Convicted assassin Alex Murdaugh now faces questioning within the wrongful dying case of Mallory Seaside, a 19-year-old good friend of his son Paul Murdaugh who died aboard the Murdaugh household’s boat whereas Paul was driving in 2019.
A decide on Monday ordered the South Carolina Division of Corrections (SCDC) “to make Defendant Alex Murdaugh obtainable for a deposition” within the Seaside case.
A trial date within the household’s wrongful dying lawsuit towards the Murdaughs, a as soon as outstanding and influential authorized dynasty, is ready for Aug. 14, about 4 years after Seaside’s household filed the case towards the Murdaugh household in 2019.
The lawsuit stems from the night of Feb. 23, 2019, when Paul Murdaugh took 5 of his mates out on his household’s boat for a journey alongside the South Carolina coast.
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Mallory Seaside’s household filed a wrongful dying lawsuit towards the Murdaughs in 2019 after she died aboard their boat. (Fb/Mallory Seaside and Colleton County Jail)
He used his older brother Buster’s ID to buy alcohol at Parker’s Kitchen comfort retailer, which can be named within the swimsuit, for the group earlier than they went on an tour that turned lethal.Â
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Regardless of his good friend’s pleas to cease driving, the visibly inebriated Paul continued, finally crashing into Archers Creek Bridge in Beaufort, leaving a number of passengers injured.
Surveillance video exhibits Paul Murdaugh (proper) and mates strolling to his father’s boat in downtown Beaufort shortly earlier than he allegedly crashed right into a pylon close to Parris Island. (Division of Pure Assets/Offered)
Seaside, who was within the rear of the boat, was thrown into the water within the crash and went lacking. Boaters discovered her lifeless physique close to the crash web site greater than per week later.
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Parker’s filed a movement earlier this month asking for a abstract judgment to dismiss the case, arguing that the “proof exhibits that Mallory Seaside, an grownup, knowingly uncovered herself to the danger of driving in a ship with the visibly drunk Paul Murdaugh on a darkish, foggy evening.”
READ PARKER’S MOTION:
“Even setting apart anybody’s intoxication, repeatedly getting again on the boat was plainly harmful, given the dense fog, lack of flashlights or different boating lights, and the absence of life jackets,” the attorneys wrote. “Including alcohol to this equation solely amplified these apparent risks. The Boaters, together with Mallory Seaside, selected to place their lives in danger by repeatedly getting on the boat that night …”
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Mark Tinsley, an legal professional representing the Seaside household of their wrongful dying lawsuit, beforehand instructed Fox Information Digital there’s “nonetheless an extended option to go” and “accountability available” within the case.
In 2019, Paul Murdaugh took mates on a nighttime boat journey alongside the South Carolina coast whereas ingesting and crashed the boat, leading to a number of accidents and Mallory Seaside’s dying. (Beaufort County Sheriff’s Workplace)
“We’re hopeful that the legal professional basic’s workplace will proceed to research the investigators concerned in … the boat crash. We predict that there have been numerous issues that occurred there which might be worthy of prosecution,” he mentioned.
Tinsley testified throughout Alex’s double homicide trial that Paul used his household’s authorized status within the South Carolina Lowcountry to get preferential remedy after the crash.
Mallory Seaside died in a crash on the Murdaugh household’s boat in 2019. (Fb/Mallory Seaside)
“The Seaside household stood on a causeway for eight days whereas their daughter’s physique was within the water,” Tinsley testified. “I don’t assume there’s any amount of cash somebody could be prepared to take to undergo what they’ve gone via.”
Tinsley additionally mentioned that Alex Murdaugh approached him at a bar whereas he was representing the Seaside household and tried to bully him “into backing off” the case.
“There’s a number of grumbling and shock that I’m truly going to carry Alex personally accountable,” Tinsley mentioned of his expertise on the time.
After the collision, it took greater than per week to get well Mallory Seaside’s physique about 5 miles from the crash web site. (Beaufort County Sheriff’s Workplace)
Prosecutors mentioned the Seaside lawsuit was a catalyst in Alex’s choice to homicide his spouse, Maggie, and Paul because it threatened to show his different quite a few monetary crimes. The disgraced legal professional is accused of embezzling hundreds of thousands from his household’s private harm legislation agency and its purchasers.
On March 2, a jury discovered Alex responsible of murdering his spouse and youthful son. He was sentenced to life in jail.
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The Seaside household legal professional filed a movement to power Alex to reveal his books and show his dire monetary straits. Three days earlier than the murders, a listening to was scheduled to find out whether or not Alex could be compelled to share the delicate info.Â
Archers Creek Bridge in Beaufort, S.C. Paul Murdaugh was charged within the dying of 19-year-old Mallory Seaside after crashing his household’s boat in 2019. (Mark Sims for Fox Information Digital )
Tinsley says he nonetheless doesn’t have entry to all of Alex’s monetary information, together with the Murdaugh household’s belief.
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The Seashores reached a settlement with Maggie’s property and Buster, Alex’s sole surviving son, in January. Alex Murdaugh and Parker’s Kitchen are the 2 remaining defendants.
Fox Information’ Rebecca Rosenberg contributed to this report.
