Few trials in recent memory have riveted this region of South Carolina, known as the Lowcountry, where for nearly a century, fathers of three generations of Murdaughs wielded power as top prosecutors for a cluster of counties. But the perceived spectacle means that not only will Murdaugh be on display — so will the county seat of Walterboro, population 5,460.
But, he said, he didn’t want Walterboro to be caught flat-footed, and after Christmas, he posted on Facebook that the town was soliciting food trucks to set up near the courthouse.“Clowns and concessions, now all you need is a trapeze troop to complete the three ring circus.”“It is better that our community is perceived as prepared rather than not.”
About 900 jury summons notices went out in a county of about 38,600 people. With so much at stake, local officials want the process to run smoothly, so as not to trigger a mistrial.Legal experts say jury selection in South Carolina is typically not drawn out, but this is not an ordinary trial, and Murdaugh’s defense team and the prosecution — led by chief prosecutor Creighton Waters of the state Office of the Attorney General — will be especially strategic in seating jurors.
“I think when this case started a lot of people assumed this was a murder case and then with some white-collar [crime] running in there,” Waters said at the pretrial hearing. “But the reality is, as we’ve done this extensive investigation, we’ve realized that this was a white-collar case that culminated with two murders.”
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