Laura Rutland — Direct/Cross/Redirect/Recross
966 linesFRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
(Court resumed at 9:35 a.m.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Good morning. Anything before we bring the jury in?
MR. WATERS: Mr. Fernandez needs to put something on the record before we bring the jury in.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Good morning, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Just per the clerk's request, I'm going to list out a couple of -- six exhibits from yesterday under Captain Chapman's testimony, just clarifying for the record that they were put into evidence and -- without objection by the defense. That would be 189, 190, 191, 192. Those are four pictures that were put in under his testimony, and then 187 and 188. Those were the two drone videos.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: What do you want to do now?
MR. FERNANDEZ: The clerk needed clarification on those numbers because it was unclear that those numbers were part of the record.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: That's okay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything else before the jury comes in? You can bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you, sir. Good morning.
(The jury responded good morning.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ladies and gentlemen, continuing on day number five. State calls its next witness.
MR. MEADORS: May it please the Court?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, at this time the State of South Carolina calls Detective Laura Rutland.
The witness, LAURA RUTLAND, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Take a seat in the witness stand. State your name again. Spell your last name.
LAURA RUTLAND: My name is Laura Rutland, R-u-t-l-a-n-d.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Good morning.
LAURA RUTLAND: Good morning.
MR. MEADORS: Are you nervous?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Nobody is watching. You are Laura Rutland?
LAURA RUTLAND: I am.
MR. MEADORS: Please tell the ladies of this jury about Laura Rutland. Where you're from, where you were born, where you lived, and a little bit of your background leading up to law enforcement, please, ma'am.
LAURA RUTLAND: Good morning, everybody. I was born in Charleston, South Carolina. When I was about six months old, my family moved back to England where we were originally from. Lived there until I was about three or four years old. Came back to the United States. Grew up In Summerville, South Carolina. Graduated from Summerville High School. After I graduated, I was working as a dog groomer, met my -- would be my husband. We moved to Port Royal, South Carolina. He was in the Marine Corps stationed at Parris Island at the time. Then we moved to Bluffton. We had decided -- I decided to pursue law enforcement. I've always been a true crime nerd into mysteries and things like that, so I decided to pursue law enforcement. I graduated from the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in 2010 and was working at the Bluffton Police Department, where I held various roles.
Started on patrol, became a detective, then I was promoted to supervisor where I actually supervised a patrol shift, and then eventually supervised the detective unit at Bluffton PD. My husband and I decided we wanted a lot of kids, so after I had my third baby I decided to try my civilian job, get out of law enforcement for a little bit with a better schedule. So, I briefly worked on Parris Island as a sexual assault victim advocate for the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention Program, realized I missed law enforcement, so I wanted to get back. So -- especially investigation. I first tried Beaufort Police Department, but it would take several years for them to have an opening in criminal investigations, so then I came to the Colleton County Sheriff's Office where they were seeking experienced detectives. And so I jointed Colleton County Sheriff's Office in September of 2020. In February of 2021, I was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Division where I currently am now. I -- my main focus is child crimes, which means children of sexual and physical abuse, those were the cases that I predominately worked, as well as I'm a South Carolina ICAC task force member, and what that means, it's Internet Crimes Against Children. And that's a task force that's in partnership with the Attorney General's Office and we basically battle online child predators, child pornography, those types of cases. We do rotate homicides in the detective division among nine of us.
MR. MEADORS: At some point, did you work at Parris Island?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Tell these folks what you did there.
LAURA RUTLAND: I was the sexual assault victim advocate for civilians on the base.
MR. MEADORS: And your training in law enforcement has been what, Detective?
LAURA RUTLAND: It's been various things. It's been basic training to advanced training. You name it. I've attended several advanced trainings hosted by other law enforcement agencies, state and federal.
MR. MEADORS: How many children do you have now?
LAURA RUTLAND: We have four.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and does your husband work?
LAURA RUTLAND: He does.
MR. MEADORS: Does he work from home?
LAURA RUTLAND: He does.
MR. MEADORS: So, you started full-time with Colleton in what year?
LAURA RUTLAND: 2020.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and what was your role when you first start with Colleton County Sheriff's Department?
LAURA RUTLAND: I started on patrol to familiarize myself with the county.
MR. MEADORS: And then did you work yourself or -- not -- but did you become a detective?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And when was that?
LAURA RUTLAND: February of 2021.
MR. MEADORS: On June 7th of 2021 -- well, let me ask you before I get there. Where do you live? Not to pry, don't want the world to know but they're going to. Where do you live?
LAURA RUTLAND: I live in Ridgeland.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, on June 7th of 2021, were you on call?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. How far is it from Ridgeland to here?
LAURA RUTLAND: 45 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and what part of Colleton County I'm going to.
MR. MEADORS: Did you receive a call to respond to a double homicide?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and where was that? Where were you supposed to respond, Detective?
LAURA RUTLAND: Initially to the scene of 4147 Moselle Road, but due to my long commute, it was better that I stopped at the sheriff's office first and I be the one to prepare the search warrant for the property.
MR. MEADORS: And who were you coordinating with during that? I mean, who was your boss?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's Captain Jason Chapman.
MR. MEADORS: And after you received the call, did you confer with Captain Chapman?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: And the result -- as a result of that, what did you do?
LAURA RUTLAND: I went to the sheriff's office, prepared the search warrant. I was finally to track down a magistrate; I had to wake him up out of his bed to sign the warrant, and I was able to secure a search warrant for the property.
MR. MEADORS: And for 4147 Moselle?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. What did you do after you got the search warrant?
LAURA RUTLAND: I notified everybody over the radio that I had the search warrant signed because I wasn't sure the SLED Crime Unit was waiting on me, and it was still going to take some time to get out there. And then I made my way to 4147 Moselle Road with the warrant.
MR. MEADORS: Had you been out there before to 4147 Moselle?
LAURA RUTLAND: Never.
MR. MEADORS: When you went out there, did you know what your role was going to be as you were going out there?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. When you got to the scene, tell us what happened.
LAURA RUTLAND: So when I pulled up, I noticed there were several SLED agents as well as Colleton County deputies at the scene. I basically was the last one there. And I met with my supervisor, Captain Jason Chapman, and presented them with the search warrant as well as SLED. He asked me if I knew the Murdaugh family, to which I replied I did not. They then asked if I was familiar with a boat accident that that happened in Beaufort, and my reply was I've heard of it but I don't know the details. So, with that information they said okay. You're going to be assigned as the liaison with the lead SLED agent on the case, who was identified as Senior Special Agent David Owen, and that my task was going to be to assist him with anything that he may need that evening at the scene and throughout the investigation.
MR. MEADORS: And I think we've heard testimony, but the case was turned over to SLED for -- because of a potential conflict. Is that your understanding?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct. That was one of the things my captain advised me of when I arrived with the search warrant. He advised me that SLED was going to be the lead agency on the case.
MR. MEADORS: And did you know Special Agent David Owens (sic) prior to that night?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: But you -- did you get to know him and actually get to work with him some?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And let's start out with that job. When you first got to 4147 and you had gotten your instructions, who were you going to work with? What were your observations? Tell these folks what you saw.
