Judge calls Alex Murdaugh a "monster" before sentencing him 0:42
(CNN) --
In a high-profile moment, the judge who led Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial spoke in stark and personal terms ahead of the former lawyer's sentencing Friday in the murders of his wife and son.
Judge Clifton Newman told Murdaugh that the image of his wife and his son must "visit" him every time he closes his eyes.
This is how Newman addressed Murdaugh before sentencing him to life imprisonment.
The fall of a prominent lawyer
"This is one of the most troubling cases for the judge, the state, the defense and the media coverage across the country," Newman said.
"We have a wife who has been murdered. A son who has been savagely murdered. A lawyer, a person from the respected family that has controlled justice in this community for more than a century, his grandfather's portrait hung in the back behind the courthouse and that I had to order it removed to ensure that both the State and the defense had a fair trial.”
Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole, for killing his wife and son
"And I have attended the trial, and I have not only attended the trial, but as the presiding judge of the State grand jury I have attended and participated in the issuance of search warrants of various types, bond hearings and have had to consider many We have this case, and I'm also assigned to preside over another 99 at least, another 99. And testimony has come out in connection with those other cases. They have assigned those cases.”
"It is also particularly concerning, Mr. Murdaugh, because as a member of the legal community, you have practiced before me, and we have seen each other on several occasions over the years, and it was especially heartbreaking for me to see you come out in the media as a grieving father who lost his wife and son to being a person who was accused of the person who killed them, and then you have engaged in deceptive conduct here in the courtroom, here on the witness stand, and as set forth by the testimony throughout the time leading up from the time of the indictment and before the time of the indictment to this point in time, you certainly have no obligation to say anything more than 'not guilty'."
"Obviously, as appeals are probably expected or absolutely expected, I wouldn't expect a confession of any kind. In fact, as I've presided over murder cases for the past 22 years, I'm yet to find a defendant who can go there, who can go back to that moment in time when they decided to pull the trigger or kill someone I have not been able to get anyone, any defendant, not even those who have pleaded guilty, to go back and explain to me what happened at that moment when they decided to pull the trigger trigger, in which they decided to commit the most heinous crime known to man."
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Murdaugh admits to lying
"This case meets the requirements of death penalty law based on the aggravating circumstances that the defendant murdered two or more people by one act or in accordance with a plan or course of conduct. I am not in any way questioning the decision of the State not to seek the death penalty. But as I sit here in the courtroom and look around me at the many portraits of judges and other court officials and reflect on the fact that for the last century, your family, including you , you have prosecuted people in this courtroom and many have received the death penalty, probably for minor misconduct. Remind me of the expression you uttered on the witness stand. 'Oh, what a tangled web we weave.' What did you mean by that?"
"I meant that when I lied, I kept lying," Murdaugh replied.
"And the question is when will it end? When will it end? And it's over for the jury, because they've come to the conclusion that you're still lying and you lied throughout your testimony. And maybe with the crowd of people here such a "Maybe everyone believes either 80% or 99% believes that you're lying now with your not guilty plea in court. Maybe you think it doesn't matter that there's nothing that can mitigate a sentence given the crime, the crimes that were committed."
This is the Murdaugh family: surrounded by accusations of crimes, deaths and the trial of Alex Murdaugh
Opioids may have turned Murdaugh into a 'monster'
"We had a previous hearing where an alibi notice was filed in this case and you claim to have been elsewhere at the time of the crime, and then when all the witnesses pointed to you at the crime scene in the last few minutes or days, you changed direction and admitted to being there. And then that required more lies, and you kept lying, and when I question when it will end, it is already over for many of the people who listened to you and concluded that it will never end."
"In your soul, you have to deal with it. And I know you have to see Paul and Maggie at night while you're trying to sleep. I'm sure they visit you at night."
Murdaugh replied, "every day and night."
"I don't doubt it," replied the judge.
"And they will continue to do so. And think about the last time they looked you in the eye, the way you looked the jury in the eye."
"A person who was always so outgoing and friendly caused her life to become entangled in a web, in a situation like yours has become. It's so unfortunate because you had such a lovely family of such friendly people, including you." Going from that to this, you've had your license to practice law revoked, you've gone from attorney to witness, and now you have the opportunity to make your final appeal as a former attorney.
"Now you have the opportunity to make your final appeal as ex-attorney. It is really surprising that you give up this right at this time. And if you choose to do it, it is up to you. You are not required to do it, but you have the opportunity to do it, "he explained. Newman.
"I will repeat that I respect this court. I am innocent. I would never, under any circumstances, harm my wife Maggie and I would never, under any circumstances, harm my son Paw-paw," Murdaugh insisted.
"And it may not have been you," Newman replied.
"I could have been the monster you become when you take 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 opiate pills, and maybe turn into someone else. I've seen that before. The person before me isn't is the one who committed the crime, although it is the same individual. We will leave it at that."
Murdaugh sentenced for murder
"I can imagine that June 7th when a lawyer is confronted and confesses to stealing over $500,000 from a client, and has someone like Mark Tinsley hot on his heels pursuing the death of Mallory Beach and having a father in his prime. part on his deathbed, I can imagine, or I can't really imagine, but I know there was a lot going through your mind that day, but it's amazing that you came to testify that it was just any day that my wife, my son and I were enjoying life. It's not believable. It's not believable. You can convince yourself of it, but obviously, you're unable to convince anyone else of it."
"Therefore, if you wanted to try any such argument as a lawyer, you would lose all the cases on that, and the cases you won't get a chance to argue any more, except maybe yours, since you're in the Department of Corrections." .
"Anything else?" asked the judge.
"No, sir," Murdaugh replied.
"Very well. Mr. Murdaugh, I sentence you to the State Department of Corrections for each count of murder in the death of your wife Maggie Murdaugh. I sentence you to the term of your natural life. For the murder of Paul Murdaugh, to who he probably loved so much, sentenced him to prison for murder, for the rest of his natural life. Those sentences will be consecutive. Under the statute of a crime in which there are no other charges of other crimes, he is referred to the Department of Corrections. And the agents can go ahead with the enforcement."
alex murdaugh
