Juror in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial removed for "offering her opinion on evidence" ahead of deliberations
"48 Hours" will air "The Trial of Alex Murdaugh" Saturday at 10/9c.
A juror was removed Thursday before deliberations in the double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh because she discussed the case with other people.
Murdaugh was later found guilty of murdering his wife and son after three hours of deliberation.
Five jurors were removed from the panel over the six-week trial and just one alternate remained before deliberations began. The other jurors have had to leave because of COVID-19 or other medical problems.
Judge Clifton Newman said it didn't appear the juror intentionally violated the order he gives each day for the jury not to talk about the case with anyone.
"Though it does not appear the conversations were that extensive, it did involve the juror offering her opinion on evidence received up to that point in the trial," Newman said.
Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison if he is convicted of either murder count. Investigators said his 22-year-old son, Paul, was shot twice with a shotgun and his 52-year-old wife, Maggie, was shot four or five times with a rifle outside dog kennels on their Colleton County property on June 7, 2021.
The judge said he initially was told the juror spoke to two people and state agents interviewed those people. Then, the judge brought the people into his chambers and they waffled on what they initially said.
Still, Newman told the juror he had no choice.
"Intentionally or unintentionally, you've had some discussions with some folks not on the jury, which is going to require me to remove you," Newman said.
Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian said he didn't disagree with Newman's decision but thinks having two State Law Enforcement Division agents tied to the case - one who testified and a second involved in the investigation - interview the people the juror talked to was "a continuum of a calamity of errors" that included how badly the defense thinks the murder probe has been handled.
Newman also indicated he wasn't happy with how state agents handled the juror matter.
Newman's exchange with the juror Thursday was pleasant. He asked her if she needed the bailiff to get any of her things from the jury room. She said she had her purse and a dozen eggs that a fellow juror brought for each juror from his farm.
"We get a lot of interesting things, but now a dozen eggs," Newman said.
The jury of 12 men and women from Colleton County visited the crime scene before closing arguments began Wednesday.
If necessary, the jury will deliberate through the weekend, court officials said Wednesday.
No matter how the jury finds Murdaugh on these counts, he will also face another trial in the future over the numerous financial crimes.