LAURA RUTLAND: So, the first thing is I approached the -- I'm sure you've all heard the kennels was the overwhelming smell and a lot of water on the ground by the kennels. And then the first body that I approached was the deceased male. He was laying face down at an angle with his feet inside the plane of the door. There was obvious trauma to the top his head. He was covered with a sheet, but I could still see the top of his head from underneath the sheet. Obvious trauma. There's brain, blood, hair, skull matter all within the feed room in the ceiling. There was a deceased female approximately 30 feet across from where his body was, and she was covered as well, but I had been told that they both had gunshot wounds to their heads. And then from there we located the 911 caller, Mr. Alex Murdaugh.
MR. MEADORS: Now, did you know -- everybody is referring to them as Paul and Maggie. Did you know Paul Murdaugh and/or Maggie Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: Had you ever seen them before you saw them laying dead on the ground?
LAURA RUTLAND: No.
MR. MEADORS: At that point, did you walk any of the rest of the scene?
LAURA RUTLAND: Not at that point.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Well, tell the folks what you did do after that.
LAURA RUTLAND: We located Mr. Murdaugh, Alex, standing at the back of the -- there was his Suburban and then there was -- I believe his brother Randy had arrived at the scene at that point, and they were standing behind Randy's truck so they couldn't see the scene anymore. So, we approached him and asked if he would speak with us. He introduced the man standing next to him as his personal attorney, Danny Henderson, and he agreed to speak with us. By this point it had started to rain, so we utilized Agent Owen's vehicle to do the interview.
MR. MEADORS: Now, before we get to that, had you made any other observations about bullet holes or shell casings prior to that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes. There were shell casings in front of Maggie's head area, the front and to the left on the ground in between -- there was like a gravel area in between the two buildings.
MR. MEADORS: Had you seen what's been referred to as the feed room and --
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. What did you observe in there, if anything?
LAURA RUTLAND: Inside the feed room, I did observe body matter that had been on the ceiling, as well as covered in items inside the feed room. There was shotgun wadding on the floor inside the feed room, as well as droplets of blood on the concrete.
MR. MEADORS: Did you see any holes in the window?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah. There was a window to the back of the feed room that had several holes in it.
MR. MEADORS: I'm going to skip -- I want to skip to the statement for a second, all right? After you took the statement -- we're going to get into that -- did you go back and look at the scene with either Captain Chapman -- and I say the scene, the shelters, the dog kennels, did you and/or Captain Chapman or anybody else have an opportunity to go back and look?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Tell the ladies and gentlemen, first of all, why you did that, and what were your observations, please, ma'am?
LAURA RUTLAND: Well, it was such a large scene, I decided to canvas the outer part of the scene, and while I was doing that -- keep in mind it was late at night. It was dark, so we had flashlights. So, while I was doing that, I noted some -- what appeared to me to be fresh shoe impressions in a sandy part of the shed on the left side of the hangar, what we're describing as the hangar. In between some tractors and the wall of the shed, there was several fresh shoe impressions.
MR. MEADORS: And when you say fresh shoe impressions, it's kind of obvious, but what does that mean?
LAURA RUTLAND: It means that they had been left fairly recently.
MR. MEADORS: What did they appear to you to be?
LAURA RUTLAND: They looked like a flat sandal, flip flop type shoe. Not particularly large in size, just flat.
MR. MEADORS: And were they one set of footprints or two based on your observation?
LAURA RUTLAND: It was set of prints that looked like it went down one direction and possibly came back.
MR. MEADORS: No doubt about that in your mind?
LAURA RUTLAND: No doubt it.
MR. MEADORS: So if you watch me now, was it like one set of prints going this way?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And then it looked like one set of prints coming back this way?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, because they did overlap each other a little bit.
MR. MEADORS: And did you -- who was with you when you were looking at this?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was by myself initially, and then I found my supervisor, Captain Chapman, and showed him what I had found.
MR. MEADORS: Where were y'all walking when you were looking at the prints?
LAURA RUTLAND: We made the decision at that point, due to the type of incident that it was and we didn't really know what we had yet, to follow the footprints and see if there was any other additional evidence and find out where that person may have been trying to go. So, what we did is we stayed to the left side of the shoes prints closest to the tractors and followed the prints down, noted that they stopped at the end of the building, turned around, and came back.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm going to show you what's entered as State's 194. Is that what you were just referring to?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. What does this depict?
LAURA RUTLAND: That depicts several what appeared to be boot prints on as well.
MR. MEADORS: Is this the same path y'all walked?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and let me show you State's 195. Do you recognize this?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah. Those were the flat -- the flat -- just the flat one's impressions.
MR. MEADORS: I promise you I can't --
MR. MEADORS: Can we start the ELMO, please?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: I'm going to show you what's marked State's 22. Do you recognize this, and does it relate to your testimony?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, it does.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, State's 22 without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 22 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. MEADORS: Are we on?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Let me go back to what's just been entered as State's 22. You said you recognized that. What is that, Detective?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is in front of the hangar, the building. So, Maggie would be to the right and the shoe impressions I'm referring to would be on the left.
MR. MEADORS: And getting a little closer view on State's 194?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes. That's the left side of the hangar.
MR. MEADORS: Can you show in this picture the prints you were talking about, the footprints?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And can you come down here?
MR. MEADORS: With the judge's permission, please?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Sure.
LAURA RUTLAND: The flat ones. It's hard to see. There's a big glare on this.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Let me put in State's 195, too, Detective.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah. These flat impressions, these flat ones. Can y'all see?
MR. MEADORS: Were those the foot impressions you saw that night, the flat ones --
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Were there any other foot impressions beside the flat ones that you saw?
MR. MEADORS: Okay. On the evening of June 7th, early morning of June 8th of 2021?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: You're positive.
LAURA RUTLAND: Positive.
MR. MEADORS: And, again, when you and the captain walked, how far were you from the sandals?
LAURA RUTLAND: A foot to the left.
MR. MEADORS: Don't take this any bad way, but could some of those other prints be yours or the captain's or you don't know?
LAURA RUTLAND: It's possible.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, you're a -- and I'm going to do this without putting it up. This is one of those pictures that we uncovered, but I'm going to show you State's 7. You're a lady.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Do you know what women's shoes look like?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you go and look at Maggie's shoes she was wearing?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Why did you do that?
LAURA RUTLAND: To see if they matched the flat impression I had seen.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Were they similar to you?
LAURA RUTLAND: Very similar, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And State's 200, do you recognize those?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And what are those?
LAURA RUTLAND: Those are the sandals Ms. Murdaugh had on.
MR. MEADORS: And did they appear to be similar to the footprints you saw?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, very.
MR. MEADORS: Now, did Mr. Harpootlian or one of their investigators contact you about these footprints?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: When was that?
LAURA RUTLAND: A few weeks ago.
MR. MEADORS: And did they send you a picture of them?
LAURA RUTLAND: They did.
