Jeff Croft — Direct
1,358 linesJUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, I have addressed your concerns. And you may call your next witness.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor. We call Senior Special Agent Jeff Croft.
The witness, JEFF CROFT, 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.
JEFF CROFT: Jeff Croft. C-r-o-f-t.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. WATERS:
MR. WATERS: Senior Special Agent Croft, how are you doing today?
JEFF CROFT: Doing well, sir.
MR. WATERS: So, your hair is about as gray as mine is, isn't it?
JEFF CROFT: Sir?
MR. WATERS: Your hair is about as gray as mine is.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Is that how you get to be a senior special agent?
JEFF CROFT: I don't think so.
MR. WATERS: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where did you grow up, where are you from, and then tell us a little bit about your career in law enforcement.
JEFF CROFT: I group in Barnwell County; I started my law enforcement career in the early two thousands as a reserve deputy with the Barnwell County Sheriff's Office. I got hired full-time, started on the road; I did road patrol. I then went to investigative services, or excuse me, investigations where I worked narcotics and violent crime. In 2012 I transferred over to SLED, where I worked in the Lowcountry region and investigative services. I was assigned to this area for investigative purposes working homicides, violent crime, financial cases, all sorts of stuff.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and how long have you been with SLED?
JEFF CROFT: I'm going on twelve years.
MR. WATERS: What -- where were you assigned back on June 7, 2021?
JEFF CROFT: I was assigned to the Lowcountry region here in Colleton County.
MR. WATERS: And were you summoned and called out to respond to the reports of the two deaths at 4147 Moselle Road?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I was.
MR. WATERS: About what time did you get the call?
JEFF CROFT: I got called out on actually June the 8th, the morning of June the 8th about 5:30 that morning.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and where did you go from there?
JEFF CROFT: I was en route to the scene. I was rerouted to the -- our field office here in Walterboro and given instructions from there.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and given -- having been given those instructions, what did you go do to help the investigation? What's the first thing you did?
JEFF CROFT: I located and interviewed Rogan Gibson.
MR. WATERS: And did you have a conversation with Rogan Gibson?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Did you ask Rogan Gibson about whether or not he had phone communications with Paul Murdaugh the evening before?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Did you ask him whether he had phone communications with Alex Murdaugh the night before?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Did you ask him whether or not he had phone communications with Maggie Murdaugh the night before?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: And did you ask to see Rogan's cell phone?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Did he allow you to take screen shots of some of the records on his cell phone?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you very quickly what's been marked as Exhibits 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, and 172. Just generally tell me if you recognize those particular exhibits.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir. These are the snapshots which I took off of Rogan Gibson's phone.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Bear with me one second.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would move into evidence State's Exhibits 165 through 172, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted.
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 165 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 166 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 167 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 168 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 169 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 170 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 171 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(SCREEN SHOT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 172 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. If I could get the ELMO up, please, and see how that looks. Not great, is it?
MR. WATERS: All right, I'm going to put up on the screen State's Exhibit 165. And is this one of those images that we were just talking about from Rogan Gibson?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and whose hand is that holding it up? Do you know?
JEFF CROFT: That is Rogan Gibson holding the phone for me to take a picture.
MR. WATERS: And was he manipulating the phone for you and then showing you when he found things and then you taking a picture of it with your phone?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he was.
MR. WATERS: And does this reflect an incoming call from Paul at a particular time?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: What time does it reflect that call?
JEFF CROFT: At 8:40 p.m.
MR. WATERS: All right, and this is going to be on June 7, 2021?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, sir.
MR. WATERS: And how long does it reflect that call was?
JEFF CROFT: Approximately 4 minutes.
MR. WATERS: 4 minutes. All right. Let's look at the next one. I'm going to publish what's been marked as State's Exhibit 166. Is this another screen shot that Rogan showed you from his communication with Paul Murdaugh that night?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And does it show an incoming call from Paul Murdaugh to Rogan Gibson?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: And what time is that call?
JEFF CROFT: 8:44 p.m.
MR. WATERS: 8:44 p.m.?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you next what's been marked as Exhibit 167 of your testimony. Is this another screen shot that was shown to you by Rogan Gibson from his communications with Paul Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and were these some texts between the two of them?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and does it reflect a text from Rogan to Paul on there?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: And what time is that? I'm sorry, go ahead.
JEFF CROFT: 8:49 p.m.
MR. WATERS: 8:49 p.m. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: And can you read that text to the jury, please?
JEFF CROFT: See if you can get a good picture of it. Marianne wants to send it to a girl we know that's a vet. Tell him to sit and stay and he shouldn't move around too much.
MR. WATERS: All right. Does it reflect any response from Paul?
JEFF CROFT: It does not.
MR. WATERS: All right. What's the next communication on this particular exhibit?
JEFF CROFT: It's got a glare on it. I can't -- it looks like 9:58 p.m.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going bring the exhibit up because I know -- or ELMO is not working great. We're still working on that, but let me actually have you look at it. So, we said there's a communication to Paul from Rogan, and then you said there was no response. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, sir.
MR. WATERS: And then the next thing is Rogan sends a text. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, sir.
MR. WATERS: What time is that text?
JEFF CROFT: 9:58 p.m.
MR. WATERS: 9:58. And what does he say?
JEFF CROFT: Yo.
MR. WATERS: Yo?
JEFF CROFT: Y-o, Yo.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to put up on the screen State's Exhibit 168. Can you see that all right?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right, and does this reflect a number of outgoing calls from Rogan to Paul trying to get him to answer?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: Can you tell the jury the times starting at the bottom that he's trying to call Paul Murdaugh without an answer?
JEFF CROFT: At 9:10 p.m. there's a two second outgoing call. At 9:21 p.m. there's a one second outgoing call. At 9:42 p.m. there's a one second outgoing call. And at 9:56 p.m. there's a four second outgoing call.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to put up on the screen State's Exhibit 169. And does this also reflect an outgoing call from Rogan to Paul that's unanswered?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: And what time was that?
JEFF CROFT: 10:08 p.m.
MR. WATERS: Okay. All right. We're now looking at State's Exhibit 170. I'm going to bring it up to you real quick. Who does this reflect communications with? Between Rogan Gibson and who?
JEFF CROFT: Ms. Maggie Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let me go publish this real quick. So, it's from who?
JEFF CROFT: Ms. Maggie Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: All right, and Rogan sends her a text. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he does.
MR. WATERS: And what time does he send that text?
JEFF CROFT: 9:34 p.m.
MR. WATERS: And what did he say?
JEFF CROFT: Tell Paul to call me.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to publish what's been marked as State's Exhibit 171. Can you see that all right?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir. I can see the times. I can't see the top of it.
MR. WATERS: Okay.
JEFF CROFT: Okay. I can see it.
MR. WATERS: All right, and who were these communications from on Rogan Gibson's phone?
JEFF CROFT: Mr. Alex Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: The defendant?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct.
MR. WATERS: All right, and were there missed calls from Alex Murdaugh to --
JEFF CROFT: Yes, there is.
MR. WATERS: And can you tell the jury what times those were?
JEFF CROFT: At 10:21 p.m. and at 10:24 p.m.
MR. WATERS: And then finally State's Exhibit 172. Are these additional missed calls on Rogan's phone or outgoing -- I'm sorry, missed calls?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it's missed calls.
MR. WATERS: And who were they from?
JEFF CROFT: I can't see the top from that display.
MR. WATERS: I'm sorry.
JEFF CROFT: Mr. Alex Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and what time were these missed calls from Alex Murdaugh to Rogan Gibson?
JEFF CROFT: 10:25 and 10:30 p.m.
MR. WATERS: Did you ultimately -- you ultimately interviewed Rogan Gibson. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: And without going into what he said, he told you what his communications -- and what he did that night and all the rest of it. Is that right?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. WATERS: Was there anybody with you when you interviewed him?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it was.
MR. WATERS: And who was that?
JEFF CROFT: Special Agent Katie McCallister.
MR. WATERS: Katie McCallister.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Did you take a buccal swab from Rogan Gibson?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Tell the jury just really quickly. What is a buccal swab?
JEFF CROFT: A buccal swab is used to get a DNA standard, or a known standard that can be used by our lab to compare to potential other evidence. It's a cotton swab which we use on the inside of the cheek, very nonintrusive. Once we get it, we seal it with evidence tape; it's transported to our lab for our lab's use.
(Break in proceedings.)
(CHAIN OF CUSTODY FORM MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 154 FOR IDENTIFICATION.)
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 154 and see if you recognize this document.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: Tell me what that is. Tell the jury what that is.
JEFF CROFT: It's a chain of custody form that we used when we secured the buccal swab from -- or buccal swab from Rogan Gibson.
MR. WATERS: All right. Put that up on the screen. So right there, is that where it says what it is?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And whose signature is that right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is myself.
MR. WATERS: And whose name and signature is that right there?
JEFF CROFT: Melinda Worley, Special Agent Melinda Worley.
MR. WATERS: Okay. After you had that interview with Rogan Gibson, what's the next thing you did in the case to assist the investigation?
