Convicted killer, disbarred attorney, and accused swindler Alex Murdaugh entered a “not guilty” plea in response to a 22-count indictment levied against him in federal court in Charleston on May 31.
Murdaugh, convicted of killing his wife and son in March, was indicted by a federal grand jury in charges released last week. The federal case alleges that Murdaugh had been stealing from his law clients as far back as 2005 and allegedly enlisted the help of former Palmetto State Bank CEO, Russell Laffitte and Murdaugh’s personal friend and fellow attorney Cory Fleming, to allegedly defraud clients and steal millions of dollars.
Murdaugh, who was shackled at the waist, was escorted into court by four US Marshalls — two of which stayed within arm’s reach of him at all times. He wore a prison orange jumpsuit and white tennis shoes, with his glasses perched upon his head.
Murdaugh’s hair has grown out since his South Carolina Department of Corrections mugshot taken following the murder conviction in March.
As Murdaugh entered the courtroom, he quietly (but warmly) greeted members of the prosecution team, but his face fell stony again as soon as he passed them.
Murdaugh’s attorneys — Dick Harpootlian, Jim Griffin, and Phil Barber — were on hand for the hearing, though Griffin made it a point to put on the record that they were only there for a “general appearance.” Griffin, who was the only attorney to speak for Murdaugh, also noted that while Murdaugh entered a not-guilty plea, they expect that to change “in the very near future.”
This new indictment specifically mentions the Gloria Satterfield case and the settlements regarding Hannah and Alaynia Plyler, the estate of Donna Badger, and the estate of Hakeem Pinckney.
Fleming, Murdaugh’s alleged co-conspirator, pleaded guilty on May 25 to a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud relating to his actions in the Gloria Satterfield case.
Following Murdaugh’s hearing, the defense team crossed the street to a coffee shop where they sat on an outdoor patio in full view of the media while insisting they would take no questions.
“We’ll do our talking in the courtroom,” Harpootlian said before the defense team crossed the street.
Contact Beth Braden
Beth Braden
Beth Braden is an award-winning investigative journalist who cut her reporting teeth in the hills and hollows of East Tennessee. She joined the LUNASHARK® Media team in 2023 as a researcher and journalist who handles FOIA requests, wading through and analyzing public records, and connecting with sources. She also provides a monthly update for premium members called Soundbites, which is a monthly review of everything happening at LUNASHARK®, and she occasionally writes and records for True Sunlight. Beth has her own solo podcast called Time of Death, which explores the 1992 homicide of Tommy Griffin and Connie Branam in East Tennessee.
Prior to joining the team, Beth’s newspaper work had taken her into deep-dive stories about faith-based serpent handling and Appalachian coal mining, as well as data journalism work to analyze euthanasia drug irregularities at an animal shelter, uncover the most dangerous intersections on her beat, and see whether or not the local judge’s rulings passed muster when cases were appealed to the state appellate court. And of course, she’s been to her fair share of court hearings, city council meetings, and board of education work sessions.
In addition to her newspaper experience, her byline appears on HGTV.com, nytimes.com, and other internationally known websites.
In her spare time, she enjoys quilting, rock climbing, strange museums, and good cups of coffee.
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