun?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What do you notice about the body physically laying there, Paul's body?
JASON CHAPMAN: Feet towards the feed room, head towards the driveway, hands tucked underneath the body, fairly saturated in blood. Majority of the head is gone. There's a lot of tissue, what appears to be at least some of the brain, or most of the brain lying on the opposite side from me to the victim. Wet. Again, I'm assuming probably from soaking up rain or water, whatever that is, off the sidewalk. And a smartphone sitting on -- propped up on the back of him.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was Paul's person saturated in physical matter and blood?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And his hands, were they accessible to anyone without -- could you have touched Paul's hands or wrists without physically moving him?
JASON CHAPMAN: I can't actually see his hands at this point in time.
MR. FERNANDEZ: He fell down on top of them. Is that fair to say?
JASON CHAPMAN: They're underneath his body, yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: What did you observe that was laying on -- laying on top of Paul's body right there?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, it was a smartphone.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you have a chance to examine that smartphone and get fairly close to it?
JASON CHAPMAN: I got close to it. I didn't pick it up. I was present when it was actually collected later, but it was not collected at this point.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And later on it was collected -- describe the collection process that occurred after this.
JASON CHAPMAN: It was collected by myself and Agent David Owens. I believe he's going to be your case agent. As far as collection of that, I stood by as a witness. As he collected, he had on rubber gloves. It was picked up. He didn't actually do any manipulation of the device in front of me. It was bagged as evidence and placed in the vehicle.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was the phone physically bloody?
JASON CHAPMAN: I don't recall any blood or water on the phone. I'm not saying that microscopically there wasn't, but I don't recall from the naked eye seeing anything.
MR. FERNANDEZ: That's what I'm asking about.
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: From your observations, was it wet from the water or blood?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And when it was lifted off of Paul's shorts, did it leave, like, a mark of blood or water or anything like that?
JASON CHAPMAN: Not that I recall, no, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Were you able to locate a firearm underneath the body of Paul?
JASON CHAPMAN: When the coroner's office arrived and the Crime Scene Unit and victim Paul was eventually moved, there was not a firearm underneath.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Are you familiar with the rifle round called a 300 Blackout?
JASON CHAPMAN: I am, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is that -- in your twenty-six years of experience, is that a caliber that you come across with any frequency?
JASON CHAPMAN: In the last couple of years probably more than ever. But in all the crime scenes I have worked, I believe this was, at the time, the second ever in my career that had a 300 Blackout as far as being involved in a homicide.
MR. FERNANDEZ: As supervisor on the scene, is it part of your responsibility and your duties to sort of direct what people do? You're the person in charge?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Does that free you up to do other things if others -- if you have your deputies doing the tasks that you've assigned them?
JASON CHAPMAN: If possible, yes, sir, sometimes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And on this particular instance and this night, were you able to observe Mr. Murdaugh and see what he was up to?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, and I spoke to him on a few occasions.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Whenever you're investigating a case -- I'm going to ask you about items that you might designate as points that you need to address.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: You describe what that might mean. What's in general, like, an investigative point or investigative cue that you need to focus on?
JASON CHAPMAN: Anything that we hear or see that based on the limited amount of knowledge we have at that particular point just creates a unknown. Something that may need further investigation, something that maybe doesn't necessarily correspond with the evidence on scene or with a statement made by somebody. It's something that just we need to follow up on. It can't just be left alone or accepted as fact.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What are some of the physical observations -- I'm going to ask you about physical observations of Mr. Murdaugh. Did he appear to be, at least outwardly, did he appear to be upset?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you -- were you close enough to observe whether or not he actually cried or had tears in his eyes?
JASON CHAPMAN: He was upset, definitely upset. I got up to him. Again, like I said, I spoke to him on at least two different occasions and he was breathing hard, you know. His facial expressions were that of, you know, torment. But physically see him crying, I did not. He was sweating but he wasn't crying.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What did you observe about his clothing?
JASON CHAPMAN: Clothing was clean. I didn't see anything that stuck out. Obviously no dirt or blood or anything that indicated he had been rolling around on the ground, or that he had, you know, been involved or anything up to that point.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm going to ask you about something that you do when you're arriving on a scene, particularly if it's a homicide. Do you have a practice of phoning or having dispatch send you the 911 call?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, we do.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Why would you do that?
JASON CHAPMAN: We get a lot of information from 911 calls, more so than the average person, I think, would believe. And it's -- over the years we've had several cases where had we not gone back and looked at that initial 911 call, we would have missed some very important information that -- or information that could have cleared up some unknowns, those points of investigation you talked about, much sooner. So, in our investigative process, that's now one of the things that we try to do relatively quickly. In this case, with the scene being fluid and not knowing if we had suspects on the loose, I opted to go ahead and do that, and it took a minute for them to get caught up as busy as they were, but they were able to get on the phone with me and play the 911 call for me.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, were you able to hear the 911 call?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And are you listening to that 911 call both for content but also critically and trying to examine the things that are said?
JASON CHAPMAN: Absolutely. We're listening for noises in the background, exactly what is said versus what we see, so forth.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, with that awareness of everything that was said on the 911 call, do you then take that information and apply it to the scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And are you applying that information to try to see if it checks out, to see if things are consistent with what you heard on the 911 call?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And on the 911 call, did you -- did Mr. Murdaugh indicate that he had tried to examine the bodies or check their pulses?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes. He's -- I believe dispatch stated don't -- do not touch if you haven't, and Mr. Murdaugh replied that he had touched them checking them.
MR. FERNANDEZ: To check to see if they were breathing?
JASON CHAPMAN: And which would be expected, absolutely.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Upon examination of Mr. Murdaugh, did you have a chance to look at his hands?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, I did talk to him, yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you have a chance to look at his shirt?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And did you see any indication that there was any blood on any part of his body?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. Not --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Physically.
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, just physically with my observations, no microscope, I did not see any blood anywhere.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And in your experience with viewing Paul's body, had you physically touched Paul, would there have been blood left on your hands?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor. Speculation.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Response?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Well, Your Honor, I don't think it's speculation. This witness saw the body. He can testify to the locations that would be touched and whether it would transferred.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Does he know what location he touched?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'll lay a foundation. I'll ask a few more questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Mr. Chapman, going back to -- or Captain Chapman, going back to your experience in life saving procedures, is there -- are there common areas that someone might touch to check a pulse if they were indicating they were checking breathing --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor. The question is where did Mr. Murdaugh touch the body for a pulse.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled. The prosecutor is asking the questions. Go ahead.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you, Your Honor.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is there common areas that someone might check a body to check for -- if they've indicated they're checking for breathing, are there common areas that someone might check?
JASON CHAPMAN: I believe the most common is the neck and the wrist that you see that, you know, people with limited training would probably use. I'm sure there are others for -- with medical training.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So, the neck and the wrist. And please tell me where Paul's wrists were located when you discovered his body.
JASON CHAPMAN: They're up underneath his body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And was Paul's neck accessible? If his wrists were underneath his body, was his neck accessible?
JASON CHAPMAN: I think you can get the portions of his neck. I don't know that you would be able to get under. I mean, he's face down, and I didn't try to get a pulse, but where I know that you would check would be difficult without manipulating the body in some fashion, I guess.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And if you had to manipulate the body and if you were going to try to check his pulse via wrists or neck, what you saw that night, would your hands be bloody?
