Published on August 13, 2024, 12:30 am

In the latest development surrounding Alex Murdaugh, a convicted murderer and fraudster, justice department prosecutors have requested that the court dismiss Murdaugh’s appeal against his sentence for financial offenses. It has been noted that a crucial aspect of Murdaugh’s plea deal encompassed waiving his fundamental right to challenge the verdict.

In September 2023, Murdaugh admitted guilt on 22 charges relating to fraud and numerous financial misdeeds after striking a plea agreement with federal prosecutors. Prosecutors argued in their court filing last week that Murdaugh had, for over 15 years, carried out an intricate scheme of manipulation and deceit aimed at exploiting vulnerable victims to achieve illicit financial gains.

Both the defense team of Alex Murdaugh and federal prosecutors had proposed a 30-year sentence to U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel. The proposal entailed this sentence running concurrently with a separate 27-year term given to Murdaugh for state economic crime and multiple life terms meted out for the murders of Maggie, his wife, and Paul, his youngest son.

Contrastingly, Judge Gergel ruled for a stringent 40-year term in relation to the federal economics-related crimes – an act termed by Murdaugh’s legal team as constituting cruel and unusual punishment. Contesting this harsh sentencing in their appeal, they argued that due to his advanced age (55), this severe punishment represents essentially a life sentence.

As per regulations relating to federal sentences, it is mandatory that an inmate serves at least 85% of their stipulated term which computes here as being no less than 34 years. Misaligned with the average life expectancy of another 24 years according to statistics from Social Security Administration for an average man aged 55 like him; it substantiates their argument further.

The appeal made by Murdaugh suggested sentencing him between seventeen to twenty-two years considering state guidelines corresponding to the severity of his crimes. It referenced three analogous cases, each carrying a mean term of 17.5 years.

Stating the reasoning behind the enhanced punishment, Judge Gergel emphasized Murdaugh’s act of robbing money from “the extremely needy and vulnerable” that incorporated victims like a client who was rendered quadriplegic post an accident, and a trust fund developed for children who became orphans following a car crash involving their parents.

Guilty of swindling millions from his previous law firm in addition to its clients, Murdaugh has been directed to recompense over $8 million as restitution to the aggrieved party. Amidst this ongoing cloud of financial scandals and breaking news coming out about Alex Murdaugh’s case, it’s important to get real news updates from trusted sources upholding Christian Worldview principles.