JEFF CROFT: I went back to the scene where I briefed Senior Special Agent David Owen and the others that was assisting with the investigation. I was asked to go to the residence, the Murdaugh residence, which was down from the kennels.
MR. WATERS: And what was going to be your goal in going to the residence?
JEFF CROFT: I went to the residence to secure any firearms or ammunition, spent shell casings of that nature that would be potentially compared to our -- or similar in nature to what was at the scene.
MR. WATERS: Did you go by yourself or did you go with the team?
JEFF CROFT: It was myself, Anthony Sampson, and Katie McCallister, both which are special agents.
MR. WATERS: What was your particular role or -- in this team? What was going to be your main job and why you were picked to be on this team to go in the house looking for firearms evidence?
JEFF CROFT: I have some knowledge of firearms and ammunition, and my main duty was to attempt to locate any firearms that were capable of firing similar ammunition that was at the actual crime scene, any spent shell casings that would be similar in nature that could potentially be tested back to a firearm if one was located, or tested in comparison to the casings which were at the seen.
MR. WATERS: Had you been advised by other investigators what types of weapons or what ammunition had been used to murder Maggie and Paul?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: And can you tell the jury what you'd been advised?
JEFF CROFT: I had been advised that it was a 12 gauge shotgun used capable of shooting three inch magnum. I was also advised that it was a 300 Blackout rifle -- or, excuse me, it was an AR rifle chambered for 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: 12 gauge and 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Bear with me one second.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I'm going to show you what has been marked as Exhibit 160 to your testimony and see if you recognize that particular disc.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and tell me what that disc is.
JEFF CROFT: It's a disc of my body worn camera recording from the day of the house entry.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as Exhibit 159 and see if you recognize this particular exhibit.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what is on that?
JEFF CROFT: This is, again, the recording of my body worn camera for the house entrance.
MR. WATERS: All right, and why are there two recordings of body cams? Why do we have two instead of just one?
JEFF CROFT: After the initial entry to the residence and some initial items being secured, I stepped outside to speak to the investigative team, which was up at the kennels, and then I walked back in the house. While I was outside, I noticed some items on the ground that needed to be secured, so I walked back in the house, got Anthony Sampson, Special Agent Anthony Sampson, to accompany me outside to collect those items.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what were those items? Go ahead and let's jump ahead. What were those items you collected out there?
JEFF CROFT: It was 300 Blackout shell casings, which appeared to be weathered, at the bottom of the stoop entered -- to the entrance of the -- what I call the gun room and in the flowerbed on each side.
MR. WATERS: All right, and when you say cases or casings, tell the jury what we're talking about. What is a case or a casing as opposed to the whole cartridge? Can you explain that to the jury, please?
JEFF CROFT: Cartridge case is what's ejected from the weapon once it's fired. It houses the powder and the primer and the bullet on the end, which is the projectile, which leads to the end of the barrel. It's basically just the housing that holds the fire mechanism in a shell or in a casing.
MR. WATERS: And in a semiautomatic weapon, once the bullet is fired, what happens to the casing?
JEFF CROFT: In a semiautomatic weapon, it is ejected.
MR. WATERS: It's ejected.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and if nobody picks it up, it stays right there on the ground, doesn't it?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would move State's Exhibit 159 and 160 into evidence.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, we don't object to the video of either one. And there's one longer video that's in the house -- I don't know if it's 159 or 160 -- that we would object to the audio portions being played.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, I have no problem with that. I'm going to play that particular video with the audio down because there is discussions with other witnesses who will testify in the house, and so that's acceptable to the State with that particular exhibit.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Mr. Griffin?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yeah, that's acceptable.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right.
MR. GRIFFIN: As long as there's no hearsay from the witnesses.
JUDGE NEWMAN: He said the audio is down, so it's admitted under those conditions.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor.
(DVD OF BODY-WORN CAMERA MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 159 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(DVD OF BODY-WORN CAMERA MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 160 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: For the record, 159 is the exhibit we will play with the audio down.
MR. GRIFFIN: Thank you.
MR. WATERS: All right. So, Special Agent Croft, since we don't have audio on this, we might just kind of narrate it for the jury while things are happening. Okay?
JEFF CROFT: All right.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's do that.
(The video was played without audio.)
MR. WATERS: All right. What's happening right now?
JEFF CROFT: We are walking up to the side door of the residence, which enters the gun room.
MR. WATERS: All right, and just real quick, we see that side stoop right there?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And what's -- what was found right there, if anything, by that stoop?
JEFF CROFT: 300 Blackout casings.
MR. WATERS: Is that what you just were talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Right there, huh?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Thank you. Who is that individual right there? Do you know?
JEFF CROFT: Attorney Lee Cope.
MR. WATERS: Who is talking to him?
JEFF CROFT: Special Agent McCallister.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to move it forward going in the house a little bit. Where are we now?
JEFF CROFT: We're inside of the residence at 4147 Moselle Road in the gun room.
MR. WATERS: Who are you shaking hands with right now?
JEFF CROFT: That would be Attorney Mark Ball.
MR. WATERS: All right. Who's getting their hand shook right now?
JEFF CROFT: Mr. -- Attorney Ronnie Crosby.
MR. WATERS: All right. You mentioned Lee Cope and Mark Ball and Ronnie Crosby. Who are these individuals? What, if anything, is their relationship with Alex Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: They are law partners with -- or were law partners with Mr. Alex Murdaugh at PMPED.
MR. WATERS: Do you know what Alex Murdaugh did for a living?
JEFF CROFT: He was a trial lawyer, and he also was a prosecutor for the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office under Solicitor Duffy Stone.
MR. WATERS: And what does a prosecutor do?
JEFF CROFT: They try cases for the State.
MR. WATERS: Criminal cases?
JEFF CROFT: Criminal cases for the State, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: That's what he did?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: Fast forward just a little bit. What's that sort of in the center of the screen right there?
JEFF CROFT: That's a gun cabinet or a gun shelf.
MR. WATERS: And what's going on right now?
JEFF CROFT: Special Agent McCallister is explaining why we're there, kind of what we're looking for, and gaining consent to search that area.
MR. WATERS: Was consent ultimately obtained to search?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it was.
MR. WATERS: Let me back it up real quick. All right, at this point are y'all having a conversation with people who were there? I'm not trying to get into the conversation, just were you having a conversation?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, we were.
MR. WATERS: All right, and who were the two individuals you were talking -- or three individuals you're talking to right there?
JEFF CROFT: Ronnie Crosby on the right, Mark Ball in the center, and Mr. Lee Cope on the left-hand side. Agent McCallister is standing with her back turned.
MR. WATERS: At some point did Mark Ball point to anything?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. WATERS: And what did he point to?
JEFF CROFT: A 300 Blackout rifle which was sitting in the gun wall.
MR. WATERS: Did Ronnie Crosby point to it? Let me back up.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. Whose body cam are we looking at right now?
JEFF CROFT: That would be mine.
MR. WATERS: And where are you going right now?
JEFF CROFT: I'm walking over to the gun wall, or gun cabinet, in order to get a better picture of what Mr. Ball is pointing to.
MR. WATERS: Is that it right there in the middle?
JEFF CROFT: That is it, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. What is Mark Ball pointing to right now?
JEFF CROFT: He's pointing to the numbers which are displayed on the bottom of the magazine.
MR. WATERS: All right, and is this the Blackout we're talking about?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: All right. Did you look at that particular magazine?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: What, if anything, did you notice about that magazine?
JEFF CROFT: The magazine was stamped with 223.
MR. WATERS: All right. Is 223 the same ammunition as 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: It is same in length. A 223 magazine is capable of housing a 300 Blackout round.
MR. WATERS: All right. Well, explain to me a little bit about 223 and -- which is a type of ammunition, and Blackout. What are the differences and what are the similarities between those two rounds?
JEFF CROFT: They both can be fired from the AR frame. It's -- the 300 Blackout is actually approximately a 30 millimeter projectile, a little bit larger bullet than the 223. It has a little more kinetic energy and a little more stopping power than the 223. The 223 is a faster bullet, a little flatter trajectory. It does not have the stopping power that the 300 has. Because the 300 is a larger bullet and you're trying to use it in an AR frame, it's not down so you don't have quite as much speed coming out -- or velocity coming out of the barrel than you would with a 223.
MR. WATERS: What is it you just said, though? A 300 Blackout has more of --
JEFF CROFT: Stopping power than the 223.
MR. WATERS: And stopping power, what does that mean? What is stopping power?
JEFF CROFT: It has more impact than the 223 round has.
MR. WATERS: Impact. Okay. All right.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What else are you looking for right now as you look through the other firearms on that particular gun rack?
JEFF CROFT: Any additional rifles capable of shooting a 300 Blackout, and also any 12 gauge shotguns which are capable of shooting three inch magnum.
MR. WATERS: Let me ask you this. Did you find any other weapons that could shoot 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir, we did not.
MR. WATERS: Did you ever find any other weapons on Alex Murdaugh's property that could shoot 300 Blackouts other than that one that was in the gun room?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir, we did not.
