Alex Murdaugh’s Attorneys Seek Key Forensic Evidence from South Carolina Prosecutors

Attorneys representing Alex Murdaugh have submitted a legal motion requesting a judge to compel South Carolina prosecutors to disclose crucial forensic evidence. They seek information related to the unidentified male DNA found under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails, which, according to the defense, the state crime lab did not thoroughly test.

The 93-page document, submitted by Murdaugh’s legal team on Friday, requests additional DNA and ballistic evidence. It also asks for raw data from a laser scan of the crime scene in Colleton County, South Carolina. The defense has accused the state of delaying proceedings, potentially hindering their trial preparation.

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The motion argues, “Every week the State withholds this material is a week taken from the preparation of the defense. If the delay continues, the defense may be forced to seek a continuance that Mr. Murdaugh does not want and that the Court has said it will not grant. The State should not be permitted to create, through inaction, the very delay it would then oppose.”

The defense had previously asked for the DNA evidence from under Maggie Murdaugh’s fingernails to be tested by Othram, Inc. After initial testing, they argued that further analysis is necessary to obtain a male DNA profile, which the state crime lab identified but did not fully pursue.

Additionally, the defense contends that the partial DNA profile from swabs on Maggie Murdaugh’s phone needs further examination.

Defense attorneys are also demanding a comprehensive list of shootings in counties surrounding the crime scene where .300 Blackout cases or projectiles were discovered. Further, they request raw data from a 3D laser scan conducted by SLED at the crime scene. In 2022, prosecutors provided a read-only viewer file, but the defense insists on having the raw data to reconstruct the scene accurately.

Murdaugh’s defense criticized prosecutors for changing their stance on the murder weapon. The state asserted at his 2023 trial that the .300 Blackout rifle was rare, suggesting an association with the family’s firearms. Now, the motion indicates that prosecutors claim it is one of the most popular AR cartridges nationwide.

“The State has had continuous and exclusive custody of every item of physical evidence in this case, including the biological material that is the subject of Part III of this motion, for more than five years. It has tested what it wished to test, in the sequence it wished to test it, without notice to the defense and without the defense’s consent. It now proposes that the defense may not do the same,” the defense argued.

Joshua Ritter, a former prosecutor and Fox News Contributor, commented on Murdaugh’s request for additional DNA, stating it might be a risky strategy.

“I think it’s probably better left alone by the defense,” he noted. “They can argue about the unknown male’s identity, questioning why the prosecution did not pursue this evidence. There is a concern that the prosecution could counter, pointing out the defense’s lack of action despite having similar access.”

Alex Murdaugh was initially convicted in 2023 for murdering his wife, Maggie, and son, Paul, at the family’s Moselle estate in Colleton County. However, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned these convictions due to jury manipulation by former Colleton County Clerk of Court Becky Hill. His retrial is set to commence on April 5, 2027.

Fox News Digital sought comments from SLED and Attorney General Alan Wilson. Adam Sabes, a reporter for Fox News Digital, welcomes story tips at [email protected] or via Twitter @asabes10.