Details On Stephen Smith’s Death May Originate From… Buster Murdaugh?
Happy Sunday!
I hope you’ll pardon the rapid fire emails this morning. A glitch on Supercast caused a double email on our Premium Dive into divorce. But please don’t let our hiccup thwart you from listening to today’s bonus episode.
Y’all… I am so proud of our colleague and LUNASHARK Librarian Kate Thomas for putting this bonus episode together with producer Samantha Berlin.
This 7th Premium Dive examines the outdated divorce laws in states like South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, highlighting how lengthy separation periods can endanger individuals, particularly women in abusive situations. Divorce laws can trap victims and can potentially have fatal consequences.
You’ll learn about separation requirements, cooling-off periods, and the increased danger these pose to abuse victims. AND my David does the intro and outro and I’m proud of how he supports our mission to empower women, and everyone, by exposing the truth wherever it leads. We also revisit COJ 86, where Laura Richards, an expert in coercive control and an amazing woman in general, discusses why victims may return to their abusers and how JP Miller’s behavior displayed red flags of coercive control in Mica Francis’ case.
Also this week on Cup of Justice #123, Eric and I sat down with Daryl Burton, a man who spent 24 years wrongfully convicted for a crime he did not commit. Daryl shares his harrowing story of his challenging childhood, his time in a notorious Missouri prison…, and how he was ultimately convicted based on the testimony of jailhouse snitches despite a lack of physical evidence. He discusses the ineffective legal counsel he received and the stark contrast between the justice systems for the wealthy and the poor.
But I think the highlight of my week was publishing details on True Sunlight #93 that Buster Murdaugh’s legal team suggested that they might deploy deposition testimony about Stephen Smith’s death to assert Buster’s defamation claims against a variety of production companies, networks and individuals.
Buster’s legal strategy involves arguing that the defendants’ defamation stems from the same “foundational series of events” related to Steven’s death and the rumors surrounding Buster’s involvement. Intriguingly, Buster’s filing references the “ensuing investigation of grand jury proceedings against individuals who are not Mr. Murdaugh,” raising questions about what he knows about the ongoing investigation.
Even better than publishing the episode was sharing the news with our dear friend Sandy Smith, Stephen’s mom. While Sandy could not chat long, as she has rigorous duties at an elderly care facility, she expressed gratitude for the news. The warmth she shares with the people under her care is so immensely inspiring. We are committed to finding answers for Stephen and justice for Sandy. Stay tuned for HUGE NEWS about an event in July to remind folks just how much we are committed to that cause. Save the Date near July 12th and details will be announced soon!
The episodes this week were jam-packed with important information and continue our commitment to exposing the truth and seeking justice.
Thank you for being a part of the Luna Shark community.
As always, your support is immensely appreciated and keeps us motivated to expose the truth wherever it leads, give voice to victims and get the story straight.
Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay In The Sunlight…
– Mandy
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