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Alex Murdaugh’s lawyers say prosecutors are trying to turn his next court appearance into a spectacle.
A convicted former Lowcountry attorney has asked to appear naked and in casual clothing for trial and televised hearings as he awaits a new trial in the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul.
But after prosecutors accused him of seeking special treatment, Murdaugh’s legal team withdrew the plea, saying they would not waste court time arguing about the “opinions” of a status conference.
“If the State wants to use the spectacle for that, so be it,” the lawyer wrote. “Murdaugh will not waste the Court’s time in the upcoming state conference on optics.”
“Murdaugh will not waste the Court’s time in the upcoming state conference on optics.”
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Alex Murdaugh was found guilty on all counts of murdering his wife and son at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, SC, on March 2, 2023. (Joshua Boucher/The Lake)
Prosecutors in South Carolina urged a Colleton County judge to deny the request, arguing that Murdaugh’s reputation does not warrant different treatment from other inmates.
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Murdaugh remains in federal custody on charges of financial crimes and is serving a 27-year sentence, prosecutors said. He is also serving a 40-year prison sentence for the same crimes.
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His murder charges were dismissed in May by the South Carolina Supreme Court, which ordered a new trial after finding improper interference by former Colleton County Clerk of Court Rebecca “Becky” Hill.
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But the state said the conversion does not change Murdaugh’s status as a prisoner or the security issues surrounding him.
“SCDC’s practice and position here is that any inmate must remain in custody and wear a uniform for court appearances,” prosecutors wrote, adding that Murdaugh’s lengthy sentence, the seriousness of the murders and his reputation all raise security concerns.
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Alex Murdaugh, convicted of murdering his wife and son in June 2021, greets his attorney Jim Griffin before a retrial at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, SC, on January 16, 2024. (Gavin McIntyre/The Post and Courier via AP)
The state also pointed to past issues of custody, allegations that during the first trial, a family member here Murdaugh a letter about a security guard without the knowledge of law enforcement.
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Prosecutors said the letter was later found in his cell and led to him issuing a warrant for his arrest. They also cited two prison disciplinary actions from August 2023, including abuse of rights and unauthorized use of another inmate’s PIN.
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“This case is ultimately about the Defendant thinking he is special. He is not,” prosecutors wrote.
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Alex Murdaugh touches the back of his head during a jury tampering hearing at the Richland County Judicial Center in Columbia, SC, on Jan. 29, 2024. (Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier)
Murdaugh’s lawyers hit back, accusing prosecutors of “histrionics” and saying the state failed to show a special need to handcuff him to the administration.
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They said Murdaugh never threatened or attempted escape or violence while in custody and appeared at multiple hearings and the six-week trial without disruptive behavior.
Lawyers also argued that courts recognize the danger of showing defendants in limbo, even without a judge, when cameras can broadcast the footage to prospective jurors.
To clarify this point, Murdaugh’s lawyers cited the case against Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, and said that the judge ordered the cameras to be reinstalled after reports that Robinson was shown in handcuffs and warned that he could be released if it happened again.
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson looks on at Alex Murdaugh as prosecutor Creighton Waters makes closing arguments in Colleton County Court on March 1, 2023. (Joshua Boucher/County/Lake)
The defense attorney accused prosecutors of relying on rhetoric instead of the law, writing that the issue is not whether Murdaugh “thinks” he is special, but whether the state can prove the murder charges against him.
However, Murdaugh’s attorneys withdrew the motion, saying they did not want to interfere with important issues before the case could be retried, including requests involving unidentified DNA at the crime scene, the discovery of incriminating assets and a possible change of venue.
Fox News Digital reached out to the prosecutor’s office and Murdaugh’s defense team.