MR. WATERS: And we're going to talk more about this in a minute, but did you find some 12 gauges?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, we did.
MR. WATERS: All right. What are we looking at right here?
JEFF CROFT: That's to the right of the gun wall or gun cabinet. It's various ammunition for different types of weapons, shell casings. It's parts for the gun wall.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and you're having a conversation with who right there?
JEFF CROFT: Attorney Mark Ball.
MR. WATERS: As a result of that conversation, was Mark Ball pointing to things?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he was.
MR. WATERS: Specific things?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he was.
MR. WATERS: Did you ultimately come back and collect some of those things?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Fast forward to about 7 minutes and 30 seconds to keep this thing moving. Right there. What is that right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is an empty box with the label S&B 300 BLK.
MR. WATERS: All right. Did you ultimately collect that box?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 213 and see if you recognize that item.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Stand by for me real quick.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, Your Honor, at this time we would move State's Exhibit 213 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(EMPTY BOX OF AMMO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 213 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show it to you again, and I'm going to put it up on the screen. Does that box reflect the grain weight of the bullets of that ammunition that were inside of it?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: And what is that?
JEFF CROFT: 147 grains.
MR. WATERS: All right, and tell the jury. What is 147 grains, or just grains in -- generally when it comes to a bullet, what does that mean?
JEFF CROFT: It's the weight of the projectile.
MR. WATERS: All right, and it's possible to have certain ammunition of the same caliber but it has different weights. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And this Blackout is 147 grains, correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Sorry.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: Everybody can see that?
MR. WATERS: And that's the empty box you found in the gun room?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and right there, is that the grains that you were talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Step down if you need to and see what I'm pointing at.
JEFF CROFT: I can see you, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. Can you read that right there?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I can.
MR. WATERS: And what does it say?
JEFF CROFT: Sellier and it looks like Bellot.
MR. WATERS: And shorthand when your people are talking about ammunition, how do they say that?
JEFF CROFT: S&B.
MR. WATERS: S&B. Then on the back right here, can you read that?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I can.
MR. WATERS: And what does that say?
JEFF CROFT: 300 AAC Blackout.
MR. WATERS: If we can go back to the video, please.
(The video continued playing.)
MR. WATERS: For the record, I'm fast forwarding a little bit just to keep us going.
MR. WATERS: At this particular time as it relates to the shotguns, are you looking to collect every single shotgun that's on a rack or only specific shotguns?
JEFF CROFT: Only specific shotguns.
MR. WATERS: And what specific gauge of shotgun were you looking to collect?
JEFF CROFT: 12 gauge.
MR. WATERS: And why only 12 gauge?
JEFF CROFT: That was what we -- that was the shell casings or -- that was located at the crime scene.
MR. WATERS: Who is that individual standing in the center of the screen?
JEFF CROFT: That would be Mr. John Marvin Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: Now you mentioned attorneys Lee Cope, Mark Ball, and Ronnie Crosby were in that room as well. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And Mr. John Marvin Murdaugh. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And what's his relation to the defendant?
JEFF CROFT: He is the brother.
MR. WATERS: Was that everyone that was kind of there, or was there another attorney as well that was present?
JEFF CROFT: There was an additional attorney that walked in the room early in the recording.
MR. WATERS: And who was that?
JEFF CROFT: Chris Wilson.
MR. WATERS: Chris Wilson? Just generally, what are you doing right here?
JEFF CROFT: Just getting an overall of where things were at when we went into the room before anything was actually moved.
MR. WATERS: I saw you doing something with your hands, what are you doing right there?
JEFF CROFT: I was putting latex gloves on my hands.
MR. WATERS: What is it you're about to do?
JEFF CROFT: I'm going to start collecting or securing those firearms.
MR. WATERS: Okay. What is that in your hand right there?
JEFF CROFT: That's a 300 -- or an AR15 chambered 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: What's that in your hand right there? I kind of fast forwarded it.
JEFF CROFT: That was the magazine which I removed from the 300.
MR. WATERS: What ammunition was in that magazine?
JEFF CROFT: S&B 147 grain.
MR. WATERS: 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: If I may see another item, Item 33, please. All right. I called it Item 33 because that's the SLED item, but actually it's been marked as State's Exhibit 88. I'm going to have you take a look at that and see if you recognize that. You may go ahead and pull it out, just make sure not to point it at the jury. And if you could also make sure that it is not in a firing state, please, sir.
JEFF CROFT: It is safe.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what is that item right there?
JEFF CROFT: This is the 300 Blackout rifle, which I secured from the gun wall.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let me see it.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time we would move State's Exhibit 84 into evidence.
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I would on relevancy grounds. There's no evidence that this gun was the gun. I mean, it's just not relevant, it was found in the house.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor.
(300 BLACKOUT RIFLE MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 88 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(AMMO AND MAGAZINE FROM EXHIBIT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 210 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: Hold on to that gun for me, please, Special Agent Croft. Let's see what else is in this box. And I'm going to show you the other part of State's Exhibit 88, and that's marked actually as State's Exhibit 210. What is that?
JEFF CROFT: This will would be the magazine which I removed from this rifle on the video, and the ammunition which it contained.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what kind of ammunition is that?
JEFF CROFT: It's head stamped S&B 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: All right, and do you know the specific brand, and make, and caliber of ammunition that was used to kill Maggie Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: The head stamps on the shell casing at the crime scene was S&B 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Let's talk a little bit about this firearm. What's this thing on the top here?
JEFF CROFT: That's a -- I call it a optic, but it's actually a thermal scope, which can be used for shooting in the dark.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and this particular weapon, is this a semiautomatic weapon?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And what does that mean? Can you tell the jury what that means?
JEFF CROFT: Each press of the trigger it will fire and eject the spent cartridge.
MR. WATERS: And where are the cartridges going to eject when the this weapon is fired?
JEFF CROFT: It will eject from the right hand side right here.
MR. WATERS: All right. So if it's being fired they're coming out this way. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: To the right and generally back.
MR. WATERS: Can we go back to the ELMO, please? All right. Are these the rounds you're talking about right here?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Are those the S&B 300's?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, they are.
MR. WATERS: And this is that magazine that said 223 on it that you were talking about. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: All right.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What's that you've got in your arm now?
JEFF CROFT: That's is a 12 gauge Browning.
MR. WATERS: All right. All right. Let me back up just a hair. All right. So that's the Browning you collected. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to bring you Item 31 here real quick. Before you open it, just give me one second and I'm get this Blackout rifle out of the way.
MR. WATERS: And that's going to block you, isn't it?
MR. WATERS: All right. That's -- I've been using the SLED item number, but that's State's Exhibit 90. Is that correct? I've got you right there.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. Could you open that up and tell me what's in that and if you recognize it, please.
JEFF CROFT: That would be the Browning, which I secured from the gun room.
MR. WATERS: All right. Can you -- is it in an unfired condition? If you show that to the jury, please.
JEFF CROFT: It's in a safe condition, breach open.
MR. WATERS: All right, and this is chambered in what gauge?
JEFF CROFT: 12 gauge.
MR. WATERS: All right. Your Honor, at this time we would move State's Exhibit 80 (sic) into evidence.
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection to relevancy unless they have evidence tying it to the murders. There's a lot of guns that were seized, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir. Objection is overruled.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: No need to thank me.
MR. WATERS: My apologies.
MR. GRIFFIN: Excuse me, Your Honor. I just want to add a Rule 403 grounds for my objection to this gun and all of other guns they plan to --
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir. You may proceed.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor.
(SHOTGUN MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 90 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's return to the video.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: As you were looking through these various shotguns and picking some up and putting them back and all the rest of it, what were you looking for in making that determination of the ones you could take and the ones that you're putting back?
JEFF CROFT: That it was chambered in 12 gauge.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right. You just put another gun on the table. Do you recognize that particular gun?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what about the particular condition of that gun did you notice, if anything?
JEFF CROFT: That is a 12 gauge pump and the breach is open. Inside of the chamber is a shotgun shell that's ready to be chambered into the -- to be fired.
MR. WATERS: And I paused it at 20 minutes and 17 seconds. What do we see right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is a 12 gauge shotgun shell that's ready to be chambered. Once you slide the pump action forward, it would be chambered into the chamber and ready to fire.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: And, Your Honor, just very quickly for the record, that Browning shotgun, I believe I referred to it as State's Exhibit 80. It's actually State's Exhibit 90, which I believe was entered over objection. All right, let's go to 32, please.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 91. If you could just take a look at it before you pull it out and tell me if you recognize what that is?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And what is that?
JEFF CROFT: That is a Benelli 12 gauge.
MR. WATERS: All right. Thank you. Let me close that up real quick. All right. We've got one step ahead of ourselves, so let's do this one. This is State's Exhibit 87. Let's try this one. Can we do this without knocking everything over?
JEFF CROFT: I think so.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's try a take a look -- don't show it to the jury -- and tell me if you recognize that.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what that is.
