Shocking Courtroom Moment: Alex Murdaugh's Defense Attorney Points Rifle At Prosecution, Says It's 'Tempting' — Leaving Jurors In Laughter
Feb. 21 2023, Published 8:12 p.m. ET
The defense attorney for murder suspect Alex Murdaugh pointed a blackout rifle at prosecutors in court while he commented that the action was "tempting," bringing laughs from jurors, RadarOnline.com has learned.
While the defense team questioned the logistics of the murders of Alex's wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, attorney Dick Harpootlian callously joked about violence.
As Harpootlian questioned his team's expert witness on bullet trajectory, he attempted to discredit the prosecution by claiming Alex was too tall to be his wife and son's attacker — and suggested that one or two individuals, potentially even 12-year-olds, committed the vile acts.
The expert witness, called to testify for the defense, said he believed the attacker was between 5'1" and 5'4" tall.
The defense attorney wielded a .300 Blackout rifle as he continued to question the witness.
According to the Daily Mail, Harpootlian reenacted the gunman's possible positioning to the jury — but not without making a disturbing joke at the prosecution's expense.
With a wide grin plastered across his face, the defense attorney pointed the firearm at the prosecution table and remarked out loud, "tempting."
The crass comment was met with an eruption of laughter — and for a moment, it appeared attendees forgot why they were called to the courthouse to begin with.
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While South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson chucked at the shocking moment, fellow prosecutors at the table seemed less amused with Harpoolitan's behavior.
For the past four weeks, the prosecution has worked to prove their theory that Alex killed his wife and son to deflect from financial crimes he was accused of.
Alex claimed he suffered a longstanding opioid addiction — and last week the state revealed a confrontation between the 22-year-old son and his father over a "bag of pills" Maggie found.
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In addition to accusing Alex of murdering his wife and son, changing his clothes, and hiding crime scene evidence, prosecutors attempted to dismantle the portrait of a loving family man that was presented by the defense team.
A voicemail that Paul left Alex weeks before the murder detailed how the son needed to speak with Alex because of prescription pills that Maggie discovered. Google search results from Maggie that featured descriptions of various medications were also introduced to the jury.
The voicemail was shared after additional cell phone data was used by the prosecution to support their claim that Alex was at his family's private hunting ranch the night of the murders.