MR. MEADORS: Was it the pictures we just put up?
LAURA RUTLAND: It was.
MR. MEADORS: And did you tell them that -- well, what did you tell them when they sent you that?
LAURA RUTLAND: That those were not my impressions.
MR. MEADORS: That those were not your impressions, the other ones.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Voluntarily talked to them.
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Sent you a picture of the shoes.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah.
MR. MEADORS: You told them those aren't mine.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: All right. Let's get back to -- I think you said Mr. -- or the defendant, Richard Alex Murdaugh, the defendant had said -- introduced you to who before you started the interview?
LAURA RUTLAND: Danny Henderson. He said he was his personal attorney.
MR. MEADORS: His personal attorney.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah.
MR. MEADORS: Did he want his attorney in the car with you?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I believe you said it was raining?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, what did y'all do to get out of the elements?
LAURA RUTLAND: We sat inside Agent Owen's with SLED, inside his vehicle.
MR. MEADORS: And please tell the ladies and gentlemen of this jury specifically where everybody was sitting.
LAURA RUTLAND: Agent Owen was in the driver's seat, Alex Murdaugh was in the front passenger seat, I sat directly behind him, and then Mr. Henderson sat to my left.
MR. MEADORS: Please listen to me. First time -- was that the first time you met Alex Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: It was.
MR. MEADORS: Did he appear to you to be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or any other intoxicant when you saw him?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not.
MR. MEADORS: Did he appear to you to understand your questions and Special Agent David Owen's questions when y'all were talking to him?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Were his answers to either you or Agent Owens timely?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Were they subject matter appropriate?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, they were.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did you have any trouble understanding the defendant when you were talking to him?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: Did he appear to have any trouble understanding you and responded to your questions?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not. He may have asked twice to repeat a question, but he was understanding what was being discussed.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. I'm going to show you what's marked as State's 153. At my request, did you review this yesterday?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: And does this State's 153 accurately reflect the interview you and Agent Owens had with the defendant, Richard Alex Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: It does.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, at this time 153, I believe, without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(DVD OF INTERVIEW ONE MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 153 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. MEADORS: And with His Honor's permission, with the help of someone, we would ask to respectfully publish.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: While we're waiting for the sound, is that the defendant, Alex Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: It is.
MR. MEADORS: Is that you back in the back?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's me.
MR. MEADORS: Who is that?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is Special Agent Owen.
MR. MEADORS: And who is that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Danny Henderson.
(At this time, the interview of the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MR. MEADORS: What time was that interview?
LAURA RUTLAND: I think it was 1:00 a.m.
MR. MEADORS: Would you dispute 12:57?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, that sounds correct.
MR. MEADORS: Would you describe that as an aggressive interview?
MR. MEADORS: As a part of your investigating procedure, had you listened to the 911 tape prior to this?
LAURA RUTLAND: We did.
MR. MEADORS: When you say we, who is we?
LAURA RUTLAND: Myself and Special Agent Owen.
MR. MEADORS: Did you have -- did you have --
MR. MEADORS: Can everybody hear her? Q. Speak into mic, please; speak in the mic, please, ma'am. Did you have that 911 knowledge in your mind when you were listening to this?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Had you already heard it?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And on the 911 tape, how long had Alex Murdaugh told the 911 operator it had been since he had seen Maggie Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: He estimated 1 and a half to 2 hours.
MR. MEADORS: To 2 hours. 1 and a half to 2 hours. And on this tape, your interview, what had he said about seeing Maggie? When was the last time he'd seen Maggie Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: About 2 hours.
MR. MEADORS: Did he say he took a nap?
LAURA RUTLAND: He took a nap.
MR. MEADORS: Did he say where he went after that?
LAURA RUTLAND: To check on his mother with Alzheimer's in Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did you find that unusual?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Why?
LAURA RUTLAND: Just the time of night.
MR. MEADORS: Why?
LAURA RUTLAND: With her being an Alzheimer's patient, they tend to be worse at night, so it seemed strange to go visit.
MR. MEADORS: What time was the 911 call?
LAURA RUTLAND: It was ten --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Speak louder, please.
LAURA RUTLAND: I'm sorry.
LAURA RUTLAND: I would have to check my notes.
MR. MEADORS: Pull the chair up a little, I'm sorry.
LAURA RUTLAND: It was ten -- 10:06.
MR. MEADORS: And this interview was 12:57?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, that's correct.
MR. MEADORS: In your interview and Agent Owen's interview, does the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, tell you he tried to turn Paul over?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: And did he say whether he had tried to check Paul's pulse and/or Maggie's pulse?
LAURA RUTLAND: He stated he tried to take both.
MR. MEADORS: What did Mr. Murdaugh, Alex, the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, say about the phone, if anything, that was in Paul's possession?
LAURA RUTLAND: He stated his phone popped out of his pocket.
MR. MEADORS: When?
LAURA RUTLAND: When he tried to check his pulse.
MR. MEADORS: Did he try to turn him over?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's what he said.
MR. MEADORS: Before I forget it, there's a scene in here where Alexander Murdaugh is looking at his phone. Do you remember that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Can you actually see the phone in there and the times and the messages on the video that he's looking at?
LAURA RUTLAND: You can on the bottom left of the screen.
MR. MEADORS: And what was that in response to when he was looking at that?
LAURA RUTLAND: When I asked what time he texted Maggie.
MR. MEADORS: So, you saw those on his phone, looking at those when y'all were talking to him in the car?
LAURA RUTLAND: I couldn't see from where I was sitting, but reviewing the video I could see it.
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry, reviewing the video you do see it.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: I've got a transcript here, but at the end of the video, toward the end of the interview, did Mr. Murdaugh say again he tried to turn over his son, Paul Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. That he tried to check him.
LAURA RUTLAND: That's what he said.
MR. MEADORS: And I know I asked you, but I may not have done it too eloquently. Did he first tell you he tried to turn him over?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, he did.
MR. MEADORS: And I figured it out?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And his cell phone popped out of his pocket?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: And everybody heard it: But then something with it thinking maybe then I put it back down really quickly. Then I went -- And you can't really understand the rest of it.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: What did you think about the phone popping out?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was --
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection, Your Honor. Relevance.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is sustained.
MR. MEADORS: Have you ever moved dead weight?
LAURA RUTLAND: I have.
MR. MEADORS: If we could start the ELMO, please?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: And, Judge, these are a couple of these pictures that I think they have this on top of it, just to warn everybody these are graphic photos. The first is Number 2.
MR. MEADORS: Who is this a picture of?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's Maggie Murdaugh.
MR. MEADORS: And did the defendant say he checked her pulse?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Did he tell you where?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and before I get to it, did the defendant ever tell you he had been down to the kennels that night in this interview?
MR. MEADORS: After his nap, where did he say he went?
LAURA RUTLAND: Went to check on his mother in Hampton.
MR. MEADORS: Again, if you would keep your computers covered, please. Defense 1. With the Court's permission, I would like for the detective to come down, please, Judge.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Detective, I want to get where you won't block and I won't block. Did the defendant tell you he tried to get the pulse of his son, Paul Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Did he tell you where he tried to get the pulse?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not, just said he tried to turn him.
