31 March 2024 , 21:47
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Convicted murderer Alex Murdaugh failed a polygraph test which was conducted as part of the plea agreement for the former, disgraced attorney who defrauded personal injury clients by millions of dollars.
In turn, this violates the deal, which required his truthfulness, according to federal prosecutors. Because of this, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina is requesting a court to free the federal government from the terms of that agreement. This would release prosecutors from their obligation to recommend Murdaugh serve a federal prison sentence concurrent with one imposed in state court for similar crimes.
However, Murdaugh "denies the allegation" that he breached the plea agreement, according to what his attorneys said in their own filing. Their response says: “To allow the Government to publicly accuse Murdaugh of breaching his plea agreement while also allowing the Government to hide all purported evidence supporting that accusation from the public would violate the public’s right to the truth."
Read more: Alex Murdaugh's mother dies after playing important role in family-murdering son's denials at trial
Alex Murdaugh stands with his defense team during an evidentiary hearing at the Richland County Courthouse in South Carolina (TNS)Murdaugh's attorneys believe that the polygraph examiner participated in "odd conduct" before carrying out the assessment. They have requested the judge to deny or delay the ruling to hold Murdaugh in breach of his plea agreement until the polygraph charts are provided to him, according to a sentencing memorandum filed Thursday afternoon.
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US District Court Judge Richard M. Gergel gave federal prosecutors until the end of Friday to hand in redacted versions of witness interview summaries, and an expert report linked to the polygraph exam. So far, the disgraced attorney is already serving 27 years for similar crimes after pleading guilty in state court to nearly two dozen charges including money laundering, breach of trust, conspiracy, forgery and tax evasion.
But those aren't his only crimes. He also received two consecutive life sentences a year ago after he was convicted of the June 2021 murders of his wife and 22-year-old son. These were killings that the state prosecutors argued were carried out in order to offer a distraction as his financial schemes unraveled.
Alex Murdaugh speaks with his legal team at the Colleton County Courthouse in South Carolina on March 3, 2023 (TNS)Murdaugh was accused of defrauding his clients and law firm out of millions of dollars by running several schemes - he then used the stolen money for his own personal benefit. As part of his plea deal in the federal case, the disgraced attorney agreed to participate in a polygraph examination, according to court filings. Around $6 million stolen from the attorney remains unaccounted for, the filing also says.
In return, as well as being "truthful and forthright" with law services, the government “agreed to recommend Murdaugh’s federal sentence be served concurrently with any state sentence imposed.” If the agreement was breached, the government would be free to seek a maximum sentence, the filing says, and Murdaugh could not withdraw his guilty plea.