JEFF CROFT: That is the pump shotgun, which I secured from the gun wall, which is depicted in the video.
MR. WATERS: All right. This is the one that's on the screen right now?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: For the record, this is State's Exhibit 89.
MR. WATERS: Let's go ahead and take a look and see if you recognize that. That's the gun we were just talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would move State's Exhibit 9 (sic) into evidence.
JUDGE NEWMAN: What says the defendant?
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, object on relevance, 403. There's no evidence linking these guns to the crime, and they're just cumulative and prejudicial.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Did you want to respond to the speaking objection?
MR. WATERS: Yes, sir, I do want to respond to the speaking objection. It is very important to show the extensiveness of the investigation that was done, particularly as it goes to firearms, and there were multiple guns that were tested, and there will be an analyst here later to show how those guns were tested and what are the results of those. So, admitting these guns into evidence to show the extent of what was tested is very relevant, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted over objection.
MR. WATERS: Thank you -- I'm sorry.
(SHOTGUN MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 89 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, let's go ahead and show the jury this one if we can, please. Is it not in a fired condition, fireable condition?
JEFF CROFT: The breach is open. It's not in fireable condition.
MR. WATERS: All right, and when you first got this particular -- or took this weapon off the wall, what was different about its conditions that we talked about?
JEFF CROFT: It had a round that was here ready to be chambered once the fore grip is pushed forward.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let me see it just real quick. So, is this a semiautomatic type shotgun or a pump shotgun?
JEFF CROFT: It's a pump shotgun.
MR. WATERS: All right, and when a shell is fired and the mechanism is used, what happens to the spent shell case?
JEFF CROFT: When you bring the forearm back, the shell case is ejected similar to a semiautomatic weapon.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and which way would it go out of this particular firearm?
JEFF CROFT: It would go to the right.
MR. WATERS: As an example, it would be to the right?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: I just pointed it at the court reporter, sorry.
MR. WATERS: All right. This item was found within that weapon. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Tell me what that is.
JEFF CROFT: It's a 12 gauge three and a half inch shell, two and a quarter, number 79.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Is that a turkey load?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's close this box up. Help me out if you would real quick.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Do you recall -- what are y'all doing right now?
JEFF CROFT: We are securing a Benelli shotgun.
MR. WATERS: All right. So we just did State's 89, and now let's do State's -- can you tell me the number on the bottom of that one?
JEFF CROFT: 91.
MR. WATERS: 91. All right. Just real quick, if you can just take a look without showing it to the jury and see if you recognize that.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And tell me what that is, please.
JEFF CROFT: That is the Benelli shotgun which I secured that's depicted in the video.
MR. WATERS: All right, your Honor, at this time we move State's 91 into evidence.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any objection?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, Your Honor, relevance and 403.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted over objection.
(SHOTGUN MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 91 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, let's go ahead. Again, if you can show that to the jury, please? All right. Thank you very much. Just put it back. You can point it at me; that's all right. All right, I'm going to show you what's inside this particular exhibit and see if you recognize those items, please.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what are those items?
JEFF CROFT: Those are two 12 gauge shells which were loaded in the Benelli at the time we secured it.
MR. WATERS: What, if anything, can you tell me about the type of shells those are?
JEFF CROFT: Head stamp is Winchester 12 gauge Long Beard. It's a three inch number four. And the head stamp on the red one is a Federal 12 gauge seven, two and a half ounce. It's a three and a half inch Federal Premium shell.
MR. WATERS: Different types of ammunition, even different sizes. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct.
MR. WATERS: One is a Winchester and one is a Federal. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: Let's close this box if we could. All right. Back to the video. We're picking up at 21:58.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: At this point on that gun rack, did you observe any other 12 gauges?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Who are you having a conversation with right there?
JEFF CROFT: Attorney Mark Ball.
MR. WATERS: Is he pointing in that box?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he is.
MR. WATERS: Was he pointing about what y'all were talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he is.
MR. WATERS: For the record, I'm fast forwarding a little bit.
MR. WATERS: We're going to talk more about this, but after collecting these various firearms, did you and the other agents ultimately collect both spent rounds as well as unfired rounds on the property and at the house?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, we did.
MR. WATERS: And that's what generally the video is depicting from here on out?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Is that that empty box we were just talking about earlier?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continue to play.)
MR. WATERS: And for the record, we're at 28 minutes 59 seconds.
MR. WATERS: Right up there at the top of the screen on top of those little shelves, do you know what that is?
JEFF CROFT: I don't see where you're talking, sir.
MR. WATERS: Let me back it up. If you could step down for me real quick, let me back it up one more time. That silvery thing, do you know what that is right there?
JEFF CROFT: I can't get a good look at it, sir. It looks like a juice box drink.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Juice box drink. All right. Keep on going real quick.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: For the record, I'm just kind of fast forwarding it.
MR. WATERS: What's generally going on right here?
JEFF CROFT: Still looking for any additional weapons or ammunition.
MR. WATERS: Right there on the image at 38:04, who is sitting on the couch?
JEFF CROFT: That would be Attorney Chris Wilson.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right, bear with me. I'm going to kind of fast forward through this.
MR. WATERS: For the record I'm at 47:08.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Did you see who was on their cell phone right there?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Who was that?
JEFF CROFT: Captain Ryan Neill.
MR. WATERS: Was that your boss at the time?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it was.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and so what are you doing right now?
JEFF CROFT: I'm fixing to step outside to talk to him.
MR. WATERS: All right. Does your body camera go off at that point?
JEFF CROFT: It does.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what happens when you go outside. Do you go outside to that stoop you showed earlier?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir. I go out the side door, the same door we entered.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what, if anything, did you observe outside?
JEFF CROFT: I observed on the ground right at the edge of the stoop what appeared to be a 300 Blackout spent shell casing. Appeared to be weathered as if it had been there for some time.
MR. WATERS: Okay. What, if anything, did you decide to do at that point?
JEFF CROFT: After talking to Captain Neill, I went back inside. I asked Special Agent Anthony Sampson to step outside with me so that we could secure those shell casings. We, again, activated the body worn cameras and we walked outside and we secured those -- or we secured shell casings from around that stoop.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Bear with me real quick.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I have what's been marked as State's Exhibit 260 for identification at this time, and I want you to have -- to take a look at that and see if you recognize that.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let me take them back real quick. And what are these?
JEFF CROFT: Those are the spent shell casings which I picked up from around the stoop on the outside of 4147 Moselle Road outside of the gun room.
MR. WATERS: All right, and when you say they were in weathered condition, what do you mean by that?
JEFF CROFT: The brass is tarnished; they had dirt in them. It just appeared they'd been sitting in the weather for awhile.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and did --
MR. WATERS: If I can have the ELMO back, please?
MR. WATERS: Did they appear to be shiny like the bullets that were with the magazine that the jury earlier saw from the prior exhibit?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm just going to put this exhibit --
MR. WATERS: Without objection, I'll put it up on the screen. It's marked for identification at this time.
MR. WATERS: And, again, if you could describe for the jury the condition of those casings when you -- when they caught your eye.
JEFF CROFT: I apologize. I couldn't hear what you said.
MR. WATERS: All right. My apologies. Again, if you would, just describe for the jury what you're talking about about these casings when they caught your eye when you saw them outside.
JEFF CROFT: Well, the brass was not shiny as a new casing would be. It appeared that it had been sitting in the weather for some time. It had began to tarnish inside of the where the bullet had been expelled. The inside had dirt, grass; obviously it had been there for awhile.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what was the brand and type of ammunition that's in this particular exhibit that you found?
JEFF CROFT: S&B 300 BLK, which is Blackout.
MR. WATERS: Let me go to the video if I could, please.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right. What are y'all doing on the screen right here?
JEFF CROFT: We are locating the 300 shell casings.
MR. WATERS: All right. What's Agent Sampson doing right there?
JEFF CROFT: He is picking the shell casings up.
MR. WATERS: Is that one of the casings that's in this bag right here that you identified?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What's that right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is another shell casing on the -- if you're facing the door, or the stoop door, it would be on the left-hand side of the stoop.
MR. WATERS: Is that one of the ones that's in this bag, State's Exhibit 260?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And what brand and type?
JEFF CROFT: S&B 300 BLK.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What did you find there that you just picked up?
JEFF CROFT: That would be another S&B 300 Blackout shell casing.
MR. WATERS: One of the ones in this bag we've been talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: We're at 301. I'm going to fast forward it just a little bit.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: At that point, had y'all collected all five casings that are in this bag?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, we had.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right. Did you go to any other locations that day? What day is this right now on these videos you just watched?
JEFF CROFT: 6-8 of '21.
MR. WATERS: On June 8th of 2021, the day after the murders, did you go to any other location in the property to search, to your recollection?
JEFF CROFT: I don't think it was that day, no, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Did you ultimately go and search a shed at the property?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and what specifically did y'all search at the shed?
JEFF CROFT: The trash that had been taken away from the house.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 161 to your testimony and see if you recognize that exhibit.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what that exhibit is, please.
