Shouting match breaks out during Alex Murdaugh trial
A shouting match broke out between Alex Murdaugh's defense attorney, Dick Harpootlian, and one of the defendant's former law partners, Ronnie Crosby.
As Law & Crime captured, the moment came as part of a discussion about wild hogs in the state and guns used to deal with the hog situation vs. hunting birds or other game.
Crosby made it clear that he didn't have any information about the gun use of Murdaugh or his son, Paul.
Harpootlian then asked about what Murdaugh said to his former friend on the night of the murders.
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“Let’s ask it this way: Your practice is primarily personal injury, is that correct?” the lawyer asked.
“It is,” Crosby agreed.
“Catastrophic injuries?” the attorney asked.
“I handle a lot of catastrophic injury cases,” Crosby replied.
They then began talking about the idea of "memory" and whether trauma can impact someone's recollection. While Crosby agreed, he did so reluctantly, saying that when he's speaking to his clients, he says that it's important to get the details right.
That's when the shouting match began.
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“So, the instance you’re talking about where Alex told you he turned [Paul] over before he made the 911 call, whatever it was, I’m not quite sure, before, I think, is what you said,” Harpootlian said. “If that would be inconsistent with something he says later on after having reviewed other people's’ statements, looking at video – that would not be unusual in your business. I think you just said it would not be unusual, correct?”
Crosby didn't speak for several minutes. Harpootlian asked the question again, but then moved to strike it from the record. Crosby eventually answered, however.
“You’re trying to take me somewhere that you probably don’t want to,” Crosby told the defense lawyer.
“Oh, no, I think I want to,” Harpootlian said disturbed. He withdrew the question.
“Let me ask you this question,” Harpootlian said. “Maybe this gets to the meat of matters here: Have you had to come out of pocket to pay back the money he stole?”
Crosby said he did and cited millions borrowed and spent for the law firm. The details about financial crimes haven't fully been addressed, however.
“I couldn’t tell you how much has exactly been paid back as we sit here today,” Crosby said. “And if you’re implying that I would come in here and somehow shade truth in any way because of that, that’s – I would take high offense with that, Mr. Harpootlian.”
“I’m not concerned about your high offense,” the lawyer said raising his voice. “Are you angry at him for stealing your money?”
Crosby said he had no feeling one way or the other. Harpootlian's eyes got big but it wasn't clear if he was mocking the lawyer or he was legitimately shocked.
“You don’t have any feeling about Alex Murdaugh betraying you and stealing your money?” the lawyer shouted. “I admire you. I don’t know that I could look beyond that.”
The state objected, Judge Clifton Newman sustained, saying no question was actually asked and asked jurors to disregard.
“You are not angry with Alex Murdaugh?” Harpootlian asked.
“I have had anger with him,” Crosby said. “Extreme anger, Mr. Harpootlian, because of what he did to my law firm, my partners, my clients, his clients, our clients. What he did to his family. What he did to so many people. Yes, I experienced a lot of anger. But you can’t walk around with anger. You have to find a way to deal with it and move forward. And I have done that. And if you suggest, you are dead wrong, if you think I have come in here and told this jury something because of money, when we are talking about two people who were brutally murdered, then you’re heading in the wrong direction.”
See the full video below via Law & Crime or at the link here.
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