After two days of grueling and emotional testimony, disgraced lawyer and accused killer Alex Murdaugh has given jurors a considerable amount of information and character to consider.
And legal experts are split on the defendant’s choice to put himself on the stand.
“Alex Murdaugh probably thought that he would be his own best defense because he is an attorney,” Los Angeles-based criminal defense attorney Matthew Barhoma told Law&Crime. “But here’s the problem with that thinking: Criminal defendants are all in the same boat, no matter their backgrounds. At the end of the day, an attorney who waives his Fifth Amendment right and takes the stand is in no better position than any other individual. Alex Murdaugh may try to game the criminal justice system, but I believe he won’t succeed.”
It is rare in the U.S. legal system for criminal defendants to take the stand, though Barhoma says that may change.
‘Horrible move’: criminal defense attorneys criticize Alex Murdaugh taking the stand in his defense
