During the December 9 hearing, lead prosecutorCreighton Waters who was the subject of an expansive piece over the weekend from reporter Avery Wilks of The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier acknowledged he hadnotbeen made privy to what Harpootlian termed the initial Bevel report.. While the defense is challenging the reliability of blood spatter analysis, it is also asking why the prosecutions expert witness changed his opinion. The affidavit states Paul was shot the first time from several feet away while in the center of the feed room. As the long-awaited double homicide trial against former South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh began on Monday, his defense lawyers were making one final plea to the judge: Dont let the prosecution talk about blood spatter in this case. Or an issue youd like to address proactively? This would place him at the scene of the murder. Bevel initially concluded that blood on Murdaughs t-shirt was not consistent with back spatter from a bullet wound. Alex Murdaugh defense team files motions to exclude testimony A pair of defense experts in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial testified Monday that Paul was shot at close range in the back of the head, and the shooter would have been drenched in blood and . Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Murdaugh Motion - Block Blood Spatter Expert Witness Testimony Murdaugh murders: AG to seek life without parole as judge orders - MSN Murdaughs defense rested its case on Monday, according to CNN. Murdaugh's wife and son were shot to death. In a January 18 filing, Murdaugh's defense is asking for the court to deny prosecutors from using any testimony from Tom Bevel, a blood spatter expert, in Murdaugh's murder trial set to begin . That turned out to be false. Its not as if [the shooter] could instantaneously suffer that, drop the shotgun and run to wherever the rifle isand then, in any kind of a reasonable time period, engage in a meaningful assault of Maggie, he said. The defense, The defense contends that the prosecution concealed Bevels initial report and that they only learned about it by accident. Murdaugh lawyers claim state destroyed evidence, dispute blood spatter The two shootings were carried out with a shotgun and rifle by two different assailants, in Palmbachs opinion. Murdaughs defense rested its case on Monday, according to CNN. The evidence was reportedly analyzed and confirmed by multiple forensic experts, including at least one out-of-state laboratory. Murdaugh's alleged motive, blood spatter emerge as key disputed issues in upcoming SC trial. COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Just days before disbarred Lowcountry attorney Alex Murdaugh is set to face trial for charges in the murders of his wife and youngest son, his defense team is calling for a state experts testimony to be excluded from the trial. It did so even though the State knew on August 10, 2021 almost six weeks before first reaching out to Mr. Bevel on September 21st that confirmatory blood test results were definitively negative for human blood in all areas of the shirt where purported spatter is present., SEE ALSO: Inside the Alex Murdaugh Defense: Visual Evidence, Experts, and an Essential Stained T-Shirt. Michel Huff, a California criminal defense attorney and former police officer who is not involved in the Murdaugh case, said that over his career he has found that blood spatter evidences efficacy is debatable., Because blood behaves according to certain scientific principles, trained bloodstain pattern analysts can examine the blood evidence left behind and draw conclusions as to how the blood may have been shed, Huff told The Daily Beast. The defense successfully challenged Bevels credentials and methodology in numerous pre-trial motions, noting that in January 2022 he issued a report that said the stains on the shirt were consistent with transfers and not back spatters from a bullet wound., In a second report, Bevel wrote that 100+ stains are consistent with spatter on the front of the t-shirt., That report also deletes a line saying that the shooter in question likely would have little to no spatter on their clothing in favor of a line saying that the shooter is certainly in a close enough range to get spatter on their clothing.. We've received your submission. University of New Haven professor Timothy Palmbach explained his theory that Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were killed in a two-shooter scenario in Monday testimony. Prosecutors allege that Murdaugh murdered his wife, Maggie, and his son, Paul, in June 2021 in a deliberate attempt to turn the spotlight away from a years-long scheme to swindle millions from. Some miss things, some stretch the truth, but when applied correctly, blood pattern evidence utilizes established mathematics and physics.. The second report also removed his conclusion that there would be little to no spatter on the shooter.. The defense is now pointing to another expert, whose affidavit and preliminary report were completed Jan. 9, 2023, and released in the new documents, as their justification for excluding Bevels opinion. SLED retained Mr. Bevel to opine that T-shirt is stained with high-velocity blood spatter that could only come from being in proximity with them at the time of their murders, one motion reads. All Rights Reserved. He also testified that Murdaughs son Paul was shot first. Thanks for contacting us. January 25, 2023 Alex Murdaugh trial opening statements | CNN Murdaughs clothes from that night were stained with blood which is consistent with his claims that he touched the bodies after they had been shot. WALTERBORO State prosecutors are rethinking a major piece of evidence in their double murder case against Alex Murdaugh after his defense team raised still-unanswered questions about an . A blood spatter expert testified #AlexMurdaughs Paul did not have any signs of defensive wounds. Murdaugh: Defense aims to block evidence, other crimes at trial - WJCL The forensics expert also expressed his belief that Paul Murdaugh was shot before he had an opportunity to defend himself. I dont know if youve already touched them but I dont want you to touch them just in case they can get any kind of evidence, OK? the operator can be heard saying. Maggie was found a short distance away face down and had been shot several times by a rifle. In the blood spatter evidence, Murdaugh's lawyers said emails turned over to them by prosecutors showed an expert, who analyzed the shirt Murdaugh was wearing when he found the bodies, initially determined there were no blood spatter stains, only spots that could have happened when Murdaugh checked to see if his son and wife were still alive. 