JASON CHAPMAN: If I had attempted, they would have been, yes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm going to ask you another investigative point that you observed. Did Mr. Murdaugh on the 911 call indicate he was going to retrieve a firearm?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. That actually came out while I was en route as a caution from the dispatcher, but it was also present on the call when I monitored the call.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Having listened to the phone call -- having listened to the 911 tape, what was your reaction, or what was your -- what was the cue that you were fixated on as it relates to the retrieval of the firearm? What is going through your head at that point?
JASON CHAPMAN: Well, that he's scared. I mean, that he believes there may be somebody there that possibly whoever he believes hurt them may come back and hurt him.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And sure, that's your estimation, right? That's what you're thinking --
JASON CHAPMAN: That's what I was thinking, yeah. And that's what I believe pretty much anybody would think. If he was there present with them and got spooked and -- because I believe the verbiage on the 911 is he states I'm going to get a gun, that I don't feel safe. And dispatch tries to tell him we would rather you not, and he states again that I'm not going to show it to the officers. I'm not going to hurt anybody. I'll put it away, but I feel unsafe. So, I understand that.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. In listening to the 911 call critically, what then did you observe towards the end after retrieving a firearm that you would cue onto in your investigative process?
JASON CHAPMAN: After knowing that he had went and got the gun, knowing that he stated it was unsafe and that he went and got the firearm there, when he came back, as soon as he got back to the scene, the only thing I believe that was odd from that point was that he wanted to separate the call, or cancel the call, to call family prior to anyone's arrival. It was the only thing and it just struck me as odd. Again, it's just a point of investigation. Up to that point in the phone call, he had asked repeatedly where are they? Are y'all coming? Are y'all coming? Are y'all coming? I'm not safe. I'm going to get a gun. And then when he got back to the scene, are y'all here yet? How far out are they? And then it was I need to call my family, and the phone disconnected.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And when we refer to the scene, the scene is obviously -- does that encumber part of what was, you know, fenced off with crime scene tape? Is that, you know, what we're referring to, a scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: That would have been the primary scene, yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: But in your mind, what does the scene also entail? What other things?
JASON CHAPMAN: Well, I mean, the only thing that -- the phone could potentially extend that scene. The phone calls, excuse me, could potentially extend that scene as far as entering your crime scene and not being able to introduce evidence, or exiting a crime scene without being able to take away evidence. And by his own admission he left the scene, went to his house and got a gun. Potentially that could make the house an extension of the crime scene.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Because that's what he indicated on the phone.
JASON CHAPMAN: That's what he indicated.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Does -- is Mr. Murdaugh considered part of that scene's scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: Of course. He's inside that area when we arrive and, I mean, he would be factored into everything.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And would that justify or explain why you might pay particular attention to him?
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure. I mean, we would anybody that was there.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Now, you've -- and I'm asking you this again. I know you've answered it. You've had a chance to review the body worn camera from both Deputy Greene and McDowell, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did your -- after those videos cease recording because the crime scene had been secured, did you have an opportunity then to continue your investigation and continue your line of work?
JASON CHAPMAN: We did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And those -- these activities would not have been captured on the video because it had been shut down. Is that correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you have an opportunity to physically observe, meaning watch, Mr. Murdaugh while your deputies and your officers were performing their tasks?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What were a couple of things that you noticed that stuck out to you when physically observing Mr. Murdaugh and how he was either behaving or what he was doing?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, I mean, he was emotional. The stress on his face -- I didn't see him cry. Not everyone cries; I don't have an issue with that. There were times that when we got to certain places or asked certain questions that you could see a slight demeanor change or body language shift, and, you know, I took note of that. But again, as -- just as a point of investigation -- but he remained at the scene. He wasn't forced to stay. He was cooperative, but he didn't -- you know, there were times that you could see a reaction to different things.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Did you notice a reaction -- did you ever notice him tracking your movements or your officers' movements?
JASON CHAPMAN: I know when -- I was there when I ordered Detective Varnadoe to take a GSR kit and explained how the kit worked. And while we were taking it -- and he was very cooperative with giving the kit, and we really didn't have an issue there. Later was looking at some -- I wouldn't call them tire tracks. I would call them tire impressions because there's no dirt there. It's just grass, but we noticed there was quite a bit of tire impressions that ran around the back side of the hangar.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And we'll get to the tire tracks in a second. You mentioned the term just a second ago called GSR?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If you wouldn't mind, could you explain to us just what that is?
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure. I apologize for that. A gunshot residue kit is just a kit -- we use specific kits provided by SLED because the kits were then sent off for testing, but it's meant to test for the presence of gunshot residue. They're very noninvasive. They have little ampules. You open up a sterile kit, put a set of gloves on, open the kit up, and you'll dab one of the sterile collectors around on the front and back of the hand of an individual. Package those up, tape it off, seal it, date it, time it, case number, and then that's eventually sent off to SLED. We were asked -- I spoke earlier and said the only thing that my detectives physically collected prior to SLED's Crime Scene's arrival was that GSR kit. It was done by us because there is a time limit on those, and you can't always wait. I know everybody sometimes thinks that, well, why don't we just wait and do all of this tomorrow, but GSR has a six hour limit on it, so we had to collect that that night, and we did so. And that's what I was referring to when I say GSR, is a gunshot residue test kit.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And, Captain Chapman, related to the GSR retrieval, I know you mentioned a time limit, expiring time limit. Is it your understanding that that time limit -- what's the time -- does that time limit refer to humans or just things in general, objects in general?
JASON CHAPMAN: That refers to when we collect a GSR sample from an individual. That is our restriction from the SLED lab as it has to be collected within 6 hours of the estimated time of firing the weapon. And again, that kit is -- I mean, it's just as much for any type of exculpatory as it is conviction. We use it a lot of times to exonerate someone as much as we would to convict.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Going back to Mr. Murdaugh's -- the observations that you had, did he appear to fixate on one body over the other that were there?
JASON CHAPMAN: Especially watching the camera footage. I didn't notice quite as much in person, but later scrutinizing the body cam footage there does -- he does appear to fixate more on his son than his wife, but that's in that limited amount of body cam footage that I have.
MR. FERNANDEZ: You mentioned before the tire tracks that you observed.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, or tire impressions.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Tire impressions.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. Let's set the scene. Set the scene for us, if you would, please.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Describing the grass, and we've heard a lot about, you know, there was rain, the moisture. Describe the scene, if you would, on that grass.
JASON CHAPMAN: So, if you come into the property and you go down the dirt road with Paul on your left, as you see in the picture before y'all, that gravel or dirt road between the kennels and the -- what's referred to as the airport, or the airplane hangar, eventually ends in grass, a large grass area that separates that hangar from another shed. And that area is where Mr. Murdaugh's Suburban was parked with the flashers and the headlights, and the headlights were pointed towards Paul's body. But that entire area there is grass as opposed to the dirt or gravel lane between the two structures, and there's some very obvious at that time impressions in the grass. But they're not tracks like you think of that you -- we could cast a track out of dirt, but you can't cast an impression that's in -- laid over wet grass from the dew. I mean, they're not going to be able to do anything with that other than to document it. And I did notice them, and I actually asked Mr. Murdaugh if he could tell me because I didn't -- I was unaware of the body cam footage at the time. Could you tell me what direction you came from. And he told me that -- he pointed and said he had come from the residence and pulled up here, turned around, and went back the same route, confirming that the tracks around his vehicle, the Suburban, were his. And he said there should be two sets from where I arrived the first time, left, and went my -- got the gun and came back. And I asked about the other sets that you could see, and there was one in particular that appeared to come close to Maggie's body possibly. You had to have the light just right, and it just happened to be that I noticed it looking at the ground in front of Mr. Murdaugh's vehicle, because the lights were shining on Paul, that you could see that.
