True Crime-Paranormal-Conspiracy Theories Stories Part V #Wattys2023

Murdaugh Family

The Murdaugh family (/ˈmɜːrdɒk/MUR-dok) is prominent in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina.Three generations named Randolph Murdaugh served consecutively ascircuit solicitor (the elected prosecuting attorney) for the state's14th judicial district between 1920 and 2006; the family's status ledlocals to call the five-county district "Murdaugh Country".Randolph Murdaugh Sr. founded the civil litigation firm that is nowthe Parker Law Group LLP, in 1910, in Hampton, South Carolina, whichnow specializes in personal injury litigation.

Richard "Alex"Murdaugh and other members of the Murdaugh family have been thesubject of investigations involving murder, wrongful death,corruption, fraud, witness intimidation, theft, and drug andalcohol-related charges. In 2019, Alex's son, Paul Murdaugh wascharged with three felony counts relating to a fatal boatingaccident, with later allegations of special treatment. In June 2021,Alex Murdaugh shot and killed his wife Maggie and their son Paul onthe grounds of "Moselle," the Murdaugh huntingestate. Alex was subsequently charged with their murders. Alex wasalso accused of embezzlement from his law firm and resigned inSeptember 2021. After being incarcerated since October 2021,Murdaugh's murder trial began in January 2023 and ended in March 2023with Murdaugh being found guilty of murdering his wife and son andsentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison without thepossibility of parole.

14th District

From 1920 to 2006, three members of theMurdaugh family served as the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Circuit solicitorsfor the five-county area of South Carolina's Lowcountry region withinthe 14th Judicial district; the Murdaugh's influence in the area ledto it being colloquially known as "Murdaugh Country."In South Carolina, the solicitor, analogous to the district attorneyin other U.S. jurisdictions, is in charge of prosecuting all criminalcases in the jurisdiction. The 14th circuit district overseesAllendale, Colleton, Hampton, Beaufort, and Jasper counties. It isthe only judicial circuit in the state to cover five counties.According to columnist Kathleen Parker, the jurisdiction of the 14thcircuit district was known as "Murdaugh Country",where the justice system was regarded as rigged and local attorneyswould make a motion to settle a case rather than go to trial there.

The Murdaugh family was one of SouthCarolina's most prominent legal families for nearly a century andwere featured in the cover story for a 1989 issue of Carolina Lawyermagazine. Because of the family's decades-long control of the officeof solicitor, they wielded enormous judicial and political power foralmost a century. After several Murdaugh family members wereimplicated in a fatal boating accident in 2019, and after two familymembers were murdered in a double homicide in 2021, the family'sinfluence on the local judicial system was scrutinized.

Family law firm

The Murdaugh family law firm PetersMurdaugh Parker Eltzroth & Detrick (PMPED), specialized inpersonal injury litigation. The firm built its success in the early2000s due to a state law that made it easier for plaintiffs to forumshop. The law permitted South Carolina residents "to file asuit in any county in which an out-of-state company own[ed] propertyand conduct[ed] business—regardless of where an accident tookplace." In Hampton County, trial judges generally avoidedtransferring cases, and plaintiffs' attorneys had a reputation forabusing subpoena power. This legal climate led to the 14th circuitdistrict being named the third worst "judicial hellhole fordefendants" by the American Tort Reform Association. Becauseof PMPED's success in suing CSX Transportation, the county was knownas a "site of pilgrimage"for those with personal injury lawsuits against railroads. PMPED'soffices became known locally as "the house that CSX built".Due to the firm's activities, doing business in Hampton County becamea legal liability, resulting in the county losing potentialemployers.