Murdaugh Trial Day 19: Prosecution expected to rest its case

Day 19 of the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial is now underway after a pivotal day in court yesterday.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)— Day 19 of the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial is now underway after a pivotal day in court yesterday. ABC Columbia’s Alex Tejada is covering the case and has this update.

Jurors saw footage from a crucial third interview Murdaugh had with the lead investigator from SLED, just a couple of months after the murders.

In it, lead investigator David Owen tells Murdaugh that he is the focus of their investigation, asking him directly if he killed his wife and son and pointed out inconsistencies with Murdaugh’s timeline.

The judge also reversed a decision Wednesday on allowing testimony about Murdaugh’s roadside shooting.

That shooting involves Curtis Smith who Murdaugh says he asked to shoot him.

Judge Clifton Newman initially refused to hear testimony on that incident, but changed his mind after Smith was brought up during cross-examination.

Murdaugh’s lawyers say Smith was also his drug dealer and that he owed money to a drug gang.

They appeared to suggest the murder of Murdaugh’s wife and son may be related to that dispute.

Those are the murders prosecutors accuse Murdaugh of committing.

So far this morning, we’ve heard testimony from Kenneth Kinsey, an Orangeburg County Chief Deputy who looked over the crime scene of the murders.

The jury has been shown pictures of the scene as Kinsey explains his conclusions regarding the direction of the gunshots, and injuries sustained.

The prosecution is expected to rest their case today.

You can watch the case streaming live here https://www.abccolumbia.com/2023/01/25/watch-now-live-coverage-of-alex-murdaugh-trial/?alert=1298750&alert_type=banner