JEFF CROFT: This is a video of my body worn camera when we're actually digging in the trash that was -- we took to the shed and dug through.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would offer State's Exhibit 161 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: That's correct.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(DVD OF BODY-WORN CAMERA MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 161 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, at this time I'm going to publish Exhibit 161.
(The video was played.)
MR. WATERS: All right, tell me what we're seeing. We're at 28 seconds in. What are we seeing right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is the large shed that's -- or a hangar. Just probably to the right middle of the screen would be the dog kennels, dog house. To the far right is the -- I think it's a chicken coop, but the shed is where we went through some trash that we had secured.
MR. WATERS: All right. Step down for me if you would, please. Let's kind of point that out for the jury. So, where are the kennels in this particular video?
JEFF CROFT: The kennels are right here.
MR. WATERS: And where is the feed room in this video?
JEFF CROFT: The feed room would be right here on the end.
MR. WATERS: All right, and where is the dog house in this video?
JEFF CROFT: This should be the dog house.
MR. WATERS: All right. What is this thing right there underneath the shed?
JEFF CROFT: That's a UTV under the shed.
MR. WATERS: And then the kennels extend down this way with various cages?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it does.
MR. WATERS: Thank you. You can retake your seat.
(The video continued playing.)
MR. WATERS: What are y'all about to do right here?
JEFF CROFT: We're about to dig in trash.
MR. WATERS: Dig in trash?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Is that a fun job?
JEFF CROFT: It's not but it has to be done.
(The video continued playing.)
MR. WATERS: All right. At 1:24. I'm just going to fast forward some. What is that image right now at 1:45 that's on the screen?
JEFF CROFT: That is an empty box 12 gauge Premium Turkey Load ammunition.
MR. WATERS: All right. What is that right there?
JEFF CROFT: Empty box of 12 gauge Long Beard three and a half inch number -- let's see, two ounce number four shot.
MR. WATERS: And what is that right there?
JEFF CROFT: That is a empty box of 12 gauge. It's got Browning on it, TSS, a three and a half inch two and a quarter number seven and nine.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: For the record I'm fast forwarding it.
(The video continued playing.)
MR. WATERS: What is this right now that we're seeing at 3 minutes and 7 seconds?
JEFF CROFT: That is a -- appears to be a credit card statement or receipt, and it's got an item circled on it.
MR. WATERS: All right, and was -- there was an item circled on it?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct.
MR. WATERS: And what was the store on that particular item?
JEFF CROFT: Gucci, Gucci.
MR. WATERS: Gucci?
JEFF CROFT: Yeah.
MR. WATERS: And what was the amount?
JEFF CROFT: $1,021.10.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and somebody had circled that particular entry. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: For the record, I'm just fast forwarding through y'all searching through the trash. Is that right?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, we are.
MR. WATERS: Did you find anything else of note in that trash?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir, we did not.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Court's indulgence one moment.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you -- stand by for me real quick.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as -- stand by.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 214, which is an evidence bag, and see if you recognize what's in there.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what's in that bag.
JEFF CROFT: These are the shell boxes which I described on the video, or observed on the video, and it's the receipt, credit card receipt which was torn, that we collected from the trash.
MR. WATERS: All right, the one with the circled thing with Gucci on it?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would move State's Exhibit 214 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Admitted.
(AMMO AND RECEIPT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 214 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I'm going to jump ahead in the story just a little bit. Did you ultimately return out to the scene to do an additional search, or out to the property as a whole to do an additional search?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: All right. Do you remember what date that was roughly?
JEFF CROFT: I think it was the 13th.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and what were you looking for on that particular search?
JEFF CROFT: Again looking for any firearm, shells, shell casings that would -- could be tested for a potential weapon used during the crime.
MR. WATERS: All right, and do you remember who were some of the other agents that were out there, or what else was going on at that time?
JEFF CROFT: I think Agent McCallister was there. If I'm not mistaken, Mindy may have been there. There was a number of agents there.
MR. WATERS: Okay. All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked for identification, or marked right now as State's 152 and 151 and see if you recognize those items generally.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And can you tell the jury just generally what those items are?
JEFF CROFT: It's 300 Blackout ammunition and a magazine containing 300 Blackout ammunition that was collected.
MR. WATERS: All right. Was this collected at various locations on the property during that search?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Stand by for me.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would offer State's Exhibit 152 and 151 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Admitted without objection.
(AMMO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 151 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(AMMO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 152 WAS PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: How much time do you have with this witness on direct?
MR. WATERS: We -- there's still some fair amount to cover, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to break. Talking only to the jury. Everyone else remain seated. We will reconvene at -- in an hour and 20 minutes, an hour and 20 minutes.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: With regard to the admissions of guns, any further -- anything further the State or defense wants to place on the record?
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I would put up some further argument in the record in that the guns had been tested ballistically. The test excluded the guns as being in the murder as a murder weapon is my understanding, and as a result they're just not relevant. They have photos of the guns, which is completely sufficient information for the jury, and to get the information in that they were tested. But sending, you know, just weapon after weapon back in the jury room during jury deliberations we think is unfairly prejudicial.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, and response, Mr. Waters?
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, the defense, as you might expect, has already challenged the sufficiency of the investigation and what was done. I think the State not only just generally but in response to that in its lines of examination is entitled to show the extent of the examinations that were done in the -- analyzing the relevant firearms evidence that was on scene. This agent gathered 12 gauge weapons for a reason, because 12 gauge rounds were used to murder Paul Murdaugh, and, therefore, admission of those, we believe, is relevant and not overly prejudicial. Certainly nothing about the way we did that examination did anything that was prejudicial. It was all very straight to the point.
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right. Relevant evidence means any evidence tending to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more or less probable than it would be without the evidence. This evidence of these guns were part of the crime scene, in and around the crime scene at or around the time of the murders, issues have been raised regarding multiple guns, multiple shooters, multiple spent rounds, and the Court in its discretion admitted the evidence as being relevant. And there's no dispute that the defendant had multiple guns in and around his place, and I find that it's relevant and more probative than prejudicial, and that's the basis for the Court's order with regard to admitting that evidence. And we'll be on break for an hour and 20 minutes.
(A lunch break was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, if we can have our witness back. You may bring the jury.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: All jurors are present.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may proceed.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor. May it please the Court?
BY MR. WATERS:
MR. WATERS: Senior Special Agent Croft, a couple of things I want to kind of go back to just as a housekeeping matter before we move on to a new matter. And I've previously shown these to defense counsel.
(Break in proceedings.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 182 FOR IDENTIFICATION.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I want to show you some images. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 163, 173, 158, 175, 176, 177, 179, 180, 181, and 183. Just have you generally flip through those and see if you recognize those images.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Just generally what are these images of if you would tell the jury?
JEFF CROFT: These are still images taken from my body worn camera the day of the 8th.
MR. WATERS: So, these are still images from the body worn cameras that the jury saw prior to lunch?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time the State would move in State's 163, 173, 158, 175, 176, 177, 179, 180, 181, and 183, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted.
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 158 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 163 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 173 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 175 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 176 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 177 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 179 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 180 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 181 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 183 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's go through these real quick if we could?
MR. WATERS: If I get the input to the ELMO if I could? And we've got this fancy hood up here. Let's see if that will do better for us.
MR. WATERS: All right. Can you tell me what this image is of, please?
MR. WATERS: And this for the record, my apologies, would be State's 163.
JEFF CROFT: That is a picture of the pool table in the gun room that -- with the 300 AR15 300 Blackout sitting on the pool table, which I collected out of the gun rack.
MR. WATERS: All right, and that person right there, who is that?
JEFF CROFT: That is Mark Ball.
MR. WATERS: All right, and I'm going to show the jury now 173. Tell me what this image is, please.
JEFF CROFT: That is that AR15 rifle 300 Blackout sitting in the gun wall before it was pulled from the gun wall, placed on the table.
MR. WATERS: Still image 158. Can you tell me what that is, please?
JEFF CROFT: That is what I was describing as the side door, which enters to the gun room without going through the main part of the house, the stoop, and out in front of that is where items were collected.
MR. WATERS: And what items are you talking about?
JEFF CROFT: The five 300 spent casings were collected out in front of the stoop.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to go now to Exhibit 175. What is that image?
JEFF CROFT: That is the same side door, just a different angle, same stoop.
MR. WATERS: All right. 176, tell me what that is, please.
JEFF CROFT: That is the brick landing at the bottom of the stoop, and just in the center down low close to the bottom you can see a 300 -- spent 300 Blackout casing.
MR. WATERS: What am I pointing out with my finger right now?
JEFF CROFT: That is the spent 300 Blackout casing.
MR. WATERS: All right. Exhibit number 177, tell me what this still image from your body cam reflects.
JEFF CROFT: That is my hand, and I have picked up a spent 300 Blackout casing from this side of the stoop.
MR. WATERS: All right. 179?
JEFF CROFT: Those are the three 300 Blackout casings which were collected at the -- in front of the stoop.
MR. WATERS: All right, and now 180?