MR. FERNANDEZ: So the tire tracks, did you and Detective Rutland spend some time trying to -- or attempting to identify where those tracks could have come from?
JASON CHAPMAN: We did try to follow them. One thing that started to bother me was that we didn't have a vehicle. We were trying to figure out how Maggie and Paul got to the kennels. It's a pretty substantial distance from the residence to the kennels. The property, you know -- and I don't know an exact, but I'm guessing probably 1,000 yards from the kennels to the house. And it's 10:00 at night, so I don't know what time they got there, but it's a pretty long walk with, especially if you're planning on walking back in the dark. And did they drive a vehicle? Did they drive, you know, a four wheeler or UTV or whatever, a golf cart? But we see Mr. Murdaugh's vehicle because he left it as instructed where it was, but we were trying to determine if any of these other tracks lined up with the position of any of the vehicles that were on the property. There was a UTV with a flat tire. There was another -- a half-ton pickup in the shed across the grass portion from the hangar. I was thinking maybe those tracks would line up, or the impressions that were in the grass would line up with that vehicle.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did they appear to line up with either of those vehicles?
JASON CHAPMAN: They did not. They did not.
MR. FERNANDEZ: As part of your investigation -- I'll flash forward just a little bit. Did you operate and record two drone videos of the property?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I'm handing -- I'm going to hand you -- show you.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm going to hand you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 187 and 188. Briefly take a look at those two videos, DVDs if you would, and let me know if you recognize them.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. Both of these discs I have marked as having previously viewed and confirmed their authenticity on the 25th of this month, and one on the 26th of this month.
MR. FERNANDEZ: These would be the drone video recordings?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Your Honor, we would move to admit these into evidence, I believe without objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any objection?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted without objection.
(DRONE VIDEO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 187 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(DRONE VIDEO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 188 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: And ladies and gentlemen, we'll take a recess at this time. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: We'll be in recess for 15 minutes.
(A break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Let's bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: All of the jurors are present.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, thank you. You may proceed.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you, Your Honor. May it please the Court?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CONTINUED DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. FERNANDEZ:
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, resuming our testimony, I'm going to show you again four pictures I'm going to mark -- I've marked and identified, and I'll ask you to please identify them.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Are you offering them all into evidence?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I am, yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted without objection.
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 189 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 190 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 191 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 192 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay, and permission to publish?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If I could have the ELMO.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I think -- and, Your Honor, I think we already established that the drone footage has been placed into evidence, and I would request permission to play that first, and then I'll go -- sorry.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, as we were discussing earlier, you did record -- describe the process of what you did with the drones and why you were surveilling the area.
JASON CHAPMAN: I took pictures with our drone just to give an overall. Some of the agents had different job descriptions that day; some of my personnel had different job descriptions that day. In order to have something as a reference point to go back and work with later, we took the department issued drone and took a couple of aerial videos so that we could use them for reference later.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And, Your Honor, request permission for the witness to sort of direct the geography of the drone footage.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, you may.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If you would, please step down.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure.
(DVD of drone footage was played throughout the following testimony. There was no audio.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: And if you could identify for the jurors as videos play what we're actually looking at.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure. So, in the image currently what we see is the main house, the Murdaugh residence. There you go, I apologize.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And --
JASON CHAPMAN: And left of that structure with the planted trees would be the main driveway that comes out.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. If you could identify that on the video, the driveway that you're referring to.
JASON CHAPMAN: I'll show you here and then I'll walk up, yes, sir. So, this would be the main structure and the main driveway that comes out from it with the trees. Ladies and gentlemen, the main structure, the residential structure and the driveway, the main driveway going away from it with the trees.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right, and now looking down the road a bit, Captain Chapman, this road that veers to the left, or it turns left, what is that road?
JASON CHAPMAN: So, that would have been the route that was described by Mr. Murdaugh as how he left his residence and came to the dog kennels, coming up the road with the planted trees making a left here, ladies and gentlemen, there. And if you play the video a little further, that road ends at the incident location with the dog kennels.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And if you would, please describe for us what we're actually looking at with this dog kennel area, identifying the structures and the entry point for the road, the main mailbox area.
JASON CHAPMAN: Absolutely. So, this would be the area coming from the main residence. When we arrived on scene that night, or at least when I arrived, right here positioned with the headlights facing down this way would have been Mr. Murdaugh's vehicle. You keep hearing reference of the airplane hangar, or the main shed. That would have been the large structure here. The dog kennels are the smaller one you see in the background running perpendicular, and the driveway goes out to the road. Do I need to show you ladies and gentlemen here? Has everyone --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Please do. Just go through what these structures are.
JASON CHAPMAN: So again, the roadway coming from the main residence. Here you have what's been referred to as the hangar. Mr. Murdaugh's vehicle is parked in this general area here with the headlights shining down this direction. This would have been the dog kennels. This is the large grass area that we were referring to when we were talking about the tire impressions and the dew, and this was a separate structure of this.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And where would the entry point for the Moselle Road be on this still shot?
JASON CHAPMAN: Following straight down between the hangar and the dog kennels going all of the way through the treeline, the Moselle entrance would be back here.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And I'm going to just play it one time without stopping.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Thank you, Captain Chapman. I'm going to play the second drone video.
(DVD of drone footage was played. There was no audio.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: If you would, please tell us what we're looking at from this perspective right now.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. So, this would be the back portion of the airplane hangar. The driveway -- the vehicles at the bottom of the screen, this driveway goes back around and connects back to Moselle Road.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And is this the hangar that you were referencing?
JASON CHAPMAN: This is the airplane hangar as we've been referring to it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What is this structure on the top side of this image in the far back?
JASON CHAPMAN: I believe that's a cleaning shed, a processing shed for animals, if you were going to process a deer that you killed, and it had, like, a walk-in freezer, sinks, a floor with a drain in it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. Describe to us what we're looking at from this perspective, if you would?
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly. So, if you came in the Moselle entrance, which was the entrance that we were dispatched to, the 4147, and you turn by the mailbox off of Moselle Road and you came in the dirt driveway, you would be coming up between the two structures. You had the airplane hangar on your right with the red tin roof, the dog kennel on your left. That was the vehicle that Mr. Murdaugh was driving, at least what was -- he said he was driving when I arrived on scene. At the time the flashers were flash -- I believe they actually still are in the drone video, the hazard lights are on, all of the way back from where dispatch initially advised him to cut them on for arrival. The large shed in the background back there is just a -- simply another tractor shed.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And, Captain Chapman, would you identify where the body of Paul Murdaugh was located when you arrived on this picture?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. So, the dog kennels on the left of your screen, ladies and gentlemen, if you were to look towards the end of that structure right where the gravel and the roofline are and then step back approximately 5 or 6 feet, that would have been the location of Paul's body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And where would Maggie's body have been located?
