‘No plea’ Murdaugh lawyer says on ‘TODAY’ show. Dateline to air new special episode on case

Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers predicted his new trial will be significantly different from the first, and there is no chance he’ll plead to a lesser charge.

Dick Harpootlian and Jim Griffin appeared on the TODAY show Friday morning, the day after Murdaugh’s murder conviction in the deaths of his wife Maggie and son Paul was overturned by the South Carolina Supreme Court.

“No plea. He will never plead guilty to killing his wife and son,” Herpootlian said, adding there is no evidence he killed them.

They said Murdaugh told them Wednesday he couldn’t believe the outcome, despite their positive feelings after oral arguments on the appeal were held earlier this year.

“He was gracious, thankful,” Griffin said.

Griffin said they are hopeful for an acquittal in a new trial. Statistics show retrials usually go in favor of the defendant, he said.

Harpootlian went down the list of evidence the prosecution doesn’t have, including forensics, fingerprints, videotape, witnesses.

While the Supreme Court said Court Clerk Becky Hill was responsible for tainting the jury and denying Murdaugh the right to a fair trial, the evidence introduced about Murdaugh’s financial crimes was relevant, but the sheer volume “far beyond what was necessary” and caused “unfair prejudice.”

Murdaugh has pleaded guilty in state and federal court to stealing $12 million from clients and is serving a 27-year sentence in a South Carolina prison.

Among the evidence the state had was a Snapchat video that showed Murdaugh lied about being at the dog kennels immediately before his family members were murdered there as well as data from his SUV that showed the time he drove to his parents’ house.

The guns were never found, but casings matched some found near the Murdaugh house.

Maggie Murdaugh was shot four or five times with a 300 Blackout rifle.

Paul Murdaugh was shot with a shotgun in the chest, then in the shoulder that exited through his head.

Griffin said they have learned new information since the trial about potential third parties that could help Murdaugh’s case, but he declined to say more.

TODAY show host Craig Melvin asked them who was paying them since the formerly wealthy Murdaugh no longer has access to funds.

“We got paid to try the first case,” Griffin said. “There’s no more money left. It’s like you got paid for a job and the job’s not done.”

Melvin, a South Carolina native, will host a special two-hour episode of Dateline at 9 p.m. Friday on NBC.

A spokesperson for NBC Universal said the show will be an updated report with new interviews from Griffin and Harpootlian, attorney general Alan Wilson and Laura Jarrett for legal analysis.

Maggie and Paul Murdaugh were shot to death at their Lowcountry estate in June 2021.