After weeks of testimony, the murder trial of disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh is taking a turn.

The prosecution rested its case on Feb. 17 and now, Murdaugh’s defense team is calling its own witnesses. On Thursday, Murdaugh took the stand in his own defense.

This week, Cox Media Group’s Nicole Bennett had the opportunity to speak with Philip Holloway, legal analyst for 95.5 WSB in Atlanta, Georgia, about where Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial stands.

>> Listen to the full episode below.

Beyond Criminal Headlines is a podcast in which Cox Media Group’s Nicole Bennett sits down with experts who’ve investigated some of the most notorious cases in U.S. history. Find the latest ‘Beyond Criminal Headlines’ content on any podcast provider or listen on demand here.

Alex Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife, Maggie, and their son, Paul, at their Islandton, South Carolina home in June 2021. Murdaugh, whose family reportedly dominated the legal system in Hampton County for generations, has denied any role in the fatal shootings.

CBS News Correspondent Elizabeth Campbell reports that Murdaugh has been in jail at the Richland County Detention Center since October 2021 “as he is unable to post his multimillion-dollar bond.”

Campbell adds that during the trial, “he has been able to see his surviving son Buster who attends each day.” Buster Murdaugh also testified for the defense Tuesday, saying that his father was “destroyed” by the killings.

“He was destroyed. He was heartbroken,” Buster Murdaugh said. He added that his father had a hard time speaking and that he was crying. “I walked in the door and saw him and gave him a hug.” Read more here.

Murdaugh faces several other accusations that are not part of this murder trial, Campbell explains. Those accusations include allegedly arranging his own death for an insurance payout. “He faces nearly 100 charges against him for various financial crimes, including fraud, money laundering, tax evasion and forgery,” Campbell reports.

The Murdaugh family has long been influential in southwest South Carolina, where members of the family have served as elected prosecutors for decades. Alex Murdaugh previously served as a part-time prosecutor for the state’s five-county 14th Judicial Circuit. He also worked as a personal injury attorney at his family’s prominent law firm.

Last summer, for more background on the Murdaugh family, CMG’s Nicole Bennett also spoke with Charleston, S.C. journalist Riley Benson who has extensively covered the Murdaugh investigations for years.

Over 17 days of testimony, prosecutors in Murdaugh’s murder trial called 61 witnesses and introduced more than 550 pieces of evidence — from depictions of the fatal shootings to shocking details about bank records.

The trial began at the end of January at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, a small town about 40 miles west of Charleston. Coverage has captured the attention of not only the South Carolina Lowcountry but the entire country.

Listen to the above episode, featuring Philip Holloway, for more on where the double murder trial stands.

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