Buster Murdaugh booted to back of court after flipping off witness during dad Alex's murder trial
WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA: Buster Murdaugh has reportedly been moved to the back of Colleton County Courthouse after he appeared to flip the bird at a witness in his father Alex Murdaugh's double murder trial. The law graduate, 26, apparently kicked over a water bottle in anger when courtroom security asked him to move out of the front row behind his father.
Alex's sister Lynn, who was allegedly seen passing a note to his lawyer, was also warned they will be banned from the trial if there are further breaches of conduct. However, Alex's brothers Randy and John Marvin weren't issued any warning.
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Flipping the bird
Buster's offensive gesture was caught on camera as the legal scion was spotted biting on his middle finger while Mark Tinsley, the attorney for victim Mallory Beach's family, was giving evidence on Monday, February 6, as reported by the Daily Mail, According to Tinsley, Alex tried to "intimidate and bully" him for suing him over his son Paul's drunken boat crash that claimed the life of 19-year-old Mallory in February 2019. Buster, who has been attending the trial every day, is usually accompanied by his girlfriend Brooklynn White. Meanwhile, Lynn, Randy, and John have also attended most days. The family members were seated directly behind the defense table where Alex is seated in a bid to show support for the alleged murderer.
Buster bussin’ - middle finger or grooming? murdaugh family murders. busted. pic.twitter.com/eH7hfyTUuL
— ca$h (@yomamawyd) February 10, 2023
54-year-old Alex Murdaugh is accused of fatally shooting his wife Maggie, 52, and younger son Paul, 22, at the family's hunting estate in Islandton, South Carolina, on June 7, 2021. Buster was reportedly staying with his girlfriend near Charlotte at the time of the murders. He has devotedly sat behind his father throughout the trial, despite telling the Daily Mail in November that he doesn't want to see it written anywhere that he's supporting his father. Buster was also seen making a salute gesture to Alex as the pair made eye contact after proceedings on Monday. They subsequently exchanged words before Alex was taken back to Colleton County jail for the night.
Buster is reportedly listed as a defense witness along with his uncles Randy and John Marvin and aunt Lynn. The prosecution is still laying out its case against Alex in the trial that commenced three weeks ago. Tinsley gave evidence on Monday in the absence of the jury about how Alex claimed he was broke when asked for compensation for Beach's family over the boat wreck. A hearing for disclosure on Murdaugh's finances was due three days after Maggie and Paul were killed, but it never took place as a result of their deaths. According to the prosecution, Tinsley's testimony was essential to proving how Alex's financial crimes had come to a head like "a gathering storm." The judge subsequently allowed Tinsley to give evidence before the jury, which he began to do on Thursday afternoon, February 9.
'I thought we were friends'
During Tinsley's earlier testimony, when Buster is alleged to have given him the finger, the former recounted how Alex had attempted to "intimidate" him into dropping the lawsuit. Tinsley said he met the double murder suspect at a fundraising event for either state senator Dick Harpootlian or US senator Lindsey Graham in 2019. It's worth noting that Harpootlian is also Murdaugh's defense attorney in the murder trial. "He comes over and he gets up close in my face and he says, 'Hey Bo. What's this I'm hearing about what you're saying, I thought we were friends,"' the witness told the court, noting that he interpreted that as an attempt to "intimidate me and bully me into backing off."