JASON CHAPMAN: Maggie's body would have just beyond the roofline of the red airplane hangar on the side closest to the Suburban.
MR. FERNANDEZ: The trajectory of the vehicle that Mr. Murdaugh was operating and actually parked there, would his headlights -- where would his headlights have been directed to?
JASON CHAPMAN: As it sits now, which I believe is the same it was when I arrived on scene, the headlights were pointed on Paul's body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And this structure just past the white roof, which is identified as the kennels, what's that run structure there?
JASON CHAPMAN: I believe that was, like, a chicken coop or a chicken pen.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: You mentioned before when we were talking about the tire tracks that you noticed the dew of the grass, that you were trying to identify the location of those tracks. As part of your investigation in conjunction with Detective Rutland, did you identify this black truck that we see pictured here?
JASON CHAPMAN: We did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was the black truck -- did any of the tracks line up to that black truck?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. That's what got us back to that location looking at the tire impressions was that we were trying to determine if that was the vehicle we believed that Paul may have driven to the kennels.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And did you check the truck to see if it was physically warm to the touch or --
JASON CHAPMAN: It was not.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Pausing here, Captain Chapman, the kennel run I think you already identified, is that the structure with the white roof?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: The silverish/white roof in the background on this image?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And the feed room located where Paul actually was sort of straddled, where would that feed room be in this image?
JASON CHAPMAN: If you look at the right corner of that building, and you can see the white framed door just above the red roof, that would be the area of the feed room.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And with the Court's permission I would ask the witness to identify that on the screen, if he would?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
JASON CHAPMAN: Thank you, Your Honor.
JASON CHAPMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, this would have been the area of the feed room here. This would have been the area of the feed room here.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And while you're there, Captain Chapman, would you please identify in this angle where Maggie Murdaugh would have been located?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. Maggie would have been located here. Here.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you become aware in the course of your investigation of footprints on the side of the hangar?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes.
MR. FERNANDEZ: How did that occur, and what brought your attention to that first, and what did you do as a result?
JASON CHAPMAN: Detective Rutland approached me at some point in time after her arrival with a search warrant, that she had located a set of prints. The prints appeared to be a flat style print, like a flip flop or a scandal of some type, and that they were to the left of this hangar door in the dirt underneath the left lean-to of the hangar.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And if you mean to the left of the door in the image, do you identify an orange lawnmower there?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct, in between that mower and the wall.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If you would, describe what you did and what you and Detective Rutland decided to do to examine these footprints.
JASON CHAPMAN: She came over and alerted me to the presence of the footprints or shoe impressions. I went over with her. We started at the side of the hangar here that you see in the image by the orange mower. At that particular point, you could only see those sets of tracks or shoe impressions in the dirt. We then walked around the other side, and you could see that they were also on the other side of the hangar, the far side of that structure. So, then we made the decision to walk a line off the -- off of those tracks from one end to the other to ensure that there was no evidence of firearms, blood, anything underneath that hangar along those shoe impressions, which we did not locate anything but the single set of tire -- of shoe impressions. And they appeared to go from one end of the hangar to the other, turn around, and come back.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm going to show you what's been entered into evidence as State's Exhibit 193. Are you familiar with that location?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is that a still image of the area between the hangar and that lawnmower?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And is that the location where you noticed the treads, the footprints?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: All right. I'm hand goes you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 194. Would you please describe what you see in that picture?
JASON CHAPMAN: This is a picture of the footprints along the edge of the hangar structure.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm handing you what's been marked and entered into evidence as State's Exhibit 195. Please describe what you see in that picture.
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, another photograph depicting the shoe impressions along the edge of the --
MR. FERNANDEZ: And those are the shoe impressions that you personally viewed on scene at Moselle.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm also marking -- handing you what's been entered into evidence as State's Exhibit 200. Are you familiar with what that is a picture of?
JASON CHAPMAN: These are the shoes that were on Ms. Maggie at the time. I believe they're crime scene or autopsy photos from afterwards.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm showing you a rear view of the car operated by Mr. Murdaugh. Is that accurate?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And is that -- are those headlights directly aligned with where Paul's body would have been laying?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And from this perspective, where was Maggie's body located?
JASON CHAPMAN: Close to the front of the green Ranger, to the left of the vehicle.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And from which direction did Mr. Murdaugh indicate he drove to the scene from? Which direction would that have come from?
JASON CHAPMAN: Bottom right-hand corner of the picture that you're seeing now.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, I'm asking you to identify these very quickly. These are stills from the video feed, and what does that show?
JASON CHAPMAN: That is the dirt road between the hangar and the dog kennels.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And that would be State's Exhibit 192. This is State's Exhibit 191. What does that show?
JASON CHAPMAN: That is the, like you said, a cleaning shed, a processing shed for animals. It had a walk-in freezer and a floor with a drain in it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. I'm showing you State's Exhibit 190. What's that an image of?
JASON CHAPMAN: It looks like the area of the first two kennels closest to the --
MR. FERNANDEZ: And that -- does that reflect the two kennels with the two dogs on either side closest to the feed room?
JASON CHAPMAN: Closest to the feed room.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay, and I'm showing you what's marked as State's Exhibit 189.
JASON CHAPMAN: That's the --
MR. FERNANDEZ: Is that another close-up of the water?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's a close-up of the water just outside the feed room.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay, and I'm referring to the pictures we just reviewed. This would be State's Exhibit 193. Is that where you basically walked with Detective Rutland?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And to be clear, when you observed the footsteps in the sand there, were they the only foot steps present?
JASON CHAPMAN: There was only one style of shoe impression when we first observed that went from one side of the hangar to the other and back, and it was that smooth style shoe impression.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And you say there and back. Does that the mean footprints to you indicated they had walked one direction and then walked the opposite direction back? Is that what you're referring to?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. We weren't able to tell at which point -- which side they entered initially, but they walked completely from one side of the hangar all the way underneath it the lean-to to the other side of the hangar, turn around and came back.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm now showing you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 194. Describe the types of treads we're seeing in this picture, if you could.
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly. If you remember I stated earlier that after locating the shoe impressions, Detective Rutland let me know that the impressions were there. I went over. We checked both sides and realized that they ran, what we could tell with a flashlight, from one side to the other. So, we made the decision to walk straight through, keeping the shoe impressions that we were concerned about in between ourselves and the wall of the hangar structure, never crossing those actual shoe impressions. We went from one end to the other just to see if they were joined by any other shoe impressions, if there was any blood, if there were any weapons, so forth. We made one trip down and back, and we did not locate anything.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm now showing you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 195. Would that be a close-up of these impressions that you observed?
JASON CHAPMAN: It is, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And specifically the items in the middle with the flat tread, those were the -- those were the -- those were the -- would that be the first thing you noticed that night?
JASON CHAPMAN: Those were the ones initially identified by Detective Rutland and pointed out to myself. The ones with the shoe impressions with the actual designs that would be left of those in this photograph, those are myself and Detective Rutland.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Your Honor, I'm going to move to publish what's been marked as entered into evidence as State's Exhibit 196 and 197. These are images of sensitive nature. I have the coversheet, I am advising counsel and our table to obscure the monitors.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm showing you what's been marked and entered into evidence as State's Exhibit 196. Are you familiar with what this is an image of?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what does this show?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's the lower portion of victim Maggie's body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And specifically referring to the lower portion of the body -- but her footwear, what are you -- what did -- are these the footwear that you observed on her that evening?