MR. MEADORS: Say that last thing.
LAURA RUTLAND: He tried to turn him.
MR. MEADORS: And he told you he tried to turn him more than once, didn't he?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, he did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection. Leading, Your Honor.
MR. MEADORS: How many times did he tell you he tried to turn him?
LAURA RUTLAND: Twice.
MR. MEADORS: I think you've testified you've tried to lift dead weight, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I have.
MR. MEADORS: Can you describe what's around Paul Murdaugh?
LAURA RUTLAND: Blood and brain matter.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and if you were to -- where are his hands?
LAURA RUTLAND: Underneath his body.
MR. MEADORS: If you were to check the pulse of his hands, how would you do it?
LAURA RUTLAND: You would have to try to lift him up and get his arms out from under him.
MR. MEADORS: Underneath?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: And roll him.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: By the way, where is his phone?
LAURA RUTLAND: It's laying on the back side of his shorts.
MR. MEADORS: Right there. Popped out he said.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Is that his brain?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is.
MR. MEADORS: As Mr. Harpootlian said, blown out of his head?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: If you tried to take the pulse at the neck, how would you do it?
LAURA RUTLAND: You would have to try to lift his shoulder to get access to his neck.
MR. MEADORS: This way?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Whether you're this way or this way, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Or underneath or under the head. Is that right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Is that right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: I'm sorry.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Do you have to yell?
MR. MEADORS: When you saw Alex Murdaugh, when you first came up to him.
MR. MEADORS: Y'all can go sit down if you want to.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Is she going to sit down?
MR. MEADORS: Stay up here then. That's fine.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Go back and sit down.
MR. FERNANDEZ: Thank you.
MR. MEADORS: When you first saw Alex Murdaugh at the car, did you observe him?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Why?
LAURA RUTLAND: Just to make mental notes of what he was wearing and how he looked.
MR. MEADORS: And what were your mental notes?
LAURA RUTLAND: That he was clean.
MR. MEADORS: Say that again?
LAURA RUTLAND: That he was clean.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. When you were in the car with him, you were behind him?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did you observe his hands?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Did you see his arms?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: And when you were out on the side of the road beforehand, did you see his shirt?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: His pants?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: His shoes?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Now, when you were at the scene, when you first got there, did you see any footprints in the blood?
MR. MEADORS: Did you see any knee prints in the blood?
MR. MEADORS: Anywhere around the body?
MR. MEADORS: Did you look at his shoes?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: And what kind -- Alex Murdaugh's shoes, what kind of shoes were they?
LAURA RUTLAND: They were like an athletic tennis shoe.
MR. MEADORS: Did you see anything that appeared to be blood on his shoes?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: I want you to look at the ladies and gentlemen of this jury. Did you see what appeared to be blood on Alex Murdaugh's hands?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: On his arms?
MR. MEADORS: On his shirt?
LAURA RUTLAND: None.
MR. MEADORS: On his shorts?
MR. MEADORS: On his shoes?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: How long was this after the 911 call?
LAURA RUTLAND: 2 hours, 2 to 3 hours.
MR. MEADORS: All of this fresh in his mind?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: How would you describe the defendant's hands when you saw them when you were interviewing him? How would you describe his hands?
LAURA RUTLAND: They were clean.
MR. MEADORS: How would you describe his arms?
LAURA RUTLAND: They were clean.
MR. MEADORS: How would you describe his t-shirt?
LAURA RUTLAND: Clean.
MR. MEADORS: How would you describe his shorts?
LAURA RUTLAND: Clean.
MR. MEADORS: How would you describe his shoes?
LAURA RUTLAND: They were clean.
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Was his phone taken that night, Alex Murdaugh's?
LAURA RUTLAND: I believe so.
MR. MEADORS: You're not sure?
LAURA RUTLAND: I'm not sure, no, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, it may not have been taken.
MR. MEADORS: Now, you were working with --
MR. MEADORS: Agent Owens, stand up.
MR. MEADORS: Is this David Owens who you were working with with SLED?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Thank you, Agent.
MR. MEADORS: When you -- after this interview, did you go to the actual house at 4147?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Did you go inside?
LAURA RUTLAND: Just in the foyer, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did Agent Owens go inside?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: Were the defendant's shirt, shoes, and pants collected by Agent Owens?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: You didn't collect them, he did?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. MEADORS: And those are the same shirts, shoes, and pants he was wearing there.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: And SLED got them that night.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. After this, did you assist SLED in some -- just some things that came up in the investigation?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I don't believe this would be objected to, but did you assist them with getting Maggie's car?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Some other cell phone evidence?
LAURA RUTLAND: Search warrants.
MR. MEADORS: Was there a search of some of the areas that you attended in and around out on Moselle?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Search of ponds?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: So, you assisted to some -- you assisted SLED at some point throughout this investigation.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah. Any time they needed anything from the sheriff's office, Agent Owen could go through me or my captain. Whether it was storing a vehicle as evidence, or using our evidence bay to process anything, I was there to assist in any way that they needed.
MR. MEADORS: And did you assist, I guess, in the helping with Alex Murdaugh's car as far as getting anything out of that car?
LAURA RUTLAND: No. SLED processed that.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, if you would just listen to my questions. I'm not going to lead you. I just want to just ask you one final question. Is the individual in this courtroom who told you he tried to take the pulse of Maggie and Paul, is the individual in this courtroom who told you he tried to turn Paul over, told you that once, twice? Is the individual in this courtroom that you took that statement from that we saw on this video in this courtroom? And is the individual you described as clean from head to toe in this courtroom?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, he is.
MR. MEADORS: Please point him out for the jury.
LAURA RUTLAND: He's sitting at the defense table wearing a grayish/brown jacket and a white shirt.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, we would like the record to reflect he is -- she has pointed out the defendant, Richard Alexander Murdaugh.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It does.
MR. MEADORS: Thank you. That's all.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, we'll have you go to the jury room for a break. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Can we have order in the courtroom? When the jury leaves the courtroom, that's not an invitation for conversation. Court remains in session in order until a recess takes place. We'll be in recess for 10 minutes.
(A break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Before the jury comes in, I want to review a few of the rules of court and rules of procedure with counsel. First, Rule 20 of the Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that there shall be no objection -- no argument on objections unless requested by the Court, and that's Rule 19. I'm sorry, Rule 18. No argument on objections unless requested by the Court, Rule 18.B. Then Rule 43H of the Rules of Civil Procedure, which is applied to the Rules of Criminal Procedure through criminal procedure Rule 37, I believe it is, 37, yes, and that is that only one counsel for each party shall examine or cross-examine a witness, and by extension to that the Court's order, and that's Rule 611 in the procedure establishing in the courts of this state, the examining counsel only shall make objections. And Mr. Griffin is examining, or going to cross-examine, Mr. Griffin makes objections, likewise if the State's Attorney General -- not any and everyone can jump up and object. Any question about either of those?
