OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 9:16 AM PT – Thursday, September 16, 2021
One of the attorney’s for Alex Murdaugh, a prominent South Carolina lawyer himself, gave new details in the convoluted case of the deaths of his wife and son as well as the attempt on his own life.
In an exclusive interview Wednesday, Dick Harpootlian explained Murdaugh’s mindset when he hired a man to kill him after the murders of his wife and son as well as the death of his father; all of which occurred in June.
“The murder of his son and wife 90 days ago took a tremendous toll on him,” said Harpootlian. “His father died of cancer that same week. Most people couldn’t get through that. He got through it with the use opioids.”
This photo provided by the Colleton County sheriff’s office shows Curtis Edward Smith. State police say a prominent South Carolina lawyer tried to arrange his own death this month so his son would get $10 million in life insurance. (Colleton County Sheriffs Office via AP)
Harpootlian said Murdaugh was under the influence of opioids and was suffering from depression when he hired 61-year-old Curtis Edward Smith to shoot him in order for his living son to collect $10 million in insurance money.
As for the September 4 shooting, officials said Murdaugh, who was in a downward spiral after trying to withdraw from opioids, was shot in broad daylight in the head while trying to fix a flat tire. The bullet only caused a superficial wound.
Harpootlian added, Murdaugh knows what he’s done was wrong and blames his opioid abuse for leading him to embezzle money from his law firm to buy drugs.
Smith, who allegedly agreed to shoot the 53-year-old, has since been arrested and charged. Meanwhile, Murdaugh’s legal team said he’s expected to turn himself in to authorities on Thursday.