JASON CHAPMAN: Those are the -- they appear to be an accurate reflection of what she was wearing the night I was there.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Were you able to compare those -- the general size and shape of those foot treads to the ones that you personally observed on the side of that hangar?
JASON CHAPMAN: General impression they are similar in nature and design and size. There were no measurements physically taken by myself or Detective Rutland.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Okay. I'm publishing what's been marked and placed into evidence as State's Exhibit 1-7 -- I'm sorry, 197, and this is a similar photograph with just a slightly different angle. Is that the same treads and same footwear that you observed previously?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, what we believed that what we saw on the side of the building is a very close match as far as design and size as to those.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm showing you now what's been marked and placed into evidence as State's Exhibit 200. Are you familiar with that? I know you're already described it, but tell us again what we're looking at.
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, those were the shoes that were removed from victim Maggie's body at the scene and the ones that we were visibly comparing the shoe impressions to.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you at one point have a be-on-the-lookout, or a BOLO, placed on anything particular in the vehicle that night?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir. I believe I explained earlier that we had asked if anything was missing from the scene and trying to determine how Maggie and Paul got to the dog kennels. And after checking the F150 that was in the picture we showed you earlier, the dark colored F150 -- and the Ranger had a flat tire. Neither one of those matched up. I actually asked Mr. Murdaugh if he knew how they got down there, and he said he wasn't sure but they should have driven Paul's truck, which was described as a Ford, a white Ford F250. We noticed that the truck wasn't there. It wasn't up until that point that Mr. Murdaugh probably, with everything going on, did not realize the truck wasn't there. And at that point in time, to our units and our agency it was BOLO'd out as possibly having been taken from the scene or removed from the scene.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And what happened? Were you able to locate the car eventually?
JASON CHAPMAN: That -- again, that was done some time that night while we were on scene, the very following morning. And I would have to look back at notes to tell you exactly, but I believe it was around 10:30, 10:45 the next morning that vehicle was located just inside Hampton County off of Highway 63.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, referring back to the tire tracks, I know you spent some effort trying to identify the source and origin of these tire tracks. When you were attempting to investigate those tire tracks with Detective Rutland, did you have a chance to then observe Mr. Murdaugh's demeanor?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, and we discussed, you know, there were changes at the time.
MR. FERNANDEZ: What kind of changes?
JASON CHAPMAN: Again, he did appear very upset, heavy breathing, distraught. When we asked the specific questions in regards to the tire impressions and we began looking at the tire impressions, it was just a change. The breathing slowed and he began to watch us work more closely, sometimes out of the corner of his eye. And after we would move away from there with the tire impressions, the demeanor change returned back to upset.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. FERNANDEZ: No further questions from the State. Thank you, Captain Chapman.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Please the Court, Your Honor?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. HARPOOTLIAN:
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Captain, my name is Dick Harpootlian and I don't believe we've met before.
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I represent Alex Murdaugh, and let me ask you a couple of questions. One -- and let me see with these -- they're in different order.
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But you indicated that if Mr. Murdaugh had taken the pulse of his -- tried to take the pulse of his dead son on his neck, his wrists were under him, did he indicate to you he had tried to roll his son over?
JASON CHAPMAN: To me, no, sir, he did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Secondly, if he did get blood on his fingers or hands, were you aware that there was blood found on his shorts?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not, sir. Again, my -- I was asked only about my visible observations and just did not see anything at the time.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. Nothing on his shirt to indicate --
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
JASON CHAPMAN: And I was unaware that anything was found.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But you're not saying that he -- I mean, you didn't see anything to confirm that he didn't smear blood --
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- on himself, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But you're not saying that you have evidence that he didn't try to check the pulse of his dead son.
JASON CHAPMAN: I am not, no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So -- and I think you indicated that his demeanor was consistent with somebody who had just found his wife and son butchered.
JASON CHAPMAN: His demeanor upon my arrival and initial conversation with him was one who was -- of someone who was upset.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and just a moment ago you said something about when you started looking at the tire tracks on the grass, in the grass.
JASON CHAPMAN: It was a change of demeanor, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Well, a change of demeanor that perhaps he thought you had some evidence that would point to the killers of his -- killers or killer of his wife and child?
JASON CHAPMAN: Are you asking me if that was the change?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Was the demeanor consistent with that?
JASON CHAPMAN: It was simply a change in demeanor. Could it be?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure, it absolutely could be. It was just a noted change in demeanor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: His interest perked up.
JASON CHAPMAN: Exactly.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. You were over there looking at tire tracks, and perhaps you had discovered a different car or a different tire track or -- and did you follow all of those tire tracks?
JASON CHAPMAN: We attempted to follow out everything we could. As mentioned earlier, it was just impressions, dew impressions, wet impressions, not actual tracks.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you take pictures?
JASON CHAPMAN: By the time that we did that, the rain started and SLED's Crime Scene was arrived. Again, we were rushing against the weather. The images, I believe we discussed earlier, were the only ones captured by body cam.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: And --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And it's the body cam that did not --
JASON CHAPMAN: Our focus at the time was to secure the largest items of evidence that were identifiable to make sure that the weather didn't damage them, and by that time SLED's team was on scene.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And now there was two other sets of tracks, one of them coming out of the shed, and I believe your notes indicate that was the caretaker, or the caretaker. Now, was that the caretaker that took care of the dogs or somebody else?
JASON CHAPMAN: There was a set of tire tracks or impressions that went through the dirt underneath the hangar --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: -- lean-to. Initially we didn't know whose they were, what vehicle had left those tracks. In the drone footage, you can actually see the agent still processing those. I believe that later I was told that they matched the tire tracks of someone that came to take care of the dogs.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, we heard from the fire chief a little while ago. Were you in the courtroom for that?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir, I was not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He indicated that there were on the road that led out to the Moselle Highway -- do you know where I am talking about?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So, were you informed that the chief of police had found some tire tracks on the road leading in or out from -- to the Moselle Highway behind -- as you look at the screen, this road where the cars are parked on either side of the road, that is that road, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: For clarification, the chief of the fire department or chief of the police department?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry, chief of the fire department.
JASON CHAPMAN: Just wanted to make sure I was answering correctly, sir. Yes. I was not made aware by Chief McRoy of anything back there, but it doesn't mean that he didn't see something.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He apparently informed your deputies of that. They never communicated that to you?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not made aware of any tire impressions of potential evidence down that driveway.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And I think Sergeant Greene --
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- indicated that it was communicated to him by the fire chief. Were you aware of that?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Until I just said it, you were not aware of that?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not made aware of anything that they believed was a possible extension of the scene that went down that driveway, no, sir, I wasn't.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: If the fire chief had seen, and he's testified he saw, distinct tire tracks on that road he thought it had some evidentiary value, had you been made aware of them, will you take photographs or -- I guess they don't use the casts anymore.
JASON CHAPMAN: We still do. Yes, sir. I would have done my best to preserve it, whether that meant photographic form or protection by other means from the approaching weather. I would have.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, stop it right there. Okay. Yeah, right there is good.
(A video was played again.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, if you'll -- right where I'm pointing to.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: These are the -- that's the dog sheds right there, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: That is correct, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And right around in here would have been where Paul's body was.
JASON CHAPMAN: Close to the end of that structure, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, and Maggie's body would have been on which side of this -- of -- I don't know what you call it.