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor.
MR. WATERS: No, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, I understand the rule. So, as with the witness they were attempting to get to testify about blood in the water yesterday, I objected, and it was a speaking objection. I apologize. But when I object, will you sometimes invite argument or -- I'm trying to preserve objections in the record, and I'm just wondering, since he doesn't get an appeal -- that's not his concern -- how would you like me to handle that?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Well, the objection speaks for itself. If the parties wish to place something on the record at some point in time after a witness's examination, after examination is over, the Court will give you that opportunity. But if we have speaking objections, if the one party makes an objection and proceeds to argue it through a speaking objection, I give equal time to the opposing side, so we end up having a debate rather than -- that interrupts the trial all around. I certainly understand the defense's right to make a proper record, and we'll address that as is needed without there being a speaking objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: For instance, they've elicited hearsay in my opinion and I object, should I say objection, hearsay, or it just depends?
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: I can do that.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir, the legal basis for the objection.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Only.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Not a real advocacy either.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Okay. I understand. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, let's bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jury is present.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. Cross-examination, Mr. Griffin.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you, Your Honor.
CROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. GRIFFIN:
MR. GRIFFIN: Detective Cross, good morning. My name is Jim Griffin --
LAURA RUTLAND: Detective Rutland.
MR. GRIFFIN: Jim Griffin -- Rutland, I'm sorry.
LAURA RUTLAND: That's okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: My name is Jim Griffin and I represent Alex Murdaugh.
LAURA RUTLAND: Uh-huh.
MR. GRIFFIN: You had testified on direct examination a moment ago that it was, you believe, somewhat unusual for Mr. Murdaugh to go visit his mother as late as 9:06 on a Monday evening. Do you recall testifying?
LAURA RUTLAND: I do.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you were sitting in the car when he was being interviewed, and do you recall him saying that his father, Mr. Randolph Murdaugh, had just been put in the hospital that very day?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that it was an unusual day because Mr. Randolph Murdaugh was not with Ms. Libby Randolph, and she gets anxious when that occurs. Do you remember that?
LAURA RUTLAND: I remember him saying something along those lines.
MR. GRIFFIN: And in that context it's -- you don't criticize a son who goes to visit his mother who has early onset dementia on the very day and the afternoon that the father is admitted to the hospital. You're not here to criticize him for that, are you?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, I didn't criticize. I just made a mental note that that was interesting.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and you walked the crime scene when you arrived and you made some mental notes and observations that you subsequently recorded in a report, did you not?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And one of the things that you mentally noted and then subsequently reported was that there was tremendous amount of blood spatter in the feed room area and around where Paul was murdered. Is that correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And there was brain matter and organic matter all about the place where Paul was murdered, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I think you even described that there was matter that -- blood that went up to the ceiling and to the door and spatter everywhere, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you also told the jury that Alex was clean, and you're referring to his shirt was clean, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: His shorts were clean, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you remember the litany of Mr. Meadors: shorts, shirts, shoes were clean, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: He was clean, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: To my visual eye he was clean, yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And to your visual eye, it did not look like he had just blown his son's head off in the confines of a feed room where splatter is everywhere. Isn't that correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: I didn't say that.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, let ask you. In your mind's eye that night on June 7th, did he look like someone who had just blown his son's head off, spatter going everywhere?
LAURA RUTLAND: Again, I can't say for sure. A lot of things would come into play to affect that. Distance is one of them.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, certainly if he appeared that way on the night of June the 7th, you're a sworn law enforcement officer, you would have initiated process to take him into custody I suspect, wouldn't you?
LAURA RUTLAND: No. That was not my role that evening. I was just assisting.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, one of the things you did that evening, Ms. Rutland, was you obtained a search warrant, did you not?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that was your first official duty in connection with this double homicide investigation, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I'm going to show you Exhibit 3.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I've shared it with Mr. Meadors during the break, and I would ask the witness to identify it.
MR. GRIFFIN: Do you recognize Exhibit 3?
LAURA RUTLAND: I do. This is the search warrant I got that night.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we would move Exhibit 3 into evidence at this time, I believe without objection.
MR. MEADORS: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(SEARCH WARRANT MARKED AS DEFENDANT'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 3 AND WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So tell the jury, please, Exhibit 3 is -- well, first let's just talk about a search warrant. What is a search warrant?
LAURA RUTLAND: It grants us the right to search a certain item that may be potential evidence in a case.
MR. GRIFFIN: And this search warrant was for what property?
LAURA RUTLAND: 4147 Moselle Road, Islandton, County of Colleton, State of South Carolina.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it covers the whole roughly 1700 acres of the whole property, does it not?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it covers the house, the residence where you went into the foyer, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: It covers all of the outbuildings, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it covers -- and it gives you the right to seize any type of evidence, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: I'm going to see if I can get Mr. ELMO to work. Can you turn it on, please? I have got it turned sideways. All right. Let's see if we can read that. All right. Okay. Got it. Thank you.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, in -- and this is the search warrant, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, it is.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it says description of premises to be searched, and here it's 4147 Moselle Road, Islandton, and then there's a pin number. What's a pin number?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's a property identification number that's assigned to every parcel of real property within the county; it's set by the tax office.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it says the property to be searched are any residences, vehicles, outbuildings, kennels, or sheds, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and then is it says the description of the property to search and to be seized, and that's under description of property, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you prepared this document for the magistrate to sign.
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And here it says: Evidence that may be used or taken during the commission of a crime of homicide to include but not limited any item, tool, clothing, gloves, masks, hats, hoodies, shoes, boots, jewelry, firearms, ammunition, shell casings, gunshot residue, weapons, identification documents, any paperwork, et cetera. It says: Any evidence inside vehicles on the property, any evidence found on -- in outbuildings or sheds, any tire, shoe impressions, any and all DNA to include but not limited to fingerprints, touch DNA, et cetera. Any drugs, narcotics, drugs paraphernalia, any and all cellular phones, phone records to include incoming/out coming calls, text messages, voice messages, et cetera. And it goes on to talk about photographs and whatnot. It's all encompassing, isn't it?
LAURA RUTLAND: It is.
MR. GRIFFIN: And this is basically as broad of a search warrant that you draft because it's a homicide investigation and it gives you carte blanche on the property of the crime scene, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And with a search warrant, you have the authority to go in the house and look for unclean, dirty clothes, did you not?
LAURA RUTLAND: That was -- I wasn't in that capacity that evening. I was assisting.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, the search warrant provided that authority to law enforcement, did it not?
LAURA RUTLAND: It would have, yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you mentioned that you got into the law enforcement business because you're a CSI TV junkie of sorts. Did I understand you to say that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah, I was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and you've seen CSI shows where they go and they look in the drains of showers and sinks to see if blood residue has been recently flushed through there. That's possible, is it not?
