Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murder, House to investigate George Santos: 5 Things podcast

On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Murdaugh found guilty

Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murdering his wife and son. Plus, the Justice Department says former President Donald Trump can be sued for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the House Ethics Committee will investigate Rep. George Santos over campaign issues and other allegations, USA TODAY Congress Reporter Candy Woodall looks at mental health in Congress, and which college majors earn the most?

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Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Friday, the 3rd of March 2023. Today, Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty of murder. Plus, former president Donald Trump could be sued, connected to January 6th, and we'll hear about mental health challenges in Congress.

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Alex Murdaugh has been found guilty.

Court Clerk:

Indictment for murder. SC code 16-3-0010 CDR code 0116. Guilty verdict.

Taylor Wilson:

The disgraced South Carolina lawyer was found guilty by a jury last night for the murders of his wife, Maggie, and son Paul. The pair were found fatally shot at the family's home in 2021, and Murdaugh admitted in court that he lied to investigators when he told them he was not at the property's dog kennels before finding their bodies.

So, how did we get to this point? I spoke with Hampton County Guardian Managing Editor Michael DeWitt Jr after closing arguments to find out how the prosecution wrapped up its case.

Michael DeWitt Jr.:

Prosecution stressed the mountain of circumstantial evidence and the mountain of lies and inconsistent statements that Alex Murdaugh made. They don't have a smoking gun. They don't have the clear murder weapon and there were no eyewitnesses. But as the prosecution said, I would bring you two eyewitnesses, but they're both dead.

They stressed the main pieces of evidence, cell phone video. For months, Alex Murdaugh repeatedly told authorities that he wasn't at the crime scene when it happened, he hadn't seen his family in an hour and a half, two hours. And this video finally emerged after a year of forensics that required the FBI to lend a helping hand. It took a year to get everything in and they found a video that puts him at the crime scene at 8:45 and they think that they were killed just four to five minutes later.

Taylor Wilson:

And do you see that video as being one of the most critical parts of this trial?

Michael DeWitt Jr.:

That cell phone video taken by his son, Paul Murdaugh, is the most critical piece of evidence. It puts him where he said he wasn't. It puts him there just minutes before they were gunned down. And the second most compelling piece of evidence would be the fact that there are two family weapons that are missing and the shell casings found at the scene match shell casings found all over the Moselle property.

So, it's quite clear, it's hard to say that a drug gang, drug dealer or a unknown gunman showed up and just took the chance that there were going to be weapons at the scene. Most killers bring their own guns to the party. So, those are the two biggest pieces of evidence.

Taylor Wilson:

Michael told me that the defense tried focusing on possible mistakes made by police after the crimes were committed.

Michael DeWitt Jr.:

Of course, any defense attorney is going to take the state's case like a shopping list and go down the list and try to find a way to discredit anything and everything. If there's a reasonable doubt that there's a one in 100 chance that fingerprint doesn't match or that DNA isn't a hundred percent foolproof, they're going to do that. But their biggest argument is shoddy police work.

There were some mistakes that were potentially made early in the investigation. When police arrived at the home of a prominent man from a prominent family, they kind of extended them some courtesies that might not have been made to a normal blue collar defendant. Murdaugh's law partners were all around the crime scene. They didn't search Murdaugh's home as thoroughly as they probably should have. They didn't search his parents' home where they think he disposed of evidence and disposed of the weapons.

So, there were some mistakes made early. They also criticized state police for zeroing in on Murdaugh early as their prime suspect and not really, they claimed, taking the time to rule out any other suspects.

Taylor Wilson:

And another big moment in the trial's final days this week happened when a member of the jury was removed. I asked Michael why exactly that happened.

Michael DeWitt Jr.:

According to what we learned, a juror was overheard talking to at least three people not associated with the case about the case, and we're told even expressing her opinion on the evidence or on the guilt or innocence of Murdaugh. It must have been a juror who was inclined to be favorable toward Murdaugh because when the judge said he was going to excuse the juror and replace her with an alternate, the state did not object, but Murdaugh's team objected.

So, obviously the information she passed on, informed speculation here, they didn't have enough evidence, or maybe she thought he was innocent. And so naturally, the defense is going to say, "Hey, we don't want to get rid of her." But in the end, the judge excused her.

Taylor Wilson:

Murdaugh's sentencing is set for 9:30 this morning. The minimum sentence for murder is 30 years in prison, though the South Carolina Attorney General's Office is seeking life in prison without the possibility of parole. Murdaugh will later stand trial for more than a hundred other criminal charges related to alleged crimes, including money laundering, stealing millions from clients, drug trafficking, and a botched life insurance scheme. You can read more on USATODAY.com and check out extensive coverage on blufftontoday.com, part of the USA TODAY Network.

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The Justice Department said yesterday that former president Donald Trump doesn't deserve absolute immunity from three civil lawsuits accusing him of inciting the January 6th capitol attack. That means he can be sued over his role in the riot. A three judge panel of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals will decide whether to allow the lawsuits to continue.

