COLUMBIA, S.C. (Court TV) — As disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh celebrates the overturning of his conviction, one of his biggest supporters remains his surviving son, Buster.
Alex Murdaugh sits during a hearing on a motion for a retrial, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Tracy Glantz/The State via AP, Pool)
Alex Murdaugh, 57, was found guilty and sentenced to two life terms for the murders of his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, and the couple’s younger son, Paul Murdaugh. The sentence and convictions were overturned earlier this week by the South Carolina Supreme Court after the justices found that Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill had tampered with the jury.
Alex Murdaugh’s defense attorney, Dick Harpootlian, said that his client was shocked to hear he won a new trial. “He said, ‘I read the opinion, I hear what you say, I still don’t believe it,’” Harpootlian told Court TV. “Alex clearly thought from the beginning this case would never be reversed. He was very pessimistic.”
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Even though his father was convicted of the murders of his mother and brother, Buster Murdaugh remains a steadfast source of support, Harpootlian said. “They’re very affable, they have a great relationship,” Harpootlian said. Buster Murdaugh frequently talks to and visits his father. Buster Murdaugh recently got married and had a child; Harpootlian said that the child was named after Alex Murdaugh. “I’d say they’ve got a pretty good relationship,” Harpootlian noted.
Now, both the state and Alex Murdaugh’s defense have turned their attention toward a retrial. Harpootlian revealed that the first trial cost the defense $600,000. This time around, neither he nor his co-counsel, Jim Griffin, will be taking more money from the Murdaugh family. “When he hired us, he had money and we got paid a significant fee,” Harpootlian explained. “We get hired on a criminal case, we get paid a flat fee. And that case ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
Dick Harpootlian speaks after Alex Murdaugh’s conviction was overturned. (Court TV)
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said he plans to move forward with the retrial. “We’re evaluating what our legal strategy will be going forward,” Wilson said at a news conference after the Court’s decision was published. “As of right now, the state has 15 days to ask the State Supreme Court to reconsider its decision, and we have 90 days to appeal to the US Supreme Court. However, it is currently my intention to seek a speedy retrial in the case against Alex Murdaugh.”
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Wilson suggested that he would like to see the retrial happen by the end of the year, which Harpootlian said was impossible. “That was a political statement, not a legal statement,” Harpootlian said, noting that Wilson is running for governor in an election scheduled to take place in three weeks. “If they’re in a hurry to try it, what they ought to do is agree with us. The venue ought to be changed, and work with us to find a venue that works for both of us.”
Harpootlian feels confident heading into a second trial, criticizing the police investigation and the lack of forensic evidence in the prosecution’s case. “Their case has more holes in it than a piece of Swiss cheese,” he said.
While talking to Court TV, Harpootlian hinted at possible new evidence in the case, and suggested he may be looking into third-party culprits to suggest to the jury at trial. When pressed, he refused to talk about specifics. He did promise “a couple of announcements I think you’ll find fascinating,” to be revealed at a news conference scheduled for Monday afternoon.
