Alex Murdaugh has arrived at Colleton County courthouse before going on trial for the murder of his estranged wife and son.
The disgraced South Carolina attorney, 54, is set to appear in court today, where a jury will be selected for his three-week-long trial.
Maggie, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead at the family hunting lodge in June 2021.
Surrounded by SWAT teams and sheriff's officers, Murdaugh arrived at the courthouse handcuffed, wearing a white shirt and grey trousers.
Alex Murdaugh (center) is accused of killing his wife Maggie, 52, (right) and son Paul Murdaugh, 22, (left) in 2021
Prosecutors say Murdaugh lured his wife and son to the 1,700-acre lodge and shot them.
The court also claims that his life was spiraling out of control amid years of opioid addiction and ballooning debts.
Murdaugh pleaded not guilty in June, and the blockbuster trial is expected to have wild allegations of dark family secrets, financial ruin and hedonistic excess.
Lawyers expect the selection to take several days before testimony can be heard in the courtroom.
A bench of 12 jurors will hear the evidence, with authorities taking 13 months of investigation to charge Murdaugh in connection with the crimes.
He has been charged with two counts of murder and insisted that the trial start as soon as possible.
Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty but will ask for life without parole if he is convicted of murder – with the minimum sentence carrying a 30-year stint behind bars.
When asked if they had heard of the case, all potential jurors confirmed that they had, with several being excused because they had 'form opinions which cannot be changed'.
This is a developing story.
English (United States) ·