The suits each accused Trump of inciting the riot. One rioter was shot to death inside the House chamber by a police officer, and an officer who was sprayed by chemicals during the attack died the next day from a stroke. Nearly a thousand people have been charged.

Trump's lawyers urged the appeals court to dismiss the lawsuits by arguing that contentious speeches like the one he gave on January 6th, 2021 are part of a president's job. His lawyers also argued that he told his supporters to peacefully make their voices heard. But others, including US District Judge Amit Mehta have noted that Trump urged his supporters to quote, "fight like hell," before his supporters fought police and barged their way into the capitol.

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The House Ethics Committee has voted to investigate New York Congressman George Santos over a number of allegations surrounding his campaign last year and time in office. A subcommittee of two Democrats and two Republicans will look into whether Santos engaged in unlawful activity during his campaign last year, and they'll investigate sexual misconduct allegations involving a staffer. The freshman Republican has already stepped down from committee assignments after he admitted to embellishing his resume, including lying about his academic credentials. Still, he's refused to leave Congress despite calls for his resignation from both parties.

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Senator John Fetterman checked into a hospital last month and the reason was connected to his mental health. As USA TODAY Congress Reporter Candy Woodall told me, he's not alone.

Candy, thanks for coming on the show.

Candy Woodall:

Thanks for having me on. I appreciate it.

Taylor Wilson:

I want to start by talking about Senator John Fetterman. What is he receiving treatment for in the hospital?

Candy Woodall:

He's receiving treatment for severe clinical depression. This is something he has battled off and on throughout his life, but his staff said in recent weeks it became severe.

Taylor Wilson:

And other members of Congress are sharing their stories about mental health challenges. What did Congressman Ritchie Torres say about his experiences with depression?

Candy Woodall:

He told us that hospitalization changed his life, that he was hospitalized in 2010 and he was in his early 20s then, and he stayed for some time at New York Presbyterian. He said he had world-class treatment there and Senator Fetterman is also in for a few weeks now. And by the way, that's standard.

A lot of doctors say that that is a necessary timeframe to adjust medications, if medication is needed. And Ritchie Torres told us he did need medication and that he has been taking medication since that time and it helps him live a healthy, full and productive life, that there are still struggles, but the struggles are manageable now.

Taylor Wilson:

And I know you heard from lots of other lawmakers about their experiences. Can you just tell us about some of the other things you heard?

Candy Woodall:

Overall, what I heard is this is normal. A lot of people experience this. And we know that statistically from CDC and other federal data that it's more than half now of Americans who experience depression, anxiety, other types of mental illnesses in their lifetime.

The difference maker is getting help. And it can be hard to reach out for the first time or try to get help for the first time, but they say it is way scarier to leave mental illness untreated.

One lawmaker shared with us that her late partner had died by suicide, and that's Representative Susan Wild. She has been working since then in Congress to try to legislate on this issue and try to pass solutions for a mental health care. That has actually helped her win reelection.

What I heard from every lawmaker is there is help available and not all of it involves a hospital stay. Often it is a mix of therapy. Sometimes it's trying a few medicines to find the one that works. And I think what our story shows is people at the highest levels of power in this country and with some enormous means, they struggle with this, too. This really can afflict anyone.

Taylor Wilson:

When it comes to legislation, Candy, what is Congress doing to address mental health challenges in America? And do you find that Republicans and Democrats differ when it comes to this or is it pretty bipartisan?

Candy Woodall:

There are certainly some bipartisan efforts. They do differ to some degree and a lot of it will come down to the insurance lobby quite honestly. But there have been efforts through the years to treat mental healthcare the same way that you would treat physical healthcare. They call that parity. As you know, there are so many issues right now before Congress that it is unclear where this falls among the priorities.

Taylor Wilson:

All right. Candy Woodall covers Congress for USA TODAY. Thanks Candy.

Candy Woodall:

Thank you.

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Taylor Wilson:

College graduation season is right around the corner, and seniors might be wondering about their career choices and how much they might earn at a first job. If you're an engineering major, the answer is a lot. Americans with only a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering make a median salary of $75,000 within five years of graduation. That's according to recent rankings by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And other types of engineers earn more than 70,000 in that same timeframe.

Of the 73 majors studied by Fed researchers, graduates in six, all liberal arts, earn a median pay of less than $40,000 in that timeframe. Still, college is generally worth the average cost of $35,000. The New York Fed says college graduates with no advanced degree still earn more than people with only a high school diploma.

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Today is National Anthem Day. The Star Spangled Banner was first declared the national anthem on this day 92 years ago by President Herbert Hoover.

Thanks for listening to 5 Things. Today's show was produced by James Brown and Shannon Rae Green. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Special thanks to Cherie Saunders and Alexis Gustin. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Murdaugh found guilty, House to investigate Santos: 5 Things podcast