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Read our editorial standards. Accordingly, Waters asked Newman to give scientists time to assess the science before engaging in a debate over the viability of the evidence. Minimally, that shooter is getting covered with his material, getting more or less the shock wave of that effect and more than likely getting hit with at least something that could have done injury a bone fragment and or a pellet fragment, Palmbach said. pic.twitter.com/ZxATFcI1Ql. He also described how he had talked to Paul as he cleaned up, saying how he loved him and vowing to find out who had committed the double killing. Blood Spatters Links Alex Murdaugh To Scene Of Paul & Maggie's Murder Alex Murdaugh Hopes To Exclude Blood Spatter Expert From Trial | Crime News The report concluded that the uncertainties associated with bloodstain pattern analysis are enormous. Yet most experts who testify about blood spatter analysis have not been trained in fluid mechanics and have conducted no rigorous experiments to verify or disprove the opinions they offer in court. The report also noted that he would expect little to no spatter to be on the shooter or his clothing. Former President Donald Trump handed out ice cream to fans at a Dairy Queen in Iowa following a campaign speech. The filing also argues that Waters is aware the state's first blood spatter witness is unlikely to be able to testify and that . Every cutting from the shirt tested negative for human blood, they wrote. COLLETON COUNTY, SC (WSAV) - Alex Murdaugh's lawyers want to keep one expert from taking the stand in his murder trial. Blood Spatter Expert Suggests 2 Shooters In Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial The person who shot Murdaugh's son Paul at close range was likely stunned and injured, delaying their ability to effectively shoot his mother next, the expert said. The independent state legislature theory has been (partially) rejected by the Supreme Court. Alex Murdaugh trial: Experts say Paul's killer would have been covered I needed to see for myself what had gone on, he admitted, before describing how when he went to the kennels where the murders had taken place, it had not been cleaned up. When questions began to emerge about Bevels testimony in December of 2022, Murdaughs attorneys allege that Bevel conducted a weekend science fair experiment in his own garage or other room in his house to examine LCVs impact on blood-presence tests, which he then used to craft his supplemental report. As the Christian West teeters at the edge of the abyss, radical Islam teams up with radical progressives to seize the day. The disgraced South Carolina lawyer accused of killing his wife and son says blood-spatter evidence from a T-shirt is garbage. I'll repeat the same thing I said before: We don't always get it right, the chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Josh D'Amaro stated. Murdaughs lawyers argue that Bevels opinion is consistent with their theory that blood was transferred to his t-shirt when he checked his wife and son for signs of life. Got a tip for a story? RELATED: Alex Murdaugh Hired His Alleged Drug Dealer To Kill Him In Conspiracy To Collect $10 Million Life Insurance. A blood spatter expert testified #AlexMurdaughs Paul did not have any signs of defensive wounds. Murdaugh attorneys motion to keep blood spatter evidence from trial pic.twitter.com/KzJF9xsh8j, Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) February 27, 2023. The affidavit states there was no way to determine the exact position of the shooter in relation to Maggie and that even trying to recreate the situation would be subjective because the movements of Maggie and the shooter were unknown. I would never do anything intentionally to hurt either one of them, Alex Murdaugh, who is taking the stand in his own defense in the murder trial over the deaths of his wife and son, says as he openly wept. Ideally, forensic scientists examine blood spatter to work backwards from blood traces at a crime scene, allowing them to reconstruct the locations and actions of the people and weapons involved. Unfortunately, the principles of fluid mechanics that govern blood distribution are complex. Madera County Sheriff's Office / Facebook. We were looking for a needle in that terabyte haystack, Harpootlian said during the early December hearing. SC lawyers battle over Alex Murdaugh motive, blood spatter | The State The stains at the top of the shirt were noted as being distinctly different and not a transfer. Sources close to the state have told me the revelation does not change their trial strategy nor does it impact the integrity of their case. Murdaugh has pleaded not guilty. Maggie Murdaugh was shot multiple times with a high-powered rifle. He focused his practice on criminal defense, personal injury, and employment law. Alex Murdaugh calls out SLED's blood spatter T-shirt 'lie' Got a tip? Kinsey notes the two shots that he determined would be lethal were fired from opposite directions. Blood Spatter Expert Suggests 2 Shooters In Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial Photos: Murdaugh lawyers claim state destroyed evidence, dispute blood spatter results. He faces. An Abenaki chief in Vermont wants to find out just how committed Ben & Jerry's is to the Native American cause. Josh Timonen came to Christ even after working closely with one of the world's most prominent atheists for five years. Have a tip or story idea? Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? It did so even though the State knew on August 10, 2021almost six weeks before first reaching out to Mr. Bevel on September 21stthat confirmatory blood test results were definitively negative for human blood in all areas of the shirt where purported spatter is present.. Alex Murdaugh, left, sits in the Colleton County Courthouse with lawyers Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin in a December hearing. Bevel did, in fact, revise his opinion after that visit. We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Alex Murdaugh pled not guilty to the June 2021 murders, and has repeatedly broken down during the trial, especially when he described the scene where he said he came acrioss his son and wifes dead bodies. All Rights Reserved. Yet, the latest evidence may mean officials at South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the South Carolina Attorney Generals Office are close to filing charges in the double homicide. Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE. Have you been following the Murdaugh trial? Murdaugh spoke on the stand in his own defense. According to the motion, Bevel first examined photos of the shirt and determined that the markings on the . His trial kicked off on Monday, where dozens of reporters descended on South Carolina for a trial that is expected to last several weeks. At least one of the weapons used in the shooting is reported to have belonged to the Murdaugh family. Has Fox News gone from publishing news to publishing anything that might undermine Donald Trump, whether it is true or not? The disgraced attorney claimed he arrived home after 9:30 p.m. and found his wife and son dead. An Abenaki chief in Vermont wants to find out just how committed Ben & Jerry's is to the Native American cause. A California woman was in for a surprise when an escaped K-9 found its way into her backyard. Police determined that Murdaughs son died from massive injuries to his head caused by a shotgun, while his wife was shot repeatedly with a rifle. The states own laboratory testing showed no blood on the T-shirt a fact investigators kept hidden from an expert later asked to assess the shirt for blood spatter. RELATED: 5 Theories About What Really Happened In The Murdaugh Family Murders From True Crime Sleuths. Blood spatter expert Tim Palmbach believed that the murders of #AlexMurdaugh 's wife and son suggest a two-shooter scenario. Two people likely responsible for Murdaugh murder: expert The murders of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh have remained unsolved as an investigation has unearthed a complex web of criminal action and corruption surrounding the South Carolina family. University of New Haven professor Timothy Palmbach explained his theory that Paul and Maggie Murdaugh were killed in a two-shooter scenario in Monday testimony. Instead, Bevel concluded that the shooter is certainly in close enough range to get spatter on their clothing, according to the motion. RELATED: University of Idaho Suspect Reportedly Sent Series Of Messages To Victim On Instagram Before Killings. The forensic evidence on his clothing could have only come from one thing, according to sources close to the investigation. John Monk, Ted Clifford Updated December 11, 2022 at 9:22 PM Lawyers on Friday battled over two unresolved issues in Alex Murdaugh's upcoming murder trial: what his motive may have been for. Police have determined that Rudy Farias, who was reported missing eight years ago by his mom, was never missing in the first place. Though Peterson was convicted of murdering his second wife in 2001, he was later granted a new trial after a bureau agent was found to have provided misleading testimony about blood spatter at the crime . Bevel told investigators however that his opinion changed because he was able to get a closer look at the evidence with an increased number of images and used Photoshop to enhance the blue and dark spots on the white background.. Court orders state to turn over documents, communications related to And thats in the weeks leading up to this trial.. And once they filed the documents and they proved that that was a lie, all of a sudden the clothes I was wearing back on that day became an issue. A blood-spatter expert testified Monday in Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial that two people are likely responsible for the slaying not one. It is unclear what evidence will be accepted in court at this time. Hours later, the defense filed another motion reiterating their previous request to prohibit testimony from Tom Bevel, a former Oklahoma police officer who operates a self-described forensic education company who concluded that 100+ stains are consistent with spatter on the front of the T-shirt., The motion added that if their request to exclude Bevel's testimony was denied, they would like an evidentiary hearing on the blood spatter evidence before trial. While Bevel provided the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) with an address to which the shirt could be mailed, SLED officers traveled to Oklahoma to deliver the shirt in person. I frankly think he was startled by that shot, Timothy Palmbach said. Blood spatter evidence may play a crucial role in the Murdaugh trial. pic.twitter.com/KzJF9xsh8j, Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) February 27, 2023. Reports by the states crime scene expert concluded that 22-year-old Paul was standing in the feed room of the dog kennels when he was shot in the chest and head, stumbling forward before he was shot a second time in the head. South Carolina circuit court judgeClifton Newman issued an order Monday in response to a motion filed last month by attorneys for accused killerAlex Murdaugh. While the NAS report prompted some courts to recognize the uncertainties inherent in some branches of forensic science, critics of junk science have noted that the nations courts are moving backward. Bevel has said in a supplemental report that use of the LCV solution on the shirt also meant that the blood-presence test the state later used would fail to detect human blood once it had been compromised by the chemical.