DURING Alex Murdaugh's testimony at his homicide trial on Thursday, there have been a number of physique language cues that might point out he was mendacity, one knowledgeable has claimed.
The scion to a strong household of South Carolina legal professionals is accused of fatally taking pictures his son Paul, 22, and his spouse Maggie, 52, after the pair reportedly deliberate to confront him about his prescription capsule habit in 2021.
Murdaugh has pleaded not responsible.
"I did not shoot my spouse or my son anytime, ever," the 54-year-old stated in court docket.
"I might by no means deliberately do something to harm both of them."
However physique language knowledgeable Patti Wooden stated that Murdaugh made some unconscious actions that point out he could have been mendacity. Wooden’s opinion is predicated on her statement of the general public trial, however not on any personal evaluation of Murdaugh.
At one level, the defendant broke down in tears whereas talking about his relationship with son Paul.
"As he was crying, he was doing issues along with his tongue," Wooden stated.
She described the motion as a "tongue cleanse," which Wooden claimed is a unconscious effort to rid the mouth of the phrases an individual simply stated.
It is a very uncommon movement for an individual who's crying, Wooden stated. She's solely seen the 2 actions occur collectively on one different event.
This means "the crying isn't in regards to the lack of the relationship," she speculated.
Whereas talking on his whereabouts on the time of the murders, Murdaugh engaged in two different mouth actions known as a "tongue thrust" and a "tongue eraser."
Wooden described them as uncontrollable motions which point out a "passive-aggressive" stance towards the questioner.
Murdaugh made a whole lot of oral changes generally, which Wooden stated can occur when an individual has a dry mouth. That is typically an indicator of tension or discomfort, she claimed.
The defendant's basic demeanor whereas on the stand additionally raised suspicions for Wooden.
"It is attention-grabbing that he is hunched over," she stated.
It is a "protecting" stance Murdaugh is utilizing to insulate himself from traces of questioning he is uncomfortable with, Wooden opined.
Murdaugh was additionally visibly flushed throughout his testimony, which Wooden stated might point out nervousness and embarrassment.
Though these aren't tells on their very own, at the side of a few of the different cues it signifies Murdaugh could have been untruthful, she believes.
ON THE STAND
A sobbing Murdaugh shed tears as he disclosed to the jury the occasions main as much as the loss of life of Maggie and youngest son, Paul on June 7, 2021.
Murdaugh confirmed that he lied to investigators about his whereabouts on that fateful night.
Murdaugh beforehand advised authorities he had fallen asleep inside the primary home however admitted that he was on the canine kennels of the household’s looking property.
He blamed his years-long habit to opioids, which he stated made him "paranoid."
"On June 7, I wasn’t pondering clearly. I don’t assume I used to be able to purpose. And I lied about being down there. And I’m so sorry that I did.
"My habit developed over time, I might get in these conditions or circumstances the place I might get paranoid pondering over something," he defined.
"That evening, after discovering Mags and Paul, all my companions have been repeatedly telling me that I had a sheriff taking gunshot assessments from my fingers."
After having dinner along with his spouse, Murdaugh stated he determined to go to his ailing mom, who had Alzheimer’s and lived a few 15-minute drive away.
He stated he returned to his household's residence at round 10pm after visiting his mother and stated he was shocked that his spouse and son had not returned from the canine kennels, the place they'd gone after dinner.
'IT WAS SO, SO BAD'
After he pulled as much as the property in his Suburban, he noticed the our bodies of his spouse and son.
"I noticed what you may seen footage of. It was so dangerous, so dangerous," Murdaugh stated as he wiped tears from his eyes and requested for water.
"I feel I jumped out of my automobile, I do not know precisely what I did. I ran again to my automobile and known as 911.
"I used to be on the telephone with 911. I used to be attempting to are inclined to Pau-Pau, I used to be attempting to are inclined to Maggie, I used to be going backwards and forwards between them.
"Paul was dangerous, he was so dangerous. I do know at one level, I attempted to verify him for a pulse. I do know I attempted to show him over.
"I do not know why. - I might see his mind laying on the sidewalk. I do not know what I attempted to do, I attempted to show him over," an emotional Murdaugh added.
'COULDN'T BE ANY CLOSER'
The now-disbarred lawyer broke down after legal professional Jim Griffin requested him if he had fun along with his son, Paul, the day earlier than his homicide.
"You could possibly not be round Pau-Pau (Paul Murdaugh), you could possibly not be round him and never have a very good time," an emotional Murdaugh stated.
"Had been you near Paul," requested Griffin, to which a sobbing Murdaugh replied: "You could not be any nearer than Pau-Pau and I. Than Buster and I have been and are."
Murdaugh's sole surviving son Buster, 26, his brother John Marvin and sister Lynn have been within the courtroom on Thursday supporting him.
On the stand, Murdaugh apologized to his surviving son and different kin for mendacity about when he final noticed his slain spouse and deceased son.
Murdaugh's look on the stand comes simply days after Buster testified in his protection on Tuesday.
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