Murdaugh to SC: You’ve Had Long Enough

The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office wants more time to answer Alex Murdaugh’s Supreme Court appeal—and Murdaugh’s team isn’t having it. In a rare move that flips the courtroom script, it’s the defense pressing to move things forward, while the prosecution is asking the highest court in the state to slow it down.

On April 3, the AG’s Office asked for a second extension in Murdaugh’s appeal process. They’re asking for 120 more days, which would push their deadline to respond until August 8. But Murdaugh’s lawyers fired back almost immediately with a simple message: No.

Richard Harpootlian, one of Murdaugh’s lead attorneys, didn’t mince words. In an email directly to the state’s attorneys, he said, “We will not consent.”

The state’s request comes in response to a 121-page appeal filed by Murdaugh’s legal team back in December. That appeal is no small document—it accuses former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill of jury tampering, questions the way evidence was presented, and basically asks the court to take a second look at one of the most widely followed trials in recent memory.

The Supreme Court received both motions—the AG’s request for time and the defense’s refusal—but hasn’t yet ruled on either.

Murdaugh, the disbarred attorney turned convicted murderer, was sentenced to back-to-back life terms last year for the 2021 shooting deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul. He has always denied involvement in the killings. His legal team filed for appeal last December, citing what they claim were serious errors during the trial, including that explosive allegation of jury tampering.

Originally, the AG’s Office had 90 days to respond to the appeal—a deadline they agreed on with the defense. That gave them until April 10. But now they want four more months, claiming the scope of the case is just too big to tackle in time.

Their reasoning? For starters, the trial transcripts span over 6,000 pages. Add to that audio recordings, video exhibits, legal briefs, and side hearings, and you’ve got a mountain of material to review. The AG’s team also says they’re dealing with other major cases, including death penalty litigation, and their attorneys are simply stretched thin.

But Murdaugh’s side isn’t buying it. They say this appeal has already been pending far too long. They point out that if the extension is granted, it will have taken the state an entire year to respond to their brief. They say they’ve never heard of that happening in any criminal case—capital or otherwise.

They also argue that if the Attorney General’s Office can’t keep up with its caseload, they should hire outside help. With 90 attorneys on staff, the defense questions why this one case needs so much extra time.

Then there’s the most telling part: Murdaugh’s lawyers say they believe the state’s case won’t hold up on appeal. They argue that dragging this out only delays justice—and that unless the AG’s Office is hiding some blockbuster argument, the state’s trying to stall a process that could ultimately lead to overturning the murder convictions.

Let’s be clear: even if Murdaugh wins this appeal, it doesn’t mean he walks out of prison. He’s already pleaded guilty to a laundry list of financial crimes—millions stolen from clients and colleagues—and those come with their own steep sentences. But overturning the murder convictions would shake up the legacy of a trial that gripped the country.

Now, it’s up to the South Carolina Supreme Court to decide whether the state deserves more time—or if the clock has already run out.

#AlexMurdaugh #SouthCarolinaSupremeCourt #LegalNews #TrueCrime

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