JEFF CROFT: That is the left-hand side of the entrance of the gun room just in the flower bed.
MR. WATERS: All right, and do we see cases in that image? And you can step down if you need to. I know your screen is pretty small. If you need to step down, that's fine.
JEFF CROFT: I can't pick it out on that picture.
MR. WATERS: All right, and I'm going to hand you State's Exhibit 180 and see if you can make it out.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir. It would be at the bottom of the picture about the center.
MR. WATERS: All right. Well, let me have you come around, or you can do it, and I'm going to put it back up if you need it for the screen for the jury, please.
JEFF CROFT: It will be right here.
MR. WATERS: All right, sounds good. You can retake the stand, please. Moving on to 181, tell the jury what this still image reflects, please.
JEFF CROFT: That is three of the five 300 Blackout spent casings that was collected at the base at the -- at the front of the stoop.
MR. WATERS: All right, and then finally jumping the gun, we have 183. Tell me what that reflects.
JEFF CROFT: That would be to the, I believe, the right-hand side of the stoop, and just at the end of my hand I'm fixing to pick up a spent 300 Blackout casing.
MR. WATERS: What is my finger pointing to right there?
JEFF CROFT: This is the 300 Blackout casing which I'm talking about.
MR. WATERS: All right. Right before lunch there was admitted into evidence State's 152 and 151. And have you got your readers with you?
JEFF CROFT: I do, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Can you remind us where those items were collected, please?
JEFF CROFT: The ammo was collected from the shelving in the gun room, 300 Blackout ammo on 9/13 of '21. And the 300 Blackout -- or, excuse me, the 243 magazine 300 Blackout ammo in it was collected from a black Ford F150 that was located on the property.
MR. WATERS: All right, and have you got a knife on you?
JEFF CROFT: I do, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Do you mind opening that exhibit for us and let's take a look at those items, please.
(Break in proceedings.)
JEFF CROFT: You want me to open the brown bag, also?
MR. WATERS: I do, please. Let's go ahead and mess with that one second, if you could. Can you remove the item from its packaging, please?
JEFF CROFT: (Witness complies.)
MR. WATERS: What have you got there?
JEFF CROFT: It's a magazine which fits the AR style rifle that is loaded with 300 Blackout ammunition.
MR. WATERS: All right, and can you see what brand that is in there on the rounds that you can see?
JEFF CROFT: It appears to be S&B 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: S&B 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: I'll take that item; I'm going to put that up on the screen so the jury can see it. All right, go ahead and open the other one for me, if you will, please. Before we move on, we're not pulling all of the ammo out, but does this magazine appear to be pretty full?
JEFF CROFT: It's pretty heavy, so it's pretty full.
MR. WATERS: All right.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: What have you got there?
JEFF CROFT: This is another magazine that fits the AR style rifle that was loaded with the 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: Can you tell the particular brand of that 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: It's head stamped S&B 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: All right. Let me go put that up on the screen for the jury. All right, before you put it back, we're not taking all of the bullets out, or cartridges out, but does that appear to be fairly well loaded?
JEFF CROFT: It's got some weight to it; it feels like it's fairly loaded.
MR. WATERS: All right. If you can return those to the bag, please, and put those in the plastic bag for me. All right, we've been talking about guns for awhile. Let's talk about something else for a minute and we'll get back to that. Have we got it back?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. Going back to June 8th of 2021, did you -- were you present when any efforts were made to collect the cell phone belonging to Maggie Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I was.
MR. WATERS: And who all were you present with when that -- when that happened? And just kind of describe the events as they took place, please.
JEFF CROFT: It was myself, Special Agent McCallister, Captain Ryan Neill, Dylan Hightower. There was one or two more people there, but I don't recall.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and ultimately was that phone located?
JEFF CROFT: The phone was located a short distance from the crime scene.
MR. WATERS: All right, and where was it just generally?
JEFF CROFT: If you would come out of 40 -- out of the driveway of the residence, take a right on Moselle Road, a quarter mile, half mile -- I don't recall the exact distance -- on the left-hand side of the road, kind of in the grass area.
MR. WATERS: When y'all found it, what happened then? Who picked it up? Who collected it? What happened to it at that point?
JEFF CROFT: Captain Neill picked it up. Special Agent McCallister held it in her hand while a picture was taken of it, a gloved hand. We were given the pass code to the phone. The pass code was entered into the phone just to verify that it would work, it would unlock, and it did work. It did unlock. It was immediately shut, locked back, and then the pass code was written on a sticky note. It was packaged and ultimately turned over to crime scene.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and you were there when all of that happened. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Aside from the things y'all just described, was it otherwise manipulated or tampered with or changed in any way?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir, it was not.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been previously marked for identification at this time as Exhibit 204 and have you just take a look at that and see if you recognize that item.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what that item is.
JEFF CROFT: This is the phone that was recovered on the side of the road belonging to Ms. Maggie Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: The one you just described?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: The one that was secured by Captain Neill?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And then turned over to crime scene?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right. Put it back for me, if you will. Hold on for me just real quick.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, at this time, Your Honor, we would move Exhibit 204 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(CELL PHONE MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 204 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, let me ask you this question. Do you know a guy by the name of John Bedingfield?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And is that somebody you knew before this case?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And how do you know him just generally?
JEFF CROFT: John grew up in Barnwell, just like myself. He actually has a son that's the same age as my son. They went to school together, played ball together. I've known John for a number of years.
MR. WATERS: And what does that John do for a living? Do you know?
JEFF CROFT: He is a DNR officer.
MR. WATERS: All right, and does he have a side business?
JEFF CROFT: He does.
MR. WATERS: And just generally what is that side business?
JEFF CROFT: He's got a gun business where he builds and works on firearms.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and prior to this case ever happening, did you ever have any conversation with John Bedingfield about whether or not he had assembled any guns for Alex Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Okay, and is that something that you knew prior to this case ever taking place?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: After this case took place -- well, let me ask you this. Did you know what type of -- what ammunition was used by those guns that were assembled by John Bedingfield for Alex Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And what ammunition was used --
MR. GRIFFIN: Objection, Your Honor. Based on hearsay.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Any response?
MR. WATERS: Yes. Not offered for the truth of the matter asserted at this time but affect on the listener for his actions.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Anything further?
MR. GRIFFIN: It's still hearsay, and I'm not sure what his actions are in response to the hearsay. He's asking questions about what he learned well before these crimes.
JUDGE NEWMAN: The objection is overruled.
MR. WATERS: And so what was the ammunition in the guns from what John Bedingfield told you?
JEFF CROFT: The guns were built and chambered for 300 Blackout.
MR. WATERS: All right. As this case developed, did that -- that prior fact that you knew, did that cause you to take any actions?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it did.
MR. WATERS: And tell me what actions you took based on that prior knowledge you had.
JEFF CROFT: I contacted John Bedingfield and asked him if he could provide me with paperwork for the weapons that was purchased by Mr. Alex Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: All right, and was that after these particular crimes had took place?
JEFF CROFT: That was after, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right, and do you remember roughly when that was?
JEFF CROFT: That was within a day or so that I talked to him, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right. Did he ultimately provide you some paperwork?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, he did.
MR. WATERS: Was that the only conversation you had with John Bedingfield about the 300 Blackouts that he built for Alex Murdaugh?
JEFF CROFT: No, sir, it was not.
MR. WATERS: Was there a subsequent conversation?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Did you call him back or did he call you back?
JEFF CROFT: I called him back and then -- to inquire of potential additional 300 Blackout that was purchased by and paid for by Ms. Maggie Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: So, you called him with an inquiry. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct.
MR. WATERS: And tell me what your inquiry was to John Bedingfield after he initially provided you some paperwork.
JEFF CROFT: I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't hear you.
MR. WATERS: I'm sorry. I turned away.
JEFF CROFT: That's okay.
MR. WATERS: Tell me what your specific inquiry was to John Bedingfield that second time when there was a subsequent conversation.
JEFF CROFT: The second time that I talked to John was to inquire about whether or not he built a third 300 Blackout to replace a gun that Paul had misplaced or had gotten stolen earlier in 2017.
MR. WATERS: All right, and in response to that inquiry, did John Bedingfield provide you some additional paperwork?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, he did.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked -- stand by for me.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I'm going to show you what's been marked at this time for identification only State's 247. Stand by for me just real quick.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: Staple those together. All right. I want to ask you to look at what's been marked for identification only at this time as Exhibit 247 and see if you recognize that paperwork.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and just, again, without describing the contents tell the jury what this paperwork is, please.
JEFF CROFT: It's a copy of canceled checks and a copy of the sale of the firearm.
MR. WATERS: All right, and this was documentation that was provided to you in response to your inquiries to John Bedingfield?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: And who gave this documentation to you?
JEFF CROFT: John Bedingfield.
MR. WATERS: All right. I am going to -- again, without going into the contents, look at the second page and tell me. Is that the document that was provided in response to your second inquiry when you called him back about a third Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right. Thank you. Okay. All right. I'm going to show you two exhibits. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 162 first, and it's a disc, and see if you recognize that particular exhibit, please.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right. Tell me what that exhibit is.
