South Carolina AG Names What Sealed Alex Murdaugh's Guilty Verdict In 2 Words

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said Murdaugh's taking the stand to defend himself was a “fatal” move.
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South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson had just two words to describe the state’s most persuasive evidence in Alex Murdaugh’s murder verdict:

“Alex Murdaugh.”

Wilson spoke on NBC’s “Today” show Friday, a day after a jury found the disgraced South Carolina attorney Murdaugh guilty of murdering his wife and son at the family’s property in Islandton, South Carolina, in 2021.

Wilson said that Murdaugh taking the stand himself was a “fatal” move for him.

“Alex had made a very successful career of giving closing arguments to juries and winning major cases and making a lot of money. This was his closing argument to the jury,” Wilson said. “I believe, in my mind, that he believed he could talk his way out of this. And at the of the day, I think that’s what sealed it for him.”

A video that appeared to place Murdaugh at the family’s dog kennels with his wife and son minutes before they were shot was the final “nail” that sealed the case, according to Wilson.

Murdaugh, 54, was convicted of two counts of murder in the shootings of his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22. Each count carries a sentence that can range from 30 years to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced later on Friday.

Murdaugh also faces accusations of financial crimes involving allegations he stole from clients and his law firm.

The downfall of the prominent, fourth-generation lawyer has captivated the nation.

“You can’t write this story in Hollywood,” Wilson said.

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