Murdaugh attorneys subpoena SLED agents for Monday murder pretrial hearing
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Alex Murdaugh Coverage
The Murdaugh family saga has dominated the news after another shooting, a resignation and criminal accusations — with Alex Murdaugh at the center of it all. Here are the latest updates on Alex Murdaugh.
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Attorneys for Alex Murdaugh, who is charged with murdering his wife and son, have subpoenaed four agents with the State Law Enforcement Division to appear Monday in Colleton County for a pretrial hearing before a judge.
Dick Harpootlian, one of Murdaugh’s attorneys, declined comment to The State and Island Packet newspapers on why his defense team is calling four SLED agents.
The hearing begins at 10 a.m.
Harpootlian filed copies of the subpoenas with the Colleton County clerk of court shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday.
SLED Chief Mark Keel later Thursday declined comment on the subpoenas but said his agency is reviewing the matter and will decide how to handle it.
A spokesman for Attorney General Alan Wilson declined comment, saying the office does not comment on pending cases other than in motions filed in court. That office’s prosecutors are working with SLED agents on the case.
The four subpoenaed agents are among SLED’s lead agents on the Murdaugh case: Charles Ghent, Ryan Kelly, Ryan Neill and David Owen, according to court records.
Earlier this week, defense lawyers Harpootlian, Jim Griffin and Margaret Fox filed a separate motion indicating that Wilson’s office was behind leaks of confidential information to news outlets in an effort to hurt Murdaugh in his upcoming trial for allegedly killing his wife Maggie and son Paul.
“This conduct is grossly unfair to the defense and a violation of Alex’s constitutional rights to due process of law and a fair trial,” the defense attorneys said in the separate motion filed Monday.
In that same motion, Murdaugh’s attorneys also singled out prosecutors in Wilson’s office who work with the SLED agents.
“For months on end, the state’s prosecutors have selectively leaked information about evidence obtained through sealed search warrants to various media outlets,” the motion said.
Wilson’s office has repeatedly denied being behind the leaks.
A source familiar with law enforcement’s role told The State newspaper that Harpootlian and his fellow lawyers might be subpoenaing the agents because the agents might know who on the prosecution team might have been leaking information.
Keel has told SLED agents on the Murdaugh case that he will fire them if they speak publicly about the case, according to another knowledgeable source.
Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman has scheduled a hearing for Monday morning in Colleton County on the matter of leaks to media and what evidence should be disclosed to Murdaugh’s attorneys.
Attorneys for the Attorney General’s office include Creighton Waters and Don Zelenka.
Murdaugh, 54, faces murder charges in the June 2021 slayings of his wife Maggie, 51, and youngest son Paul, 22.
Their bodies were found on the family’s estate on June 7, 2021, in Colleton County. Under state law, murder cases are normally tried in the county where the crime took place.
Murdaugh, who was indicted on murder charges by a Colleton County grand jury in July, has pleaded not guilty and wants an early trial.
Now disbarred, Murdaugh was fired last September by his Hampton law firm. In addition to murder charges, he is facing a host of fraud charges by the state grand jury alleging he stolen more than $8.5 million from his law firm, fellow lawyers, clients and associates.
Due to the sensational nature of the allegations and Murdaugh’s former status as a respected pillar of South Carolina’s legal establishment, his upcoming murder trial is expected to be broadcast nationwide.
This story was originally published August 25, 2022 at 3:54 PM.
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