Richard "Alex" Murdaugh faces a jury in Colleton County, South Carolina charged with killing his wife and son Maggie and Paul Murdaugh.
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Judge Clifton Newman ruled on Monday that evidence pertaining to Alex Murdaugh's other alleged crimes would be permitted in the trial. The ruling is a big win for the prosecution, which filed documents indicating lawyers plan to paint Murdaugh as a man out of options, desperate to distract from his financial crimes.
"I find that the jury is entitled to consider the apparent desperation of Mr. Murdaugh because of his dire financial situation and the treat of being exposed. … possibly resulting in the commission of the alleged crimes," Newman said.
Murdaugh is the subject of a number of state investigations and has been indicted on nearly 100 different charges including fraud and drug trafficking. The admission of evidence related to these alleged crimes is expected to prolong what was already anticipated to be a three-week trial.
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