COLUMBIA, S.C. — The son of suspended Hampton County lawyer Alex Murdaugh told his father during a recorded phone call in December that Alex did “some illegal” stuff.
Alex talked to his son Buster by phone from Richland County’s Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where Alex is being held on a series of financial charges. The call with his son Buster was made on Dec. 22.
On the call, Buster expressed concern that a search warrant might not have been properly served on Alex.
“I understand that you’ve done some illegal s---,” Buster Murdaugh said to his father. That doesn’t mean investigators “can turn a cold shoulder to the laws of the United States.”
“Allegedly done illegal stuff,” Alex said and chuckled. “I’m kidding ... It is what it is,” he said.
That exchange, during a casual phone call, was contained in the recordings of more than 100 calls obtained this week by The State.
Just before the exchange, the father and son talked about police confiscating Alex’s phone and electronic tablet. Buster asked if it was legal for the police to take the devices without serving a search warrant to Alex in person. Alex said that “it doesn’t matter” to him that police took the phone and tablet.
“Ain’t nothing on it,” he said.
The two were speaking after Alex called Buster from the detention center.
Jim Griffin and Dick Harpootlian, Alex Murdaugh’s attorneys, declined to comment about the phone call.
Alex Murdaugh, 53, has been in jail since last fall, unable to post a $7 million bond, one of the highest bonds a state judge ever set for a defendant.
Fifteen state grand jury indictments since last fall charge Murdaugh with defrauding clients, law partners and others of $8.4 million over the last 11 years.
Murdaugh is also a person of interest in last June’s killings of his wife Maggie, 52, and son, Paul, 22, whose bodies were found at their 1,700-acre estate in Colleton County.
Buster, who is in his 20s, is Alex’s only surviving child.
The Dec. 22 call began with the two talking about a family trip and law school for Buster.
They also talked about reporters’ coverage of a recent bond hearing for Alex Murdaugh. Alex wanted to know if reporters had quoted what he said in the court room.
“I’m way past worrying about what people who don’t matter say,” Alex said. “But they don’t have a f---ing clue.”
Buster went on to say that people had been harassing him in public.
“Some redneck fellow” had “cussed me out” at a gas station, Buster said.
Alex called the stranger an “a--hole.”
Inmates at the Richland County jail who make outside calls must pay for the calls in advance. Inmates’ calls are subject to monitoring and recording.
The State received the recordings Tuesday in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
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(Reporter John Monk contributed to this story.)
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