JASON CHAPMAN: The end of the red roof on the driver's side.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. Now, are you aware that he discovered the bodies, called 911, drove back up to the house, and then came back down?
JASON CHAPMAN: From listening to his statement and from the 911 call, I was aware of it, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And y'all knew he went and got a shotgun and came back.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And the shotgun was there, which sort of corroborates his statement, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: I was made aware of that, yes, sir, that Sergeant Greene took the shotgun from him upon his arrival and secured it.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And you can also hear the seatbelt dinging going on as he drives away, can you not?
JASON CHAPMAN: You can hear that in the background of the 911 call.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. So, this is where he came back. Not necessarily when he pulled up to begin with, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: My understanding, that is the way the vehicle was when he returned and the initial officers arrived on scene.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. So, you don't know where the car was positioned when he first came down and discovered Maggie's body and Paul's body, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: My knowledge to it would be limited to his description of having taken a very similar route back to the house, but exact --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Close.
JASON CHAPMAN: Close but not exact, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, what is this green hedge or whatever?
JASON CHAPMAN: If I'm not mistaken it was a grapevine, but the structure on the other side of it is a chicken coop.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Do you remember how tall that grapevine was?
JASON CHAPMAN: I don't know exactly, but looking at the image it's fairly tall.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: 10 feet?
JASON CHAPMAN: I would say at least.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: At least. Now, if you were at the house looking down this way, there's some pine trees between this area and the house?
JASON CHAPMAN: There are, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And then there's -- if you're trying to look at the dog pens, there's obviously a 10-foot at least -- what did you call it?
JASON CHAPMAN: The kennels?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, the vine.
JASON CHAPMAN: Grapevines?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Grapevines.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: 10 feet tall. So, you could not see from the house the dog kennels because of the pine trees and the grapevine, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: I would venture to say you could not see the position of Paul or Maggie's body from the house.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: At night.
JASON CHAPMAN: At night.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, and this is not a well-lit area down there, is it?
JASON CHAPMAN: I don't recall it being extremely well lit, no, sir. There was some artificial light, but I wouldn't with call it extremely well lit.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. So --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead and run the video.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And this was done the next morning?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Keep going.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Stop. Q. That black truck, whose black truck is that?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's the vehicle that we checked that evening that I believe was titled as a farm truck, just an around-the-farm truck.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And is that the one you checked to see if it had been driven lately?
JASON CHAPMAN: That's the one that Detective Rutland and I looked to see if those wet tire impressions matched up to the position of that vehicle when we arrived. Those particular impressions did not, and the vehicle was not warm to the touch.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, but that would have been the night -- previous night?
JASON CHAPMAN: The night of the incident when we arrived, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: The night prior to this -- could Paul have driven that truck down there?
JASON CHAPMAN: It would depend on what time he drove the truck down there. But the impressions that we were looking at that we referenced when asked earlier by the District Attorney General, they did not come to the back of that vehicle.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: They did not come from that?
JASON CHAPMAN: They didn't come from that vehicle. Did he drive that vehicle to the scene? I can't tell you that yes or no. But the impressions that she and I were looking at did not match the position of that vehicle.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But Paul earlier could have driven that down there.
JASON CHAPMAN: He could have. It's very feasible he could have driven anything out there that night or earlier in that day, but just not that vehicle for those particular set of impressions.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Back it up just a little bit.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Back it up a little bit. Back it up.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Stop.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, the tracks that you found from the caretaker, where were they?
JASON CHAPMAN: In the image that y'all are looking at now, ladies and gentlemen, they would have been to the right of the open door in the center underneath that large lean-to section, so the right side of the --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Could you come down here and point it out for me?
JASON CHAPMAN: Your Honor, may I?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
JASON CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir. Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen.
(Break in proceedings.)
JASON CHAPMAN: This section you can actually see the agent's feet there where she's still actually processing.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Were there any other tire tracks?
JASON CHAPMAN: Right here, ladies and gentlemen.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Any other tire tracks -- go ahead and take the --
JASON CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- that y'all processed other than those tire tracks?
JASON CHAPMAN: To my knowledge, that was the only set that they actually, I believe, the only set that they actually processed. By then the only one left that wasn't damaged by weather as well.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Stop.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, and this road here goes out to Moselle Highway, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: If you were to take the right T there --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
JASON CHAPMAN: -- by the silver trucks.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes.
JASON CHAPMAN: If you took the right, that would go out to Moselle Road. To the left just loops around the airplane hangar.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and if the fire chief had indicated there were tire impressions back here in the dirt, you would have taken pictures or got a plaster cast or something, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: If I had been made aware that there was something that someone thought may possibly be evidence --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: -- I would have done my best to secure it, but I was not made aware of any of that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Thank you.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Keep going.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. I'm done with this. Can you put the other one on, please?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Stop.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That's the main house, the white building there?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, the Murdaugh residence.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Keep going.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: While that's running, you would come down that driveway and take a left at that road --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Stop.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- and that -- if you kept going straight, you would hit the Moselle Highway, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: If you continued straight out the driveway with the planted trees on either side, that would be a separate entrance from the farm entrance.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: It would have been the main entrance to the residence itself off of Moselle Road.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right. The main entrance to come to the residence.
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: If you were going to the residence, you would come in that entrance.
JASON CHAPMAN: That is correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Going down to the dog pens, that area, the farm area, you would take the entrance of the --
JASON CHAPMAN: I would assume so.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- the post office box. Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Go ahead.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That's actually all I need out of that. Thank you.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Let me ask you a few more questions. The photos of the -- the photos of the footwear that -- I think the flip flops or whatever, in your reports --
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- you describe that, as it looked to you, like someone had been pacing. Is that correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did describe it as pacing, I believe.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Is that accurate?
JASON CHAPMAN: Simply because it goes down, turns around, and comes back. It doesn't appear to veer off anywhere in between, and there's nothing -- it doesn't start anywhere in particular or end anywhere in particular. It goes all the away across, turns around, and comes all the way back.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and the pictures that --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: The pictures that you put into evidence a moment ago --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: This is 195. Okay. So, so, as we see in this picture, we see these flat marks, right? That would be the flip flops?
JASON CHAPMAN: The impressions we were following, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes. So, they're, like, right here and here and here, and some instances these look like -- actually, we blew one up and it has got a REI symbol in the middle of them, and they're, in at least one instance, over one of the flip flops. Who's that?
JASON CHAPMAN: The only prints that I'm aware of that we could see that night without blowing anything up was the image of the flat shoe wear that you see, and then what Detective Rutland and myself were wearing when we crossed through.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, were you wearing -- is this y'all? You had walked over there, or here?
JASON CHAPMAN: Presumably so because those images weren't there prior to us walking through. I don't remember exactly what shoe style Detective Rutland was wearing and myself, but --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, let me put this one up. Again, we see the pattern of flip flop. We also see the pattern of boots or shoes over the flip flops. Are you telling me those were not there the night before, or you couldn't see them?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. What I'm telling you is when Detective Rutland and I first observed those impressions, there was nothing but a smooth, small flip flop style impression, which went down from one end all across, underneath the hangar, all of the way to the other, turned around, and came back, which is the reason that I reference it as being a pace. Had it simply crossed underneath, I would have just said crossed underneath. But those were the only impressions. Then she and I walked down the shed keeping those tire -- or excuse me, shoe impressions between us and the wall without stepping on them. But --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, those were not -- I'm sorry.