LAURA RUTLAND: It could be.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that's just not on TV. I mean, that's skills that SLED's crime team has available to them, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't know what they have available. That would be a crime unit question.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. The -- and actually there were -- the clean clothes that Alex Murdaugh was wearing that night, they were seized, were they not?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and the clean shoes were seized, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And the clean shirt was seized, was it not?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, it was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, but that -- you were in the house when that happened but you didn't collect the clothes, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not collect anything; I stood by in the foyer.
MR. GRIFFIN: And who did the collection? Do you recall?
LAURA RUTLAND: Special Agent Owen.
MR. GRIFFIN: And -- well, was he assisted by anybody?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was just standing by. They went to a back bedroom and I was in the foyer area. It was like an open floor plan.
MR. GRIFFIN: And do you recall how -- do you recall what Mr. Owen, Detective Owen, Special Agent Owen, I apologize, Detective Owen, Special Agent Owen, did you observe what he collected the clothes in?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did not.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, did he collect all of the clothes and put them in one paper bag?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't recall.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now, the jury heard the complete video/audio of the interview with Alex Murdaugh on the evening of or early morning hours of June the 8th, and yet you were asked to repeat some of the things that he said. And I want to -- the tape speaks for itself. I don't want anyone to misconstrue your testimony, so I just want to ask you. Are you saying that Mr. Murdaugh tried to turn his son over two times on that tape, or that on two occasions he described one incident that he tried to turn his son over?
LAURA RUTLAND: The latter, that he explained two different times.
MR. GRIFFIN: So in answer to your questions, if anyone walked away thinking that Alex Murdaugh told you that he tried to turn him over two times, that would just be mistaken and we've now clarified it, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Now, you never asked, or Special Agent Owen never asked Mr. Murdaugh how he tried to turn his son over, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so you see Mr. Meadors crawling around on the floor down here as trying to reenact something, but that night he never was asked specifically what did you do to try to turn your son over, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct. We did not ask that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that night he was not asked specifically how the phone popped out of his pocket while you were trying to turn him over, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that night he was not asked specifically how far were you able to move Paul, if at all, when you tried to flip him over, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And, in fact, did he really even say that I was trying to flip him over to check his pulse?
LAURA RUTLAND: I would have to check the transcript, but I believe he said something along those lines.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, did he tell you where he tried to check Paul's pulse?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not.
MR. GRIFFIN: So we don't know from your interview, or Special Agent Owen's interview, how he tried to turn him over, how the phone popped out, or at least how Alex describes it because he wasn't asked, and where on Paul's body he attempted to check his pulse, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you were asked questions about whether there were knee prints and footprints by Paul's body next to his body, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, I was asked that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did you do such a forensic analysis investigation to see if there were boot prints or footprints around Paul's body?
LAURA RUTLAND: I looked with my eyes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And were you aware that before you got there -- well, what time did you get there?
LAURA RUTLAND: Can I check my notes?
MR. GRIFFIN: Sure.
LAURA RUTLAND: Okay.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: I'll take this down, I'm through with Mr. ELMO. I think I'm through for now.
LAURA RUTLAND: 12:22 a.m., I was on scene.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. 12:22 a.m., and Paul's body and Maggie's bodies were covered up with a sheet but still present, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, when you were looking at Paul's body just observing whether there -- footprints near him, you couldn't see right next to his body because of the sheet, could you?
LAURA RUTLAND: The sheet was mostly on his body, not on the cement on the ground next to the body.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was it a fitted sheet?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, but it wasn't a queen sheet either.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and then the jury has seen photos of the sheet. Were you aware that Captain Chapman and others went around Paul's body and lifted the sheet up to see if there was a gun underneath him?
LAURA RUTLAND: Not at the time I was at the scene, no.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, I take it you did not observe their footprints anywhere in the area, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Not that I recall.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you said that Alex's pants were clean. Do you remember saying that?
LAURA RUTLAND: I remember saying that.
MR. GRIFFIN: What color pants did he have on?
LAURA RUTLAND: Khaki.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right, and are you aware of any forensic testing that had been done to the pants to see whether there was blood on the pants?
LAURA RUTLAND: That night?
MR. GRIFFIN: Subsequently.
LAURA RUTLAND: No. There was nothing done that night forensically.
MR. GRIFFIN: That night nothing was done forensically.
LAURA RUTLAND: Not before I interviewed him, no.
MR. GRIFFIN: Right. You just did not observe any blood on his pants or in his pocket.
LAURA RUTLAND: No. Just simply speaking with him like this, looking him up and down, and I did not see any blood on him.
MR. GRIFFIN: And he didn't look like someone who had just been within feet of blowing Paul's head off, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Again, I can't say that. There's so many different factors that you would have to take into account.
MR. GRIFFIN: Now, you did a lot more, I believe, that night after you left -- well, let's go back. When you got to the scene, you partnered up with Agent Owen, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you saw inside the shed and you observed there was wadding on the floor near his feet, Paul's feet.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And when you say wadding, what are you talking about?
LAURA RUTLAND: The internal components of a shotgun shell.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then you saw in the rear window of the shed there were several holes, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you described in your report that you saw large amounts of blood spatter and brain skull matter were on the door to the shed and on the items within the storage building. You saw all of that, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then you went and examined Maggie's body, did you not?
LAURA RUTLAND: I wouldn't say examined. I would just say I looked at her.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, one of the things that you noticed when you were looking at Maggie's body, I believe you said you noticed there were a few clumps of her hair and a broken earring were located near a UTV tire, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And what's a UTV tire?
LAURA RUTLAND: I'm sorry?
MR. GRIFFIN: What do you mean by UTV?
LAURA RUTLAND: All terrain vehicle, like a four-wheeler, a side by side.
MR. GRIFFIN: And did -- and you talked about these foot impressions that you observed, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And I said I was done with Mr. ELMO but I'm not. Can we put this back up, please?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: You mentioned that you told investigators that worked for me and Mr. Harpootlian that the boot prints were not yours in these photos, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: But now you told the jury that the boot prints are yours.
LAURA RUTLAND: That's incorrect. Those are not my boot prints.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Okay. Whose boot prints are they?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't know.
MR. GRIFFIN: Oh, so -- okay. That's why I get to this do this, so --
MR. MEADORS: Objection to his comments.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Pose questions.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, you don't know whose boot prints those are.
MR. GRIFFIN: All right. Now, one thing about this search warrant that I asked you about earlier, it was -- do you have it up there?
LAURA RUTLAND: I couldn't remember if I gave it back to you.
MR. GRIFFIN: I don't think you did but that's okay. It was never executed, was it?
LAURA RUTLAND: I handed this off to SLED agents once I was on the scene. Thank you.
MR. GRIFFIN: You said you handed the search warrant off to SLED agents?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, but to your knowledge was it ever executed?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, it was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Oh, you think it was executed.
LAURA RUTLAND: It was.
MR. GRIFFIN: And why do you say that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Because the SLED Crime Scene Unit, I was present while they were processing the scene and executing a search warrant.
MR. GRIFFIN: And so there are two ways that law enforcement can get access to property: one is through a search warrant and one is by consent. Isn't that right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Are you aware that Mr. Murdaugh gave SLED, Colleton County, any law enforcement, FBI, carte blanche consent to search his property?
