Community Chat

[Southern Sarah]

 Just fyi. It's not really sloppy journalism...it's just the way of the Lowcountry of South Carolina. It is understandable that most people would be confused about the "correct" pronunciation. It is pronounced Alec Murdock...not how it is actually spelled. I was born in Walterboro, and have lived my entire life in South Carolina. I could not give you an explanation of the "why". It is just how we do it...lol

[Oznell]

Thanks for respinding, @Southern Sarah --  so nice to hear from someone who's from the area and can give us the real 'skinny'. 

Nevertheless, I don't think it lets reporters off the hook.  Part of giving the most accurate story, is consistently giving the region's correct pronunciaton of local names-- the pronunciation that everyone there uses, regardless of how the word is spelled. 

If Alex Murdaugh is consistenly said as "Alec Murdock" by locals, as you report (and I completely believe you are giving an accurate account, being right from there),  then it should be consistently reported that way.  It's the business of the journalist to be as accurate as he knows how to be, down to the smallest details.

It's like the tragedy in Ohio.  No journalist worth their salt, should be reporting the town as East PalesTYNE,  after learning that it is pronounced in Ohio as East PalesTEEN.

Anybody can make a mistake, esp. the first few times, but if journalists want trust, they need to earn it by being accurate in the little things, as well as big.

I've done freelance reporting, on and off, and highly value accuracy, no matter how many times I might goof up, ha.

You live in a beautiful part of the world!     

[jackiejenny]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

On WJCL abc tv station on line is a time line,at 9:22.39 pm,alex parks at the woodline ,away from his moms house,found that much out. Wonder if someone was there to take the guns?

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Could be, but for sure he had help getting rid of them. 

In his own words...whoever did this planned it out for a long time.

Right there, for once in his life, Alex is telling the truth. 

[Shawnie]

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@jackiejenny wrote:

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@goldensrbest wrote:

On WJCL abc tv station on line is a time line,at 9:22.39 pm,alex parks at the woodline ,away from his moms house,found that much out. Wonder if someone was there to take the guns?

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Could be, but for sure he had help getting rid of them. 

In his own words...whoever did this planned it out for a long time.

Right there, for once in his life, Alex is telling the truth. 

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I just can't fathom why he killed his son and his wife.  Was he enraged at his son for the boat accident?  Even so why and how could he kill him?  Looks like the wife stepped into it and was collateral damage.  I wonder if the killings were drug hits because he was not paying his drug debt?? But he does have dead eyes.  

[PickyPicky3]

@Southern Sarah   One thing I've never understood is that Alex often did "volunteer work" in the solicitor's office. Is this common in SC? What does volunteer work consist of? Writing a brief? Interviewing victims? 

Did Alex do this basically to stay in with local law enforcement? Is this even legal?

[ellaphant]

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@occasionalrain wrote:

If his defence didn't have a jury consultant, they should have. The man who was on the jury and was interviewed would have voted guilty no matter evidence what was presented. 

There will be an appeal and, because of the fraud charges that were allowed in, likely will be granted.

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According to Professor Allan Dershowitz, barely 5% of appeals are granted. 

Fraud charges were allowed in by judge as it went to the prosecution s motive for the crime.

[ellaphant]

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@goldensrbest wrote:

I missed the date line show last night, i wonder if there will be a repeat?

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There are documentaries on both HBO and Netflix about the family, crime and crime timeline!

[Moonlady]

The guns are with his clothes.

[GenXmuse]

I haven't been following as close as some of you so I thought I'd ask if they found gun residue on his hands?

I was also surprised his lawyer didn't request a change of venue. I also wonder if his lawyers advised against him taking the stand. I guess his hubris of years of getting himself and his family out of any consequences and years of "owning' the city made him think he could do it again and people would be more sympathetic to him. I can't believe his family is standing by him. 

[ValuSkr]

I don't think the weapons will be found.  The Moselle property alone is 1,700 acres, much of it swampy.  There are an infinite number of places where the guns could have been sunk - and I doubt anyone wants to "drain the swamp."

As far as the timeline between "the deed" and going to Mother's:  yes, the prosecution had a pretty good idea of the timing and how it all played out.