JASON CHAPMAN: Hold on. But we did not photograph them. That information from that point was relayed to crime scene because we had not done any photographs of all -- at all at that point. We were waiting on crime scene. So, anything else that came through after that would presumably be crime scene that would have come and taken a look at the impressions, not us.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm trying to get to two issue. The first issue --
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- were those pattern of shoe prints there the night before when you walked through?
JASON CHAPMAN: The only print there were the flat, smooth ones.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, those -- and just I'm trying to -- I'm not trying to belabor it.
JASON CHAPMAN: I'm sorry.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, those pattern prints came after you saw them the night before?
JASON CHAPMAN: Correct. The only impressions were the flat shoes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay, and you left and turned it over to SLED to process the scene?
JASON CHAPMAN: While we were there -- again, that was at some point in time while we were there that evening. I didn't leave until, like, 10:00 the next morning. At some point in time, that information was relayed so that they could photograph it. And I don't know whose prints those are. I would assume that they would have been agents that came in behind us and photographed or collected or did whatever.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, we were talking about crime scene integrity earlier.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Those aren't your footprints, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: The ones that are -- there is a set that would be myself and Detective Rutland's, but they're not going to cross over any --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, they're not going to --
JASON CHAPMAN: That's correct.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- you say cross over. They're not your prints.
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. If it crossed over one of theirs, it's not mine.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Who took this picture? Do you know?
JASON CHAPMAN: I do not know.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But it was taken, you think, the next day.
JASON CHAPMAN: It was taken relatively soon afterwards because it still shows the smooth prints. So, it was either taken upon daylight -- because, again, we didn't leave until, like, 10:00, so I don't actually know --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, is this best practices, to walk over evidence before you photograph it?
JASON CHAPMAN: Can't say that because it wasn't myself or my detective that did that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm just saying, you were --
JASON CHAPMAN: If they were doing so while processing or while collecting, then -- and inadvertently stepped on one, it's okay because they have other ones to use. But, you know, I'm sure that you would have to probably ask the person that stepped on them and took the photographs.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: If one of your detectives had done this, you would not be happy.
JASON CHAPMAN: I wouldn't be happy, no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
JASON CHAPMAN: Not unless it was done after it was processed and for a reason.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Well, this is -- these are the crime scene photographs taken by, we think, SLED or Solicitor Duffy Stone took some pictures the next day.
JASON CHAPMAN: Sure.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: One of -- some agency other than yours. But certainly nobody ought to be walking across this stuff, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: No. Again, like I said, they weren't like that when I -- when we were there, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Let me then go to one of the other pictures you were shown a moment ago. Oh, this water --
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- these pictures taken of the water, do you know when they were taken?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Can you identify the number?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I'm sorry. 189, 190.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know when they were taken?
JASON CHAPMAN: I know they were taken that evening, sir. But I'm not sure if you're looking at stills off of a body cam or an actual crime scene photograph, so I don't know exactly when. But they were taken that evening obviously.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: In this picture right here, water seems to be coming from the pen, right, from the dog pen?
JASON CHAPMAN: It appears so, yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And there's two full bottles, I mean -- bottles -- two full pails of water there with the dogs, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: In the picture, absolutely.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And then there's some additional water in -- and this 189, that I'm not quite sure where that is, but that's consistent to water you saw that night, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: The water that I saw that night, and it was captured very well on Sergeant Greene's body worn camera, came out of the first two kennels --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: -- traveled down a short distance, and then over to where at the time Paul's body was laying.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, the water that was around Paul came out of the kennels, correct?
JASON CHAPMAN: I don't know if that's where it came from, but it did come from that direction. There was -- and I did not see a hose or a jug or anything else, but it did tail from those first two kennels down to where Paul's body was.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. Let me -- so 196, this was introduced to show what shoes she had on, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: Previously or --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes.
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir, it was.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Now, on the back of her leg right here, did you, that night, look at that dirt?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you see a footwear impressions, a partial footwear impression in that dirt?
JASON CHAPMAN: I saw what could very well be a impression.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: As if somebody put their foot on the back of her leg.
JASON CHAPMAN: It was something out of mud that very well could have been a shoe impression.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: On the back of her leg.
JASON CHAPMAN: On the back of the leg.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: As if they put their foot on the back of her leg. Do you know what analysis, if any, was done by SLED or any other law enforcement agency to determine if that was a shoes impression, and if so, what kind of shoes? Do you know?
JASON CHAPMAN: I do not, no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you. You can turn the lights on and I'll turn the power off.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, let me ask you. I've got just a couple of more questions maybe for you --
JASON CHAPMAN: Certainly.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- or four. So -- okay. So, when you left that night or that early the next morning, had you come to a conclusion as to any suspects?
JASON CHAPMAN: Had I come -- no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yeah. Okay. Are you aware that the next day, the next morning that your department issued a statement that said -- make sure I don't misquote: At this time, there is no danger to the public. If information is received that dictates otherwise, we'll immediately notify the public. Are you aware of that?
JASON CHAPMAN: The Colleton County Sheriff's Office issued that?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Colleton County Sheriff's Department, yes.
JASON CHAPMAN: I'm not aware, no, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Let me hand this article up to you from the Post and Courier.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Your Honor, objection. I haven't seen this. I'm not familiar with anything counsel is referencing.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, let's stand for a moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Have you had an opportunity to look at that article?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Your Honor, I object to the introduction of the media article. The question posed was whether he was familiar with the statement made, and he said no. The media article contains all sorts of information not in the record --
JUDGE NEWMAN: I haven't heard any exhibit being offered into evidence.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, I would offer into evidence this, this Post and Courier story of June 8th, the next morning, 2021, which contains the quote which I just read.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yeah. He indicates he's not familiar with it.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: All right. So, was there a danger to the public the next morning? Were you afraid that some serial killer was out there with a shotgun and an AR type weapon?
JASON CHAPMAN: I can't effectively answer whether or not there's a danger to the public when I don't have all the pieces to the puzzle. I have -- I am fairly certain that statement wasn't issued by us, and the reason I can state that is because we were not primary, and it is a big no-no for us to issue anything when we're not the primary body. So, where that information came from I'm unaware, and it was never asked for me to approve to send to the sheriff. It would have never came from us.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, if that statement had run as it did in the Post and Courier on the 8th, would the sheriff's department have pushed back on that and said that's not accurate? There would be subsequent story that I haven't seen?
JASON CHAPMAN: I wouldn't -- I can't state that. The only thing I can tell you, that when I left that morning, I didn't have any information that proved one thing or the other.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, when you left that morning, was Alex Murdaugh a suspect in the killing of his wife and son?
JASON CHAPMAN: When I left that morning, I wasn't the primary investigator.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Who was?
JASON CHAPMAN: That would have been SLED.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, you gave -- the whole case went to SLED?
JASON CHAPMAN: The whole case went to SLED. We were an assisting body at that time.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And you were never consulted after that by SLED.
JASON CHAPMAN: I was not consulted in the sense that anything was provided to me. We have assisted. I have stored vehicles. I have stored property for them. I have stood by while they executed search warrants. But it was not in a manner in which the information or knowledge that they had on the case was shared with me. It was the exact opposite.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: On the night of the murders, did your department obtain a search warrant?
