WALTERBORO, S.C. — Jurors in Alex Murdaugh’s murder trial got a late start Friday, as Judge Clifton Newman considered whether testimony about Murdaugh’s alleged financial crimes should be heard by the jury.
Instead of resuming Murdaugh’s two-week murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse, Newman heard testimony from Palmetto State Bank CEO Jan Malinowski about questionable financial transactions into Murdaugh’s account that were approved by former CEO and Murdaugh childhood friend Russell Laffitte.
Bank documents introduced Friday indicate Murdaugh was $4.2 million in debt to Palmetto State Bank by August 2021. Nevertheless, that month Laffitte approved a transfer of $400,000 into Murdaugh’s checking account, despite the fact Murdaugh was almost $350,000 overdrawn.