LAURA RUTLAND: That wasn't related to me. I was asked -- tasked with getting a search warrant, so I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay, and once a search warrant is executed, a return is filed with the magistrate who issued it, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you never filed a return on that search warrant, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Like I said, it was given to SLED so --
MR. GRIFFIN: So, we'll find out more about that. But to your knowledge, I mean, you didn't file a return. That's all you could say, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't recall. I would have to check my notes.
MR. GRIFFIN: You heard -- on the tape you heard Mr. Murdaugh say you can do anything, look for anything. Do you remember him just giving consent to whatever you need?
LAURA RUTLAND: As far as speaking with him, yes, I remember him saying that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you walked back through the crime scene one last time before you cleared the area on the morning of the 8th. Is that right?
LAURA RUTLAND: You could say that. We were -- I mean, we were walking around the whole night and staying out of the way of the Crime Scene Unit.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was it -- were you there after the Crime Scene Unit left?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, I was not. They were still processing when I left.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Do you know whether or not the Crime Scene Unit left shotgun pellets behind in the feed room?
LAURA RUTLAND: I have no knowledge of any of that.
MR. GRIFFIN: Twenty, thirty, even more shotgun pellets left behind in the feed room. Were you aware of that?
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, objection. She said she had no -- objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Objection is sustained.
MR. GRIFFIN: On Thursday, June 10th, two days, three days -- Thursday, June the 10th, you went with SLED -- a number of SLED agents and law enforcement agents went to meet with Mr. Murdaugh; Mr. Murdaugh's brothers, Randy and John Marvin; Mr. Murdaugh's son. And they all agreed to meet, and y'all found a location in -- outside of Varnville, I believe. Do you remember doing that?
LAURA RUTLAND: I do. I remember that.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that was -- during that I believe you and a SLED agent interviewed Mr. Randy Murdaugh, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And Mr. Randy Murdaugh agreed to allow the download of his cell phone, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And gave consent, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And Mr. Alex Murdaugh, to your knowledge, gave consent to download his cell phone, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: To my knowledge, yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: And Mr. John Marvin Murdaugh did the same, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And Mr. Buster Murdaugh did the same, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And everyone gave a voluntary interview that day to your knowledge, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: They did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then a little bit later on a Wednesday, June 16th, you assisted SLED when they went out to the Moselle property and went diving searching for -- well, let me ask you. When you assisted SLED Dive Team -- or did you assist SLED Dive Team on June 16, 2021?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And with a search of the Moselle property focusing on waterways, ponds, the Salkehatchie River access points for evidence from the crime, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: Were you looking for the firearms that were used to murder Maggie and Paul?
LAURA RUTLAND: We were looking for anything that could have been linked to their murders.
MR. GRIFFIN: Then you utilized ATVs and canvassed the entire 1700 acres of land.
LAURA RUTLAND: I did. That was my assignment that day.
MR. GRIFFIN: And once again that was done with consent of Mr. Murdaugh, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then went back the next day and dove another pond on the property. Do you remember doing that?
LAURA RUTLAND: I didn't dive but I was standing by, yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: You were there?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: That was with consent right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then you were given consent and you did a search of a white F250 pickup that Paul normally drove, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And while you were there Mr. Davis shows up, and Mr. Davis you understood to be the caretaker for the dogs, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes. That's what he explained his job title was at Moselle.
MR. GRIFFIN: And that -- did you observe him doing his work that day?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you watch him wash down the dog runs?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't remember that part.
MR. GRIFFIN: But you were able to look at his tire marks and make an assessment as to whether it appeared to match the tire marks that were seen under the shed portion next to the old airplane hangar, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct. He parks under the canopy next to the UTV.
MR. GRIFFIN: And then on Friday, June 18th, you had a meeting and you looked at some photos, I believe crime scene photos and autopsy photos of SLED, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you made a mental note and you put it in your record that you noticed a few strands of what appeared to be brown hair, unable to determine the length from the photo, in Maggie's hands and fingers, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: That is correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And you thought that that possibly was indication of a struggle, that Maggie had grabbed someone and had their hair in her hands, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I didn't say that in my report, no.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, so why did you note it in your report?
LAURA RUTLAND: Because it was an observation.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, you also noticed in your report that there was some injuries to -- what appeared to be to Paul's face that -- like he had been some in type of struggle, right?
LAURA RUTLAND: I noted what to me could have been scratches or a bruise on his cheek.
MR. GRIFFIN: And we heard some testimony yesterday about a BOLO on the look out for a white pickup that Paul normally drives, but that pickup was found the next morning, correct?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct. It was broken down.
MR. GRIFFIN: Yeah, and you learned through your investigation that Paul had switched with -- vehicles with his uncle, John Marvin, and John Marvin was rushing to Moselle when he got the phone call in Paul's truck, and it broke down on the side of the road.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yeah, that's correct. It was Mr. -- I believe Mr. Randolph struggled to get in and out of the truck.
MR. GRIFFIN: Did the Colleton County Sheriff's Office put out a statement to the press on the morning of June the 8th that there's no need to -- for the public to be alarmed?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't believe that came from our office; it did not come through CID for approval. I've never seen that press release.
MR. GRIFFIN: So, was Alex Murdaugh -- you're assisting SLED the night of June the 7th, the morning of June the 8th. Was Alex Murdaugh a suspect?
LAURA RUTLAND: That night everybody was a suspect.
MR. GRIFFIN: Everybody? Can you be more specific? Who else were suspects besides --
LAURA RUTLAND: Well, there was reasons we were asking certain questions, who his best friend is, who -- you know, their routine each day. There were so many different scenarios it could have been that night, so in my view everybody was a suspect at that point.
MR. GRIFFIN: Including Alex.
LAURA RUTLAND: Including Alex.
MR. GRIFFIN: May I beg the Court's indulgence to consult --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we're going to play a portion of Exhibit 1. We need to cover our screens; it is a portion of sensitive matter.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you see that, Ms. Rutland?
LAURA RUTLAND: I can, yes, sir.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Well let's just stop right there. Do you see how far that sheet is on either side of Paul's body there?
LAURA RUTLAND: At this point in time, yes, I see how it looks.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is that how -- roughly how far it was across Paul's body when you got there?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, because I could still -- I could see the top of his head.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, I'm talking about the width of his body, was it that far across?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't recall how it was because I could see parts of his body, but it was still on him.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay.
MR. GRIFFIN: Will you go ahead and play?
(State's 1 was played with no audio.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Did you notice any footprints of the agent there inside the kennel?
LAURA RUTLAND: No. I believe he's standing on the --
MR. GRIFFIN: In the feed room?
LAURA RUTLAND: In the feed room? No. But it was starting to rain.
(State's 1 was played with no audio.)
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Stop right there, please. Can you back it up just for five seconds? Play it. See if it goes down. A little bit further. Please stop.
MR. GRIFFIN: Was that how far across the sheet was when you observed Paul's body?