JASON CHAPMAN: We did, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: For all of the property, the house, all of it?
JASON CHAPMAN: It was obtained for the entire 1700 acre property.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Including the house.
JASON CHAPMAN: Including the house.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And was that executed?
JASON CHAPMAN: It was executed beginning at the dog kennels at the primary scene.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, but did you go to the house?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did your department?
JASON CHAPMAN: We did not.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Who actually executed the search warrant?
JASON CHAPMAN: The search warrant was provided that evening to crime scene, which is standard protocol. When they come, they're going to ask for it. We have to show it --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Crime scene SLED?
JASON CHAPMAN: SLED's crime scene.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
JASON CHAPMAN: It was given to them. And we stayed, myself and several of my detectives. Several were sent home so they could come in the next morning, and we stayed and assisted. I didn't leave until 9:00 or 10:00 the next morning.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did you go in the residence?
JASON CHAPMAN: No, sir. The drone footage that you saw was the last thing I did at that scene that morning, and then I left and went home.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What about that night when the search -- was a search warrant executed that night?
JASON CHAPMAN: After that I had -- after that incident there, or that search warrant was executed, I did come back later that day and did a walk-around of the property that we've been discussing all afternoon.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right.
JASON CHAPMAN: I have never been to the main house.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Never been in it.
JASON CHAPMAN: I have not been in the main house, not during this incident or any other incident.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Did someone from your department go in the main house?
JASON CHAPMAN: Not that I'm aware of. It wouldn't have been -- not as an investigator, let's put it -- none of my detectives went over there under my direction.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: So, so -- but -- so, you gave the search warrant to SLED crime scene people?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That gave them the authority to go in the house, correct, that search warrant?
JASON CHAPMAN: It gave them -- it was signed off on to cover the 1700 acres.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, but I'm specifically talking about the residence.
JASON CHAPMAN: Any structure on that --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Any structure?
JASON CHAPMAN: Any structure on that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: They could have gone in the residence, they could have looked -- taken all of his clothes to check if they wanted to, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: They could have. I don't know that they didn't.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Well. I -- well, we're going to talk about that later on.
JASON CHAPMAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: They could have -- you're familiar with trace evidence, many, many, cases where they check showers or sinks to see if there's trace evidence of blood, right?
JASON CHAPMAN: Am I? Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes, and do you know whether they did that or not?
JASON CHAPMAN: I do not, again.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know that you can with the appropriate technology use -- look at microscopic evidence to see whether it would be blood or tissue, or if somebody tried to wash something, you can actually still in a washed piece of clothing detect blood or detect tissue even after it's been washed? Are you aware of that?
JASON CHAPMAN: Am I aware of that? Yes, I am.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you know whether SLED did that?
JASON CHAPMAN: I do not, again.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But they could have that night done all of those things under that search warrant.
JASON CHAPMAN: Presumably so, and I'm not saying they didn't, again, Mr. Harpootlian.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Right, but they could have. I'm not saying they didn't either.
JASON CHAPMAN: Okay.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: We're going to find out.
JASON CHAPMAN: That's true.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: But under the search warrant your department obtained, they had the authority to go in the house, any of the buildings, anywhere on that property and look for guns, evidence of any sort of crime, evidence of, again, in the shower, in the sinks, trace evidence? They had the authority to do that.
JASON CHAPMAN: To answer your question, as long as they stayed within the scope of the actual warrant that was signed. I don't have the search warrant, and Detective Rutland is the one that actually got it. If they stay within the scope of that search warrant, and they're only searching inside that scope, they had the ability to search structures, vehicles on the 1700 acres as long as they were within the scope.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Well, I believe we'll hear from Detective Rutland tomorrow --
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: -- and I'll ask her these questions.
JASON CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Having said that, Your Honor, I have no further questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any redirect?
MR. FERNANDEZ: Very briefly, Your Honor.
(Break in proceedings.)
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. FERNANDEZ:
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, the footsteps that you noticed, I know we've been through quite a bit of it, but counsel raised this issue. The path you followed, were they consistent with someone who -- was a person who started back beyond this area, and then where did they go from there?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor. Leading.
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'm asking where they went. Where did they originate, where did she go to, and where did they end?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That's not leading.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained as to the form of the question.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you.
MR. FERNANDEZ: If you could, please explain to us where in your estimation, having tracked -- traced the tracks, where they originated from, where they ultimately went to, and where they ended up.
JASON CHAPMAN: The shoe impressions crossed completely from one side all of the way to the other with the building to the right, going down, coming back the opposite direction. The only reason I can say that we're fairly certainly that it started from the grass side and went through, turned around and came back is because we never saw any impressions similar to that running beyond the airport hangar on the back side.
MR. FERNANDEZ: And the location -- and in reference to where these footprints ended ultimately and where Maggie's body is located, how did that line up? Describe that, how they lined up.
JASON CHAPMAN: If you take a step back from there to the right of that image would have been -- on the opposite side of the hangar door would have been Maggie's body.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Referencing State's Exhibit 190. Captain Chapman, do you notice blood marks here in the water?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you observe blood marks in the water within --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He is calling for speculation.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Pardon?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: He is calling for speculation as to what discoloration in the water, if there is any, what it was caused by.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir?
MR. FERNANDEZ: I'll lay a more of a foundation, Your Honor.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, were you familiar with the scene as this picture depicts?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Did you personally view what this picture depicts?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Are you familiar with the discoloration, and did you observe the discoloration in this photograph on two different areas?
JASON CHAPMAN: I did see it.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Was that discoloration, in your opinion, consistent with --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection. He's not been qualified to give an opinion about this matter.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I didn't hear the complete question.
MR. FERNANDEZ: In your estimation and your --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, objection. And if he's going to pursue this frivolous line of questioning, I would ask the jury be excused. There's no evidence whatsoever.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. The objection is overruled. You must pose the question.
MR. FERNANDEZ: In your experience and observation, having observed the scene and all the matter that was there, were those lines in the water consistent with blood?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: And I don't need to be thanked for any ruling.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No. I'm sorry, Your Honor, I'm -- expressing my gratitude is improper. I appreciate that.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you, Your Honor. Just one last question, and I understand the Court's ruling.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Captain Chapman, are the -- are the substance there that you identified as having observed, are they in a straight line, or are they in straight lines?
JASON CHAPMAN: Yes.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: And, Your Honor, I would like to make a motion to strike his questions about blood from the record, and the jury be instructed to disregard those questions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I've informed the jury that they're to disregard any question when I sustain the objection. They were previously instructed on that.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Yes, sir. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I did it again. I'm sorry.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: No further questions, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any further --
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: No, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: -- cross-examination? Thank you, sir. You may step down.
JASON CHAPMAN: Thank you, Your Honor.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: If you would turn the lights up, please? Ladies and gentlemen, we have come to the end of this day. Thank you all very much. We'll resume at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Have a good evening. Please remember you are not to discuss the case with anyone or allow anyone to discuss it in your presence, nor are you to engage in any, or be exposed to any other information other than what you have received in the courtroom and will receive in the courtroom. Have a good evening.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything else before we leave for the day?
MR. WATERS: Nothing from the State, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Nothing from Mr. Murdaugh, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. We're in recess until 9:30 tomorrow morning.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Judge.
(Whereupon, the case was at ease.)