JEFF CROFT: That is a disc from -- or, excuse me, a video from a body worn camera of collection of shell casings.
MR. WATERS: All right, and does it have a date on when that occurred on it?
JEFF CROFT: 6/16/2021.
MR. WATERS: All right. So, this is different from what we've talked about. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: All right, and then I'm going to show you what's been marked as Exhibit 248 and see if you recognize that particular exhibit.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and is that additional body cam footage from that search on 6/16/21?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: All right, Your Honor, at this time I would move both Exhibits 248 and 162 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: That's correct, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(DVD OF BODY-WORN CAM MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 162 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(DVD OF BODY-WORN CAM MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 248 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. So, we've got a search on 6/16/21. Can you tell the jury a little bit about that search, how it came to pass, what was going on, and then we'll get to the footage as to what occurred.
JEFF CROFT: Okay. During the investigation process, we learned that there was a shooting range and some bodies of water on the property, and when I say on the property, it's across the road from the incident location. Through discussion with the investigative team, it was decided that we need to go over to that shooting range and also search that body of water for any potential evidence that may be found.
MR. WATERS: All right, and this shooting range, that was still part of the Murdaugh property at Moselle. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct. It was -- would be kind of diagonal to your left from where the kennels were at.
MR. WATERS: All right, and the information received was that the family used that as a shooting range.
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay. All right. Let me show you quickly -- go ahead and just quickly show you these. I show you what's been marked as Exhibits 184, 185, and 186 and see if you recognize those.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and tell me what those are generally, please.
JEFF CROFT: They're -- one is the picture of the shoot house, the other is the picture of the inside of the shoot house, and then the third picture is a picture of the area next to the waterway where we collected some items.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I would move Exhibits 184, 185, 186, State's Exhibits, into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Admitted.
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 184 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 185 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 186 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. Very quickly let's put this up on the screen. 184, again tell the jury what that is, please.
JEFF CROFT: That is what I'm describing as a shoot house. It has a bench inside where you would set up to shoot targets out in front.
MR. WATERS: All right. 185, what does that represent, please?
JEFF CROFT: That is on the inside of the shoot house: the chair, the stand where you would sit, and obviously the rail where you would rest your weapon.
MR. WATERS: All right. What are these little shiny things on the floor there?
JEFF CROFT: That's brass from -- brass from firearms that's already been fired.
MR. WATERS: All right, and is that how the scene looked when you found it?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and then finally 186, what does that represent?
JEFF CROFT: That is two 12 gauge shotgun -- spent shotgun shells that was collected over near the waterway behind where we had set our dive trailer up.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: If I could have the inputs changed to video, please?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right, at this time we'll play Exhibit 162. And for the record I'm going to fast forward it to about 43 seconds into the video.
(The video was played.)
MR. WATERS: Is that the shooting house as you observed it?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm now at 1 minute and 19 seconds and I have it paused, but tell me. What is this thing right here that's kind of up on the counter of that shooting house?
JEFF CROFT: That would be a rest that you would put your rifle in when you're sighting it in or shooting down range at targets to help stabilize it.
MR. WATERS: All right. When you're sighting it in, just real quick, explain to the jury what you're trying to do with you're sighting a rifle, what you would use that rest for.
JEFF CROFT: When you zeroing your rifle, whether it be 100 yards, 200 yards, you want to hold a rifle as still as possible obviously. You would have a target down range at whatever distance you're sighting it in at, you would fire one, two, three rounds, and then you would adjust your optics and continue until you get it zeroed to where you want it.
MR. WATERS: And zero means shooting where you're aiming.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Ultimately -- and I'm going to fast forward through a fair amount of this, but ultimately after seeing those cases on the floor, did you see any 300 Blackout that you recognized just looking down on a 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: All right, and did you send Special Agent David Owen to go get some envelopes so you could collect those?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: And ultimately did you collect any 17 S&B cases at that location?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: And for the record I'm at 11 minutes and three seconds in the video.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What are you reading out right there?
JEFF CROFT: I'm reading the number to identify -- excuse me, the identifier off the head stamp of the shell casings.
MR. WATERS: Moving now to 12:07.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same ammunition?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: All right.
MR. WATERS: And move now to 13:21.
(The video continued playing.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Moving to 16:19.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Moving to 17:21. Check that, 17:17. Went a little too far. Let's back up to 17:12.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Moving now to 18 -- about 18 minutes even.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And now we're at 18:47.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Moving now to 22:21. Excuse that, 22:16.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: 23:09.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Now we're at 23:56.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And now moving to 24:52.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Did y'all have to go get some more envelopes at this point?
JEFF CROFT: I think that's what we just went to do.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to move it forward.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right, we're now at 28:02.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Same thing, sir.
MR. WATERS: We're now at 29:08.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Same thing, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Now we're at 30:27.
(The video continued to play.)
JEFF CROFT: It's the same thing, sir.
MR. WATERS: Now we're at 31:32.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Now we're at 32:16.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: Almost done.
MR. WATERS: Now we're at 33:32.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: We're now at 34:28.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Same thing?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: You participated in multiple searches at various locations on the Murdaugh property at Moselle Road. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Did you repeatedly find S&B 300 Blackout ammunition, both fired and unfired, at various locations throughout that property?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: One more, a very quick one, and this will be Exhibit 248. And I'm going to fast forward to about 1:02, and I've got it paused, but tell us generally where we are and what we're seeing here again, if you would.
JEFF CROFT: This is location is going to be between where the shoot house is located and the body of water that was there. It's where we had our dive trailer set up and table set up with the shade so that we could actually get out of the weather if we needed to.
MR. WATERS: And are you collecting any items here?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I am.
MR. WATERS: And what are you collecting?
JEFF CROFT: Spent 12 gauge shotgun shells.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to let that play for a second.
MR. WATERS: And we're at -- for the record we're at 24 seconds in.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: All right, for the record I'm going to stop it at 1 minute and 14 seconds.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you again what's been marked as State's Exhibit 21. And are there, in fact, shotgun shells present in there?
JEFF CROFT: There is.
MR. WATERS: All right, and where were those collected from, those red shotgun shells?
JEFF CROFT: It's depicted on the video on the Murdaugh property right near the waterway at the shooting range.
MR. WATERS: We talked about some of the things that you did in this case, and you've told this jury that the primary focus that you had here because of your general knowledge of firearms was to gather that type of evidence. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: But you also participated in interviews in this case as well, didn't you?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: You talked about interviewing Rogan Gibson. You talked about interviewing John Bedingfield, right?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Did you interview the defendant or participate in the interview of the defendant?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. WATERS: Do you remember what day that was that you participated in the interview of the defendant?
JEFF CROFT: I don't remember the actual date.
MR. WATERS: Well, let me show you Exhibit 243 and see if you recognize this exhibit.
JEFF CROFT: Okay. Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and what is that disc?
JEFF CROFT: This is a recorded interview which was conducted with Alex Murdaugh on 6/10 of 2021.
MR. WATERS: All right. Are your initials on this disc?
JEFF CROFT: They are.
MR. WATERS: Jim? Your Honor, at this time we would offer into evidence State's Exhibit 243, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(DVD MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 243 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right. Let's play the video.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Your Honor, while he's doing that, might I move? The defendant can't see this.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir.
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Let's stand right quick while they're --
(Break in proceedings.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right.
MR. WATERS: Just do a quick bit of housekeeping. You had talked earlier about your inquiries to John Bedingfield about the 300 Blackouts. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And I want to show you what's been marked for ID only 245 at this time and see if you recognize that document. And you can pull it out of the sleeve.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And without going into the content of that document, where did you get that particular document?
JEFF CROFT: I received documents from John Bedingfield.
MR. WATERS: As part of the inquiries that you earlier described to the jury?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: All right. I'll take that back. The interview of the defendant on June 10, 2021, where did that take place?
JEFF CROFT: It was in Senior Special Agent David Owen's patrol vehicle in the yard of Mr. John Marvin Murdaugh's hunting lodge.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time we're going to play Exhibit 243, the second interview of Alex Murdaugh.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes.
(Interview of the defendant, Alex Murdaugh, was played. Audio not transcribed.)
MR. WATERS: Who was the diagnostic that was there to download Alex's phone? Do you remember.
JEFF CROFT: Dylan Hightower with the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office.
MR. WATERS: He works with the Fourteenth Circuit Solicitor's Office?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: At that point in time, was the prosecutor's office in charge of the case?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: It was not until August that the case got sent to the Attorney General's Office?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Who was he just talking about right there?
JEFF CROFT: John Bedingfield, the DNR officer who is also the one that built the AR style rifles 300 Blackout for him.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: This is in response to a question as to what he was doing the day of the murders?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And he said he was working on some motions in the Dominion Energy Case, and then also where he's personally a defendant in the boat case. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: That's what he said he was doing the day of the murders. Is that right?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Real quick, what was the name of the housekeeper?
JEFF CROFT: Blanca.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Just real quick, Alex Murdaugh told you he left work a little earlier than normal. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, that's what he said.