LAURA RUTLAND: I don't remember. Like I said, when I got there there was SLED agents as well as deputies standing around the scene. I wasn't sure what had happened before I got there. I don't recall how the sheet was.
MR. GRIFFIN: Well, was the sheet on Paul's body the entire time you were walking the crime scene?
LAURA RUTLAND: No. Eventually it was removed when the Crime Scene Unit was ready to process his body.
MR. GRIFFIN: And the -- I just want to clear up. When you said Alex was wearing khakis, were you referring to shorts or long pants?
LAURA RUTLAND: Shorts.
MR. GRIFFIN: Is this from the --
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we're going to publish a small portion of the video in the car, which is their last exhibit. Well, excuse me, that's from Number 1.
MR. GRIFFIN: Are those the shorts he was wearing?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Are those khakis or green?
LAURA RUTLAND: Khaki style green.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: That's all. You can take it down. That's all of the questions we have, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any redirect?
MR. MEADORS: Yes, sir.
REDIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Mr. Griffin asked you about some things you did after your interview the following days.
LAURA RUTLAND: He did.
MR. MEADORS: And you had mentioned a search warrant was executed. Were you working with SLED after June 8th? He's asked you about them, and did you work with them in executing search warrants?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Specifically on June 9th -- who were you working with?
LAURA RUTLAND: Special Agent Owen.
MR. MEADORS: And I think Mr. Griffin -- did Mr. Griffin ask you -- there was a truck on the side of the road that went back to the brother John Marvin?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: So, that was the white truck --
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: -- that was on the side of the road?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And it belonged -- who did it belong to?
LAURA RUTLAND: John Marvin.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and that was off the property of Moselle?
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, that has nothing to do with this case as far as suspect and this killing, does it?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, it did not. We process it to rule it out.
MR. MEADORS: What's that last thing?
LAURA RUTLAND: We process it to rule it out.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and he asked you about meeting with these folks and them talking to you. You were working with SLED doing that, weren't you?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was.
MR. MEADORS: SLED was investigating this case.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Getting swabs? Getting swabs from folks? In general getting swabs?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was present when swabs were taken, yes.
MR. MEADORS: I'm not trying to say you took them --
MR. MEADORS: -- I'm just following up on his questions.
LAURA RUTLAND: That's correct, yeah.
MR. MEADORS: Were you present when interviews were taken, some of them?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was present, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And who was leading those interviews?
LAURA RUTLAND: SLED.
MR. MEADORS: Who was in charge?
LAURA RUTLAND: SLED.
MR. MEADORS: Were they investigating?
LAURA RUTLAND: They were investigating.
MR. MEADORS: Did you assist SLED with the initial timeline on phone calls?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: On June 12th, did you assist SLED in removing an internal computer black box of the Chevy Suburban?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did, by standing by.
MR. MEADORS: On June 14th, did you assist SLED in obtaining a search warrant for Maggie Murdaugh's Mercedes?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: And was Lieutenant Ghent in charge of that?
LAURA RUTLAND: He was.
MR. MEADORS: Was SLED investigating?
LAURA RUTLAND: SLED was investigating.
MR. MEADORS: Was that what's referred to as a blue box?
LAURA RUTLAND: Black box, I believe.
MR. MEADORS: Black Box? Okay. Sorry about that. Were you with SLED when Maggie Murdaugh's Mercedes was towed?
LAURA RUTLAND: I was.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Did y'all have a search warrant for that?
LAURA RUTLAND: We did.
MR. MEADORS: I think he asked you were you with SLED when ponds were searched in the area.
LAURA RUTLAND: I was.
MR. MEADORS: June 16th, would you dispute that, 2021?
LAURA RUTLAND: No, that's correct.
MR. MEADORS: And I think Mr. Griffin asked you about a truck that a Mr. Davis was driving out of the sheds. Were you able to confirm that the tire tracks in the shed were his?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did by looking at them.
MR. MEADORS: By looking at them?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes, uh-huh.
MR. MEADORS: And I think Mr. Griffin asked you that Mr. Davis said he was in and out of there a couple of times a day?
LAURA RUTLAND: Twice a day, yes.
MR. MEADORS: So, those tracks inside the shelter were whose?
LAURA RUTLAND: The dog caretaker, Mr. Davis.
MR. MEADORS: And I think he asked you about water. Just remind me. The night you were there, did you see water around the bodies?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. He asked you about some injuries, I think, that you had noted in your report. How did Paul fall?
LAURA RUTLAND: Face down at an angle outside the feed room.
MR. MEADORS: On what?
LAURA RUTLAND: On his hands and arms.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, but his face hit what?
LAURA RUTLAND: The gravel.
MR. MEADORS: Mr. Griffin asked you about how many times the defendant, Richard Alexander Murdaugh, had mentioned to turn his son, Paul's, body. On page two of the transcript, or toward the front: Actually, I think I tried to turn Paul over first. Do you remember him saying that?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: You know, I tried to turn him over and I don't know. I figured it out.
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And his cell phone popped out.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: And I tried to do something.
LAURA RUTLAND: Uh-huh.
MR. MEADORS: Thinking maybe but then I put it back down.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Were his words: I think I tried to turn him over?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And later on I tried to turn him and then I tried to check him.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: I tried to turn him.
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: He asked you about the sheet on the body. Did you see the front of the top of Maggie's -- or, excuse me, Paul's head?
LAURA RUTLAND: I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and he asked you about the sheet over that body. I want to ask you about a sheet. When you saw Richard Alexander Murdaugh, did he have a sheet over him?
LAURA RUTLAND: He did not.
MR. MEADORS: Could you see his face, his hands, his body, his pants, and his shirt?
LAURA RUTLAND: I could.
MR. MEADORS: Did he look like somebody who had just changed his clothes?
LAURA RUTLAND: Yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Basis for the objection?
MR. GRIFFIN: There's no basis for that opinion.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The response, Mr. Meadors?
MR. MEADORS: I couldn't hear what he said, I'm sorry.
MR. GRIFFIN: There's no basis for that opinion.
MR. MEADORS: Did those clothes appear to be fresh?
LAURA RUTLAND: They did.
MR. MEADORS: Like they had just come out of the laundry?
LAURA RUTLAND: They could be.
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. MEADORS: That's all we have.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Further questions?
MR. GRIFFIN: Very briefly, Your Honor.
RECROSS-EXAMINATION
BY MR. GRIFFIN:
MR. GRIFFIN: Detective, it was raining that night, wasn't it?
LAURA RUTLAND: It started to rain before we did our interview with him.
MR. GRIFFIN: Can you pull up that photo that -- of his shorts and shirt that we saw a minute ago?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. GRIFFIN: So, these are the clothes that you saw him wearing sitting in the car?
LAURA RUTLAND: Correct.
MR. GRIFFIN: And it's your testimony those clothes look like they're freshly washed.
LAURA RUTLAND: He's sweating and they're dry, so I would say yes.
MR. GRIFFIN: Okay. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may step down.
(The witness exited the stand.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: You may call your next witness.
MS. GOUDE: Dalila Cirencione.