Murdaugh blamed some problems on addiction; bond set at $7M

By MICHELLE LIU
Associated Press/Report for America

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Speaking publicly for the first time in months, the prominent South Carolina attorney accused of a slew of mostly financial crimes after his wife and son were found shot dead blamed some of his problems on a 20-year-long opiate addiction shortly before a judge set bond at $7 million. Judge Alison Renee Lee said in a Monday hearing that Alex Murdaugh must post the entire $7 million bond, not just a fraction of it, to go on house arrest. Prosecutors say Murdaugh stole more than $6 million from about a dozen clients between 2015 and 2020 by using a fraudulent bank account to divert settlement and other money to himself. Murdaugh’s attorneys have indicated they’ll ask the judge to consider a lower bond amount.