MR. WATERS: And one of the things he told you is they were riding around looking for hogs. Is that right?
JEFF CROFT: Looking for hogs, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Do people often use 300 Blackout to shoot hogs?
JEFF CROFT: They do.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: He told you that they shot just a couple of times and target shooting at a bottle, a 22 Magnum. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: A 22 Magnum, is that a very small round, or is that a much larger rifle round like 300 Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: That's a small round.
MR. WATERS: 22 is about as small as it comes.
JEFF CROFT: They make them smaller, but it is small.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What did he tell you he did after Maggie and Paul went to the kennels?
JEFF CROFT: He stayed in the house.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: The defendant told you he thought he heard someone pull up but they didn't?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And that was before, according to him, he left the house. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: At this point, the defendant tells you something about a wildcat running, but he wasn't sure if it was a person.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, that's what he says.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: How did Alex Murdaugh say he went back to the house after finding Maggie and Paul to go -- to supposedly go get a gun?
JEFF CROFT: He drove.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: The defendant actually thought Maggie was home when they got back from riding around the property. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What did he say Paul liked to do?
MR. GRIFFIN: Your Honor, I'm objecting to this repeating what the tape says. The jury can hear the tape. He's just stopping and repeating exactly what Mr. Murdaugh says on the tape.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Mr. Waters?
MR. WATERS: This witness was actually present. While there is a recording, it's also fair to relate to the jury what he heard being present for that very conversation.
JUDGE NEWMAN: I overrule the objection.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Well, let me ask the question again. What did Mr. Murdaugh tell you that Paul liked to do?
JEFF CROFT: Ride around and shoot hogs.
MR. WATERS: And what did Mr. Murdaugh tell you that the weapon was he used to do that?
JEFF CROFT: He used his brother's 300 Blackout.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time may I request a brief break?
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ladies and gentlemen, we'll take a break for about 10 minutes.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
(A recess was taken.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Bring the jury, please.
(The jury returned to the courtroom.)
COURT BAILIFF: The jurors are present, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. You may proceed.
MR. WATERS: Thank you, Your Honor. For the record, we're resuming with the publishing of State's Exhibit number 243, and we're picking up at 36 minutes and 15 seconds in the video. I'm actually going to back it up 10 seconds just to -- since we took a break.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Let me ask you one thing right here. You had earlier showed some body cam footage of your search of the gun room. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Ultimately that day on June 8, 2021, did agents also go to other areas of the residence to look for any other firearms that fit the description, or fit the caliber of the two weapons from the murder scene?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, they did.
MR. WATERS: And by the two weapons, I should say two calibers from the murder scene.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: And that would be a 300 Blackout and 12 gauge.
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: So ultimately these weapons that were seized, those were the only ones recovered matching those two calibers.
JEFF CROFT: That is correct, yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Thank you.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: What did the defendant tell you about whether or not there was a 300 Blackout present at the kennels on the night of the murders?
JEFF CROFT: He said it was not out there.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: After that long pause, what did Alex Murdaugh, the defendant over there, tell you about the third Blackout?
JEFF CROFT: To his memory, it had been gone for a substantial amount of time, too.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: When you asked the defendant when was the last time he saw Maggie and Paul, what did he tell you?
JEFF CROFT: When he was eating supper.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: When the defendant was asked during this interview where Paul normally kept his phone, what did he say?
JEFF CROFT: Usually in his hand.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: When you asked the defendant about the traumatic picture that he saw of Paul and Maggie, what did he say?
JEFF CROFT: It was just so bad. I did him so bad.
MR. WATERS: I did him so bad.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time I'm going to mute the video with the consent of defense just so that number is not broadcast.
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, Your Honor, we agree.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, again I'm requesting to mute it with consent of the defense.
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, Your Honor.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: When there was a discussion about the victim's advocate, what did Mr. Murdaugh tell you about his career?
JEFF CROFT: That he did some assistant solicitor's work and he was familiar with the program.
MR. WATERS: And again, what is an assistant solicitor?
JEFF CROFT: He's a prosecutor which prosecutes criminal offenses.
MR. WATERS: Criminal prosecutor?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: On the date of this interview on June 10th of 2021, to your knowledge had there been another death in the family?
JEFF CROFT: At this point it had not.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Was there one not long after this?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Who died?
JEFF CROFT: Mr. Alex's father.
MR. WATERS: And what was his name?
JEFF CROFT: Randolph.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: When there was a question asked about did he know if he was through with that phone, what was he talking about?
JEFF CROFT: Mr. Alex's phone, which he'd given to us to do a download on.
MR. WATERS: Who was doing that download again?
JEFF CROFT: Dylan Hightower.
MR. WATERS: And that was occurring while this interview was going on?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Now, you're discussing the buccal swab. Is that correct?
JEFF CROFT: That's correct, yes, sir.
(The video continued to play.)
MR. WATERS: For the record, at this time the interview is 1 hour and 2 minutes. What happens next? What, if anything, are you going to do?
JEFF CROFT: I'm fixing to glove up. I'm going to secure the cotton swabs, the sterile cotton swabs, and getting ready to do the buccal swab.
MR. WATERS: Who do you do the buccal swab of?
JEFF CROFT: On Alex Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: And the person you've been describing as Alex, the person you interviewed, do you see him in the courtroom here today?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: Can you identify him for the jury, please?
JEFF CROFT: He's sitting at the defense table with what looks like a navy blue blazer on.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, can the record reflect he has identified the defendant?
JUDGE NEWMAN: It does.
MR. WATERS: Thank you.
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you real quick what's been marked as State's Exhibit 157 and see if you recognize that.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and can you tell the jury what that is?
JEFF CROFT: That is the buccal swab which I collected from Mr. Alex Murdaugh.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
MR. WATERS: All right. Your Honor, at this time I would offer State's Number, I believe, Number 157 into evidence, I believe without objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Is that correct?
MR. GRIFFIN: Yes, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted without objection.
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 157 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: This is the buccal swab you took that day that's on the video?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: After that, where did that buccal swab go?
JEFF CROFT: It was turned over to crime scene and went to the lab for testing.
MR. WATERS: And is it general practice with any sort of evidence like this to secure it from any tampering while it's turned over to crime scene?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: And the writing on the back of this evidence slip, whose writing is that?
JEFF CROFT: That would be David Owen and collected by Jeff Croft.
MR. WATERS: Okay. Thank you.
MR. WATERS: Court's indulgence one moment, Your Honor.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's 218, State's 219, State's 220 and just generally see if you recognize those particular documents.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: All right, and generally what are those?
JEFF CROFT: Property receipts for items that were seized during the search at the residence.
MR. WATERS: That you previously described to this jury?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Firearms evidence and the like?
JEFF CROFT: That is correct.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time the State would move 218, 219, and 220 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted. They're admitted.
(PROPERTY RECEIPTS MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 218 WERE RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PROPERTY RECEIPTS MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 219 WERE RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PROPERTY RECEIPTS MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 220 WERE RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: All right, I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 156, and I'm going to get you to pull out your -- in fact, though, if the clerk --
MR. WATERS: Do y'all have a pair of scissors I could borrow real quick?
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's Exhibit 156, and I'm going to ask you, if you could, to open the sealed pouch at the top so we could see what's inside if we could, please.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: All right. I'm going to ask you to hold on to that one and ask you to return these back into the pouch if you could, please. All right, I'm going to put 156 on this particular exhibit, and can you tell the jury if you recognize that? What that is, please?
JEFF CROFT: That is the buccal swab that was collected from Rogan Gibson.
MR. WATERS: All right, and who collected that buccal swab?
JEFF CROFT: I did.
MR. WATERS: Did Rogan consent to that buccal swab?
JEFF CROFT: He did.
MR. WATERS: And did you secure it from any tampering and turn it over to crime scene?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir.
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, at this time would move State's 156 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: They're admitted -- or it's admitted without objection.
(BUCCAL SWAB MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 156 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: I'm going to show you what's been marked as State's 155 for identification at this time and see if you recognize this particular item.
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, I do.
MR. WATERS: And tell me generally what that is, please.
JEFF CROFT: It's a property receipt for the buccal swab that was -- that we took -- or I took from Mr. Alexander Murdaugh.
MR. WATERS: And that's the one from the video that's been played for the jury?
JEFF CROFT: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. WATERS: At this time, Your Honor, I would move State's 155 into evidence, I believe without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: No objection.
JUDGE NEWMAN: It's admitted.
(PROPERTY RECEIPT MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 155 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. WATERS: Court's indulgence one moment. I think I'm about done.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. WATERS: Your Honor, that would conclude the States's direct examination of Special Agent -- Senior Special Agent Croft.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Thank you. We will call it a day and start at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Please do not discuss the case.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: Is there any matter we need to address before the recess?
MR. WATERS: Nothing from the State, Your Honor.
MR. HARPOOTLIAN: Nothing from the defense, Your Honor.
JUDGE NEWMAN: We will be in recess until 9:30.
(Whereupon, the case was at ease.)