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'Kudos to Clifton Newman': Internet 'touched' by judge's remarks as he sentenced Alex Murdaugh to life in prison

Judge Clifton Newman said, 'You have to see Paul and Maggie during the night when you're attempting to go to sleep. I'm sure they come and visit you'

WALTERBORO, SOUTH CAROLINA: The South Carolina court had to impose the sentence after the jury convicted Alex Murdaugh guilty. Judge Clifton Newman sentenced Murdaugh to two consecutive natural life terms, and many people on the Internet were moved to tears by the manner Judge Newman delivered his sentence.

Judge Newman said at the sentencing, "This has been one of the most troubling cases, not just for me as a judge, for the state, for the defense team, but for all of the citizens in this community and state. As we've seen based on the media coverage throughout the nation, you have a wife who's been killed and murdered. A son, savagely murdered. A lawyer, a person from a respected family who has controlled justice in this community for over a century. A person whose grandfather's portrait hangs at the back of the courthouse that I had to have ordered removed in order to ensure that a fair trial was had by both the state and the defense. I've sat through the trial I've had to consider many things. We've had this case, I'm also assigned to preside over 99 other cases. Testimony has come up regarding many of those other cases that I will not make any comment on. As a well-known member of the legal community, you've practiced law before me. We've seen each other on various occasions throughout the years."

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Judge Newman stated, "It was especially heartbreaking for me to see you go in the media from being a grieving father who lost a wife and son to be the person indicted and convicted of killing them. You've engaged in such duplicitous conduct here in the courtroom, here on the witness stand. Certainly, you have no obligation to say anything other than 'not guilty'."

Judge Newman said, "Obviously appeals are probably – absolutely - expected. [But] I would not expect a confession of any kind. As I’ve presided over murder cases over the past 22 years, I have yet to find a defendant who could go there, back to that moment in time, when they decided to pull the trigger or otherwise murder someone. I have not been able to get anyone, even those who have confessed, to go back and explain to me what happened at that moment in time when they opted to pull the trigger. When they opted to commit the most heinous crimes known to man."

"This case qualifies under our death penalty statute," Judge Newman stated. "I don't question at all the decision of the state not to pursue the death penalty. But as I sit here in the courtroom and look around the portraits of other judges and court officials and reflect on the fact that over the past century, your family has been prosecuting people here in this courtroom and many have received the death penalty. Probably for lesser conduct. Remind me of the expression you gave on the witness stand. Oh, what a tangled web we weave. What did you mean by that?"

"I meant when I lied I continued to lie," Murdaugh said. Judge Newman continued with his remarks, "The question is when will it end? It's ended already for the jury. They've concluded that you continued to lie and lie. There is nothing that could mitigate a sentence given the crimes that were committed. A notice of alibi was filed. You claimed to have been someplace else at the time the crime was committed."

'Within your own soul you have to deal with that'

Judge Newman stated, "Then after all the witnesses placed you at the scene of the crime, in the last minutes, you switched courses and admitted to being there. Then that necessitated more lies. You continued to lie. Where will it end? It's already ended for many. Within your own soul you have to deal with that. You have to see Paul and Maggie during the nighttime when you're attempting to go to sleep. I'm sure they come and visit you. I'm sure."

"All day and every night," Murdaugh replied. Judge Newman stated, "Yes I'm sure. They will continue to do so. I don't know a person who's always been so gregarious, a friendly person could cause their life to be tangled in such a weaved web... you turned from lawyer to witness. And now, have an opportunity to make your final appeal, as an ex-lawyer. It's almost, it's really surprising. That you're waiving this right at this time. If you opt to do so, it's on you. You're not compelled to say anything but you have the opportunity to do so."

"I respect this court but I am innocent. I would never under any circumstances hurt my wife Maggie or hurt my son Paul Paul," Murdaugh stated. Judge Newman said, "It might not have been you? It might have been the monster you become when you take 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 opioid pills. Maybe you become another person. I've seen that before. The person standing before me was not the person who committed the crime though it's the same individual. We'll leave that at that."

Judge Newman stated, "There are other victims whose cases deserve to be heard. And this case has jumped some of those other cases – perhaps jumped it because of this case resulting in the assault on the integrity of the judicial system in our state, law enforcement in our state. Even during this trial the law enforcement has been maligned for the past five or six weeks by one who had access to the wheels of justice to be able to deflect the investigation and, as evidence has pointed out in this case, the looming storm Mr Waters talked about."

'Not credible. Not believable'

Judge Newman said, "I can just imagine on that day June 7 when a lawyer was confronted and confessed to stealing over half a million dollars from a client and he has a tiger-like Mark Tinsley on his tail pursuing discovery in the case involving the death of Mallory Beach. And having a father for the most part on his deathbed. I can imagine - I really can’t imagine - but I know it had to have been quite a bit going through your mind on that day. "

Coming close to the sentencing, Judge Newman said, "But amazingly to have you come and testified that it was just another ordinary day – that 'my wife and son and I' were just out and enjoying life. Not credible. Not believable. You can convince yourself about it but you have had the inability to convince anyone else about that."

Judge Newman said, "I sentence you to the state department of corrections on each of the murder indictments. In the murder of your wife Maggie Murdaugh, I sentence you for the rest of your natural life. For the murder of Paul Murdaugh, whom you probably loved so much, I sentence you to prison for murdering him for the rest of your natural life. Those sentences will run consecutively." 

'The judge was great'

Online users expressed great respect for Judge Newman's sentencing and applauded it. One person wrote, "This judge was great. Not too often does a judge thank so many people by name & knew what each one had done during the trial, including the volunteers. He knew the Murdaugh family history & made sure that murdaugh's grandfather's portrait from the wall so the jury didn't see it." Another person who shared opinions about the judge wrote, "For me it's because he didn't make the case about himself like some judges do, he did his job humbly without grandstanding. He's a gem & SC should be proud to have Judge Newman on the bench, I know that I am."

A third person wrote, "Well said! We can all benefit from his example just as a human being. The world would be a better place if we could live by: What Would Judge Newman do?" Another person wrote, "But why did I want to cry when Judge Newman hit the gavel. I already miss him." "I don’t think I’ve ever been so moved & so confident or proud of a judge, ever, in the history of my life. #JudgeNewman has shown us all how a trial is run, with empathy & compassion, never losing sight of the law. Kudos to Newman, State attorneys, witnesses & the jury. Well done," this other person praising the judge wrote. "Honestly! I did a deep dive about him last night because he touched me with his stoicism, fairness, and humor. It all checks out. I want memoir from this man," one person who wants a memoir from Judge Newman wrote.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.